CHARLESTON - Charleston High School alumni of the 20th century are gearing up for what they hope will be the biggest and best high school reunion yet.
If you graduated from Charleston High School anytime between 1900 and 1999, then this reunion is for you.
Mollie DeLay said her husband came up with the idea for the CHS 20th Century Alumni Reunion last summer. "Junior is the organizer, he dreamed it up - the whole bit," DeLay said.
"The class of '73 had their class reunion last year in June," she explained. While the class of 1973 graciously opened their reunion to a few alumni from other classes, "we felt really bad about horning in on their reunion," DeLay said. "But some of these people we haven't seen in 25-30 years."
That's when the idea of holding a larger, more inclusive reunion began to take form. "It started out with just a four year span - like '71-'75," she recalled. Things soon snowballed, however, as they kept adding other classes they would like to join them. "We decided, 'Let's open it up.'"
Organizers ultimately decided on an over-21 event, leading to the decision to include alumni who graduated "from the beginning through 1999," according to DeLay. "We figured, if you graduated by 1999, you're 21 years old."
The CHS 20th Century Alumni Reunion is scheduled from 7 p.m. until midnight Sept. 11 at the Charleston Armory but the reunion weekend really begins Sept. 10.
"Several classes are going to have individual class reunions Friday, the night before," said DeLay, who graduated in 1974 along with the man who, a couple years after graduating, became her husband. "We're having our 30th reunion - he was the quarterback and I was homecoming queen."
At 1:30 p.m. Sept. 11, before the reunion, the Charleston BlueJays and Sikeston Bulldogs will play their 120th football game.
"It's a big event," DeLay said. "And there will be some halftime recognition for CHS alumni."
DeLay said her husband worked with athletic directors for about six months to get the game moved to Aug. 11 to coincide with reunion events. "Sikeston agreed to it - we were thankful for that," she said.
Other events during the weekend include tailgate parties before the game and tours of the new high school and auditorium for alumni. The original high school building burned in May 1991, "the day after school let out for summer," DeLay recalled. "This particular building opened in '67 or '68."
Alumni may not want to party too late into the night, however. "On Sunday, all community churches invite alumni to return to their 'home churches' for Sunday morning worship services," DeLay said.
With armory closings and troop deployments to Iraq complicating things, getting the Charleston Armory for the event was an adventure in itself, DeLay said.
She recalled her husband working for "several months" trying to track down an official to rent the building to them for the event. They almost gave up on the armory and explored renting another building and overflow tents, "but it was cost prohibitive - $900 per tent, and we were going to need three of them," DeLay said.
The day was finally saved by an alumna who is well-known for getting things done for Charleston in the past. "Betty Hearnes called the adjutant general in Jefferson City, and she secured the armory for us," DeLay said.
With the cost of providing security, decorations and table and chair rentals on top of the armory rental and band, reunion organizers were also relieved and delighted to get some help from area businesses as well.
"Our banks - First Security Bank and Citizens Bank - donated $1,500 each," DeLay said. "L&S Discount Pharmacy and Simmons & Graham Pharmacy each donated $250 and Mississippi County Savings and Loan donated $300."
DeLay said the James Bayou cookers have agreed to handle all food and drink vending for the event. "It'll be barbecue, finger foods and drinks - all of that will be available for purchase," DeLay said. Proceeds from food and drink concessions will go to charity.
The reunion will also feature live musical entertainment by The After Dark Band of Memphis, Tenn. "We've got the number one-band on Beale street," DeLay said.
"More than likely we'll probably go," said Rhonda Welch, CHS class of 1985 "It sounds like a lot of fun."
Advance tickets are $10 per person. Tickets will also be available at the door for $12.50 per person.
For advance tickets contact Junior or Mollie DeLay at 683-6412 or send a check for the number of tickets needed to Hubert DeLay Jr., 1305 Warde Road, Charleston, MO 63834.