What a weekend to remember!!!  A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out to celebrate our 30th year reunion.

A reunion letter from "Connie"

                                         AHS CLASS OF 1986 30TH REUNION

Things got started Friday evening with classmates joining the Fridays After Five crowd on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall.  Between 15 and 20 classmates joined in who would not be at the Saturday night function.  So in all about 100 participated in the weekend AHS Class of 1986 30th reunion.

At 10:30 Saturday morning July 30, 2016 about 25 classmates gathered in the front lobby of Albemarle High School for a tour of our home away from home from the Fall of 1982 until the spring of 1986.  A school custodian, the Albemarle High School Alumni Association who set up the tour and three current AHS students greeted us as we arrived.  As we waited for any late comers, the AHS halls recognized the voices that have been missing since 1986.  Due to Summer construction, we knew our tour would be limited to the first floor and basement areas. Our first stop was the auditorium which is mostly unchanged from our years.  Then it was to the basement beyond the auditorium for the band room and choir room.  The walls were covered with trophies and awards in both rooms.  Our next stop was the cafeteria.  Some stepped outside to view the athletic training facility and entrance to the new turf field.  Just across the hall we exited to the famous Breezeway.  Some said there were changes, they remembered sitting on a brick wall that was no longer there. After posing for a group photo, we visited the Media Center and looked through our 1986 Peer.  One classmate made the comment, they don't have as many books now since everything is on computer and the new technology.  Someone posted a note on a large poster board, The Class of 1986 wuz here.  Back through the Breezeway and down the hall to the old gym and then the new Ed Null Gym.  We looked at trophy cases and photographs on the walls.  Through the Breezeway one last time and into the lower level on the cross section of the A and connects the two main hallways. We then walked the main hallway, walking around and stepping over lumber and building materials being used to renovate some classrooms.  When we arrived back to the main lobby, it was 12:00.  Lynn thanked everyone for coming and thanked the custodian and the three student guides.  There was a lot of excitement, conversation and memories as we walked through the school. The comment was made that the three student guides have no idea why anyone would get excited and want to visit the school.  They just want to get out.

Now it is evening and classmates enter the Omni Hotel in downtown Charlottesville.  We check in at the registration table and pick up their nametags so we won't forget who we are.  We were able to purchase our favorite beverage, mingle and talk to friends from the past.  A group photograph was taken and after a while we went through the buffet line with salad, potatoes and string beans, rolls, chicken, steak, berries and cheese cake.  Everything was very tasty.  There was water and tea on the table and coffee was available.

There was no excuse for anyone to be hungry.  While we ate music from 1986 was being played by the DJ.

Reunion organizer Lynn Payne Kelly thanked all for coming and some that helped.  Ron Taylor thanked Lynn for a job well done and two classmates brought in thank you gifts for Lynn.  Ron presented four trophies, travel the farthest from Colorado, traveled the least distance from Hinton Avenue, married the most years and the latest to get married.  Guest speaker, founder and chairman of the Albemarle High School Alumni Association, told AHS stories and some of the main changes from the old AHS to the AHS now.  As requested, informed about the AHS Alumni Association which was organized in the Fall of 2008.  The story was shared about learning to email in the beginning trying to inform over 20,000 AHS graduates about the efforts to organize an AHS Alumni Association.  I did not know you could send more than one email at a time.  A full page was typed, an email address was selected and sent.  A full page was typed, an email address was selected and sent.  As you can see, I didn't know you could copy and paste.  All typing was in all capital letters to save time by not having to shift.  Several meetings later, I told it was going to take a long time to send these emails and letters where there was no email.  One new member asked, how are you emailing?  I explained thinking I am doing everything correctly and efficiently.  I was the entertainment for the balance of that meeting. I also learned that by all CAPS U was yelling at people. It did accomplish one thing, everyone there knew I was serious and I was willing to work to accomplish my goal of an AHS Alumni Association. The association has an Albemarle High School Alumni Hall of Fame program that now has 24 members and a Scholarship Program which has awarded 47 scholarships totaling $46,500 to graduating seniors.  The Alumni Association has a website www.albemarlealumni.com that has had over 221,000 home page visitors and we are told it is one of the largest and most used high school sites in the country. The Albemarle High School Alumni Association now has 3,980 members.  The Alumni Association has helped with over 40 class reunions. We also published a 233 page book, Mr. Hurt's 10,000 Memories, to honor Mr. Hurt in 2011 when he was inducted in the AHS Hall of Fame at our first "A Night To Remember program.  I did tell them to enjoy life when they are young because they will become old.  Members of the Class of 1986 are encouraged to register on the website and become a member.  

There was a name that song competition among tables.  Two tables had all ten 1986 songs right.  Some final comments were made and the DJ played songs for dancing.  Classmates could get their picture taken with a background by a professional photographer.  A line formed and others began dancing, slow in the beginning and then the tempo picked up considerably. There was a whole lot of shaking going on.  That line comes from a Jerry Lee Lewis song when I was at Albemarle High School in the 1950's.  Add a little Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Connie Francis, Fats Domino, The Platters, Paul Anka and a bunch of Elvis and you have my days.  That will have to wait until 2018 when my Class of 1958 will be having our 60th reunion.

This fellow left at 10:00 and things were still going strong.  I left knowing the Class of 1986 had a good reunion and the 87 that attended enjoyed themselves.  I told Lynn, the reward of the organizer is seeing classmates having a good time.  With 20 days to go there were less than 28 registrations in hand and headed toward a financial calamity.  Lynn called and together we got busy and within several days she was up to 71 and the final number was 89 registrations.  I celebrated by driving through McDonalds and getting a $.50 cent ice cream cone.  When I arrived home, I told my wife of 54 years, they were still dancing when I left.  Whenever I see those numbers 1986, now I have faces in my memories.

Charles "Connie" Crenshaw

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey

AHS Class of 1986 30^th Reunion Agenda
Tickets are on sale until July 25 - Click "30th Reunion Event Tickets" on left menu to purchase yours

July 29 @ 5:30 PM – Reunion kickoff at Friday’s After 5 on the Downtown Mall (meet under the tent near beer stand on the left)

July 30 @ 10:30-11:30 AM – AHS Guided Tour (meet in AHS main lobby)

July 30 @ 5:00 PM-1 AM – AHS Reunion Party (Omni Hotel’s Jefferson Ballroom)

              5:00 PM – Registration Begins

              6:45 PM – Class Picture

              7:00 PM Buffet Dinner/Welcome/Awards/Trivia/Music (your 80s playlist!)

Buffet Dinner Served: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Seasonal Garden Greens with Julienne Vegetables, Sourdough

Croutons and Chef's Selection of Two Homemade Dressings

Farfelle Pasta Salad with Fresh Herbs

Seared Chicken Breast with Sun Dried Tomato and Crimini Mushroom Sauce

Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Apricot Demi-Glace

Fresh House Rolls with Butter

Seasonal Vegetable Medley

Roasted Potatoes

New York Cheesecake

Assorted Gourmet Cupcakes

Fresh Fruit Martini

Water, Iced Tea, and Westrock Coffee Service

*guests will go through the buffet on their leisure.

Cash Bar with Beer, Wine, and Liquor Options.

- Cash Bar available in Prefunction from 5pm-7pm.

- At 7:00pm, Bar moves inside until end of event.

OMNI PARKING IS COMPLIMENTARY (pick up parking validation at the reunion registration table)