Final Chicora High School Reunion Celebrates Legacy and Gives Back to the Community

Dan Cunningham presents the remaining funds of the Chicora High School

reunion fund to Chicora Vol. Fire Chief, Rick Craig.

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The Chicora HS began accepting students in 1888. Three different buildings housed the students over the years. The school graduated its final class in 1959, when the school merged with Karns City High School, with a student body of 253 students.

Over the years since the school merger, former Chicora H.S. classmates began to hold reunions every five years. As time passed thru the 1990s into the 2000s the reunion was expanded to include any students who attended Chicora H.S. but did not graduate from Chicora because of the 1959 merger.

The reunions continued thru the years until it was decided that the last reunion recognizing the former high school would be held in September of 2025 with a commemorative plaque being put in the Chicora Elementary display case.

In finalizing the reunions, Dan Cunningham, asked the attending students to let him know of any worthy organization that could make good use of the funds left in the C.H.S. reunion bank account. The decision was made to contact the Chicora Volunteer Fire Department and arrange to present them with a donation.

That group met on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the Chicora Fire Department, and Cunningham presented the chief with a donation of S 1,100.00 to use at their discretion.

Former Chicora High School students attending the presentation were Fred Callihan, Shirley Craig, Kate Riley, Rich Hemphill, and Dan Cunningham. Accepting the donation on behalf of the Chicora Volunteer Fire Department were Fire Chief, Rick Craig, Chuck Craig, President and Zach Hach. Also in attendance was Chicora Moose President, Ron Huff.