Members of the Emmaus High School Class of 1973 celebrated their 50th reunion Sept. 23 at the Lehigh Country Club, Allentown. Out of a graduating class of 417, 95 returned with 43 guests to mark the milestone.

While Tropical Storm Ophelia washed out a planned reunion golf outing, the rainy weather did not dampen school spirit at the evening’s gala event or at an informal gathering held the night before at Big Woody’s, Emmaus.

The well-attended reunion featured dining, a chance to mingle with formal classmates and dancing to classic rock performed by The Castaway Band.

Portraits of departed graduates played across a pair of large screen monitors in the dining hall. Sadly, 45 have died since 1973, including one who passed shortly after attending the informal gathering.

“Seeing our classmates reconnecting and enjoying the event is what motivates our whole committee and this was our best event ever! It is our last planned event, which is good, I don’t think we could top this one,” Class Secretary Rosemarie (Striny) Nonnemacher said.

Class President Russ Leibensperger and Treasurer Pat (Yeakel) Mittl were among those who served on the committee.