Gatherings span the decades

Bruce Glover went to high school in Carson City, but back then, in the 1960s, the school was on King Street, not on Saliman Road where it is now.

"The school that we went to was the old Carson Junior High School," he said. "The class of '57 was the first class to graduate from that school. That was our old schoolhouse."

About 60 of his classmates from 1965 and their spouses and family members will be attending their 40th high school reunion this weekend.

That includes Friday night at the Eagle Valley Golf Course. Also invited to the no-host cocktail party from 6-10 p.m. are the classes from 1962 to 1967.

Saturday night is dinner at the Station Grille and Rotisserie solely for the 1965 class. Also, this weekend are reunion events for the classes of 1975, 1985 and 1995.

The area around Mo & Sluggo's saloon will be the meeting place Friday night for those three classes. North Curry Street from Spear and Telegraph streets will be closed from 8 p.m.-midnight. There will be a band outside and a disc jockey inside.

"There's only one high school here, which is pretty unique with the 56,000 or so people that we have," said Maury Tresnitt, owner of Mo & Sluggo's. "It's also pretty unique that four of (the reunions) happen to hit on the same weekend."

After Friday, the four classes have different events planned throughout the weekend, including a golf tournament, dinners and picnics.

"I think (the reunion) will be a good time to see all the people," said Rob McFadden, 28, from the class of 1995. "Yeah, it feels like we're starting to get old."

McFadden returned to Carson City in 1999 after spending four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He works for Countrywide Home Loans and co-owns Perma-Glaze of Northern Nevada and Nevada Johns, a portable restroom business.

But Glover said there's a big difference between a 10-year and a 40-year high school reunion.

"At the 10-year reunion, it's competitive," he said. "They come to see who's doing what and to whom. It's more to show off your status. At the 40th, you're just glad to be here and to see everybody."

He said his was the last class whose football team won a state championship. It was against Fallon.

Carson City was different back then.

"When we graduated in '65, there were probably 8,000 people here," he said. "We probably had between 120 and 130 people in our class."

Compare that with the June 2005 graduation, when 479 seniors received diplomas from Carson High.

Glover, who was born and raised in Carson City, remained here his entire life, and has been to his 10-, 20-, 25- and 30-year high school reunions. He is a retiree from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Some of his classmates include Bill Maddox, a district judge, Skip Thurman, owner of Thurman's Ranch House, Todd Russell, a local attorney and Howard Ingersol, who reached the rank of general in the U.S. Air Force. All are expected to attend.

"We've lost a classmates this time," Glover said "We're kind of looking forward to just celebrating one another. When you get to be our age, they start to go."

n Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.

Gettin' together

• Class of 1965: Friday night at Eagle Valley Golf Course. Saturday at the Station Grille and Rotisserie. Call Bev Davenport 882-4355 for information.

• Class of 1975: Friday night at Mo & Sluggo's Saloon. North Curry Street from Spear and Telegraph streets will be closed from 8 p.m.-midnight for the 1975, 1985, 1995 reunions. Saturday night is a Mardi Gras-type event with dinner and the Hard Drive Band at the Plaza Conference Center. Call Lee Pisiewski at 882-1985 for details.

• Class of 1985: Friday night at Mo & Sluggo's. The Pat Leahy Memorial Golf Tournament at Empire Ranch Gold Course is Saturday. Spots are still available and proceeds go toward scholarships to UNR. Saturday evening from 6-10 p.m. is a gathering at the Empire Ranch Gold course with appetizers. Sunday, at 11 a.m., there is a family picnic at Mills Park. For information call Joe Tresnitt at (702) 860-1530 or see the Web site at www.carsonhigh85.myevent.com.

• Class of 1995: Friday night at the Old Globe Saloon and Mo & Sluggo's. Saturday night at Silver Oak Golf Club and Sunday there is a picnic at Bowers Mansion. Call Rob McFadden for information at 882-7777.