GHS All School Reunion is Aug. 30

This year’s Gainesville High School All-School Reunion will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at GHS, with a few changes over past years’ events. 

The all-school reunion is open to anyone who attended classes at GHS as well as former teachers, administrators, school staff or anyone who is or was affiliated with the school in any way. The all-school reunion is held every five years; although it’s only been four years since the last event, because the 2020 all-school reunion was rescheduled and held in 2021 due to covid. 

Organizers are asking all former Gainesville High School students to spread the word to their classmates about the details for this year’s all-school reunion - sharing on social media or in dedicated groups for specific graduating years, if they have them established. 

Relying on word of mouth

In past years, event organizer Paula Rose and a dedicated committee of 20 to 25 other community members spent months on the phone, on social media and searching online to find updated and corrected addresses before mailing out the invitations. 

Despite the dedicated effort and countless of hours of work, the team still got hundreds of invitations returned. 

This year, they’ve decided to rely on word of mouth, advertisements in the Ozark County Times and on the Ozark County Times Facebook page, as well on the Gainesville High School All-School Reunion Facebook page to get the word out instead.

A shorter format

The timing of the event will change slightly this year, too. The all-day format is being transitioned into a more condensed timeframe with visiting from 9 to 11 a.m., followed by a short program. The change is aimed at having classmates gather together at the same time, whereas during the longer event, some graduates would come in the morning, and others would come hours later in the afternoon, missing a chance to connect. 

A program will be held at 11 a.m. in the high school gym, which will include honoring the oldest graduate in attendance, the youngest graduate in attendance and the graduate who has traveled the farthest to attend the all-school reunion. 

Refreshments over a full meal

Another change aimed at streamlining the event will involve the food. Organizers say instead of serving a full meal, the event will feature a large spread of free refreshments. 

Rose said the logistics of collecting money and taking orders for a meal were very time-consuming and difficult, so this change will make things easier on everyone. 

Find out more

Volunteers are needed to help register, decorate, pass out refreshments and otherwise help at the event. Those interested can call or text Paula at 417-989-1282 or email paularose1979@gmail.com to find out more.