Bud Garner (Pompano High class of 1948) reports on the recent Beanpicker Reunion:

The Pompano Beanpickers had a reunion this past weekend (May 27 - 29). The Beanpickers will probably not meet as a collective group ever again. The membership rolls are shrinking steadily and it is getting harder to keep up with our members.
We had about 250 members and a few guests meeting for a three day event held at the Elks club on NE 10th Street in Pompano Beach.

Beginning Friday night with an informal "do you remember me " and buffet the festivities were off and running with old and young friends having a grand time, dancing to period music and just visiting and swapping long, almost forgotten tales.

Saturday night was a little more formal with men wearing coats and ties and the ladies, well, they looked great just as they did Friday night.

Sunday at noon, the end was approaching rapidly, we had an outdoor picnic again with good music good food and good fellowship.

Time to go, the last tearful hugs and kisses and then the goodbyes and the pent-up anticipations of the last reunion (three years ago) were felt and it left a hollow feeling that is almost impossible to describe.

We were fortunate enough to see so many of our lifelong friends and school mates and just hoping there will be another reunion down the road that we may again have a "reunion".

Our total Beanpicker tally, from class of 1928 through class of 1957 reads like this:

Original 1073
Deceased  391
Unknown   115
Alive     567

Of the many "firsts" of this reunion, one stood-out . The possibilities of this happening was what was extraordinary.

Of the four known City Historians in Broward County, three are "Beanpickers" and they are (left to right),

Ray Collier (Deerfield Beach, FL)
Cathleen Anderson (Hollywood, FL)
Bud Garner (Pompano Beach, FL)

Cathleen is the Vice Mayor of Hollywood, FL