Community-wide reunion starts tonight

The fourth annual community-wide reunion takes place this weekend throughout Fallon and Churchill County for all classes, students, teachers, support staff, family and friends.

Starting this evening and running through Sunday with a broad spectrum of attractions and get-togethers, the reunion is an opportunity fostered by the city and numerous volunteers to connect with one another and have a good time. This year’s reunion is honoring graduates from the classes of 1947-1952.

“We’ll be visiting all over,” said Marlene Warbington, class of 1969, during last year’s gathering.

Class of 1966 alumna Linda Jenson said last year that in some ways things still feel the same.

“Back then, everybody knew everybody,” Warbington added. “I like taking the grandkids to Pizza Barn where they have all those old class photos and saying, ‘Can you pick me out?’”

Organizer Susan McCormick shared a letter from Emi Kito Horikawa; McCormick said what Horikawa wrote makes her “proud to be a member of our wonderful community.”

Hello to my classmates of 1948 — and an encouragement to all the young people.

Any accomplishments that I may have made dates back to the great faculty at Churchill County High School. I would like to particularly mention Miss Brown, Miss Gibbs, Mr. Telecky and Coach Goodner, who encouraged me to apply for the four-year scholarship that was being offered (to the University of Nevada).

After a double major in chemistry and biology, I received a teaching assistant position at the University of Utah to further my education in biochemistry. My first position in biochemical research was at the Graduate Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. After the grant I was working on ran out, I found a position at Smith, Kline and French Pharmaceuticals also in Philadelphia. My biochemical research resulted in publications in scientific journals.

After taking some time off from research to raise a family, I used my scientific knowledge in a totally different direction as the science librarian at Swarthmore College. Back then, computers were the new technology and I introduced online bibliographic retrieval for the students and faculty to get their references for their research papers. And at that time, the college received a gift for the construction of a new science library building; I was lucky to be deeply involved in that project. The Swarthmore College Sigma Xi chapter recognized the research I had done and elected me into the scientific honor society.

I am writing (about) my experiences that would not have happened if I had not had the encouragement of Coach Goodner and so many teachers and professors along the way. To all the young people, I urge you to take advantage of any opportunities that come your way.

Personally, I have two daughters and five grandchildren and now live in a retirement community in Pennsylvania. However, I still pride myself as growing up on a farm in Fallon, Nevada.

— Emi Kito Horikawa

For more information about the community reunion, email communityreunionfallon@gmail.com or call 775-423-5465. Find the reunion on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/CommunityReunionFallon.

And keep in mind, the Hall of Fame group will be selling its T-shirts Saturday evening at the park — last year, the first year offering shirts, they sold out.