It Was a Homecoming for the Alumni : Ceremonies: More than 1,000 former White House aides and campaign workers get a thank you from the ex-President and a preview of the facility.

It was a homecoming of sorts, a day of preaching to the converted.

On a hilltop near Simi Valley on Sunday, more than 1,000 of Ronald Reagan’s former White House aides and campaign workers hugged, swapped old war stories and basked in the praise from their retired leader.

The former President urged his devotees to tour the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and museum, which he called a “monument to the talent and energy of all of you who shared my dream of a better, stronger America.”

The “Reagan Alumni Tour” was one of several special sneak previews of the library and museum that will be dedicated today in a ceremony that may include a historic meeting of five presidents. The massive library complex opens to the public Wednesday.

“This is a very special weekend for Nancy and me,” Reagan told his alumni in the courtyard of the mission-style library building. “They’ve got us going to various parties here and there. But I must tell you this gathering today is the one we have been thinking about the most. Nancy and I wanted to spend time with the alumni.”

The alumni included many of the faces that were so prominent in the 1980s: former Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger, former U.S. Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III, former Interior Secretaries James Watt and William P. Clark, and former Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret M. Heckler.

Even former Press Secretary James Brady was wheeled into the courtyard, his body permanently damaged by a would-be assassin’s bullet aimed for Reagan.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Brady said.

Reagan thanked his longtime loyalists for taking “such good care of Nancy and me.”

“You gave up your nights, your weekends, your children’s soccer games. . . . You gave of yourselves, tirelessly, enthusiastically and with a loyalty and devotion that still leaves us in awe.”

Unlike his remarks to reporters on Friday, the “great communicator” was back to his old form Sunday, delivering a polished speech about rolling back communism and big government.

He even departed from his script, recalling the tough talk of earlier days. “I just have to say one thing here,” he said, looking up from his speech. “I got the government the hell out of the way and you, the people, took over and did what you do so well.”

His ad-libbed line brought the loudest and longest applause.

For much of the weekend, the Reagans attended luncheons and other parties for financial backers who have contributed $57 million so far to build the library that stores his presidential papers and other memorabilia.

The donors seemed to have enjoyed themselves, even though some had their invitations abruptly changed, event planners said.

A computer mistakenly sent invitations to hundreds of smaller contributors for an exclusive Sunday luncheon at the Sherwood Country Club in Ventura County. The event was reserved for those who donated $50,000 or more.

“It was a computer glitch,” said Lodwrick M. Cook, chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, which built the library. “They were invited to a comparable event at another location. We just couldn’t have handled them all at Lake Sherwood.”

Reagan’s staff said they hurriedly sent out new invitations to a Saturday luncheon at the J.W. Marriott in Century City. This event was planned for the library donors who contributed between $1,000 to $49,999.

Schedule of Events

Today: Dedication ceremony (closed to the public).

Wednesday, Nov. 6: Museum portion of the complex opens to the public. Ventura County residents admitted free until Nov. 10.

Monday, Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day ceremony sponsored by the library and the Conejo Valley Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars. The event is open to the public and veterans will be admitted to the museum free. The ceremony will begin with a flag-raising ceremony at 9:45 a.m. and will include a military flyover.

Tuesday, Nov. 12: Library portion of the complex opens. Official records, personal papers, photos and other documents will be made available to the public.

Admission:

Adults (ages 16 to 61): $2

Senior citizens: $1

Children (15 and under) free.

Operating Hours:

Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday: Noon to 5 p.m

Holidays: Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.