Ten Years Later, Port Jeff Class of 2001 Reunites

This year’s Homecoming weekend at Port Jefferson served as the perfect backdrop for the class of 2001 to celebrate their 10-year reunion. The class gathered back in the town in which they graduated to catch up, reminisce, and enjoy each other’s company once again.

Class officers Ryan Hodum and Alessandra Swanson put together an array of events for the returning graduates, the first of which was a planned afternoon at the elementary school, to have included a picnic and outdoor games.

Unfortunately for the class, the weekend weather report forced cancelation of that event. Thankfully, the officers had a rain backup quickly in place, and the class was able to get together for an impromptu lunch at the Seaport Diner in Port Jefferson Station.

The planning process for the events took place over the past year and was very much a collaborative process, according to Hodum.

"It was at [Swanson’s] encouragement that we started thinking about a reunion," he said. "We planned remotely, her in Chicago, and me in Washington, D.C."

The organizers wanted to plan something "relatively simple, relatively inexpensive, and not somewhere like New York City or in some new location, but rather at home in Port Jeff."

"This way, people could come home, see their family, and see friends over the weekend,”  he said.

Class President Hodum was pleased with the afternoon turnout, which even included several former teachers, such as Richard Olsen and Maria Llorens.

Olsen’s arrival meant the group was able to relive many memorable moments through his encyclopedic memory of all things Port Jefferson-related.

"[Olsen] is very much a Port Jeff institution," Hodum said. "Although he is now retired, he still helps the school in many ways, [including] helping students with the yearbook to this day."

The evening saw the Class of 2001 head downtown, where they swapped tales over food and drinks at local establishments Tommy’s Place and Billie’s 1890 Saloon. By the end of the day, a large number of graduates had come back to partake in the festivities. In the end, Hodum saw the weekend as a success.

“I think that for a class of a little over 80 folks, I’d say we had about 40 show up," he said. "Since we’ve been out for 10 years, a lot of people attended with their significant others. It’s nice to be able to meet the people that are important to friends that you haven’t seen in 10 years. A lot of folks were glad that we pulled it together."

Along with the day’s events, the Class of 2001 also voted to identify a local charity to support. As such, class members are encouraged to make a charitable donation to the Christopher J. Malvetti Fund, in remembrance of a fellow Port Jefferson graduate and close friend of many members of the Class of 2001.

In looking forward, Hodum sees the Class of 2001’s next reunion likely to come in 10 more years.

"To come home and have a few hours to just catch up and share stories was really nice," he said. "I think in another 10 years, we’ll have more friends from high school with kids, and we may have a template to replicate in 2021."