Mega Reunion for El Dorado, Oak Ridge, and Ponderosa high schools this Saturday

Plans for a Mega Reunion for graduates of El Dorado, Oak Ridge and Ponderosa high schools started two years ago and will come to a reality on Saturday, Aug. 25 at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. For many of the committee members this year marks the class of ’87′s silver anniversary. “Sam” Scott McFarland, a 1987 Ponderosa graduate and former classmate, Shari Hanf-Baker and about a dozen other former classmates wanted to make their 25th reunion special.

Originally planned for a limited number of graduating years surrounding 1987, the event has dropped that limitation. We were often asked if people who graduated from surrounding years could come since we went to school together said one committee member. Originally planned for a spread of years that allow school mates that went to school concurrently to be part of the reunion regardless of graduating year. We all had friends that graduated from the years around us and wanted to include them. As we expanded the years, the same issue keep coming up, so we just dropped that limit.

McFarland took the multi-year idea another step. Why not invite people who graduated or attended El Dorado and Oak Ridge high schools during the same years to the reunion? “During my high school years, I made a lot of friends from Oak Ridge and El Dorado high schools,” McFarland said. On Saturday, the Mega Reunion will welcome students from the high schools in the El Dorado Union High School District in the ‘80s including the Ag and Independent study schools.

Bring a guest - Former classmates and those who went to Ponderosa, El Dorado, and Oak Ridge are encouraged to bring a guest (and children for the day portion of the reunion).

Bring an appetite - “All day cooking,” McFarland said. “Hamburgers, home-made chips, potato salad, watermelon slices are on the menu.” Christina Palmer, who attended El Dorado and Ponderosa before graduating from Independence High School, has her own catering business in Oregon, Twice Baked Potato. She will be providing the food. The full menu will be posted on the Mega Reunion’s Facebook page during the week.

Bring comfortable clothes - Wrist bands will be handed out to people who are attending the day’s events so that they can leave to change clothes for the evening’s events.

Bring an attitude for a Mega Good time - The evening portion of the reunion will continue to feature food and beverages, plus alcohol for those 21 and over. Inspector 71, who plays cover songs from AC/DC to Lady Gaga, will provide music on the outdoor stage from 7 to 11 p.m.

Tickets are $35 per person and $60 for couples. Each person who buys a ticket will receive a T-shirt that the has the mascots for each high school — Ponderosa Bruins, El Dorado Cougars and the Oak Ridge Trojans — at the reunion.

McFarland said tickets can be purchased at Halk Rental, 4064 Durock Road in Shingle Springs. Ask for Sharon Halk, or call 530-677-2253.

Tickets can also be purchased the day of the reunion. McFarland is encouraging alumnus to purchase their tickets before the day of the reunion so that their names will be entered into a drawing to win an iPod shuffle.

For more information on the reunion Mega Reunion has its own Facebook page; http://www.facebook.com/mega.reunion.5 There are more than 1,500 members on the page.

Event details
What: Mega Reunion for El Dorado, Oak Ridge and Ponderosa high school classes
Where: El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive in Placerville
When: Saturday, Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Cost: $35 for singles and $60 for couples
Information: Scott McFarland at 208-389-9094 or 208-409-5794, or e-mail mega.reunion@yahoo.com or http://www.facebook.com/mega.reunion.5

The get together at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive in Placerville, will run from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the lawn area.

Event T-Shirt Back

Event T-Shirt Front

Raffle prize for Pre-Paid guests