A Friendly Gathering

By Joan Bittner Fry

Every third Thursday, a group of friends can be found at B&T’s Unique Bar and Grill in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. These people aren’t friends by accident; they are graduates of Thurmont High School from the Class of 1967, the next to last year before students began graduating from Catoctin High School.

I was invited by Doug Brice to attend lunch and decided to write something about this. I heard stories of some escapades some of those in attendance performed, but nothing too serious. A little trouble with the principal from time to time, but he was only doing his job.

I learned that a few of the boys were cheerleaders, but that didn’t last very long—it seemed that was mostly for girls. Halloween pranks were a big thing in those days. Outhouses on the square, etc., etc.
The get-togethers began about 10 years ago, when four fellows decided to meet for hot dogs at lunchtime. On Thursday, around 16 people were in attendance. Some even had hot dogs.

It was enjoyable for me to see how a group of friends has stayed together. Some had lived in California, some in Texas, and some in other distant places. However, they returned to the area to live, found their classmates, and have been enjoying their long-lost camaraderie again.
The crowd was loud, happy, and seemed sorry to leave. They will reunite in January, after Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hope these schoolmates keep it up for a long time.

Lunch attendees: Pete Sicilia, Paul Smith, Larry Clabaugh, Larry Brown, Doug Brice, Denny Martin, Matt Wiley, Wayne Wireman, Rex Benchoff, Earl Mayne, and Jim