KANAWHA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES 98 YEARS May 27, 2017
The Kanawha Alumni Association
(KAA) moved one year closer to its centennial reunion celebration
with the observation of its 98th Annual Reunion at the end of
May. Festivities for the weekend began on the evening of
Friday, May 26 with the annual Burnsville School Reunion on the
football field behind the school. There, a large crowd
enjoyed a potluck buffet and cookout. Melodies of gospel and
bluegrass music emanated from the stage as classmates and old
friends reminisced.
On Saturday, May 27, activities
started off with a parade that featured Burnsville High School
graduates Jerry Kelley and Shirley Singleton Lloyd as parade
marshals. The theme for the parade and other festivities was
'The Best Years of Our Lives.'
At
the post-parade ceremony, American Legion Post 33 was on hand to
lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance while the Braxton County
High School Marching Band played the National Anthem and provided
other musical entertainment.
Master of Ceremonies, Butch
McPherson, led the crowd in a moment of silence in memory of
veterans and fallen soldiers. Later on, he presented awards to the
top three parade participants: first place, BHS Class of 1962;
second place, BHS Class of 1967; and third place, BHS Class of
1957.
Burnsville natives Danny Heater
and Jamie Summerlin also took the stage to be recognized. The pair
were being honored by the Burnsville Public Library as hometown
heroes. Both gave brief remarks about their love for the town
of Burnsville, thanked their friends and family for support, and
spoke about the importance of honoring the community.
Later, returning alumni and
friends gathered at the school beginning at 4:00 p.m. Auction items
were on display and the Alumni Center was open to visitors.
The annual business meeting and scholarship presentations began at
5:00 p.m. and kicked-off with a short video clip showing a montage
of classic movie scenes and old-time Hollywood stars. The
meeting was then called to order by President Tom Crutchfield after
the opening curtain revealed a recreation of the old Burnsville
Theatre. The set was a picture-perfect replica of the
exterior entrance of the old building complete with overhead
marquee, period movie posters and the smell of popcorn in the
air. Those on stage included Crutchfield, KAA recording
secretary Paul Peck, and Jennings Dancy who later delivered the
invocation and benediction. Thirteen current Burnsville
Elementary School fifth and sixth grade students who acted as
servers for the dinner were introduced. Those students
were: Karl Boyce, Josh Wimmer, Paxton Conley, Nova Newhouse,
Haley Morris, Erica Nicholson, Riley Hunt, Dreyven Luzader,
Michaela Cool, Allison Cosner, Mackenzie Bailey, Rylan Prunty, and
Peyton Butcher. Gilmer County High School student Lindsay
Chapman also assisted the servers; she is the granddaughter of
Ronald and Joann Smith. Five
graduating seniors and one honorary member took the oath and became
official association members. They included Tristen Brown, David
'Luke' Ramsey, Justin Vankirk, Logan Wilson, Tiffani Workman, and
Debbie Brown.
The John Godwin Memorial
Scholarship, presented by A.J. Godwin, was given to Justin
Vankirk. The Lion's Club Tom Casto Memorial Scholarship was
given to Tristen Brown. The Claude 'Bud' Mick Scholarship was
presented to Logan Wilson, Justin Vankirk, and Tristen Brown. That
same trio also received additional scholarship funds from the
Kanawha Alumni Association, as well as Tiffani
Workman.
Danny Heater was presented with
the Bruin Award. The Alumnus of the Year award was presented
to Jack Bosley, Class of 1962, and the Alumna of the Year award was
given to Tessie Morton McGinnis, Class of 1952. Additionally,
Howard Conley and William 'Bill' Wiant (Class of 1945), and Iverna
Bouch (Class of 1949) were recognized as the oldest alumni in
attendance at the event.
It was also announced that a
plaque would be placed outside the school gymnasium to commemorate
the 135-point basketball scoring record set by Danny Heater in
1960. The record, for most points scored in a high school
basketball game, still stands and is recognized in the Guinness
Book of World Records. With
a vote of the members in attendance, the previous slate of KAA
officers were reinstated for another year. At the end of the
meeting, Dick Graff, with the assistance of Terry Vankirk, held an
auction for items donated to the association which raised over
$800.
Following the meeting, a
baked steak dinner was served to around 200 returning alumni, newly
inducted seniors, friends, and guests. The full day of events
concluded with music and dancing in the school gymnasium.
Entertainment was provided by local DJ, Don Niles.
More photos from the weekend can
be seen on the KAA Facebook page by searching for Kanawha Alumni
Association. Go Bruins!
The following were in
attendance:
|
Number of Visitors
