Ben Ferenchak, who coordinated the Catasauqua High School Mega Reunion during Old Home Week, reported on the success of the effort to bring friends back to Catasauqua.

"Officially, 868 alumni signed the guest books, but many more attended and didn't sign in because the lines were too long," Ferenchak told The Press last week. "The best guess is between 1,500 to 3,000 came to town."

According to the guest book, the Class of 1977 had the most attendees at the July 5 event. The oldest alumni in attendance was Stephan Cromiak. Jim Eichelberger and Gary York each traveled 4,000 miles to get to the reunion. Eichelberger came to town from his home in Amsterdam and York arrived from Alaska.

Many alumni participated in a Catasauqua trivia game, with the correct answers earning Catty Cat magnets.

The reunion occurred in conjunction with the Catasauqua-North Catasauqua J4 Celebration, which brought food vendors and an oldtimers' softball game to the park. Also that day, a J4 parade which began in Catasauqua concluded at the park.

The day's festivities included welcoming parties at the nearby Slovak Center Social Club and the Blue Monkey Sports Restaurant. Willow Brook Farms Golf Course also attracted its share of alums with golf and private parties.

In the evening J4 fireworks attracted many to Catasauqua's Alumni Field.

Ferenchak was also involved in planning the July 3 pub crawl through 10 taverns in Catasauqua and North Catasauqua attended by many who had come back to town for the Old Home Week activities.

"The pub crawl was the talk of the town," Ferenchak said. "Every tavern owner wondered when we were going to do it again."

He said 265 officially registered crawlers turned in their passports showing they had gone to at least five different taverns.

"Sixty people went to all 10 pubs." said Ferenchak.

Pub crawler prizes were given out by the participating businesses. Den Kroft, Jennifer Kepple, Dave Oswald, Devon Stanley, Danny George, and Bernie Pluchinsky were all declared winners.

In discussing the event and its success, Ferenchak suggests that the reunion and pub crawl should be incorporated into the borough's J-4 Celebration. The next J4 is scheduled for 2016.