Cadiz High School Alumni Association honors Class of 1975
Bob Smith served as master of ceremonies, opening the program with a reading that set a reflective tone.
Ed Banks
It was a packed house Aug. 9 inside Wallace Lodge as the Cadiz High School Alumni Association honored the Class of 1975. A total of 168 individuals preregistered for the event, not including personal guests. Additional attendees joined for the dance portion of the evening, contributing to the large turnout.
The Cadiz Class of 1975 graduated 125 students. Nineteen members have died since graduation and were posthumously recognized during the celebration.
Bob Smith served as master of ceremonies, opening the program with a reading that set a reflective tone. Bob Henderson delivered the invocation before dinner was served.
Following the meal, Dawn Carson offered remarks on behalf of the CHS Alumni Committee, followed by an update from the CHS Alumni Scholarship Committee.
“Twenty-three different scholarship fund providers, with some being anonymous, together provided $50,440 to be disseminated to students of the Harrison Central Class of 2025,” said scholarship committee member Jon Kirkland. “Should the Class of 1975, or any other class, want to start a scholarship drive for their specific class, please do. There are many more people or organizations out there that we may not know about who are willing to contribute to our cause. I would like to see Scholarship Day at Harrison Central grow beyond our imagination. Let us keep up the good work and seek new organization members and hopefully more money for the students.”
Kirkland’s financial report showed a Jan. 1, 2024, balance of $3,622.75, income of $7,738.35 and expenses of $8,476.40, leaving an ending balance of $2,884.70 as of Dec. 31, 2024, a decrease of $738.05.
Harrison Central Class of 2025 scholarship recipients were Madison Angle, Reed Arbaugh, Danae Hardwick, Kendal Hercules, Wyatt Hervey, Markus Hilbert, Lauren Doane, Kennedy Dunlap, Annabelle Fischer, Caleb Miller, Taylor Nemeth, Anthony Pelegreen, Cole Saiter, Tylynn Smith and Madison Zeroski. To qualify, students must maintain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
The scholarship committee includes Frank Gregory, Susan Zinko-Jamison, Kirkland, Patti Maffitt-Sabo and Jeanie Moreland-Wheeler.
Sara Bernard-George recognized each attending member of the Class of 1975 individually. Smith then invited Richard Mizer of Cadiz, Wally Linton of New Athens and Susan Fellows-Crabtree of Hopedale to share reflections on the consolidation of the three schools and their personal experiences.
Class of 1975 officers were President Ron Mazeroski, Vice President Tom Hayest, Secretary Laurie Huffman-Merryman and Treasurer Kim Sliva-Smith. The class flower was the rose, the class colors were royal blue and scarlet red, and the class motto was “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Lao-Tse.
The 2025 Cadiz High School Alumni Committee members are Henderson (1975), Amy Sickle-Ossman (1981), Cherylynn Morgan (1996), Dawn Tipton-Carson (1983), George Bedway (1972), Leeann Stringer-McGurn (1981), Allison Davis-Cochran, Melissa Crawshaw, Lynn Culver-Grabits, Larry Sickle (1977), Smith (1971), Jim Rocchi (1971), Dewey Morgan (1998), Heidi Poillucci (1992), Laura Ferrell-Cope (1994), Bernard (1975) and Penny Reppart-Zitko (1975).
Accolades of the evening went to Smith as master of ceremonies; catering by Kathy Stotzer; cakes by Litty’s; music by James Wallick; photography by Sharon Dalton; and bar service by the Cadiz Legion.
