Holley’s Class of ’86 celebrates 40th reunion, donates $1,986 to scholarship

Photos and information courtesy of Holley Central School

HOLLEY – The Holley Central School Class of 1986 recently marked a major milestone by celebrating their 40th class reunion during the district’s homecoming weekend on October 2-3.

The weekend kicked off with classmates gathering to watch the annual homecoming parade. Afterward, the group headed to the Woodlands soccer stadium for the alumni soccer game. Two members of the Class of ’86, Walter Bennage and Peter Lehning, suited up to play and were honored with team captain status for the game.

Following the game, 29 classmates and spouses gathered at the Holley firemen’s field to reminisce and catch up. The reunion drew attendees from across the country, with several classmates traveling from as far as California, Texas and Illinois to celebrate.

On Saturday, the festivities continued with breakfast at Sam’s Diner. This was followed by a guided tour of both the elementary and Jr./Sr. high school buildings, led by Holley School District Superintendent Karri Schiavone.

The tour held special significance for the attendees. The Class of 1986 was among the very first groups of students to occupy the current high school when it opened in the late 1970s. At the time, the building featured a trendy “open classroom” concept. The alumni found it fascinating to see how the physical spaces had evolved and noted the remarkable modern upgrades completed over the last 40 years.

A major highlight of the landmark weekend was a philanthropic effort by the self-proclaimed “Generation X” class. Both weekend attendees and classmates who could not make the trip combined forces to collect donations. In honor of their graduation year, they raised $1,986, which will be awarded as a scholarship to a deserving Holley graduating senior.