Orrville will host Orrville High School alumni from all over and from all classes during the weekend of July 11-13 in what is known as the Orrville All-Class Reunion alumni weekend.
For most high school graduates of other high schools, an alumni reunion means spending an evening with classmates from their graduating class. But Orrville has taken the idea of an alumni reunion to a whole new level. The idea for the All-Class Reunion started in May 1998 when OHS Class of 1965 graduate Jennifer Johnson Reusser was peeling carrots at her kitchen sink.
“I was standing at my kitchen sink thinking about what I had to do and realized I needed to call my class reunion committee,” Reusser said. “The year 2000 would be our 35th reunion. On our graduation day in 1965, the mention of the year 2000 was way beyond my comprehension — a space odyssey, too futuristic. I would be an old woman by then, but here we were, on the threshold of a new millennium. Such a moment was worthy of something exceptional.”
From that jumping-off point, Reusser brainstormed different ideas about getting different classes together to celebrate entering a new millennium. But the idea that made the most sense to Reusser was to get everyone together, and by everyone, she meant everyone.
“Could we have everyone who has been through Orrville High School during this century all show up at the same place, same time and for the same reason?” she said.
The answer turned out to be a resounding yes. Thus, the All-Class Reunion was born.
Since 2000 there has been an All-Class Reunion every five years, except for the pandemic year, when such an event wasn’t possible. Instead, that year’s celebration was held in 2021 with most events held in outside venues and with an abbreviated set of events. Thus, 2025 is the first time for a full-fledged celebration after the pandemic, and the Orrville High School Alumni Association has a full slate of events planned.
Beth Scott Landers, OHS Class of 1973, has been working with numerous grads on planning these events. The theme for the reunion is “Old OHS Forever,” which takes its name from the first line of OHS’s alma mater, and the alumni association has used the lines from the alma mater as a springboard for planning events.
The line, “We’ll always think of you,” means connecting to OHS and the people and community that were part of those memorable high school years. Events that link back to this theme include a downtown block party that will begin Friday, July 11 at 5 p.m. and feature food trucks, a photo booth and the band SB Music, a Wayne County band consisting of local musicians who perform classic rock from the ‘80-’90s and some music from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
At 8:30 p.m. the band Landsharks, which is a Beach Boys and Jimmy Buffett tribute band, will perform.
Saturday will start with the Red Rider 5k Run at 7:30 a.m. at the high school and continue with pickleball and cornhole tournaments; a display of OHS memorabilia in the Hall of Champions in the high school; a mixer for Orrville past and present staff, faculty and administrators; and guided school tours. A particularly nostalgic event that day is the School Favorites Lunch in the OHS cafeteria.
“Alumni Hillary Plybon came up with the idea of sending out a survey of favorite cafeteria meals,” Landers said. “The cafeteria staff has very graciously agreed to fix the top vote-getter for lunch on Saturday. Overwhelmingly, the winners were mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy and apple crisp.”
The ideas from the alma mater lines of “growing up so strong and true” and “hold fast to friendships made here full of joys and memories sweet” will be celebrated by a musical tribute organized by Reusser with assistance from OHS alum Bryan Fetty, who is the musical script writer for the production.
“Once again the Saturday reunion show committee will be throwing a musical extravaganza of amazing tunes, this time about friendship,” Reusser said. “This music will bring us together in celebration, stir up old memories and create new memorable moments.”
The weekend also will feature a legacy tribute to OHS alum Bob Hershey.
“The legacy award is to honor the lasting impact that someone can have on a community,” Landers said. “Bob Hershey is that name in town, and he will be recognized for his exceptional contributions, service and dedication to Orrville.”
Downtown Orrville will rock with two band performances on Saturday night, beginning at 6 p.m. with Fleetwood Gold, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. Whiskey Friends, the Morgan Wallen Experience will perform from 8:30-10:30 p.m. The music for the weekend was organized by Project Live, who are all alumni of OHS, including Joel Beichler and Aaron Green, owners, and Hillary Plybon, an employee.
The weekend will conclude Sunday with an All-Class Reunion worship service to be held at 11 a.m. in the OHS auditorium. Several alumni and community members will speak or perform at the event including Clarissa Griffin Weatherspoons, ‘71; Ruth Johnson Conrad, ‘73; Brian Lacy, ‘98; Pastor Drew Tucker, ‘04; Jessica Lopez, ‘11; Paige Baer, ‘27; Pastor Chuck Davis, staff pastor at Radiant Life Church; and Orrville resident Ruby Howard Jackson.
The entire alumni weekend is open to the public, and one doesn’t have to be an Orrville alumnus to attend the events.
More information on these events can be found at the Orrville High School Alumni Association Facebook page, which includes detailed schedules and information on how to join.
The alumni association is seeking new board members and invites anyone interested in joining the group’s leadership to email the organizers at orrvillehsalumni@gmail.com.
