I think there may be more Lions than alligators in Florida. At least, the Monongah High Alumni version.

Judy Stewart Razook, Class of 1959, is a retired nurse living in North Palm Beach.

Joyce Cowart Davis Peck, Class of 1966, lives in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Bettie Hensley Lowther, Class of 1948, lives in Pompano Beach. So does Lloyd Schell, Class of 1957.

Lyla Cosner Howell, Class of 1958, and husband Len, live in Elkins and Fort Myers Beach.

Sandy Weils Shaffer Cook, Class of 1959, and husband Bob live in Fort Myers.

Joe Martin, Class of 1957, and wife Arlene Kitchen, live on Treasure Island.

Peggy Rauer, Class of 1959, widow of Tom Orsini, Class of 1950, lives in Titusville.

Bill Meredith, Class of 1957, and wife Roleta live in Sarasota and Buckeye Lake, Ohio.

Leo Kubiet, Class of 1942, lives in Largo.

John Matkovich, Class of 1948, lives in Palm Harbor with wife Dolores Sweede Matkovich, Class of 1953.

Pat Meredith Wills, Class of 1950, spends her winters in her St. Augustine Beach home with husband Don Wills (and summers in their Fairmont home).

Ted Nagel, Class of 1954, has homes in Micco and in Vinton, Virginia.

Bob Cottrill, Class of 1951, lives in Melbourne.

Patty Timms Davidson, Class of 1958, and Merlin Davidson, Class of 1957, show up in the Sunshine State, too.

John Olesky, Class of 1950, and Paula live in The Villages and Tallmadge, Ohio.

Dozens of former Lions vacation in Florida every year, too. Mary “Kitty” Ahouse Morrison, Class of 1968, who lives in Monongah, and her sister, Sue Ahouse Schrader, Class of 1971, who lives in Piscataway, New Jersey and Stoney Lonesome, are regular visitors, too.

It’s no wonder that Monongah High reunions in Florida draw as many as a dozen Lions. I think that qualifies as a pride.

Maybe they all should gather at The Villages, where Paula and I will spent the Winter, for the West Virginia Day Picnic the first Saturday in March.

If they do, there will be 500 Mountaineers joining them. Not all from West Virginia, of course. Just from Wheeling to Bluefield, Martinsburg to Williamson, and all points in between, to paraphrase Mountaineer broadcast legend Jack Fleming.