The New Trier West and East Classes of 1971 are meeting next month to celebrate 50 years since graduation a year after the reunion was initially scheduled.
The COVID-19 put plans on hold, forcing organizers like Kim Bjork Lykins and Walter Radloff to adjust. All the funds that had been gathered for the original night had to be returned before planning for a new event began.
“We had a great attack plan that was completely thought out for the 50th Reunion in 2021. Every committee member had a responsibility and followed through completely,” said Radloff in a news release. “But as we got closer to that date our classmate registration rate started to fall off. The world started to close down and soon we were forced, along with everyone else, to push back our reunion one full year. We closed up shop and refunded 100% to all our classmates who had paid the reunion.”
Since plans were derailed, the committee has stayed in touch with classmates, sending out monthly emails to keep everyone in the loop for the rescheduled ceremony.
All the hard work was fruitful with the classes planning their 50 plus one year reunion the weekend of Oct. 14 at the Skokie Country Club in Glencoe.
The pair is expecting roughly 300 or so attendees from both 1971 classes of New Trier West and New Trier East. At the time, the schools were separate four year schools to accommodate all the students. The schools even had competing football teams with New Trier West chanting “West is Best” when playing against their rival school.
Attendees will even be given special nametags with their school and senior photo displayed.
Precautions for COVID-19 are also being considered with outside open air areas and vaccinated staff.
“Reunions are just to reconnect, to remember all the things you experienced together, to know that there’s a collective group of people that are from the same place you were … that experienced all those things you did. That means a lot,” said Bjork Lykins, a New Trier East Class of 1971 graduate.
The agenda for the weekend includes an informal dinners with junior high classmates on Friday, a tour of New Trier East and West High Schools the next morning, a mixer Saturday evening and brunch on Sunday at the club.
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“With New Trier East having gone through so many construction changes, it’s a big lineup to go see how it turned out,” said Radloff.
A 20 minute video by classmate Rich C. Christian Jr. highlighting important moments from the year, will be played at the evening as well. Music from 1971 will help attendees transport back to a time when they were young.
“When you open up with Mick Jagger and David Bowie, you’re off to a good start,” said Radloff.
Attendees are coming in from all over the world including Thailand, Uganda, New Zealand and more.
“It’s so interesting to see where people end up. There are probably about 500 people from both classes, New Trier East and New Trier West, that still live in the Chicago area or on the North Shore,” said Bjork Lykins. “Everybody has their own story to tell and it gives you perspective.”
The biggest hurdle the committee has faced is finding contact information for former classmates. Radloff said that with the extra time, it has allowed the news to spread among classmates.
For those who aren’t able to attend, a Zoom reunion is in the works.
For anyone from the Class of 1971 looking to attend, registration can be completed at the reunion’s website at www.newtrier71.com. Invites to classmates can also be sent via email from the website as well.