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Organizers couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Ely Memorial High School All-Class Reunion.
Ely’s first all-class reunion in 20 years - this one marking the 100th anniversary of the high school - is now in full swing after a series of events earlier in the week.
The first of two “Rock the Park” concerts drew hundreds to Whiteside Park despite some chilly weather, and served as the kickoff to the eight-day event.
Since then, there have been pontoon boat tours and a golf tournament, as well as three major happenings that all drew large crowds.
All were at the Pioneer Mine complex.
Monday afternoon, alumni and visitors took tours of the long-abandoned mine facility and were briefed about further efforts to preserve the historic site.
State Rep. Roger Skraba, Nick Wognum and Bill Erzar all spoke about recent developments - including the addition of a miners’ memorial plaque listing the name of those who lost their lives at Ely’s Pioneer Mine, which closed in 1967.
Also on display Monday was a historic mining rail car that came to the site with the aid of Ely graduate and engineer Renee (Skube) Beaumier.
The presentations were part of a mining heritage day that included polka music, food and ethnic treats.
That evening, the Miners’ Dry building was elbow-to-elbow with people as several hundred turned out for the all-class mixer, sponsored by the Ely Echo.
It featured the music of Ely’s Bill Bulinski and the Four Blue Teardrops.
The Miners’ Dry was the home for a salute to the area’s rich sports history Tuesday night, as about 250 people turned out for the Ely Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
After a social hour, buffet dinner and an Ely sports history presentation from 2001 graduate and Hall of Fame inductee Reed Petersen, the newest members of the hall of fame were enshrined.
More than 40 people in four different categories the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and a special group of coaches, athletic directors, contributors and teams - were honored.
Larry Mischke, a hall of fame inductee and longtime high school football coach, also spoke about the accomplishments of the 1987 Ely football team that placed second in the state tournament and reached the Prep Bowl at the Metrodome.
The 1987 team was inducted into the hall of fame collectively.
The vast majority of hall of fame inductees were present Tuesday, including several who traveled across the country to be here for the event.
The reunion festivities continued Wednesday with a “Day at School,” featuring tours and a look at recent renovations, a spaghetti dinner as well as an evening variety show at Washington Auditorium.
Those events were being held as the Echo went to press.
More festivities were planned throughout the rest of the week, including Ely’s traditional July 4 activities, a pickleball tournament and the Ely Alumni Baseball Game on July 5, and Saturday’s Rock the Park concert to feature three separate bands.
Numerous classes or groups of classes also planned separate reunion events.
Ely’s last all-class reunion was in 2004, and others were held in 1995 and 1976.
Registration for this year’s event topped 1,050.
