The halls of Pontiac High School were briefly woken from their summer break-induced slumber on Saturday, when dozens of alumni from some of the school’s first graduating classes returned to their alma mater – originally named the Pontiac Protestant High School (PPHS) – for a reunion.
The gathering was organized by the PPHS Reunion committee. The group of nine, led by Mary Zakordonski, originally envisioned a reunion for the first five graduating classes of the school, from 1969 through 1973, but opened it up to those outside those classes because they still had some space to fill.
“It’s to help everyone connect again,” Zakordonski said. “Sadly, since the 2013 reunion, some key figures from our class have passed away, and that’s so sad.”
In the early afternoon on Saturday, attendees met at the school to pick up their name tag, take a guided tour led by PHS staff member Wayne Brown, and flip through old yearbooks. Then they all crowded on the front steps of the school for some group photos, first as an entire group, then organized by each class.
Someone noted that they had over 100 people in their high school class at the time of graduation, where just over 20 people represented the class now. There were just two in attendance from the school’s first class of 1969.
There have been a few reunions in the past, some organized by specific classes, others similar to this one, open to all.
In 2013, Zakordonski helped organize a reunion for her graduating class of 1971. She said since then, many classmates have passed away, so she decided it was time to host another.
“I thought, ‘Ok, we need to do this,’” she said, referring to organizing the reunion. “Life is short.”
The reunion committee – made up of Joan Rusenstrom, Joyce and Don Trafford, Donna Marks, Kathy Wickens, Roland Ashman, Doris Beck, Gord Black and Mary Zakordonski – has been meeting almost monthly since Sept. 2024 to book the venue and caterers, organize donations for door prizes, and spread the word to ensure as many former classmates were invited as possible.
Zakordonski said this last task was challenging, as former classmates have scattered to all corners of the country, and many are not on social media, which makes getting in touch tricky.
But like Zakordonski, who now lives in Alberta, or classmate David Russel, who traveled from Surrey, B.C. for the event, many made the journey back to Shawville to meet at their school again.
As various groups of alumni passed through the school’s halls, they noted the small changes the school has undergone over the years. Some noted changes to the tech rooms, others noticed lockers had been moved, and others yet wondered what the school’s mascot had been during their time there, as they were confident it was not the Panther, now plastered everywhere in the school’s halls.
After Brown closed the doors of the school, the group joined the rest of the classmates for a roast beef dinner catered by Ullrich Catering, and reception emceed by Don Trafford at the Shawville RA hall.
“I am so very thankful for everyone attending and for the whole reunion committee who have been working on this connection,” Zakordonski wrote in a message to THE EQUITY following the event.
“Strong social connection is indeed important for healthy aging! [ . . . ] The focus was on connection and celebrating togetherness, past, present and future.”
