Former classmates of Strom Thurmond High School visited with old friends, enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres and danced the night away at a class reunion Saturday night at a facility called “The Country,” just outside Edgefield.

The classes of 1964-1968 drew a crowd of over 300 from places far and near.

A class president from each class held a small remembrance program to recognize classmates who have died recently or in past years. A couple of students gathered together to sing the alma mater.

The event was catered by the “The Country” and Oldies KSX played beach music for all the guests.

“I saw people I hadn’t seen since we left high school,” said Cathy Peeler Benfield, one of the organizers and a member of the class of 1968. “Fanning ‘Vann’ Young was there from Oklahoma. It was just a good time for everybody to get together and socialize. I was really surprised at the turn-out.”

Benfield said the reunion was her idea and she had originally started calling people less than six months ago. She started with a list from the 20th reunion of the class of 1968 and went from there.

“But once I started, I wasn’t alone,” she said. “We formed committees and we had different ones in charge of the different classes. The class of 1966 had a reunion every five years, so theirs wasn’t as difficult. Thank goodness for the Internet.”

Kenneth Ray helped organize the class of 1965 and his wife, Sherry Reece Ray, was one of the organizers for the class of 1964.

Mr. Ray said he had heard nothing but compliments about the reunion and he thinks everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.

“By having the five classes together, we had a chance to see classmates younger and older,” he said. “There were people there from North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, and probably some other states that I can’t think of right now.”

Albert Rainsford, class of 1967, said, “I was delighted to see those I haven’t seen in a long time.”

There were also many compliments on the place where it was held, said Benfield.

“It was so nice and Robbie Hughes, the owner, took care of everything,” she said.

Benfield and Ray both said many people had expressed wishes to have another.

“One person said, ‘Let’s have another one next year,’” said Ray. “But we told him that wasn’t happening.”

“But we would like to have another at some point,” said Benfield. “Before we get too old.”