‘Millennium’ reunion taking shape

In about 16 months, Fort Frances High School will be celebrating its Millennium Reunion.
The reunion, slated for July 7-9, 2000, is expected to attract more than 2,000 former students and staff members of the school to Fort Frances.
The reunion comes six years after the 1994 one which celebrated Fort High’s 75th anniversary. Building upon the success of the earlier reunion, the organizing committee is anticipating another sell-out crowd.
Registrations for the three-day event already are approaching the 300 mark, with many coming from former students who did not attend the 1994 reunion.
Organizer Bill Gushulak noted people have been picking up registration forms at Fort Frances General Supply, and mailing them to friends and family members who no longer live in Rainy River District.
Registration forms which were picked up during the Christmas holiday season have started to arrive from out-of-town registrants. It is expected the bulk of registrations will be in by the beginning of 2000.
The reunion committee held its first meeting in November and is planning another one tonight in Room 211 at Fort Frances High School. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m., and is open to all who would like to participate in the reunion planning.
One of the agenda items to be discussed is the idea of having a football players’ reunion as part of the Millennium Reunion. This would be the first “all players” football reunion held at the school.
It is likely the football players’ reunion would be a planned event much like the highly-successful decade group activities which took place at the 1994 reunion.
Meanwhile, with the planned closure of Fort Frances High School’s First Street East location, it is expected nostalgia will run especially high at the Millennium Reunion.
To help revive old memories, the committee is seeking help in its efforts to assemble as many pictures as possible which document the school’s rich history.
Pictures showing how the school has changed over the years are of particular interest. Classroom photos, team pictures, pictures taken during band trips, and theatrical productions also would all be of interest.
Pictures or laser copies of pictures depicting school life at Fort High may be mailed to Millennium Reunion, 1208 Elizabeth St. E., Fort Frances, Ont., P9A 3R9. Information explaining the activity depicted in the photo and/or names of those pictured would be helpful.
The reunion committee is planning to pass on donated photos and copies to Fort Frances High School so they may be kept for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
With the closure of First Street East location only a few months away, Fort High is reaching many milestones. Students are now in their final semester at the school, the final volleyball game has been played in the J.A. Mathieu Auditorium, and students are rehearsing for the final musical production to be performed there.
On March 11, the last Parents’ Night will be held at the school. For many former students who now have their own children attending FFHS, it will be the final opportunity to roam the halls again to search out their old lockers, the classrooms in which they themselves sat, and to appreciate the artwork on display.
Registration forms and copies of the FFHS Newsletter will be available at Parents’ Night.