Choosing a reunion date

Have you heard the podcast about how to select your reunion date? Download it and listen on the run, read it, print it for your committee meeting.

Reunion timetable
These are suggestions for steps and the time it takes from the time you start your very first reunion. For someone organizing a reunion with a history, this list is also good for checking your progress or as agenda considerations for committee meetings.
If your family has a newsletter, include some of these steps from time to time. Family members can better appreciate what their part is, if they know what you need to do when. For example, they might return reservations and t-shirt orders if they realize your deadline date is not arrived at arbitrarily.

24-18 months before your reunion...

• Determine interest
  
• Talk to other reunion organizers
  
• Attend a reunion organizing class, workshop or conference
  
• Start mailing list
  
• Form reunion committee(s) and establish responsibilities and schedules
  
• Keep records of everything
  
• Develop budget and bookkeeping system
  
• Contact convention and visitors or tourism bureaus
  
• Scout locations, facilities
  

One year before ...

• Set date(s)
  
• Choose location
  
• Send first mailer; tentative reunion schedule and plans (tours, souvenirs, memory books), theme, and approximate cost
  
• Arrange or hire entertainment, caterer, photographer, videographer, printer
  

6-9 months before ...

• Send second mailer; include registration and souvenir order forms and cost
  
• Send announcement to Reunions magazine
  
• Schedule events and activities — program, speakers, awards ceremony, tours
  
• Reserve block of rooms
  
• Begin souvenir directory/list of attendees, memory book
  

5 months before ...

• Confirm reservations, entertainment, photographer, caterer
  
• Choose menu
  
• Announce event to local news media, elected officials
  

4-2 months before ...

• Meet with hotel staff, visit facility with reunion committee
  
• Select decorations, theme, signs banners and order printed items
  
• Reserve rental equipment
  
• Submit personalized souvenir order (t-shirts, mugs, caps ...)
  
• 6 weeks before ...
  
• Complete directory/memory book; deliver to the printer
  
• Write checklist for reunion tasks
  
• Designate assignments for reunion volunteers
  

2 weeks before ...

• Purchase last minute decorations and incidental supplies
  
• Reconfirm meeting, sleeping and eating accommodations
  
• Review final checklist
  

The day before ...

• Determine location staff contacts for your reunion
  
• Solve last-minute problems
  
• Review final details with reunion committee
  

Reunion day(s) ...

• Set up registration tables, rental equipment, displays
  
• Juggle details; volunteers, food, photographer, games, entertainment
  
• Decorate
  
• Enjoy
  

Afterward ...

• Reflect and evaluate — note what worked, what didn’t
  
• Complete bookkeeping; settle accounts
  
• Write thank you notes to volunteers, hotel staff, caterers
  
• Start planning your next reunion
  

Follow up, follow up, follow up
You get the idea.

Persistent follow up now is the only way you’ll stay on schedule. Printing projects need ample production time to assure delivery before your reunion. If you don’t follow up now, you may need to skimp later on proofreading time and one last opportunity to catch a fatal editorial flaw (though that’s still a couple months off)! You also need adequate time to develop a catchy layout. Follow up will get you a more thorough response with enough time to produce a product you can be proud of delivered in plenty of time to be distributed at the reunion. Be aware that if your directory or memory book is delivered too late for your reunion, you’ll also incur the cost of time and money for packing and shipping later.

Nail down the details
To secure those persons, events and activities, make reservations well in advance. If you have special programs or speakers that involve persons outside your family, you’ll want to know that they are available for you when you need them.
Are you hiring a magician for the children? Reserve early to get just the one you want.
Are you arranging a tour that requires some custom features of special importance to your family? A historian or guide to enhance your own family anecdotes?

Are there special facilities or opening a building for which extra custodial help might be needed?

Are you hiring a special vehicle, bus or a boat?

If these are all things you’re thinking about but have done nothing to assure, now is the time to get on it! Many plans and good intentions are stalled because the person, place or conveyance simply was not available. What they say about early birds, applies equally to reunions (without the worms).

Reward the scholars
If you intend to have an essay contest for students in your family, announce it early and prepare students to think about the challenge. Many families provide scholarships to outstanding students, some even provide some help for all or many students.

About the writer
Edith Wagner is the editor of Reunions magazine, author of Reunions Workbook and Catalog and The Family Reunion Sourcebook (Lowell House, Los Angeles) in bookstores now.

Next Page

Free Trial Issue

Send us your name and address to receive a sample copy of Reunions magazine.

Reunions Forums
Share your planning advice and experiences with other reunion planners, attendees, newbies, and the editors of ReunionsMagazine in our Reunions forums!