XENIA — Former residents of the Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ Home are gathering Friday-Sunday, June 30-July 2, for the 137th consecutive year.
Organizers are hoping for at least 300 to attend during the weekend and at least 200 for the Saturday dinner.
“It’s a reunion for all children who were at the home,” said Judd Target, who was a resident from 1960-1969.
Among those registered are three women coming in for their 75th class reunion.
In addition to the dinner, the big event is the anticipated completion of the Collier Chapel stained-glass window restoration project. Alumni have raised more than $300,000 toward the million dollar work on the campus’ oldest building.
It was a fund-raising effort that began years ago.
“We just really gave them the whole big check this last year,” Target said.
The home officially opened in 1870 with 124 kids. By 1872 there were 600 and at the turn of the century nearly 1,000 kids. In 1978 the name changed to Ohio Veterans Childrens’ Home.
It contained a school, power plant, hospital and the orphanage.
