TRAER – North Tama and Traer’s honored alumni will gather for a reunion on Friday and Saturday, August 11 and 12 during this year’s Winding Stairs Festival.

Eight honored classes have been specially invited to attend the festivities including Traer’s class of 1953 (70 years) and 1958 (65 years); Traer-Clutier class of 1963 (60 years); and the North Tama Classes of 1968 (55 years), 1973 (50 years), 1978 (45 years), 1983 (40 years), and 1998 (25 years).

A committee representing the classes worked on sending letters to alumni and gathering reservations including Patricia (Richmond) Lundak for 1953, Viola (Kuhn) Barge for 1958, MaryAn (Kupka) Steffeny for 1963, Nancy (Speirs) and Arthur Calderwood for 1968, Patty (Boldt) Suess for 1973, Julie (Petersen) Conrad and Sandra (Pohlman) Dengler for 1978, Tina (Detje) Schlichting for 1983 and Leslie Sager and Trusha (Zimple) Shimp for 1998.

Those who graduated over 50 years ago in other classes from Traer are also invited to attend the Saturday evening dinner. Reservations ($15) must be made immediately with Cecilia Harmsen at Farmers Savings Bank & Trust in Traer at (319) 478-2148.

Alumni weekend festivities begin with an informal social gathering on Friday evening starting at 7 p.m. at the Traer Memorial Building. The 25-year class and Alumni Association will furnish snacks for that social event.

Beginning Saturday morning the Winding Stairs Festival events include a community-wide breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the memorial building hosted by local churches with free will donations going to Christian Hands Across Traer (CHAT). All are welcome!

Tours of the North Tama school can be taken at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

The Festival Grand Parade is set for 4 p.m. on Saturday, and alumni will gather after that at the Memorial Building for social time at 6:30 p.m. with dinner and photos to follow at 7 p.m.

A listing of the honored class members will appear in next week’s edition of the North Tama Telegraph. Come join the fun!