We began preparing for our 30th reunion in October 2022 by updating our database of e-mails and creating a new logo for personal branding. To build excitement, we made a personal class of 1993 video and sent out an e-mail blast with a heartfelt message from Jerome Passmore (1993 Head Boy) to save the date. The OJA helped us with google forms to make it easier for everybody to reconnect and update their details from around the World.
The week of events was extraordinary, starting with our own organized lunch, Abel Morison Golf day on the Friday morning, the official OJA Dinner and of course the annual infamous Gaudy Day. Each occasion allowed us to reconnect, reminisce and relive our school experiences making cherished new memories once again.
Our reunion was however tinged with sadness as we remembered our late friend and classmate, Donald Gibson. We shared a prayer to him and his family/friends on the day celebrating his memory and the importance of friendship.
This 30th Reunion we wanted to surpass our previous 20th reunion and raise the bar significantly. We organized a spit-braai on Thursday before the OJA Dinner & were delighted to receive bottles of wine from Rickety Ridge (OJ owned) as gifts with our own personal logo and pics of our class. The day was sunny and warm, and we had the pleasure of having over 14 attendees, some of whom had traveled from overseas to be with us as far as America and the UK. Abby, a well-known saxophone player providing us the music entertainment. The Class of 1973 (Father Patterson’s year) was inside the OJA that same day and we sent her to serenade them aswell with her velvety smoothe jazzy music. The atmosphere was warm and inviting with a red carpet, balloon arch & firepits.
In a gesture of gratitude, we all decided to gift our teachers a bottle of 2019 Rickety Ridge Foundation Stone Red Wine & we honored our Teachers and Assistants such as Mr. Cliff Midgley, Father Patterson and Patson by personally presenting them with their own labeled bottle. The day was filled with laughter, excellent food and great company at the OJA, where freshly made pizzas and slowly roasted lamb delighted everyone. The ice cold-beers were also overflowing the ice-buckets as if we had our very own personal Genie!
The Friday night OJA Dinner was a special moment with 31 OJA’s and our wives. The Boar’s Head and school Anthem added to the nostalgic ambiance of the beautifully decorated room with fairy lights. We watched a video showcasing the School's grandeur and the changes it underwent since our time there and what the OJA and SJC have managed to accomplish over the years in building the School into what it is today. Fond memories of Mr. Levy and Darragh hall lunch flooded back with champagne and red wine flowing as we enjoyed a delightful three-course meal continuing to catch up with old friends in a relaxing environment.
The night was filled with picture-taking to capture moments with friends and wives. As the evening passed by quickly, we knew we'd have another opportunity to reconnect on Gaudy Day.
Gaudy Day began with a cuppa coffee/tea in the cold July morning in David Quad. We relished being back in in the wooden pews singing old worship hymns which immediately took us straight back to 1993. Father Patterson spoke about our class and his meaningful experiences during that time. His sermon & message left a lasting impression on us & with those who couldn’t join watching it on live stream.
The incense catching the beams of light flooding the Chapel just as we remembered it. We thoroughly enjoyed the historical tour walking and talking to the various families and seeing the new majestic changes at the School. It was finished off with good sport and rugby against Eaton and enjoying the SJC war cries! We all came together at The Boar’s Head Pu at the OJA in the late afternoon to toast the few days to one another and say our last goodbyes until the next time. We even made connections with other years from our Houses, some of which were our Matrics in Remove.
