“Be sure to return to this beautiful place,” urged Jennie Mitchell, guest speaker at the first-ever Alumni/Masonic cookout at Barrett’s Park in Boothbay Harbor on Sunday afternoon, to the attending 2022 graduates. She urged them to go see the world but always remember where they came from.

“I was lucky enough to be able to return, start a business and be with family,” said Mitchell, who concluded her brief talk by reading from Robert Fulghum’s book, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”

Fifteen members of the graduating class of 2022 and about 60 alumni and others enjoyed the two-hour event which featured grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, salads, music provided by Darrell Gudroe, cornhole, the awarding of Masonic scholarships, and catching up with classmates and friends.

“This is awesome,” said Brenda Blake, Class of 1963 and former president of Boothbay Region High School Alumni Association. “I think we should do this every year.”

Stephanie Hawke, association treasurer, thought it was a great idea, too. “Perhaps we will schedule it on a Saturday with a rain date of Sunday,” she said. “It was a hit.”

Association President Lynn Martin welcomed everyone and urged all to have fun and enjoy the food. She later did introductions, thanking the Masons, school staff, the association’s helpers, the BRHS seniors and several others. She also did the annual roll call of the alumni from the various decades who were in attendance.

Class of 1944’s Robert Buck, the oldest alumnus there, was accompanied by niece Kathy Grover, Class of 1974-1975 (she graduated early).

As the Masons handled the cooking, association board members Lisa Hallinan, Hawke and others greeted attendees, set out the accompanying food on tables and made sure all was running smoothly. Sarah Giles and Ann Tilton recorded attendees’ names.

“What a fun time,” said Martin on Monday. “We will definitely do that again and perhaps make it an annual tradition. Everyone had a great time, some stayed till after 5. That was our hope, to celebrate the Class of 2022 and have a reunion. It worked!”