Kanawha Alumni Association
99th Reunion May 26-27th, 2018
The Kanawha Alumni
Association (KAA) moved one year closer to its centennial reunion
celebration with the observation of the 99th Annual Reunion at the
end of May. Festivities for the weekend began on the evening of
Friday, May 25 with the annual Burnsville High 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 26, activities started off
with a parade that featured Burnsville graduates Jerry Wilson,
Class of 1966, and Margret Wilson Willey, Class of 1963, as parade
marshals. The theme for this year's festivities was 'Let's Go to
the Spot'--recalling Burnsville's iconic restaurant, The
Spot.
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,
under the direction of John Kimble, played the National
Anthem.
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: Class of 1978 (first place); Bruin
statue (second place), and Class of 1953 (third place). As part of the
weekend of events, the Burnsville Public Library held an open house
and honored members of the Burnsville Volunteer Fire
Department as hometown heroes. Fire Chief Summers gave brief
remarks during the event and accepted a certificate from Library
Director Beth Anderson. Visitors were also able to view several
displays featuring photos of current and former BVFD members,
accident scenes, and fire trucks.
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
began at 5:00 p.m. The meeting was then called to order by
President Tom Crutchfield after the opening curtain revealed The
Spot restaurant. The set was a recreation of the interior of the
restaurant, complete with counters and stools, milkshake mixer, and
candy display. Crutchfield was joined on stage by KAA
recording secretary Paul Peck and Jennings Dancy, who later
delivered the invocation and benediction. Fourteen current
Burnsville Elementary School students who acted as servers for the
dinner were also introduced. Those students
were: Aurora Andritsis, Shae Arnold, Karl Boyce,
Paxton Conley, Emma Conrad, Allison Cosner, Haley Morris, Nova
Newhouse, Erica Nicholson, Kaden Nottingham, Bailey Pritt, Lauren
Pritt, Allie White, and Josh Wimmer.
Four graduating
seniors took the oath and became official association
members. They included Seth Arnold, Amber Belknap, Beth
Ramsey, and Abby Wilmoth.
The John Godwin Memorial
Scholarship, presented by A. J. Godwin, was given to Abby Wilmoth.
The Lion's Club Tom Casto Memorial Scholarship was given to Seth
Arnold. The Claud 'Bud' Mick Scholarship was presented to Amber
Belknap. All four graduating seniors also received additional
scholarship funds from the Kanawha Alumni Association. Seniors
from the previous year--Logan Wilson, Justin Vankirk, and Tristen
Brown--all received second year renewals of their Mick Scholarship
due to satisfactory academic progress in their ongoing college
endeavors.
Dick Graff was
presented with the Bruin Award. The Alumnus of the Year award was
presented to Jerry Wilson, Class of 1966, and the Alumna of the
Year award was given to Jan Cosner Crutchfield, Class of 1982.
Additionally, Howard Conley (Class of 1945), William 'Bill' Wiant
(Class of 1945), and Iverna Bouch (Class of 1949) were recognized
as the oldest alumni in attendance at the event. 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 and Justin Vankirk, held an auction
for items donated to the association which raised nearly $750.
Special thanks to David Parmer, Sandy Conrad, Boody Talbert, and
Lost Road Candles in Flatwoods for their donations.
Following the meeting, a baked steak
dinner was served to around 150 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!
Alumni attending and their guests:
Ann Kelley Redcliff | Jane Riddle Richter | Linda Posey Dean | Willard Steele | April Ramsey Boyce | Jane Gibson | Terry Dean | Mary Steele | Karl Boyce | Janet Jeffries Simmons | Laura Singleton Spencer | William Bill Wiant | Arthur Brooks | Janet Nicholson Schindler | Treva Racette | Tom Durrett | Betty Mallet Pritt | Bill Schindler | Lloyd Franklin Posey | Russ McClain | Betty Carson | Jan Cosner Crutchfield | Betty Posey | Cortney Crutchfield | Bill Singleton | Timothy Crutchfield | Margret Wilson Willey | Jessica Vandernick | Donna Conrad Singleton | Jennings Dancy | Mary McHenry Kaufman | Todd Pritt | Billy Ware | Brenda Conrad Dancy | Pamela Brown Cuppari | Kelly Pritt | Ann Ware | Jerry Kelley | Patsy Morrison Reckert | Wanda Heater Duley | Tammy Ware | Jim Kelley | Patty Radabaugh | Derek Burke | Brenda McPherson Conley | Robert Kelley | Kim Bohon | Katie Campbell | Carla Mick Conley | Scott Tomich | Patty Graff Cobb | Gail Smith | Carolyn Pulliam Graff | Deborah Tomich | Paul Peck | Debbie Ford | Charles Lane Conrad | Jerry Wilson | Paul Bragg | Aurora Andritsis | Chuck Bucklew | Jimmy Pulliam | Barbara Brown Bragg | Shae Arnold | Corene Stump Carey | Joan Wiant Fields | Roberta Butler | Karl Boyce | Irene Stump White | JoAnn Simmons | Bernard Butler | Paxton Conley | Darrell Brown | Ralph Simmons | Ronald Smith | Emma Conrad | Sherri Weidemoyer Brown | John Brown | JoAnn Bosley Smith | Allison Cosner | David Parmer | Loretta Brown | Ronnie Brown | Haley Morris | Barbara Jeffries Parmer | John Burgett | Tammy Brown | Nova Newhouse | Dean Townsend Grooms | Connie Posey | Rose Buckhannon Hefner | Erica Nicholson | Deanna Brown Stewart | Judith Cayton Steele | Betty Buckhannon Long | Kaden Nottingham | Brittany Stewart Pescetto | Justin Vankirk | Rose Riffle Murphy | Bailey Pritt | Debbie Singleton McPherson | Terry Vankirk | Ruth McLaughlin Updike | Lauren Pritt | Butch McPherson | Kenneth Bosley | George Updike | Allie White | Dick Graff | Shirley Bosley | Sharon Conrad Brady | Josh Wimmer | Dixie McCauley | Kenneth Pulliam | Shirley Kelley | Seth Arnold | Don Niles | Betty Williams Pulliam | Shirley Singleton Lloyd | Tammy Arnold | Dorothy Hardesty McPherson | Lamona Brown Casto | Donald Conrad | Abby Wilmoth | Dustin Crutchfield | Larry Wine | Donna Conrad | Angie Wilmoth | Ellen Lynch Stilwell | Dawn Wine | Tessie Morton McGinnis | Amber Belknap | Phillip Stilwell | Everett Wine | Ted Myers | Pandora Belknap | Gary Crutchfield | Lawrence Losh | Donna Rhoads | Michael Belknap | Gentalee Steele Blake | Brenda Edmondson | Thomas Ratliff | Joe Green | Hilda Brown Clutter | Darrell Edmondson | Louise Bush Ratliff | Sandy Keener | Howard Conley | Lawrence Posey | Tom Blake | Beth Ramsey | Barbara Conley | Crissy Posey | Charlene Blake | Shannon Ramsey | Iverna Bouch | Lewis Wine | Tom Crutchfield | Andy Godwin | Jack Dean | Mary Pritt Wine | Tristen Brown | Lisa Godwin | Donna McClain | Linda Conrad Leggett | Twila McPherson Clark | A. J. Godwin | James H. Robison | Reilee Wilson | Wanda Kuhl Pratt | Barbara Godwin | James L. Godfrey | Linda McCauley Moore | Kenneth Pratt | Daniel Arnold | Susie Godfrey | Robert Moore | Wanda Malcomb Ratliff | Cassie Squires | Jessica Cook | Anita Miller | Johnna Wimmer | |
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