Organizing the Reunion Committee
Creating a committee to delegate responsibilities is a time efficient plan in accomplishing the major tasks of planning a reunion. Ideally, a reunion committee made up of five to seven enthusiastic and responsible members should be enough. To search for committee members, start recruiting reliable classmates you feel will best carry out tasks efficiently. Most classmates at the start are excited about organizing a class reunion, but are unaware exactly what being a member entails.
Make sure to also state the extent of the responsibilities that each member has, so he or she knows what to expect in time and effort.
One way of recruiting classmates can be done through posting messages on alumni sites, which should be posted for at least three weeks before you form a final committee in order to have enough time for many classmates to visit the sites. Also, consider recruiting classmates that you still keep in contact with to join the committee. Planning a reunion can be exciting, so make sure you find a variety of motivated, organized, and reliable members to bring along through this process. Make sure to also find members that live near the reunion location to allow arrangements to be more easily accessible.
There is no need to worry about planning a reunion, because it is an easy process. The members that are chosen will most likely contribute a positive experience in the preparation of the reunion. It takes some time and effort, but it's worth it when you see all of your classmates socializing and enjoying their unforgettable evening.
Setting Up the First Meeting
After a strong committee has been formed, a time needs to be set up for a meeting to take place that is most convenient for members. Committee members should meet up at least once a month in person or through use of e-mail, phone, or instant messenger. At the meeting; exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses to contact members with questions, comments, or concerns. As the date of the reunion gets closer, consider meeting up with members more frequently.
The group needs to decide who should take on the responsibility of committee leader. The chosen leader should display good organizational skills, social and communication skills, and motivational techniques to create a smooth and productive process of planning a class reunion. It might be that you have planned the event up to this point, but be willing to give up the responsibility to someone more qualified for this role. Remember the goal is to create a great reunion experience for everyone.
If it's possibly, appoint two committee leaders, which would greatly benefit the committee even more.
Next discuss the option of hiring a reunion company (this information is discussed further along in this guide). If the group agrees on hiring a reunion company, continue delegating roles to each committee member so that everyone is monitoring the progress of the company.
Delegated Roles
There are many roles that need to be delegated and it is the group's responsibility to decide what member is most qualified for each role. It is a good idea to match the member's current or past job responsibilities with the delegated roles. Keep in mind there are many different roles to create, but here are a list of the most important:
Genealogist: The responsibility needs to be given to someone patient and knowledgeable in searching through public records. This person can easily access documents leading to the identification and location of an individual.
Event Coordinator: This member needs to understand all sections of a contract and be able to negotiate costs of renting the event location. This members also has to be familiar with different hotel and facilities in town for the event and is in charge of decorations such as: balloons, banners, memorabilia table and centerpieces.
Treasurer: Whoever is delegated this role is accountable for financial obligations. They are able to record how money is spent and knows how to get a lot with a tight budget.
Entertainer: This person plans door prizes, booklets/programs, souvenirs/favors, music, speakers and photography.
Computer Operator: This member is in charge of the class page and sending out e-mails to classmates and promoting information all over the Internet about the reunion. This responsibility should be given to someone who can easily navigate through a database to produce e-mails, invitations, mailing labels, letters, paid registration records and name tags.
After the roles have been distributed and discussed as a group, hand out and look through the tentative time line that is in the back of this guide. This will give each member an idea of what is expected around a certain time frame to select a date for the reunion to take place. Before the meeting is over, make sure and discuss the tasks each member should accomplish by the next scheduled meeting.
Members are usually very excited at the first reunion meeting. Keep in mind that some members may drop out of the committee or may become irresponsible in handling their tasks. If this happens try not to get upset or frustrated. You can always seek out other classmates that may be willing to join the committee.
