How to Plan a Great School Class Reunion

My school class reunion was last weekend.

Today’s post is to celebrate that reunion; to help those of you who may need to plan future ones; and those things that we have learned along the way that are important.

SOOOO important!

To my classmates, this one’s for you. Each and every treasured member who was able to join us or unable to…today’s sharing is for all of you.

A small group from our class has gathered for the past six weeks to make sure that THIS reunion was free, fun and inclusive. A school class reunion that brought joy and less of the “look how important I am” in your face full of accomplishment.

Celebrating ALL of us was important.

Where would we begin with planning?

A reunion that would bring back great memories to include:

• our favorite cafeteria food
• a 70’s music playlist
• school tour complete with school bus ride there and back
• planting a tree in memory of lost classmates with a memorial service on the school lawn
• providing an opportunity to reconnect
• giving opportunity for others to contribute
• name tags with our high school photos
• amazing technology created QR codes to take us to the complete set of “us” in all 12 school yearbooks, a memorial video, and a video of our class in review
• programs that would provide a full overview of our history and connections
• giving opportunity to enjoy company of a 50 year span of friendship
• and of course the all important group photos.

Lots of technology with email lists, surveys, videos, photo scanning, and creativity occurred.

Set up, cooking, bus and tour arrangements made, and memorial tree planting arranged.

There are classmates who have lost much during the lifetime of time since we graduated. Those who have lost spouses, children, homes, jobs, and had difficult moments of life to walk through.

With that in mind, our classmates became the focus.

Class Reunion Goals?

Inclusive, inviting, cost free and fun became our goals.

What would bring people joy and want to be there?

As we looked at the tiny group of remaining classmates at those meetings with feet under a table for planning in our hometown, lots of discussion of “where”, “what’ and “when” took place.

Many places took us to high prices to rent, big budget food costs and even more expense with decorations.

Then we took it down a notch.

A free church community center was offered by one of our committee members…complete with the space, tables, chairs and kitchen provided. CHECK!

What if we…set up a school tour? The school secretary accepted the job of taking us for a tour.

How could we make it more fun? A classmate suggested we have a school bus ride from the church to the school. The principal offered to provide the bus AND drive us. What?!!

One of the committee members suggested that we remember our classmates with a memorial tree planting on the school lawn. It happened this week. Local farm store graciously provided the tree to plant and the horticulture teacher taught the lesson on how to plant a tree while setting it. By that point, my teacher heart was overflowing.

Can I tell you one of the ones planting was a grandson of a classmate?!! Be still my heart. Our class was providing an opportunity to continue learning–full circle. Goodness!

Another committee member stepped up with a beautifully created memorial video and program for the memorial to be held after the school tour on the day of our reunion. I cry EVERY time I watch that video.

One member brought a perfect poem to share as we gather for the memorial.

So, what should make up the class reunion menu?

Now, our class LOVED cafeteria foods. As one of our classmates sent out the email invitation, she asked for some survey responses…what were their favorite cafeteria foods, memories, music were among things surveyed.

Of course, lunchroom rolls were loved, right? But, what could be better than cafeteria chili that we all dearly loved? We ALWAYS had peanut butter and crackers with that chili so someone signed up to bring those. Next, someone signed up for toppings for the chili.

Our favorite peanut butter cookies and no bake cookies could NOT be left out and were added to the menu.

What would be better than milk- both white and chocolate- in cartons served with those cookies? Ordered from the school cafeteria.

Committee members chose what they wanted to contribute and others who would be attending volunteered to bring fruit and veggie trays and other desserts.

Our creativity took us to ask for cafeteria trays–not the same ones we had of course–but, to make them more fun, a classmate took a game from an annual and created a tray liner. How fun!

Easier for everyone to juggle a bowl of chili and a plate with a drink, too.

People offered to set up and clean up. Our hearts were happy that everyone was pitching in.

We have laughed at the planning! Stepped in to do what we all do best. Shared in text messages for weeks…and then the day arrived.

A beautiful fall day.

So, what did I volunteer to do???

You guessed it. Cook. The cafeteria chili recipe was given to me and the count that kept rolling in continued to add another batch even up to two days before the event.

That recipe? Well, it was definitely cafeteria inspired.

A slurry of flour and water? Nope. That had to be left out.

Mashing the beans? No. I didn’t want to do that either.

Cafeteria chili tends to be a brown gravy looking stuff and somehow, we could do better.

Hopefully, we did! Here’s the version that kept the inspiration with a bit of improvement.

Because classmates asked…here’s the chili recipe!

Reunion Day Arrived!

Cafeteria food was a hit! Nine batches of that chili were made…and added to crockpots for warming and serving.

Chili would not be complete without the peanut butter and crackers and toppings ready for the event.

Set out on the counter…it began to “look like” a cafeteria line!

With classmates contributing…it didn’t get much easier than this.

Behind the scenes…

We took the lead from our trusty tech leader who designed the most amazing name tags, signs, and reunion handouts for the event.

Do you see this reunion handout?!! ALL the information collected with links and QR codes to take us to videos-reunion and memorial; scanned 1-12 yearbooks; senior class photos; plus a bit of fun facts added into the pages.

Even cafeteria’s recipes were scanned and shared! Isn’t this the BEST?

The back of that “program” had the class memorial. Beautifully done.

These beautiful name tags were created…the back of them has a QR code to take you, again, to everything collected and provided for our classmates. Genius!

A gold 50 number was added to the sign in table along with those gorgeous purple lanyards name tags and programs.

Here’s my name tag…

Decorations?

Up to the attic to grab tablecloths and skirting was my next task.

Great purple toppers were rented for the tables.

Black and white elementary photo tent cards were added to the decor, along with our senior photo composite on a side table.

Since the high school cheerleaders practiced at that community room each week, they gladly allowed us to use the purple and gold pom poms for centerpieces and white and purple megaphones to add to the entrance table and food table.

A slide show was created and continued to play during the class reunion.

Reunion Day Was Wonderful!

The committee arrived early to finish last minute food and decorations details and set signs along the highway and at the church complete with helium balloons.

Classmates and spouses arrived and squeals and hugs and laughter was overflowing.

This was the best! Laughter provided when a classmate arrived with this! and we have made him commit to creating these for everyone next time!

We loaded up on that school bus—which I might add felt a LOT tinier than the last time we rode–and made our way to the high school with principal and school secretary leading the way.

Remembering lost classmates…

is where we began. Around that tree, one of our classmates read a poem and a gave a beautiful memorial.

A Class Photo around that tree was important.

You know when you take photos of trees in your landscape when your trees are little? That was the intention. Capturing a photo of that tree when little…and who knows…snapping future photos as it grows might be added to our archives.

Entering the school, all of us could find familiar spots and then total redo areas that were cleaner and brighter than when we left those halls.

Another photo in the gym…and then back on the bus.

Back to the church, our classmates loved our meal. The memorial video, scanned yearbook photos and reunion video looped on a projector. 70’s music playlist provided by another classmate played softly in the background.

Gathered with feet under those table, I may have shed a few tears.

Conversations were deep and meaningful.

Cafeteria foods overflowing that hit the spot and that we all remembered.

Even those milk cartons found their way to the trays and intake of many…me included.

Can I tell you one thing that I realized sets our class apart?

We were the givers.

I didn’t realize this until I was scanning all of the yearbooks…but, our Junior Beta Club class raised funds that provided the sign for the elementary before we left there.

Our tree planting has now begun a project to continue to add more in that way. We began a trend.

After sharing with classmates that the FFA had planted the tree, talk circulated that we needed to give back to that group. Within 10 minutes, a former FFA member classmate announced $150 had been collected and would be given to the group on Monday.

So…the donation was presented.

Continuing to support our school? That’s what this class has always done.

Here’s our class giving again…

Made this teacher’s heart happy.

Five hours of reuniting took place at that reunion.

I was amazed that everyone stayed to clean up. Classmates washed dishes, took down decorations, loaded cars, and returned the room to its original state before leaving.

So…was this reunion a success?

Yes!

Did it accomplish our desire to include all in a warm and welcoming way? Everyone said it did.

I can tell you this was the BEST way to approach a gathering of classmates. Can you tell by this photo???

Instead of some trying to top accomplishments it became an embrace of sharing real life in the most natural way.

It had been 15 years since our last attempt at gathering.

Can I tell you something?

We are already beginning the planning of another…sooner…as we grow older.

That to me, my friends, means that the PEOPLE are the important part of a class reunion.

How you invite, include, welcome and embrace them is really what matters.

THANK TO ALL OF YOU who contributed in so many ways! You were all appreciated!

Until we meet again, Lyon County High School Class of 1972, may life be full of joy and good health…