This is the group photo from the 20th reunion of the Butler High School Class of 1997 that took place in 2017. Reunion organizers for this year’s 25th reunion worry social media may be blunting classmates’ willingness to attend. SUBMITTED PHOTO

Social media has proved to be a double-edged sword for the organizers of Butler High School Class of 1997’s upcoming 25th class reunion.

The planning committee was able to create web and Facebook pages and an Instagram account to get the word out and offer information about the June 25 event.

But the same social media is also making some classmates question the value of even attending a reunion in the flesh when they are already kept updated on classmates through any number of social media platforms.

Jennie Spohn, one of the eight members of the reunion planning committee, said, “So we have been advertising on social media using email addresses for former classmates.

“It’s the third reunion the class has had,” said Spohn. “When we graduated there was not a lot of social media. Email was new and fresh to everybody back then. Myspace was coming to the table at that point.”

A portion of this story is shared with you as a digital media exclusive. To read the full story and support our local, independent newsroom, please subscribe at butlereagle.com.