Lifestyle Requirements (HS Reunions) (graduating, friends, years, married)

[reneeh63]

Originally Posted by Clemencia53

I helped organize our 40th. Very small class of 50 but we invited those that we knew that were once part of our class. They either moved away, got married, dropped out etc. Still consider them classmates

We had a decent turnout. There were some that do not want to be "found" - lol

It is easier to track people now through social media.

Wondering - what proportion is "decent"? 1/3? 1/2?

[E-Twist]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

Our 55th is coming up in January - a ZOOM Reunion. One of us had an old list and used the computer to find nearly every one else.

We were a small class of twenty-one graduates and most of us have remained in touch all these years. A small group of five to seven of us travel to have lunch together nearly every year or sometimes a weekend together with our spouses. Since many of us have long-lasting marriages the spouses know each other also so it works out socially pretty well. It's been satisfying to me to have life-long friends. They're people who know me like no one else ever will.

Our "little class on the prairie" has done well from my perspective. We were raised with old-fashioned values that have worked for us. There's been drama along the way as is expected - some really great stories.

But I'd say our redeeming quality has been persistence. Some of us have had great monetary success, others sufficient. But none of us live in poverty and from what I've seen over the years most have those characteristics you can't buy. There appears to be an ability to feel content at our age. And years ago we began letting go of our sense of competition with each other. Or at least not inflicting it on each other anymore. That tenth year reunion was just the worst!

Only one of us is gone. He survived the Vietnam War to come home, marry, have two children, open a business and be killed in an auto crash in a Minnesota snow storm. Some reunions we've visited his grave and had a small memorial there.

Material things, oh yeah. I've wanted a few to make me happy. A Minnesota pond to swim in, a boat, motorcycles, many flower gardens, camping, Our Victorian money-pit, travel.

That's all icing on the cake of love, friends, a sense of worth through work, good health and health care, time to rest and ponder and well-behaved neighbors. Those took a lifetime to achieve.

Wow! A class of only 21..... I can see where that might be fun. When it's a class of nearly 600, a person doesn't get to know their classmates as well. I discovered that most of us kept in contact with our clique and everyone else remained strangers.

What I think would have been great fun would to have been being able to go from grade school through high school with the same people. That would have really been growing up together.

[Clemencia53]

Originally Posted by reneeh63

Wondering - what proportion is "decent"? 1/3? 1/2?

we had about 50 people attend - this included spouses. Considering out of the original class, at least 20 have passed away already!

[RationalExpectations]

Originally Posted by TMSRetired

The vaccine will not prevent you from getting covid. It will prevent you from getting a severe case.
The vaccine is not giving you some magic protective bubble.
And you will still be in contact with many not vaccinated yet.

Some new info:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/60072340-post2038.html

Moderna has data showing its vaccine prevents infection, not just symptoms.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by bobspez

All my good friends from the Class of 1963 (57-1/2 years ago) are dead, except one who is in a federal prison for bilking the IRS of millions of dollars with phony tax returns. I've thought of contacting him but am afraid of getting on the government's law enforcement radar.

Yeah, if you wait until your 60th reunion, you can rent a much smaller space. Our 25th was in an Elks lodge, our last one was in a classmate's back yard.

[Clemencia53]

Originally Posted by VTsnowbird

Not quite at my 50th yet, I have never been to one. Mainly because they were the "get dressed up, spend big bucks, drink champagne at the Golden Chateau DeVille Deluxe banquet hall" type of deal, and I was watching my wallet.



I would suggest having a minimally priced, cokes and snacks type of event in the afternoon, maybe at the old HS cafeteria, THEN put on the la-di-da affair in the evening for those who want to put on the dog. Maybe $5-10 per person for the afternoon do, sky's the limit for the evening affair.

yes - ours was held in a hotel conference area - small town hotel - nothing huge. But it is new

Anyway - food from local place -

I think we charged 20 bucks only. My friend and I paid for the place - wasn't very expensive - couple hundred for the evening

We stayed up and chatted out by the pool and then went to our reserved rooms. They had been adult beverages so we encouraged folks to get a room.

[Cabound1]

Originally Posted by reneeh63

Wondering - what proportion is "decent"? 1/3? 1/2?

I come from a very small high school where we were all tight. We’ve had over 50% every ten years. I suspect bigger classes would have way less. I also think social media drives the numbers down, not to mention the current political divide.

[galaxyhi]

I went to my 10th hs reunion.

The a-holes in school were still a-holes.

The "prizes" were all issues to the usual recipients.. -regardless of who actually qualified and should have won-instead went, of course to the jocks, cheerleaders, the home coming king and queen (both of whom were one of those two categories).

Naturally the jocks hung with the jocks, the cheerleaders with the cheerleaders. And those two intermixed.

I was not popular.. because I wasn't a jock, or( lol) a cheerleader, I never "fit in", and although I played well in gym given half a chance, I was always one of the last picked.

Because I lived out of state, and the senior class president contacted my mother to get ahold of me. My mother stuck her nose in and suggested they hire a photographer and printer to publish a booklet-like a year book- with photos of us.
There were 365 in my class, about 300 showed up. Only about 50 opted to have a picture taken! ( Yes, I'm in it)

Naturally I hanged with the usual "outcasts", all of us whom were severely disappointed that the "popular" group...had done little growing up since then!!

It was a disappointment, naturally. I didn't go to 20th, or the *magical* 25th(?? Really??), Or the 30th.

This year will mark our 40th (wow! Just wow!)
I doubt I'll go.

I've seen about 10% (that I've read about) have died.

The 30th was held in our classmates business (bar restaurant), but apparently only about 100 showed up.

For the 25th, or maybe it was the 30th, the class secretary contacted me by email. I was surprised she claimed she remembered me, and "had missed me at the previous reunions" (really? In hs she didn't even know my name, let alone even give me the proverbial'time of day, while wearing a wrist watch) Interesting conversation. I stated my distaste for the 10th, and why.. stating I was an "outcast" in hs, and same at the 10th.
She apologized profusely for that, and admitted that "they all had not grown up much in that 10years.
She strongly urged and requested I come, that "things/people are different now". She really wanted me to come (maybe because the attendees was dwindling?)
But I bowed out saying I was dealing with several severe health issues and said I would "kindly decline".

Am I bitter? No. The day of graduation I left that..and those people.. behind me, greatful I'd never have to deal with them again. (Ok, so I gave them a chance at the 10th).
AND I moved back to the area!

Back to the op:
OP, I would 2nd the motion to postpone the event! Until AFTER it's safe to do so! or make sure you have masks available, social distance space, rapid day before testing available, etc.
Why not do these things:
1) reschedule fir a "42.5th" or "45th" instead..once it's safe to gather?
2) do what mother suggested..do a photo mini-yearbook/remeberance book?
3)~ start a go fund me page, encourage ALL classmates to give what they can, and allow those with better means to give more, and those with little to at least contribute, as well as others outside your class.
~ sell "lottery" and/or raffle tickets..say $5 per, among the class to raise money. Offer a prize of 10% of the "take",
~sell $10 "shares of stock"(non redeemable) to the class fund
~ get a local hotel..say a motel 6 or other budget hotel to offer a bulk discounted rate to members who need a room for the event
Here's where I'm going with this:
~ use ALL funds raised to provide plane/bus/can fare (?) Rides and a hotel room to any and all members who need Financial Assistance to attend!
4) produce a class letter, topics to include an apology for any grievance the ",outcasts" may have experienced or perceived to experience..and openly invite and encouraging them ALL to come...and signed by senior class governing students. Send it to all known classmates.

You won't be able to do much about health issues...but you CAN ask what medical help them may need to be comfortable to attend.
~ need a wheelchair? See if you can line up rentals or donations
~need oxygen? Arrange to have o2 machine s delivered to the hotel rooms.

Also, finally, find someone local to your hs who still lives there (like I do) or close by to help you arrange these deals.

Develop a spread sheet with talkies of what all will be needed and stuff necessary to pull it off, and the cost.

Basically, I'm saying see what you can do to "make it happen"..if they have to do little but bye a share of stock and a raffle ticket ($15 out of pocket) and arrange it to be comfortable fir them to NIT BE ABLE TO SAY "NO" to attending.

Please make sure it's available to ALL members!

Best of luck...

[flyingsaucermom]

We had a class of near 400 and we are coming up on our 25th next year. I don't know if I'll go... I think it would be interesting because I'm one of the (not-so-many) that moved far away and I've not seen anyone in a long, long time. On the other hand SO MANY of my former classmates stayed nearby and even in their friend groups that I would most definitely be an oddity. Couple this with the fact that I only hung out with the band members and there isn't much of a point in going unless it was specifically a band reunion.

Now a band reunion would be a blast! There are over 20 still-married couples that formed from our band program with one or both of the couple belonging to my graduating year.

Those Texas marching bands... I wonder if it's still "a thing"?

[TMSRetired]

Originally Posted by RationalExpectations

Some new info:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/60072340-post2038.html

Key word there is "potential" and "suggesting". It's not a definite ....yet.

And it's not Pfizer's vaccine which most people are currently getting.