By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

So far, 13 members of Marion High School class of 1967 are coming for this year’s 111th Old Settlers Day, class organizer Susan Applegate said.

As with many older classes, a number of class members will be missed.

“We’ve lost quite a few,” Applegate said.

Not everyone has signed up for the reunion.

“I do think those who can and are able to come probably have already responded,” Applegate said.

Class members will have a dinner at the Historic Elgin Hotel, just as they did five years ago. Numbers were bigger then.

“Five years ago, we had eight tables,” she said. “This year, we’ll have three. We will be tiny but mighty, I guess.”

Classmates are coming from as far away as California and Massachusetts.

“People are coming from both coasts,” she said.

The class float will have no particular theme.

“On Friday night, we’ll have a get-together at our house for the evening,” Applegate said. “It’s just a casual get-together so we can have snacks and visit.”

Class members usually have lunch at the park Saturday during the official Old Settlers Day festivities.

This year’s Old Settlers Day theme will be “Marion County: Sportsman’s Paradise.”

Events will start with a golf tournament at the country club at 10 a.m. Sept. 23, followed by a high school homecoming football game at 7 p.m.

Marion police department’s Back our Blue 5K run will be at 8 a.m. Sept. 24.

The day’s traditional parade will be at 11 a.m.

Noon will feature a sloppy Joe and hot dog lunch at the park. Suggested donation is $7 or $8.

New this year will be a dedication of Central Park’s refurbished memorial fountain at 12:45 p.m.

Kids games beginning at 1 p.m. will include such old-timey activities as a sack race, three-legged race, dash, and egg toss.

A band concert will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Parade entries so far go back as far as the class of 1947.

“I’m pretty sure we won’t have anybody older than that,” parade organizer Alex Case said.

Only his aunt, Janice Case, who lives in Overland Park, will be on that float.

The combined high school and middle school band will march in the parade, Case said.

Featured classes will include those holding their 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th, 55th, and 60th reunions.

Case will be parade announcer for the 23rd time.

“My dad did it for at least that long before me,” he said.

He estimated the annual event would draw 2,000 to 5,000 people.