12 classes celebrate SBA homecoming weekend

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SPRING VALLEY — The turning of the trees may signal fall, but graduates who have traveled down the “lane” know it’s time to go home — to return to their alma mater — St. Bede Academy. The weekend of Friday to

SundaY is Homecoming weekend at the Academy. Twelve graduating classes have elected to celebrate reunions during the weekend. Committee members from each of the reunion classes have planned their class celebrations.

Don Terando has organized the class of 1947’s celebration of ITS 60th class reunion. The classmates will attend Academy homecoming functions on Saturday and meet from 4-7 p.m. at Uptown Grill in LaSalle for their reunion dinner. Many have planned to venture back to the Academy for dessert and drinks at the New Glow in the Student Refectory.

The 50th celebration was so terrific that members of St. Bede’s Class of 1952 felt a 55th reunion was a given. On Friday, classmates will gather at Uptown Grill in LaSalle for an evening of reminiscing and fellowship. Following the homecoming festivities on Saturday, the class will dine at Amici’s in Peru for a reunion supper in celebration of their anniversary. They will return to the Academy after dinner for dessert and dancing at the New Glow. Chairmen of the 55th reunion are Dr. Richard Ewald and Dan Lawler.

The members of St. Bede Academy’s Class of 1957 will celebrate their 50th and golden class reunion. The graduates will gather at Palermo’s in Dalzell on Friday evening for cocktails and camaraderie. The following morning, the men will attend the Academy Open House between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. This gives alum, particularly boarders, the opportunity to revisit their old haunts, such as the Shack. (Some may elect to join in the Alumni Golf Outing at Spring Creek Golf course.) They are also planning to attend the Academy Athletic Hall of Fame to cheer their classmate, Bernie McGraw who is among this year’s honorees.

The class of ‘57 grads will show their class spirit by attending the homecoming football game, St. Bede Bruins vs. Fulton Steamers, beginning with the sophomore game at noon. The varsity game is slated to begin at 2 p.m. Reunion dinner for the class of 1957 is 6 p.m. Saturday, October 6 at Oak Ridge Bar & Grill in LaSalle. The grads will return to the Academy to take part in the New Glow following their dinner. Ken Ficek and Jack Landgraf have been instrumental in planning a very special 50th anniversary celebration of the class of 1957.

On Sunday, the graduates of the class will be inducted into the Order of Golden Bedans, a fraternity of men who graduated from St. Bede 50 or more years ago. The Rev. Philip Davey, OSB, will perform the ceremony following 10 a.m. mass in the Abbey Church. An alumni breakfast honoring the Golden Bedans will take place in SBA’s student refectory after the induction ceremony. (The Alumni Breakfast is open to the public, at a cost of $6 per adult, $5 per child.)

In celebration of their 45th anniversary, the Class of 1962  is planning a get-together. According to reunion chairman the Rev. Patrick Fennel, OSB, tentative plans have been made and will be announced shortly.

The Class of 1967 will meet at the KC’s in LaSalle at 6 p.m. on Friday, according to reunion chairmen Pat Andreoni and Rich Baird. Classmates will return to St. Bede on Saturday, for the Hall of Fame ceremony and the Homecoming game. In the evening they will travel to Verucchi’s Ristorante in Spring Valley for their 40th reunion celebration. Following their dinner, the classmates will return to the Academy and meet in the Student Refectory to enjoy dessert and drinks at the New Glow.

Members of the Class of 1972 have planned a weekend of festivities in celebration of their 35th class reunion. The 35th anniversary class will be getting re-acquainted at the Water Street Pub on Friday, and Saturday, the men have the option of golfing, running in the Jim Lattin 5k Fun Run/Walk, attending the Academy Open House and/or Athletic Hall of Fame. Members of the Class of 1972 will reunite to watch the St. Bede Bruins battle the Steamers of Fulton. Saturday evening members of the Class of 1972 will journey to Valley Bar & Grill in Spring Valley for their reunion dinner. They, too, will attend the New Glow Saturday evening for dessert, drink and dessert. On Sunday morning those wishing to participate will attend St. Bede’s Alumni Mass and breakfast. Planning the weekend events were Rich Koehler and Bill Schulte.

The Class of 1977’s 30th reunion honorees will get together on Friday evening at Jim & Linda’s Riverview in Peru for drinks and appetizers. Classmates are planning to golf on Saturday morning, attend the Academy’s Open House and then meet in Abbot Vincent Gymnasium at noon to watch as classmate Michelle Stuart Kelley is inducted into the St. Bede Athletic Hall of Fame. All will gather at the Homecoming game Saturday afternoon to cheer on the Bruins in their game against the Fulton Steamers. The Class of 1977 will celebrate their 30th anniversary with dinner at Spring Creek Golf Course in LaSalle. Reunion chairman Joan Donahue McKinney and Rick O’Sadnick invite classmates to attend the Alumni Mass and breakfast on Sunday morning.

St. Bede’s Silver Anniversary honorees will gather at the home of Bill & Bonnie Prokup in Peru on Friday, for an evening of reminiscing. The Uptown Grill in Peru will be the site of St. Bede Academy’s class of 1982’s 25th reunion dinner on Saturday. Saturday’s day schedule for the celebrants includes participation in the Jim Lattin Race, Academy Open House, Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony and football game. Bill Prokup and Lori Janko Wilke have made the Silver Anniversary reunion arrangements. Classmates will return to the Academy Sunday morning for the Alumni Mass and breakfast.

After 20 years, the graduates of St. Bede Academy’s Class of 1987 will reunite at Lou’s LaGrotto in Peru on Friday, according to chairmen Heidi Croissant McCloskey, Teresa Martin Case and Joe Perona. Saturday they return to the Academy to take part in the Jim Lattin Scholarship Fund 5K Fun Run/Walk. They will attend the Athletic Hall of Fame festivities and then gather again to cheer on the Bruins in their homecoming game against the Fulton Steamers. In the evening, the classmates will enjoy a reunion dinner at DJ’s Supper Club in LaSalle, returning to the Academy that evening for the New Glow for dessert, drinks and dancing. The next morning the classmates will take part in the Alumni Mass and breakfast.

Fifteen years ago the class of 1992 said farewell to SBA and are now returning for a reunion celebration. On Friday, classmates will gather at the Uptown Grill in Peru. Plans for Saturday include attending the Homecoming game and Hall of Fame ceremony where classmate Neil Piacenti will be inducted in to St. Bede’s Athletic Hall of Fame. In the evening, classmates will meet for a formal dinner at Oak Ridge in LaSalle and then return to St. Bede for the New Glow. Reunion chairmen Nicole Norris Stuepfert and John Duncan invite classmates to attend the Alumni Mass and breakfast on Sunday morning.

 Members of the Class of 1997 have planned a 10th reunion celebration. Chairmen Ginny Whipple has planned a fun-filled weekend for her classmates. Friday evening all will reunite and reminisce at Jim & Linda’s Riverview in Peru. Saturday the classmates will attend homecoming festivities, including the Hall of Fame ceremony, and then cheer on the Bruins in their game against the Fulton Steamers. In the evening, they will gather in LaSalle at the Trattoria for their 10th class reunion dinner. Graduates of the Class of 1997 plan to return to the Academy on Sunday morning for the Alumni Mass and breakfast.

Molly Maciejewski was in charge of the fifth class reunion for the class of 1992. Members will meet at Two Fools in LaSalle on Friday evening to catch up and share memories. They will attend the homecoming activities on Saturday and gather at the Golf ‘n Pub in Oglesby for dinner on Saturday at 7 p.m. Following dinner, the classmates will return to the Academy for the New Glow.

Anyone wishing more information about St. Bede Academy’s Homecoming 2007 Celebration Weekend are asked to contact Mrs. Diane Janz, Alumni Director of St. Bede at 223-3140, ext. 204.