Some of the text here was extracted from sources specific to Hugh Hoskins' notes
relative to the 50-year Reunion of his Class-of-1953, but is generally applicable to
all such events. Sometimes this is written in the second person for my class,
and sometimes in the third person for any class; please excuse the non-conformity as
these may occur in mid-sentence.
The School does NOT schedule, plan, manage, or organize reunions.
Reunions are left as an exercise to the movers and shakers of each class to do ALL of work.
Some classes have had a LOT of experience doing it mostly all themselves;
generally these hire a memory book company to take portraits, candid pictures,
and/or video.
Some classes leave it to a "Professional" planner/organizer to do it all.
Some Pro's will be flexible and give you as much or little as you want;
others have set cookie-cutter take-it-or-leave-it plans.
Some Pro's are more experienced than others; some are more reliable than others;
some are more expensive than others; you do NOT always get more by paying more.
======= NOTES on Maximizing the Alumni Contacted ==========
The School maintains a WebSite and some Alumni pages beginning at ..
http://downey.dusd.net/~dhsalumni
Some of the entries there are links to specific classes' WebSites located elsewhere.
If you would like a link added there to your page, then contact their WebMaster.
If you would like to establish your own PageSet on that site, then thay will
likely be very cooperative.
There's a Misc./Multi-class page at ...
http://downey.dusd.net/~dhsalumni53/allclass/index.htm
with links to other resources.
The School maintains a Grad-Link database of alumni which has as a base
all of the alumni beginning in 1910 and going thru 1994, with some updates
having been made since it was established in 1995.
This database was established in conjunction with an Alumni directory published in 1995;
another will likely be done some time soon.
Also they have a 3-ring binder in which they ...
a. note the current primary class contact as has been requested of them
b. file alumni addresses which are forwarded to them by various means
some of the latter are occasionally updated into the database
In order to learn the most about any members of your class and MAXimize your attendance,
SUGGEST that you ...
... call the School (562/869-7301) and request that they put a note in their book
indicating that anyone interested should get in touch with you.
... call the School and ask Virginia Reeves (x502) to print-off
and mail you a copy of their Grad-Link "Residence Report" for your class.
... have someone visit the School and ask to browse the 3-ring notebook
in which they keep updates which have come to them;
often these have not been entered into their computer.
... check the miscellaneous updates which are maintained as might come to attention
on the page at ...
http://downey.dusd.net/~dhsalumni53/allclass/klassupd.htm
... contact the local area NewsPapers and ask them to place announcements of
your reunion; some have special columns on a regular/recurring basis;
some might place the item only once; specifically --
- the Downey Patriot (successor to the Downey Eagle)
- the Long Beach Press-Telegram
- the Los Angeles Times
- the Orange County Register
(they have a propensity NOT to list events for out-of-County
Schools, but will bend if you impress on them that many of our
alumni are residents of their coverage area and also subscribers)
===== NOTES ON Things to Think and Ask About When Planning =====
Whether to Ourselves, the Hotel, Restaurant, Club, or the Professional Planner
to which EVERYTHING(?) is being trusted - including your happiness and wallet.
UPdated occasionally, check back right after each unscheduled change. ;-)
== Event Planning ___________________
*** Decisions To Be Made and Thoughts on Some Items -------
Q. Do we want to do anything special for a 50-th? [ Likely so. ]
Q. Organized by ...
.. ourselves; banking on our own talent to know what'll be best for us
.. a reunion production company with our oversight that will do just what we need.
(DUHS'51 was mostly alone; they had a lot of help/volunteers with experience.)
Q. What ... [ don't laugh: all of these have been done by other classes ]
A cruise to Catalina or Ensenada or Cabo San Lucas or Alaska or Hawaii
Picnic in someone's back yard
Picnic in the park
Picnic in the School yard -- they are amenable
A local Sports-Bar
Dinner in a Hotel / Country Club / Restaurant
With a photographer and/or videographer
With a band, boom-box, and/or dancing
A mix of several of the above; these can be spread over a few days.
Q. When -
Likely soon after Labor Day
School is back in; hotel and travel costs down.
Q. Geography -
Downey/Lakewood/LongBeach Park / School / Hotel
Fullerton/Anaheim/Disney/Irvine Park / School / Hotel
Tri-City Park in Yorba Linda.
Elsewhere ? Mix and/or Match
Q. Financing -
A Hired Professional - Or Ourselves?
Open an account, somebody's SSN, multiple signatures; need FRIENDLY banker
Possibly ---.
.. get an "Angel" to put up front money for deposits as might be needed
.. set fee now and hope it doesn't change,
.. get a deposit and raise it later after we make more firm arrangements
Q. Early headcount- likely the earlier the count can be known, then the better that
the room and cost can be more closely tailored.
Q. Location -- Hotel / Country Club / Restaurant
If we choose a hotel-type setting, we should make ABSOLUTELY SURE that there will be
ABSOLUTELY NO other functions on the property causing any congestion or noise.
(Sound-proof ballroom dividers or walls are a MYTH)
Additionally we need to have accomodations for "full-sized" seniors who do NOT
fit well on 16-inch banquet chairs that are pressed together;
round tables help in this matter.
Sound deadening carpet, walls, and ceiling are a big PLUS.
Likely best to make a deal with some hotel for rooms even if not using their ballroom facilities.
Q. Food - dinner= beef, chicken, both, PRIOR choice, BBQribs, KFC, etc.,
Q. Music - live, DJ, BoomBox loud, soft,
Strauss/Mozart/BennyGoodman/BigBand/50's-sock-hop/90's-hip-hop,
NONE- so we can just talk among ourselves
Any such should NOT play so loudly that the guests have to shout over the music.
Q. Dress - Tails, Tux, jeans, in-between, Dark Suits and Fancy Dresses,
Hawaiian, Resort Casual, California Casual
Q. Scope Class-Years Included -
Do we want to specifically join with another class (like was done in 1977 with the class of '52)
or simply advertise it as open to all interested classes of our "era"?
Believe that another class may have made overtures of joining-in.
Suggest that it's best to make it primarily a single-class event.
Possibly say to whomever/whenever/wherever that anybody is welcome but that
it is not formally a joint effort.
Q. Others -- Teachers - The only ones I know that are still living in the SouthWest
are Mrs. Walta (Downey), Gus Shiney (Rancho Mirage), and DeanKrebs(Arizona).
Addr and ph.numbers can be provided if we want.
Q. fee/complimentary(spouse, too)
Q. Displays -
Board of memories= pictures etc from the past
montages on boards, old class photos, etc., etc.
Q. Entertainment - Professional magician, etc., etc. etc. ..,
Q. Any Do-It-Ourselves Program / Entertainment e.g....
.. memorial-time for those who have passed away, read their names, play taps
.. the song girls leading an old cheer
.. a sing-along: can anyone find the music to
"Our Alma Mater" (we did have one, didn't we?)
"For all we know we may never meet again" (our gradnite song)
Q. Prizes / Recognition -
Rather than Prizes, maybe give recognition live and in the printed-program to those with
Recognition to those with ..
.. the largest/smallest closeness to School, most offspring, greatest weight loss,
least hair, etc. etc.; award prizes, or rather maybe give recognition live/applause
and in the printed-program Would HAVE to have the members apply IN ADVANCE
for the recognition, so that it could be printed in the program and the memory book.
Q. Multiple Events -- If we have more than one event likely they should be somewhat
close to encourage attendance at both; like
(1) dinner on a Saturday nite followed by
(2) a picnic at Sunday noon,
or the other way around, or both the same day, or some other mix.
The next day after the dinner, have a NO-host picnic on the School
grounds - bring-your-own-everything affair with NO fees, food, or reservations.
Contact the School well in advance, likely they will be quite cooperative.
They have already agreed that it's AOK
Q. Publicity - Radio - ?
Flyer -- Gotta design and mail it to the best addrs available.
Can save $$ by using email to those who have it; right?
Newspaper -
Notify the Downey Patriot (best to write the article and mail it to them),
the Long Beach Press-Telegram (they have a column/section that appears on
a regular basis), the LA-TImes, and the Orange County Register.
The latter is not very cooperative regarding schools that are not in O.C.,
so you might put in a cover letter mentioning that the majority of the class
members now live IN Orange County and read the Register.
Personally, I tend to lean toward the NON-high-impacted venues,
e.g., Lakewood, BuenaPark, Anaheim, Cerritos, CandlewoodCountryClub,
IndustrySheraton. The Downey Embassy is likely toooo small as are the
Women's Club and either of the CountryClubs here; but perhaps are worth a closer look.
Personally, I'm partial to a place where we can be dressed comfortably,
UNcramped as to room size, enjoy each other's company, chat withOUT
raising our voices over background music, enjoy a nice meal,
and PRIMARILY take away memories of having a good time with old friends.
Tasks to be assigned...
Evaluate/Select locations____.
Evaluate/Select professional assistance (whole or just memory book)____.
Select Menu (with choices)____. Mail-out notices____.
Accept non-attendee input (photos, etc.) and accept all requests for memorabilia
and coordinate same ____. Design/Prepare on-site posters/displays____.
Design trinkets____. Accept Reservations coordinate with provider____.
Accept Money, make Bank-Deposit and Keep track of funds and reservations____.
==========================
*** Thoughts on MEMORABILIA...
One class has worked hard at producing an ever-lengthening VHS tape of their
several affairs held every 5 years. (Not sure of the extent of the involvement
of their reunion production company -- Worthington).
Q. Do we want any such?
Q. Video of this event? Taken by one of us, hired pro, friendly cheapo?
Q. Any other trinkets? .e.g, Coffee mugs, Tee-/Sweat-shirts, Caps, Viking Helmets,
Badges, Coins, BoloTies, etc., etc., etc.
Q. Purchased when? ahead of time, at the function, afterward, mixed
Shall we make souvenirs available to those who don't attend
Q. Program of the Evening's Events -- maybe one or two sheets?
Q. Memory Book - Contents?
a. Portrait photos of those present; Candid photos from the event; Color or B&W?
b. Addresses, phone numbers, email addr of the whole class.
c. Photos of those absent. Request/beg head-shot/portrait/pass-port type photos;
have requested these, and have enough to make including them worthwhile.
d. Personal Histories; have requested these, but gotten too few to make including them worthwhile.
Offer copies of the book and any video for a fee for those who won't/can't attend.
Some Commercial outfits who will do all sorts of things; smaller ones likely more
cooperative for doing whatever you might want them to do -- even if they don't produce our whole event.
==========================
*** Thoughts about Possible Professional Assistance ---
Reunion production companies ...
.. add to the cost (the class-of-58's 40-th party was a whopping $73 per head;
such might keep some away; we may need a trade-off.)
.. provide logistic and organizing services and talent -- thus taking the load off of
us who are possibly less-well suited
.. provide "Memory Books" (N.B.: Some will take "home-made" pictures and lists from
self-organized events and produce a book for a fee.)
if we choose one, we should be sure to provide oversight and cost control.
They DO provide services, but while doing so they DO charge for those services;
also they may tend to channel us toward features and locations with which they have
the best sweetheart deals.
UN-Forgettable 909/624-8220 or 888/573-8646
smallish outfit run by Sandy Ethridge out of her house in Claremont DUHS '91
http://www.reunionsworld.com/
http://www.reunions-unlimited.com/
http://www.reunionsmag.com/
http://www.signaturereunions.com/
Goodtime Reunions (800) 454-9311
Great Gatherings (310) 793-0619
Memory Makers (909) 597-3349
Pride Reunions (562) 941-4577
Unforgettable Reunions (888) 573-8696 small in Claremont
http://www.unforgettablereunions.com/
ureunions@unforgettablereunions.com
Worthington Reunions (714) 641-7544 (800) 600-1577
(they seem to go in/out of business or maybe restrict to memory books)
Great Reunions Inc. Toll Free (Outside of 714) (800) 655-7971 DUHS '71, '81
Telephone (714) 937-5000 Fax (714) 937-3200 E-Mail info@greatreunions.com
Address: Great Reunions Inc. -- Ron Forman, Pres., 283 N. Rampart St. Suite C
Orange, CA 92868 http://www.greatreunions.com/
Reunion Specialists (877) 4 EVENTS or http://www.reunionspl.com/
Likely worth checking out(562) 464-1700 in Whittier "flexible" - local outfit
Spoke with Rick at ReunionSpecialists (562/464-1700)
He seems like a likely "flexible" organizer -- as opposed to some of the cookie-cutter operations. Brochure available.
==========================
*** Thoughts about Possible Locations ---
Embassy Suites - Downey, Brea (or others)
CrownePlaza/Commerce- Casino 323/728-3600 888/676-3000 Cheryl Taylor *potential*
Sheraton Cerritos 809-1500
The Grand on Willow 426-0555 (was Elks' Club) a bit pricey
Queen Mary 435-3511
HolidayInn-LaMirada 714-739-8500
Marriott L.B. Airpt 425-5210
Marriott Norwalk 863-5555
Marriott Irvine (possibly in a nice tent)
Hyatt Long Beach
(Likely it's NOT necessary to have event AT a sleeping hotel, as 99+% will
have cars anyway and can drive short distances to/from event, unless too far gone)
Candlewood (Telegraph Rd.) 941-1228 **** HAS POTENTIAL ***
PhoenixClub 57&Ball 714-563-4166 **** HAS POTENTIAL ***
Rio Hondo C.C. (N.Downey) 923-5468
Los Amigos C.C. (S.Downey) 923-9696
La Mirada CountryClub (S.Gertru) 943-3731 6k$Sat-min
Los Coyotes CountryClub (BchBl) 714/994-7788 12K$Sat-min
Montebello/QuietCannon 323/724-9284
City of Lakewood's Sycamore Center (Clark St.)
Things to consider ....
Costs, quality, environment, convenience, roominess ++
Verify MIN-imum costs
Verify potential for at least two entree choices -- made AHEAD at time of reservation
Verify adjacent rooms for other events which MIGHT cause crowding and/or make noise
Verify hallway crowding relative to pre-event photo/bar/drinking space
************************************************
************************************************
==== Questions to ask, or at least think about.
Specifically Re the Banquet/ Catering and the Hotel Rooms
Banquet/Catering Director ______________
Entree price ?
includes potato (baked/boiled) veggies
(beans/carrots/cheap-mix)
salad? soup? nuts/mints? tea/coffee? dessert?
table-nuts?
How many different PREselectables? 1___; 2___; 3___?
med? med-well? well? (too often see med-rare)
How priced if variant?
Buffet
How many different PREselectables? 1___; 2___; 3___?
Room Size choices? Tables round/rectangular? chair sizes?
How crowded?
Minimum? Cushion(+/-)? Suppose we don't meet the expectations?
Last estimate date?
Locked into the original estimate with NO ups/or/downs, ever?
Price includes the room? tablecloths? napkins? silver? plates?
(some have been known to require you to "rent" their items)
Funding? Deposit? When remainder due? When Menu & Counts due?
Bring our own ..
... center pieces? table decorations? how soon/long before?
... flowers?
... boom box (mild)?
... rented jukebox?
... DJ ours/ yours? list?
(some attendees may have special interests or be
in businesses which want to donate stuff; what about ..
... popcorn? nuts? mints? munchies?
... boose?
... sparkling cider?
Dancing OK? Extra Cost? Special floor?
Piano in the area?
Reception area?
for no-host bar?
photographer?
Just go in to main room from the beginning?
Other groups in the area? Noise? Crowd?
Security needed as an extra?
How are Profesional-Organizers / Middle-men treated?
Price break? Under the table Kickbacks? Freebies?
--------
Hotel Reservationist _________?
Hotel Rooms? Rate? Quantity? Cushion(+/-)? Last Estimate date?
Deposit by us or just with the reserving guests?
Group code number to mention when calling for rooms?
Block held for the first nn who call before mm/dd/yyyy?
If enough rooms are booked, then can we get a meeting room
for a reception, gathering, photographer?
Freebie for our leader?
=============================================
IF YOU HIRE A "PROFESSIONAL": some things to watch for ...
. get the name, email-address, and CELL-phone number of your personal account handler.
. they want to get by as cheap as they can - but so that you won't be too disappointed
or bad-mouth them too much to others.
. be concerned if their list of steps starts with "sign the contract",
especially if the contract does NOT make a specific statements about
the food, the quality of the location, the number per table, the room size,
the noise factor from potentially-adjacent parties (e.g., rock concerts).
. give them a list of dinner/ballroom venues and hotels to check out on your behalf
and ask them to return to the committee in a month and "compare and contrast"
(recalling that phrase from literature class) their respective costs and benefits.
. get the food and other decisions in writing; make sure it is what you want.
. ask if they will provide a printed program for the event and if you can
approve, change, and add pages to it.
. ask if they will provide a biography book for the event and if you can
approve, change, and add pages to it;
generally these will be a page per classmate with a short bio and recent head-shot;
sometimes these books are done ahead of time and sold AT the event;
sometimes the pages are collected ahead of time and also at and after the event
and then bound and shipped later;
determine if this is at an optional extra cost by each attendee's choice;
(also how/when/where ordered and deadline date).
. ask if they will provide a memory book for the event and if you can
approve, change, and add pages to it;
generally these contain portraits taken AT the event,
together with candid shots,
and also names and addresses of the found, the missing, the deceased;
make sure that it will have everything that you want;
determine if the photos will be color or B&W;
get and KEEP a sample of their work for comparison with their eventual product;
determine if this is at an optional extra cost by each attendee's choice;
(also how/when/where ordered and deadline date);
determine the ship date: is it 6-weeks or 8-months?
. if there is a memory book, then will it have the names and addresses of the class members?
will there be an opportunity for the class members to opt-out of being listed?
will this include telephone numbers? - yes/no/optional
will this include the last best information for everybody?
or will it only be for those who bought something,
e.g., the banquet, the memory book, or a biography book
CAUTION: Some pros only publish info for those who buy.
. if there is to be a memory book then sometimes it is included in the price of each ticket;
but generally they just send one to each graduate/class-member;
so there is a profit aspect to their not providing one for each ticket.
. generally they want a LOT of attendees (they make a profit on each head), but they will
likely NOT be as diligent and concerned about finding everybody as some of the
class/committee would be.
. establish dates by which they will ...
- expect you to give them the best list of classmates and addresses
- give you a list of suggested venues, functions, food offerings, and prices
- expect you to choose/approve selections for the above
- confirm any changes which you want to their offerings
- let you choose/approve the color scheme, table linen, decorations
- let you choose/approve each mailing's content
- send out the 1-st, 2-nd, 3-rd, 4-th mailing.
- deliver to you the 1-st, 2-nd, 3-rd, 4-th complete list of the class showing the
status of the best address info
- give you the final accounting and rebate check to pre-fund the next event
- have the memory and/or bio book(s) printed and delivered: (6-weeks or 8-months?)
. call them often just to say hello and ask how things are going; validate their
responsiveness; let them know that you hired them and that they are the outsourcer
and not the top dog.
. generally they will book the smallest room into which they figure they can cram their
best initial guess of attendees; if the turn-out is large; then it'll be crowded.
. be wary of their attempting to locate the photographer, bar, and sign-in desk all
in the small hallway outside the main room - which space may even be shared with an
event in another ballroom across/down the hall; try to get additional side rooms
for such ancillary activities.
. help them a LOT; give them as MUCH info as possible; check on their assiduity often;
make sure that they are striving to get the most and best address information; and
mailing to all new addresses; they should be keeping the address info in some
general-purpose data file structure, like a spreadsheet or database; make sure that
they frequently send you a copy of the COMPLETE file with all of the latest data and
flag indicators as to addresses, phone numbers, number of attendees, etc. etc.
. make sure that they do NOT loose the first addresses that they start with,
because the replacement addresses which they develop may NOT be good.
. make sure that they DOCUMENT the content, source, AND DATE of all of their changes,
because some of them may be INcorrect or conflict; also there may be a need to
followup with the family of any deceased members.
. some will send the initial contact list to one or more address verification and
change services, and they may receive a bogus replacement for a good address.
. some will send out to the services all of the names in the beginning,
and they may receive a bogus replacements.
. some will send out to the services only the names for which the initial mail is returned
by the PostOffice, and they may receive a bogus replacement for a bad address.
. some will send out to the services only the names for which the initial mail failed to
get any response; the classmate may be at the original address but did not respond
and they may receive a bogus replacement for a good address.
. some of the responses which they get may be INcorrect,
because they may be for other people with the same name,
or may even be for the right person but are an older address than the one with
which they started.
or may even be for the right person but are an address for some property which
they resently purchased or for which they were on a deed.
. if they copy the grad-time pictures from one of your yearbooks, make sure they ...
(a) do NOT harm the original
(b) do NOT make crude copies; some copiers (especially digital ones) need
special attention (called "de-screening") to avoid problems (moire pattern)
with originals which are composed of dots.
(c) do RETURN the original book PROMPTLY and in EXCELLENT condition.
. whether they are bonded, in case that they fail to perform or maybe disappear.
. whether they place the funds in separate "escrow" accounts or if they co-mingle the
funds from each party that they are handling.
. an after-the-fact meeting as to how satisfied you were and a statement of the
costs and the potential for any refund/seed-money for any future activities.
. get as MUCH as you can in WRITIING; all too often agreements and handshakes get
forgotten; some pros seem to have conveniently selectively poor memories.
. if you exchange emails (or however you communicate), keep copies of EVERYTHING:
BOTH INcoming and OUTgoing.
A good professional will keep you informed, and you should not need to worry;
a poor one will tell you little, not return your calls, keep you guessing/worrying,
and wondering if maybe you should have done it yourselves.
=============================================
If you are considering using any of the online reunion WebSites:
some things to watch for ...
. some require an annual fee from EACH person in order to write any message,
reply to any mesage, or to add to any discussion.
. some of the fee sites will try to maxmize their INCOME by attempting to lock everyone
into communicating by using their system and their system ONLY.
. some will NOT divulge the email addresses of anyone, rather they forward any messages
sent to someone listed at the address provided.
. some will NOT divulge the email addresses of anyone, rather they will send a
message to someone listed at the address provided, telling them to sign-on
to the site to read the messages;
often this gets VERY TIRESOME and the addressee gives up.
. some send out frequent messages of their own telling you to sign-on to the site,
but all they get is an ad-message from the site manager;
often this gets VERY TIRESOME and the addressee gives up.
. some sell the addresses which they are given to large spam houses.
. some actually edit-out email addresses and web-seite URL's included in messages
and posts in an attempt to keep you locked-in to being totally dependent on them.
so you may want to write such as e.g.,
joe-dot-shmo-at-yahoo-dot-com and
3W's-dot-downey##-dot-org
if possible send such to yourself to see what gets stripped out.
. some actually edit-out those parts which offend them a few day afterward, so success the
first day may not guarantee continued success.
. some will allow a single person to be called the PRIME-CLASS-CONTACT; usually this
is on a first-come first-served basis and for the usual annual fee.