Laconia High School Class of 1980 connecting and reconnecting via Facebook

The Laconia High School Class of 1980 has been reconnecting for almost a year thanks to a Facebook page set up by classmate Debbie Myrick Bolduc. While setting up her own personal page in March of 2009, Bolduc decided it would be a good idea to get lay the ground work for their upcoming 30th reunion by connecting with classmates in one virtual location. Bolduc and her husband Dennis, a graduate of the same class, still live in Laconia and have often run to those classmates who have remained in the area, approximately a third of the class so she found it easy to refer many to the page.

A year ago, it was relatively unheard of for adults to have their own Facebook page. When Bolduc’s own daughter, home from UNH for spring break saw her mother on Facebook, she did a double-take saying, “You have a Facebook page?”, adding in disgust, "It used to be so cool.”

Since that time it has become common place for the forty something crowd to use the social network regularly. Today the Class of 1980 group boasts 51 members who are getting reacquainted, or in some cases, interacting for the first time in their lives. In August one classmate was visiting family here in the area and invited others who still live here to join her for a drink. The result was a very eclectic group of 10 women who would never have sat together in the lunch room 30 years ago.

“People who never spoke two words in high school now talk at length online," said Bolduc. "We’ve all changed, life has a way of humbling us so that we can overlook our differences. As we age we have common experiences, careers, marriage, children, aging parents and in many cases grandchildren”.

Bolduc has sent invitations (called Friend Requests) to another 13 fellow graduates. She often discovers through mutual contacts that these people either don’t use their Facebook page or they don’t know they have one as it was set up by a younger family member as a favor. She points out that it is very easy to use requests that all classmates logon and locate the class’ page by entering the words "LHS Class of 1980 (Laconia, NH)" into the search field. While she is more than happy to put in the time required for networking and finding the members of the class, she is quick to point out that she is not coordinating the reunion.

“I’ve been asked many times and others simply assume it, but I consider this my part in supporting that effort," Bolduc said. "Connecting people is a big part of who I am, what I do and I love it, but I’m leaving other aspects of the reunion to others. If the job is broken up into small pieces it becomes much easier to manage.” So far no one has stepped forward to take the reins as coordinator or to head up a subcommittee. At this point there might not be a reunion and that would be sad. Some say their need to reconnect is being fulfilled online, however most admit they hope there is a reunion this year.

Anyone seeking more information about the Laconia High School class of 1980 may contact Bolduc 528-2251 or, on Facebook of course.