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Column: Kudos to those who make dry grad happen

Last year was the first time we participated in the graduation ceremonies in Williams Lake.

Last year was the first time we participated in the graduation ceremonies in Williams Lake and the first time we had someone attend a dry grad.

In Prince Rupert it was a safe grad.

Our son who graduated enjoyed the celebration and stayed until the morning — he loved the hypnotist show, going in the swimming pool in the middle of the night, the games and all the food.

He came home with a cooler as a prize.

I only helped with one night of decorating the small arena and did one security shift in the dance area, so I couldn’t take any credit or claim to be part of the hardworking volunteer team who put it all together.

Judging from the decorations, the hours put in by volunteers must be massive.

Things were different when I graduated in 1978. We planned a dance, hired a band, decorated and organized food.

We invited our parents to join us for a couple of hours at the dance.

After the dance ended at 1 a.m. most of us headed to a provincial park 20 minutes away for an all night party, only to discover we didn’t recognize half the people who showed up to join us. Some of them must have graduated in the 60s we figured.

At one point in the night I left the campfire to go use the outhouse.

It was very dark and on my way back to the camp fire I stopped in the middle of the path.

A staggering drunk man walking in the opposite direction slurred and said, “heh man, it’s a chick.”

As my heart began to pound I took a chance and in the lowest tone of voice I could muster said, “I ain’t no bloody chick.”

Reacting with surprise, the guy leaned to the side of the path and began to apologize profusely.

“Sorry man, sorry man,” he muttered.

All these years later that experience makes me feel nervous and extremely grateful for people who work hard to make grad a safe event for our youth.

Monica Lamb-Yorski is a staff writer with the Tribune/Weekend Advisor.



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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