Your 25th class reunion

[cabanalane]

Mine is coming up. Just wondering how many of your classmates attended your 25th reunion?

10th was great. Lot of classmates showed up. 20th was good, a good showing. Some of my friends (from other schools) have said their 25th was a very small showing. It's almost like people lost interest, or look totally different from their younger days. So maybe some are a bit shy about it.

The last reunion my parents went to was their 35th. It was such a small showing that it only took two tables at a restaurant. I think some people's family are larger.

Man....I know alot of things changed when one turns 40. I hope friendships don't just drop off the map.

[mel]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

I hope friendships don't just drop off the map.

They do over time.

[scrivener]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

Mine is coming up in a year.

Our tenth reunion, over the course of the weekend, was attended by about 50 of our 80 classmates. Our twentieth was quite a bit smaller, more like 35 attendees over the weekend, but it was nice because a lot of people who missed the tenth did show up for the twentieth.

Our lives tend to change less dramatically as we get older, so I think a lot of people don't feel the need to get caught up. And yes, time does serve as a little bit of a wedge. FB is changing a lot of that, I think, so I have high hopes for our next reunion.

One big problem I'm anticipating is that at my school, whoever the class officers were when we graduated are the people who are burdened with the task of planning the reunions. That worked great for the tenth. For the twentieth, we sorta recruited a different core of people to help with the planning (mostly out of necessity). This next reunion will only be five years after the last, and I wonder if that core is going to have it in them to get together on the occasional evening to go through it all again so soon. Additionally, the mainlanders are less likely to want to fly back after just those few years, I suspect.

We're thinking of doing what a lot of classes have done: take our twenty-fifth to Las Vegas. I'm not a big fan of this idea, but I can see the appeal.

[mel]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

One big problem I'm anticipating is that at my school, whoever the class officers were when we graduated are the people who are burdened with the task of planning the reunions.

It is quite possible that for my class, large organized reunions are over. All the money remaining in the class bank account was used up for last year's reunion. The class treasurer who was tasked with that when he was elected to the position in 12th grade, was one of the co-signers to the account and kept it active all these years until his death about 5 years ago. The other co-signer (VP) of that account I think decided to use up the fund and spent it all on the catered food for our August 2010 reunion.

Good thing people showed up for that one otherwise the food would have been wasted.

[cabanalane]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

We're thinking of doing what a lot of classes have done: take our twenty-fifth to Las Vegas. I'm not a big fan of this idea, but I can see the appeal.

I heard that too. How did that turned out for those who went?

Yes, that would be good for the mainland classmates, but it would be an expensive trip for those in Hawaii, when you consider maybe bring the family or the other half.

I think that's why we are not having a Vegas reunion.

[D'Alani]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

I don't recall the exact number but I'm pretty sure it was over 150+. I graduated from Farrington and back in the day we had a large graduation class of 900+ so we have a lot of graduates to draw from. All of our reunions are well attended and we also have a monthly luncheon that have been going on for about 20 years now. You can check out our website at www.kalihikids.com and click on "scrapbook" to see photos of of some of our activities going back about 10 years. Good luck with your 25th reunion.

[tutusue]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

My small high school on the mainland (CA) and my daughters' small school in Hawaii (HSG) both have all-class (sometimes called all-school) reunions. I love that idea! My high school hold theirs every year; my daughters' every 4 years. Then...if it's a milestone year for a particular class they plan a special get together during this time. Two birds, one stone...love it!!!

That said, I just learned that the class before me, holding their 50th this year, is planning their reunion for a few months after the all-class reunion. I hope that doesn't happen to my class next year. Because of Facebook there's been a large online reunion of schoolmates from so many classes. Would be a shame to have to choose between my 50th and the all-class.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

My 10th was great! After that each successive reunion got smaller. As we get older we have children and some of us can't attend venues that reunion organizers utilize (such as Vegas). I've always asked our reunion organizers to have a family friendly reunion where we can bring our kids.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

It is quite possible that for my class, large organized reunions are over. All the money remaining in the class bank account was used up for last year's reunion. The class treasurer who was tasked with that when he was elected to the position in 12th grade, was one of the co-signers to the account and kept it active all these years until his death about 5 years ago. The other co-signer (VP) of that account I think decided to use up the fund and spent it all on the catered food for our August 2010 reunion.

Good thing people showed up for that one otherwise the food would have been wasted.

Mel how many were in your graduating class? For us there wasn't any treasurer. Just a coordinator who took in monies for an upcoming reunion.

[scrivener]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

My small high school on the mainland (CA) and my daughters' small school in Hawaii (HSG) both have all-class (sometimes called all-school) reunions. I love that idea! My high school hold theirs every year; my daughters' every 4 years. Then...if it's a milestone year for a particular class they plan a special get together during this time. Two birds, one stone...love it!!!

My alma mater does this too: we have a Hoolaulea (usually the weekend of July 4) and the classes that are planning reunions usually have them to coincide with that event.

I've always asked our reunion organizers to have a family friendly reunion where we can bring our kids.

My class usually plans a whole weekend, beginning with the Hoolaulea. We follow it up with a nice dinner somewhere (at our 20th, it was 3660 on the Rise) and then wrap it up with a very family-friendly picnic at Ala Moana. This way, we can have grownups stuff AND family stuff. Some of us are there for it all.

At our tenth reunion, we had a golf tournament. We're thinking of doing a school service project as part of our thirtieth.

[tutusue]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

[...]
My class usually plans a whole weekend, beginning with the Hoolaulea. We follow it up with a nice dinner somewhere (at our 20th, it was 3660 on the Rise) and then wrap it up with a very family-friendly picnic at Ala Moana. This way, we can have grownups stuff AND family stuff. Some of us are there for it all. [...]

My class does something similar. Friday night is a meet and greet at a local bar in the home town. Saturday night is a pre-fixe dinner at a nice restaurant (pre-paid by every attendee) and Sunday is a family-style picnic and/or the all-class picnic. Great fun to see everyone's kids and, now, grandkids.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

We're thinking of doing a school service project as part of our thirtieth.

That is an excellent idea!

[mel]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

Mel how many were in your graduating class? For us there wasn't any treasurer. Just a coordinator who took in monies for an upcoming reunion.

As I recall, 168 graduated. Yep, we were a small school.

[Kimo]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

We had about 90 in our small, private school class. We had our 50th three years ago, and about 30 showed up - about a third of grads, and, since you may be thinking it, there are many more who are still alive [class age = 70] . . . some have passed. The class is active - travel, regular get togethers. And, in a genius idea, the class has for some years offered a small sponsorship subsidy/scholarship to a current student or two through their high school years.

More to the question, we have had reunions of varioius sizes at 10, 5, 20, etc., every five years. 25 and 50 have been the Big Ones. Will let you know about the 75th . . .

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Your 25th class reunion

And, in a genius idea, the class has for some years offered a small sponsorship subsidy/scholarship to a current student or two through their high school years.

Another great idea! Being in the Lions organization, reunions can also be a form of a civic group when applied to community services or even sponsoring things like alma mater clean ups and even scholarships for current students in their respective schools.

I really love that idea of scholarships. That way graduating seniors can see how their alumni still supports their school!