By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
About 150 new Yukon educators will get a hero’s welcome from business and community leaders at an upcoming annual luncheon.
Tuesday, Aug. 6 will bring one of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce’s grandest events, the New Teacher Luncheon. It will start at 11:30 a.m. inside Events at 10 West Main.
“They just can’t believe that Yukon does so much for incoming teachers with the (back-to-school) breakfast and this luncheon,” said Cherie Logan, a member of the Yukon chamber’s luncheon committee.
The Yukon Chamber is preparing 150 “goodie” bags filled with gifts from its members to present the new hires at Yukon Public Schools, Southwest Covenant School, St. John Nepomuk Catholic School, and Canadian Valley Technology Center.
“We need 150 items for all the new teachers at all the schools,” said Logan, a longtime Yukon insurance agent. “We encourage people to donate anything with their business information on it; something they’ll keep. … Any kind of swag.
“They love getting these new teacher bags and being recognized!”
Deadline to submit goodie bag items is July 30 at the Yukon Chamber office, 10 W Main – Suite 130.
New teachers, administrators and other personnel will be introduced by their site principals at the Aug. 6th New Teacher Luncheon.
TUESDAY … NOT THURSDAY
Of special note, this Yukon Chamber luncheon will be on a Tuesday – not a Thursday as had been the tradition.
“We are planning on 250 people,” Logan said. “Interurban is going to cater the lunch.”
Yukon’s New Teacher Luncheon evolved from a fish fry for new coaches hired by Mike Little in the early 1990s at Yukon High School.
For years, the luncheon has been a popular event as part of YPS new employees’ orientation week. The district’s newly hired personnel arrive by Yukon Miller busses to be treated like local royalty.
The luncheon has grown in recent times to include new teachers, administrators and other personnel across Yukon, including Southwest Covenant School, St. John Nepomuk Catholic School and now Canadian Valley Technology Center.
The list is expected to include about 110 new hires from YPS alone.
Businesses and organizations can sponsor the luncheon for $250. For details, call 354-3567.
