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Former, present staff invited to celebrate GP Vanier Secondary school’s 50th birthday

Big party planned for Oct. 20
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A group of retired staff members from G.P. Vanier Secondary is inviting anyone who worked at the school from its opening in 1968 to the present to attend a 50-year reunion party on Oct. 20.

All of the nearly 800 teachers, administrators, education assistants, office staff, and custodians who were employed at Vanier over its first 50 years are welcome to attend the school’s golden anniversary.

“On behalf of G.P. Vanier’s 50th reunion committee it is my pleasure to invite all of the people who had the privilege of working at our school and who helped to make it one of the best in the province to celebrate its golden birthday with us,” said former principal Dave White.

The former colleagues will spend the afternoon reconnecting over light refreshments in the new theatre complex, and will have the opportunity to tour the school’s $38M worth of recently com pleted renovations with student guides from the current leadership class.

“Personally, I am excited to renew friendships, reminisce, and share stories with former colleagues, support staff, and district administrators with whom I had the honour to work,” said White. “I am also looking forward to just wandering through the school admiring with envy the fantastic newly renovated facilities.”

In the evening those who choose to will move on to the Comox Valley Curling Rink for substantial appetizers catered by Plates, with music and a no-host bar. Spouses of former and present staff members are welcome to attend either or both events.

Tickets for both the afternoon and evening events will be sold to staff through the school office

for $25 per person for the evening, and $5 for the afternoon to cover the cost of refreshments. To purchase please call 250 338-9262. Tickets for the evening event must be purchased by Oct. 17.

The organizers also encourage former employees to register at the reunion website at https://vanierturns50.ca/ to receive email updates about this special occasion, and also to help the planners contact other former Vanier employees so that they can also be invited. Those interested can also get updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/vanierturns50.ca/

When the former staff members arrive at the school on Oct. 20 they could be forgiven if they barely recognize the place. That’s how extensively the renovations have transformed the half-century old campus. Gone are the science wing at the front of the school, the courtyard by the gym, the old library, and some other iconic landmarks, all replaced by state-of-the-art facilities that will see Vanier through the coming decades.

The school’s doors first swung open in January of 1968, and since then the staff has mentored and graduated over 20,000 students. A few of the original staff from 1968 will be attending the event on Oct. 20 to recall the early days of a great secondary school.