By Kathy Chaffin
kchaffin@salisburypost.com
It all started on Facebook.
East Rowan High School graduate Margaret Wilson Faust reconnected with Randy Peeler, who graduated two years before her, on the popular social networking Web site.
“Randy and I were not the first people to reconnect,” Faust said. “We just happened to be talking about how much fun everybody was having.”
They decided to plan a gathering of graduates from the 1980s and 1990s. The decision on where to hold it was easy since fellow alumni Wesley Stokes, a 1985 graduate, and Luke Livengood, a 1996 graduate, co-own Castaways in Salisbury.
Peeler, who lives in Virginia, created a Facebook event invitation to the gathering and sent it to fellow East Rowan graduates. Unfortunately, Faust said Peeler had a work conflict come up at the last minute and was unable to attend.
Most of the 35 who did show up for the Sunday evening event were 1983 and 1985 graduates. “That’s indicative of the two planners,” Faust said. She’s a member of the 1985 graduating class, and Peeler, the 1983 class.
Only two graduates from the 1990s showed up, Stephanie Clarke of the 1995 class and Jennifer Sicuro of the 1993 class. “We’re the young’uns,” Clarke said.
Scott Leazer, a 1985 graduate, and his wife, the former Amy Mako, a 1987 graduate, drove from Atlanta, Ga. for the gathering. His brother, Chris, a 1987 graduate, and his wife, came from Charlotte.
John Mills, a 1985 graduate, and his wife, Tammany, drove from Myrtle Beach, S.C. for the gathering. He said there were people there that he hadn’t seen in 20-plus years.
Faust said the hors d’oeuvres for the gathering, held in the back room at Castaways, were provided by anonymous donors. Some of the graduates also ordered dinner, she said, “so they got to enjoy the good meals.”
The graduates spent part of the night reminiscing about old memories. Faust and 1983 graduate Vic Jackson recalled an “Air Band Contest” between the 10th, 11th and 12th grades at a pep rally. “I think it was on some opening football game,” she said. “It was outside in the stadium, and the bands performed on the track.”
Faust and her friends, representing the sophomore class, performed “Our Lips Are Sealed” by the Go-Gos. Faust was a devoted fan of the Go-Gos and went to see the all-female band perform in Charlotte the very next night.
Jackson and classmates Rodney Arey, who was also at the gathering, Steve Brady, Craig Ritchie and Deron Freeze performed “No One Like You” by the Scorpions.
Which grade level won?
“I think the seniors squeaked by the sophomores,” Faust said.
The gathering started at 7, and Faust said she and her husband, James, were among the last to leave at about 10:30.
“I know everyone certainly enjoyed getting together and said we should do it more often,” she said.
Wesley Stokes said he and Luke Livengood enjoyed hosting the East Rowan gathering. “It was real enjoyable,” he said. “We’re going to try to do it twice a year probably.
In the meantime, Faust said she has to help plan the Class of 1985’s 25th reunion next year. Facebook will make the coordinating much easier.
Faust said it was late last year when her age group of alumni started joining Facebook. “There’s been tremendous growth in the numbers,” she said.
The East Rowan High School Graduates group now has 525 members.
East Rowan alumni are special, Faust said. “I think we’re a pretty diverse group that always has fun together on the rare times we do get together,” he said.
Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-7683.