Writer / Andi Robinson

Steve Crose, a graduate of Center Grove High School, was searching Facebook for a place for CGHS alumni to come together, share stories and reconnect with friends from school. There were several groups for “southsiders,” but none that were specific to Center Grove. So he decided to take the leap and start a group himself.

He started the Center Grove Memories Facebook group for people from the area to come together for one source of information. He started promoting the page with his Center Grove friends and was surprised at how fast it took off. Within a week of starting the group he had about 1,000. It currently has more than 2,800 former students, administrators, and teachers. It has also expanded to include other longtime members of the community. People often use the page to reconnect with friends, discuss current community events and reminisce about days gone by.

One of Steve’s favorite discussions came when a recent graduate was cleaning out a storage locker and found a spirit stick from the mid-1970s and early 1980s. She was getting ready move and needed to find a new home for the stick. Through the Center Grove Memories discussion group, they were able to keep the spirit stick in the Center Grove family (after more than 20 comments from people excited about seeing it again).

The group has also become a place to mourn the loss of friends who have passed away. While this is always hard to see, it helps knowing this place to share memories is available. The news often comes when a member is looking for someone from his or her past, and the Center Grove Memories page is the first place that people hear of someone’s passing.

The group is also used to help graduating classes connect for milestone reunions, including the 50-year reunion for the class of 1966, the 35-year reunion for the class of 1981 and the 20-year reunion for the class of 1995.

The groups also hosts discussions on topics such as area landmarks, including the barn on State Road 144 between Whiteland Road and State Road 37 which had “Center Grove Trojans Are Dy-no-mite” painted on the side. Several members of the group discussed gathering funds to revitalize the structure.

Crose tries to ensure that the people requesting admission to the group actually have ties to Center Grove area to avoid the discussion board being spammed.

To learn more, or join the group, search for “Center Grove Memories” on Facebook.