Lee Academy celebrates 2008 reunion Annual Panda Awards given to four alumni

LEE – Four alumni were honored with 2008 Panda Awards during Lee Academy’s reunion weekend festivities on Saturday, Aug. 16, for their hard work, dedication and devotion to the LA Alumni Association and Lee Academy:

. Annette Dicker Ham, Class of 1977, and Larry Ham, Class of 1976. Larry serves on the school’s board of trustees and his company, Larry Ham Construction, has worked on campus renovations. He is president of the alumni association and Annette is vice president. Annette has volunteered time to the reunion luncheon for several years.

. Doris Wakefield Shorey, Class of 1957. A former food service manager, Doris for years has organized a group of local volunteers to prepare and serve the reunion luncheon.

. Kendra Downs Ritchie, Class of 1966. Kendra retired as Lee Academy’s guidance counselor at the end of June after 26 years. Among her many honors and achievements, she served on the Admissions Advisory Council for the University of Maine and in 2002 was named Guidance Counselor of the Year for the state of Maine by the New England Association for College Admission Counseling.

The Panda Awards were handed out during the reunion celebration, where the honored classes celebrated 10-year (1998), 25-year (1983) and 50-year (1958) anniversaries. More than 150 people attended this year’s festivities, which were for the first time held under a large canopy on the front lawn of the school, according to a press release.

The reunion coincided this year with the town of Lee’s first Lee Community Day festival held at Silver Lake. The event concluded with a fireworks display and a DJ-hosted street dance on the lawn of Lee Academy, the release said.

Reunion 2009 has been scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15.