Congratulations! You are undertaking an enormous task handling mailing lists, venue selection, menu selection, reservations, head-counts, budget balancing, keepsakes, hotel arrangements, transportation options, class members who want to help, classmates who don’t want any communication, getting the word out, making name tags and so much more.
It sounds overwhelming but it need not be. Certainly, a strong committee can help shoulder the load. And there are resources available. Of course, a good rule of thumb is to start early. The Alumni website has three way to help.
First, there is a page of potential venues where past reunions have been held. You should check the webpage of the venue, visit it and talk with management. The terms and costs at the different locations will help guide your decision.
We are always updating the list so if you have additional suggestions that might help another class with their planning, please contact us!
Second, we have developed a new section on how to find classmates in order to invite them to reunion events. This is particularly difficult if it has been several years since your last reunion and the class list has not been updated. We have listed an array of ideas and sources to find classmates.
This is one duty that must be started early. And while not every classmate wants to be found, there are many that will appreciate your efforts to be inclusive.
We are updating this page regularly as well. If you have additional methods to find classmates, if you have a new class website, or if you have questions, please contact us!
Our third suggestion is promotion, lots of promotion, and again we can help some. First, the Alumni website can promote your reunion in our calendar of events. Once you have the basics down – the general dates – submit your information at this link. Your classmates will need to pencil the reunion date on their calendar, and perhaps make travel plans. The earlier you can name the date, the better.
Then, as your plans come together, you can submit additional information and your reunion listing will be updated.
Of course, there are many other avenues of promotion that you need to use: email, postal mail, Facebook event listings, your own class website, an article for the newspaper, and more. If you don’t have a Facebook group or webpage, start one. The committee should budget money for printing and postage to contact classmates who may not use the internet.
Good luck with your reunion planning. Let us know if you need additional advice or have other suggestions that have worked for you. Please contact us!
