As Dorchester gets set to celebrate 10 years of hosting its trademark Sandpiper Festival, former students of the village are preparing to make a return to their hometown to reminisce about old times during a ‘come-one, come-all’ school reunion.
Bernie Landry, one of the organizers of this summer’s reunion, says the event is open to anyone who attended Dorchester Consolidated School at one time or another, even if they didn’t make it to graduation.
A student of the class of ’63, Landry says his original plan was simply to get a “bunch of the old drinking buddies” together for a small get-together.
“Many of the original gang went into the forces out of Grade 10 and 11 and we had not seen each other for 40 years or more,” he says.
But after Landry received calls from several other former students of DCS who were planning reunions for this summer, his plans started to change.
“There were class reunions planned for this summer and a few of them asked why not put them all together, and then more classes got wind of it and here we are today.”
Landry, who has made his home in Rexton, N.B. for the past 40 years where he served as school principal for 22 years before his retirement, says the purpose of the gathering is simply to meet up with former classmates and find out what they’ve been up to since their school days – before they miss out on the opportunity.
“The whole idea was to get people back to meet friends they haven't seen in ages before they pass on, which seemed to be the only way you were meeting old friends in the past 10 years or so.”
Landry says he isn’t sure how many people will attend the reunion, which is set for the July 23-25 weekend, but is expecting large numbers. Most are coming back to the village from all across Canada and the United States.
“I’m looking forward to the reunion to swap stories and reflect on old times,” he says. “I’m 65 and looking behind . . . and this has been something that’s been in my mind for five or six years now.”
The reunion will get under way Friday afternoon (July 23) at 2 p.m. at St. Edward’s Hall where there will be registration ($10/person), a meet and greet, music and bar, with salad plate and other light snacks all afternoon and evening.
On Saturday, events will kick off with breakfast at Keillor House. At 11:30 a.m., reunion participants will gather at the official opening of the Sandpiper Festival at the village square and will enjoy the entertainment/activities throughout the afternoon.
“This has coincided with the Sandpiper Festival so that’s made planning a lot easier,” says Landry.
The meet-and-greet will continue at 6 p.m. at St. Ed’s Hall, again with music and snacks until midnight. From 7:45-8:15 p.m., a history lesson will be presented by the Westmorland Historical Society.
On Sunday, an interdenominational church service will be held at 10 a.m. followed by a tour down to Dorchester Cape and a presentation on the sandpipers, then more Sandpiper Festival activities.
At 1 p.m., former students can take a tour of the school, which will be followed up by a final wrap-up and parting ceremonies at St. Ed’s Hall.
For more information, contact Bernard Landry at 523-9338 or landry_bj@hotmail.com.
