Westmar alums gear up for reunion

Westy the Eagle is eager to see alumni, faculty and friends at the 2005 Westmar Reunion July 2 and 3 in Le Mars. He made an appearance in the Ice Cream Days parade on June 18. (Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) [Click to enlarge]

There's still time for Westmar College alumni to register to attend the 2005 reunion on July 2 and 3 in Le Mars. That's the word from Kay Bass Powell and Julie Johnson Dirks, who are co-chairing arrangements for the reunion.

This year the decade of the 1970s is highlighted, with alumni from all years, faculty and staff, welcome and encouraged to attend.

The reunion schedule offers time for friends and classmates to re-connect and reminisce about their days at Westmar College.

An informal 5K run/walk will be held Saturday morning, July 2, starting at 8 a.m. at the Le Mars Municipal Park Shelterhouse.

Registration begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 2, in the former Commons Building, now the Le Mars Convention Center. Displays of yearbooks, class pictures, videos and memorabilia will be available at the Convention Center, along with the opportunity to purchase Westmar souvenirs.

"We hope to have a corner with '70s trivia on popular songs, clothing, trends and news stories from our times," according to Julie Dirks.

The Plymouth County Historical Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday for alumni to visit the Westmar Room and see displays of memorabilia, including the airplane that was part of Westmar's history in the 1940s.

There will be time for alumni to visit favorite spots in Le Mars, and get acquainted with the growth in the city since their time in campus.

There will be a campus tour at 1:30 p.m., starting from the upper level of the Convention Center.

Class pictures will be taken from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with the banquet set to begin at 6:30 p.m., all at the Convention Center. Casual attire is recommended. Participants should note the time change on the class photos and banquet. Robin ('73) and Lynnette (Johnson) ('74) Stevens will serve as emcees for the program Saturday evening. "Bring your beanie, your letter jackets, your yearbooks, and your memories. We will revive the Westmar spirit! And we will follow the motto, 'What happened at Westmar, stays at Westmar!'" the two wrote to alumni in a letter of invitation to the reunion.

Paul and Kathy (Johnson) Coffin are organizing a cross country reunion for the same weekend and are working on plans for the 5-K run/walk.

Activities wind down on Sunday with a 10:30 a.m. worship service at United Methodist Church of Le Mars (known to alumni as "the college church"), with a noon meal to follow.

Reservations are needed for the Saturday night banquet and Sunday noon meal. To make reservations or for questions, contact Julie Dirks at 712-546-7395 (evenings), e-mail djdirks@lemarscomm.net or Kay Powell at 712-546-7716 or e-mail boog10@frontiernet.net.

Also during the weekend, the faculty, staff and administration reunion will be held. The faculty/staff dinner will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, July 1, at Archie's Waeside in Le Mars. The Saturday and Sunday schedule will follow the general Westmar reunion lineup.

The reunion offers an opportunity to visit with fellow students and their professors. A number of faculty have indicated they will be attending and look forward to seeing their former students.

The year 2005 marks the third year that Westmar Alumni and Friends Association has put together a reunion for all alumni, faculty, staff and friends. The college closed in November 1997, after 107 years of higher education in Le Mars, northwest Iowa and the Midwest.