Brandon High School (BHS) originally opened in 1914 on the site of what is now McClane Middle School when Brandon had only 500 residents. BHS moved to its current location in 1972, 30 years after Helen Mulrennan Young graduated.
When she was young, there was a period of time where her family didn’t have electricity. Growing up on 160 homesteaded acres with less than 50 students in her entire school, life was much different then. Over the years, the graduating classes have expanded from fewer than 30 students to hundreds.
When Young and a few friends from BHS had their 50th reunion in 1992, they decided it would be a great idea to meet up regularly. Having lived in the Miami area for 25 years, she was happy to reconnect with a few friends when she returned to Brandon. They began meeting at the Golden Corral on Providence Rd., and soon the group expanded to include alumni from the 40s through the 70s. In time, it felt like she had never moved away.
“It was a great blessing,” Young said fondly, and she is grateful more Brandon alumni want to carry on what the class of ’42 started.
Now, John Miller, class of ’66, organizes the event. About 30 alumni still meet on the third Tuesday of every even month at Golden Corral at 11:30 a.m., but they are looking for other alumni who may not be aware of the meetups.
“It’s a great core group,” Miller said. “Everybody getting together is wonderful. There are people I wasn’t that close to in high school, but we’ve all grown so much closer. When someone new comes, it’s so awesome to learn about their life and catch up.”
The friendships have become so important to the members, especially after the difficulties of 2020. If you’re looking for a way to reconnect, this is perfect. BHS alumni from all years are welcome.
If you are a graduate of Brandon High School and would like more information or would like to be added to an email reminder list, please email John Miller at millerjohn1@msn.com. Golden Corral is located at 815 Providence Rd. in Brandon.
