On the Program prepared by Virginia Ip for the Reunion of the Class of 61 after 45 years she said:

“This reunion of the Class of 61 is a demonstration of incredible friendship spanning nearly half a century. Vancouver has the honor to be selected as the meeting place. We have classmates coming from Hong Kong, Australia, the east and west coast of the United States and the east coast of Canada. Not only are there classmates but also their families and one of our favorite teachers, Mr. Joe Whitney. The event coincides with the Mid Autumn Festival, a timely tradition for reunion. What can be better than this? … ”

The reunion would not have been possible but for the hard work of many volunteered. We would like to thank them all. In particular we would like to thank Wong Shiu Hung, Li Hong Sze, Au Kim Tung, Yung Tse Leung, Lee Yuen Ting, Woo Yee Mui, Li Yuk Sang and her family.

It is hard to describe the atmosphere of our 6 -day trip to the Rockies by coach. Forty of us were totally immerged into the joyful mood of singing, playing games and sharing of personal experiences, as if we were kids back in our school days. Joe Whitney sums it up well: “St. Mark’s School nurtures co-operative spirit. James Pun’s vision played a big part in it.” The weather was excellent. We had clear sky and crisp air throughout. With the unhurried schedule the coach stopped at nearly every scenic spot along the way. It was impossible not to marvel at the wonder of nature with the impressive glacier, peaceful Lake Louise, the waterfalls and the raging rivers. We were even lucky enough to encounter a first snow – “Christmas in October” -- and the egg -laying salmons making their last trip upstream.

When the group arrived in Calgary, there was another unforgettable dinner hosted by the Calgary Alumni. Close to a hundred of us including 2 teachers, Ms. Sylvia Lam and Mr. CC Chan, spent the evening together.

And how can we not mention the touching welcoming dinner on October 1 and the farewell party on October 8 organized by the Alumni of BC. Not only were we able to meet with old and new members of the St. Mark’s family, we participated whole-heartedly in the song and games prepared.

The reunion drew to a close with the lyrics of “There’s a School in Shaukiwan” and “The Light of Friendship”. Owing to its success another reunion is planned in Hong Kong in 2007.