Hayesville High School alumni met May 2, 2026, at Hillsdale High School for their 87th annual meeting, with 15 classes represented.
Judy (Van Gilder) Weaver led the opening, pledge and school song, and Barb (Sparr) Spaid gave the invocation and benediction.
Members and spouses were served a Salisbury steak dinner by the Hillsdale Music Department.
The oldest class represented was 1948, with Anna Mae (Glass) Beecher recognized and given a basket of flowers. The classes of 1951, 1956 and 1961 were acknowledged. Floyd Koegler Jr., of the class of 1961, traveled from Cumming, Georgia, and spoke briefly.
Lauren Weaver gave an update on the Hayesville/Jeromesville Scholarship, reporting that in 2025, two scholarships of $3,616.50 were awarded to Delaney Painter and Peighton Thomas. Over the past 21 years, more than $96,509 has been awarded. The scholarship committee has arranged with ACCF to award three scholarships in years when the spendable income is $9,000 or more.
It was reported that the alumni can no longer meet at Hillsdale High School due to the cost of janitorial and cooking services and a $1,000 insurance premium. Members voted to continue holding the annual banquet each year at the committee’s discretion.
The alumni committee remains Judy (Van Gilder) Weaver, Kay (Seiss) Pauly, Cindy (Baker) Young, Barb (Sparr) Spaid, Barb (Clark) Dalton and Bill Glass.
Ten members were added to the “In Remembrance” list: Frank Harned, Don Ritchie, Mary (Morris) Weikel Brock, Richard Cline, James McClure, Jerry Wharton, Edward Miller, Robert Keiffer, Kay (Brightbill) Ruley and Kenneth Strine.
Also attending were teacher/superintendent Gene Yeater and guests Jeff and Ann Cox, whose father, Ellsworth Cox, was a Hayesville High School teacher and coach. A 50/50 drawing was won by Robert Barr. Of the $226 collected, he donated his $113 share to the scholarship fund.
Door prizes were donated by Eva Treats, Brew’d, Rockin R, Farmhouse Parlor & Grill, Hayesville Hairport, BellStores, Village Point Market, Heffelfingers and Oak Park.
The meeting adjourned with the next meeting set for the first Saturday of May 2027.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Tradition continues as Hayesville alumni gather for annual banquet
Reporting by Staff Report / Ashland Times Gazette
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By Staff Report | USA TODAY Network
