Hundreds of Dynamos appeared to have a dynamite time Saturday at an all-class high school reunion in Harmar.
More than 800 Springdale Junior-Senior High School alumni didn’t let rain damper their robust reunion that included food trucks, cash bar and music.
The event was held outside, under the picnic pavilion area of The Pittsburgh Shrine Center.
“I was quiet in high school,” said Springdale alumnus Clem Lovasik (Class of 1969), a volunteer and DJ for the event that is typically held every five years. “I’m getting a lot of requests for ’50s and ‘60s hits, and this is a way I can give something back to my class.”
Alumni mingled outside on the grounds in between rain showers. Tables set up under the pavilion were decorated with balloons, signs displaying class years and yearbooks were scattered about for perusing ‘way back when.
Happening until 7 p.m.: Hundreds are gathering and socializing at the Springdale High School All-Class Reunion Saturday at The Pittsburgh Shrine Center in Cheswick. @VNDNews @TribLIVE pic.twitter.com/KBmdkNlFv4
— Joyce Hanz (@hanz_joyce) July 1, 2023
A table full of 80-something-year-old friends from the Class of 1960 reconnected and expressed gratitude to be there.
“It’s nice to see there’s still some of us alive — more of us are not here than are here,” said Tim McCutcheon of Cheswick.
Organizers said the youngest alum to attend was in the Class of 2020.
Best friends since kindergarten and 2010 alumnae, Alexa Sarsfield-Baird and Ashley Zastawniak, both of Springdale, were all smiles as they visited with familiar faces.
“I just wanted to see who all would be here,” Baird said. “I haven’t seen some of these people in a long time. I found a few.”
The recent implosion of the Springdale power plant smokestacks was a much-talked about topic amid hugs, drinks and laughs.
“I feel like it’s a popular subject. It’s like Us Magazine of Springdale,” Zastawniak said of the recent implosion news.
Commemorative reunion t-shirts were on sale, with proceeds benefiting the seven annual scholarships awarded to Springdale High students by the Springdale High School Alumni Association.
Alumni were reppin’ states from far and wide, including folks from Georgia, Florida, Texas, Idaho and California.
Don Bozich (‘68) traveled with his wife from Florida for Saturday’s event.
“I heard this might be the last one so I wanted to be here. The last one I attended was in 1988,” Bozich said. “I enjoy seeing people I know without having to see their name tags. The kids I went to grade school with — I know them right away.”
Bozich worked at Glen’s Custard as a teen and Glen’s was one of two dessert vendors selling reunion sweets.
“I think it’s important for people to go to reunions, on an individual basis, for what they want to get out of it,” Bozich said.
For Carrie Leftwich Martin (‘73), attending all of the reunions are important.
Martin’s class, celebrating 50 years since graduating, had yearbooks at-the-ready for reminiscing.
“People are realizing the importance of coming to these reunions as we get older,” Martin said.
