Photo by Ron Schanne Dan Neaverth is in the front row, fourth person from the left, in blue shirt, gray pants with members of the Dunkirk High School Class of 1981.

On July 3, the Dunkirk High School Class of 1981 held its 45th Class Reunion at Bart’s Cove Marina and Bar in Dunkirk. Prior to the reunion, the class representatives used Facebook to get the word out about the reunion.

In order to spread the word, a class member reached out to Buffalo Broadcasting legend and former Dunkirk radio broadcaster, Danny Neaverth, for a quick shout out to the class members. Expecting, possibly, a short, recorded video on a cellphone, an email was sent.

A few days later, Ron Schanne, a video producer for Neaverth’s Facebook video content, made contact with Rob Sobczak of South Portland, Maine, and Dunkirk Class of 1981 member. Schanne said “Danny was touched by the letter,” and that he had produced a short video to be used on the Class of ’81’s Facebook page.

In typical Neaverth fashion, the video was very tongue-in-cheek funny, with mentions of the location and time for Class of ’81 members to gather. Expecting that would be it, the video was posted and class members responded with how funny the video was.

While the reunion was happening, with more than 25 former classmates remembering their days in High School, on the shaded and relatively comfortable outside area of Bart’s Cove, some class members saw this gray-haired man arrive, who looked to be “slightly” older than the other members of the class.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Neaverth and Schanne decided to make an appearance at the reunion party. This was about the same time that class members were being gathered together for the picture of the attendees.

As everyone was lining up for the picture, several of the class members started singing and “doing” the “Danny moves your fanny in the Morning” jingle that was used to promote Neaverth’s show in the late 1970s — early ’80s on WKBW-AM radio. Neaverth was asked to join in the photo, which now makes him an honorary member of the Dunkirk Class of 1981.

Prior to becoming the longtime morning disc jockey at WKBW radio, Neaverth spent over a year working at WDOE radio in Dunkirk starting in 1959, prior to the birth of any of the Dunkirk Class of 1981 members.

Neaverth spent over 25 years at WKBW Radio. During part of that time, he also worked on sister station, Channel 7, serving as the noon time weatherman. Following WKBW, he worked at WHTT for 15 years, WECK and is currently heard on WEBR.

Neaverth is a member of the Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame and the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.

Facebook content can be seen at https://www.facebook.com/WKBWRadio

The actual video for Dunkirk Class of 1981: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3045567488982143