Bill Edwards has never forgotten El Reno.

A 1954 graduate of El Reno High School, Edwards has lived for years in the small village of Whitesville, N.Y. He stays in touch with friends in El Reno and has on occasion penned a letter to the editor which has been published in the Tribune.

Edwards is a fan of El Reno’s onion-fried hamburgers. He’s actually a fan of all things El Reno.

He is especially fond of Marty Hall and the burgers Hall and his family create at their Sid’s Diner.

As a way to show his appreciation and to do something kind for the young people who have just graduated from EHS, those who had their senior year turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards is springing for lunch.

Last week, Hall said Edwards sent a check for $1,000 to buy each graduating member of the EHS Class of 2020 a burger, fries and a drink.

Hall said he is not surprised by the gesture.

“Bill loves El Reno,” Hall said.

Edwards and Hall have kept in touch over the years. Edwards had a photograph of Hall framed and gave it to him as a gift. The photo is still displayed at Sid’s.

A photo of Edwards also hangs on the diner walls.

In a letter to the Tribune, Edwards said he recalls as a graduate in 1954, he could buy a burger and coney as well as a soft drink for 25 cents.

The prices are a bit steeper these days, but Hall said the funds provided by Edwards will cover lunch for the most recent EHS grads.