It’s a beautiful sunny summer Sunday here in Cobourg. And as I begin to put the final touches on the plans for the CDCI West Alumni Celebrations Weekend I cannot help but feel nostalgic and proud.
A special thank you has to go out to Paul Allen, a former student and teacher, who in November 2014 came forward, rallied a crew of Alumni, and initiated the planning of our commemorative festivities. Since then a dozen of us have been meeting weekly at the School and our local tavern, Kelly’s, to brainstorm, plan and put together a tribute that we hope every former Viking will enjoy. June 12 to 14, 2015 will be three days to capture our time where we began as young people and to create final memories as a Viking.
This weekend is more than bricks and mortar — it is about spirit, family and friends, and love. It’s about learnings and failures, successes and achievements. It’s about retracing our footsteps down the blue and gold brick road. It is about embedding the heritage of the West into the annals of time.
For those of you who live in the community or are traveling home for the celebrations we hope you will participate in the many things we have planned for you: Athletics Awards on Friday, an Open House and Closing Ceremonies on Saturday and pick up sports on Sunday. Ticket holders for the Alumni Social and Dance are in for a memorable evening too: a canapé dinner served by alumni caterers of the Buttermilk Cafe, a reunion session with Freddy and The Romantics, a keepsake publication chronicling the history of the School, a memorabilia room featuring a heritage presentation by the Cobourg Library Archives and so much more. So, grab some old classmates, make a reservation at one of our participating restaurants, and raise a glass as we toast our phenomenal School adieu.
For those of you who are not able to join us we hope you will be able to participate by following our blog for updates, join our Facebook page to see posts or follow the #cdciwest2015 hash tag as people share and post photos.
In a few weeks the doors to a place that has become a fabric of our upbringing may close but our experience of roaming those hallways and developing inside those classrooms and laughing in that cafeteria will forever be the pride of our hearts.
The spirit of the Viking is immortal, now and forevermore.
On behalf of the CDCI West Alumni Celebrations Committee, it has been an honour to serve every Viking of yesteryear and today. May we embrace the closing with fondness as we celebrate a new era of student excellence in our community.
Dare Lucem,
Nicole Beatty, Co-Chair, CDCI West Alumni Celebrations Committee l Class of 2001
CDCI West Alumni Celebrations 