40-Year Reunion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6th

KICK-OFF PARTY
7:30 P.M. | Pulpit Rock Brewery

Start the weekend at this casual gathering with members of the Class of 1983! Keep an eye out for the Class of 1983—Pulpit Rock will be open to the public, but will have space set aside for the class. There is no cost to attend.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7th

ALUMNI & FRIENDS PICKLEBALL
2:00-4:00 P.M. | Decorah High School Tennis Courts

Join fellow alumni & friends in a game of pickleball! These will be casual games, and all abilities are welcome. Some equipment will be available, but please bring your own paddle if possible.

CLASS OF 1983 REUNION RECEPTION
6:00 P.M. | Impact Coffee

The Saturday night reunion is the main event! The reception format makes it easy to mix and mingle, and hearty hors d’oeuvres will be served. Wine, beer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.

There is no formal dress code, and we encourage you to dress as you like.

Registration is now open–book your reunion reservations today!

Welcome to the FIRST EVER Luther College Class of 1983 Scavenger Hunt!

In an effort to facilitate a walk down memory lane (which at our age, we all might need a little facilitation!), we offer you a chance to walk the Luther College campus once again!  The scavenger hunt consists of 10 locations to be found and photographed with you (singularly) or with a group of friends.  Hopefully you will revisit some favorite places from 1983 and discover a few newer things that have emerged in the last 40 years!  Have fun and good luck!

Scavenger Hunt Rules:

Each photo taken should include you/your group and the bulleted subject below.

Submit your photos in one post to the Class of 1983 Facebook Group. 

Enter your name in the Scavenger Hunt drawing at Saturday night’s reunion celebration at Impact Coffee.  Your entry will only be “audited” (like BINGO) if your name is drawn!

Fabulous Prize = $75 gift card to the Luther Book Shop!!

Find and photograph you/your group and the following:

1. Your favorite dorm building (this will vary amongst groups)
2. The Blue Football Field
3. The Martin Luther Statue
4. The Pentecopterus Decorahensis – life-sized model
   1. Thankfully behind glass!
   2. Is this here because it has Decorah in its name??
5. The COVID Memorial
6. The Rev. Laur Larsen Memorial (first president of Luther College)
   1. All sorts of interesting history near this memorial for those of you into history!
7. The Luther Bell
8. The cornerstone of the building built in 1864 AD, and rebuilt in 1951 AD
9. New SPOs (relocated since 1983!)
10. Oedipus and Antigone Sculpture by Gerhard Marcks

Many thanks to the Class of 1983 Reunion Committee, especially Brenda Severson Meyer for organizing the hunt and sponsoring the $75 Book Shop gift certificate prize!

The Class Update is now available online. Submissions will still be accepted on an ongoing basis—you can still contribute an update using this simple online form.

READ THE CLASS UPDATE

• Join your Class Facebook Group! While you’re there, get in the reunion spirit by sharing photos and memories, and tagging classmates.
• Suggest songs for the reunion playlist! Post ideas in the Class Facebook Group or email them to Amy (Berkvam) Pfefferle.
• Share your photos for the photo slideshow. You can include both throwback and current photos. Add to this Photo Folder or email to reunions@luther.edu.
• Participate in the Class of 1983 40-year Reunion Update. In honor of our 40-year reunion, your reunion committee is putting together a resource for you  – individual updates from your classmates! We encourage you to be part of this meaningful collection. Questions? Contact Janean (Gardner) Kleist.
• Get ready for scavenger hunt selfies on campus! During Homecoming Weekend, participate in the first ever Class of 1983 Photo Scavenger Hunt by taking photos of yourself on campus and posting them in your Class Facebook Group. Find instructions on this page and in the Facebook Group.
• Make a gift and have your donation doubled by the Class of 1983 $30,000 Matching Challenge!

Thank you, Class of 1983, for making such a generous and significant impact on campus for today’s students!

There’s still time to contribute to your 40-year Reunion Class Gift! Whether you make a one-time donation, start or increase a sustaining gift, make a pledge, or share information about a planned gift in your will or estate, your support will count toward your class gift. Together, the Class of 1983 has an enormous impact on campus.

Reunion matching challenge fund generously sponsored by Karla (Nelson) ’83 and John Balk ’83, Craig Fox ‘83, and Barry ’83 and Lisa (Schulz-Fincke) Hoff ’83

By making a gift in honor of your 40th reunion, you make a difference for today’s students seeking the same transformative experience you had.

What counts in my class gift?

• Outright donations (online, cash, check, stock transfers)
• New pledges (up to five years)
• Pledge payments made on existing pledges
• New planned gifts or increases on established planned gifts

How do I make a gift?

• Give online
• Give by mail: Loyalty Hall, 700 College Drive, Decorah, IA 52101
• Give us a call! 563-387-1322 or 800-225-8664

Thank you for your support of Luther College!

Special thanks to the Class of 1983 40-Year Reunion Committee:

• John Balk ’83 – Class Agent
• Barry Hoff ’83
• Lisa (Schulz-Fincke) Hoff ’83
• Janean (Gardner) Kleist ’83
• Mary (Macal) Knutson ’83
• Dan Landsverk ’83
• Karen (Kramer) Landsverk ’83
• Brenda (Severson) Meyer ’83
• Amy (Berkvam) Pfefferle ’83
• Virginia (Heitbrink) Porter ’83
• Michele (Mertens) Stevens ’83 – Class Agent
• Jane Wiemerslage ’83
• Carol (Knudsen) Woodruff ’83