Forming a Class Reunion Committee: Start with two or three class members who express interest in helping. A minimum of three "officers" are needed, a "Chairperson," a "Secretary," and a Treasurer. Some classes hold periodic local (Camden area) meetings to which all members are invited to attend who can. Such a larger group can be considered "The Committee" and can provide a consensus for decision making without having to poll all widely scattered Class members every time a decision needs to be made. Mailings to all class members can list choices identified by "The Committee" when major decisions need to be made.

Updating the Class Mailing List: You need an accurate list of Class member information, including:  current address, phone number and email address. The Alumni Association Registrar needs the same information. The Association Registrar will provide you with the latest information from the Association Database as a baseline from which you can start. Any corrections that you identify need to be sent back to the Registrar to keep the Association records up to date. You can use committee members to call or email members to help distribute the work load in the effort to reach all of your classmates. As members are reached try to identify others remotely located who would also be interested in helping with the contacting.

Mailing Labels: Once a Class List has been updated as best as you can, sets of mailing labels can be printed. The Association Registrar will provide you with a set for a mailing, and can also provide you with return address labels to streamline your effort.

Updating Individual Record Sheets: The Association Registrar will provide you with a set of pages, one for each class member, that can be inserted in an initial mailing you plan to everyone. The page contains all information about a given individual that is maintained by the Association. The sheets can be returned to your "committee" or can be mailed directly to the Association with updates from the individuals.

Double Postcard Mailing:  The Association has also devised a double post card that will enable you to send the same information for an individual with a tear off and return portion containing corrections and responses to your questions.  This mailing goes at the USPS rate for post cards.  You can also include a personalized message on the card pertaining to your reunion planning activities.  All information, including the personal data, mailing address and return mailing address are printed automatically for you.  All you need to do is add the stamp.

Establishing a Bank Account: You should establish a checking account for your class so that transactions can be handled for your Class reunion activities. You can set up a bank account at the Oneida Savings Bank in Camden under the umbrella of the Alumni Association. This will allow a legal account to exist that will not require use of any personal Social Security information and will protect your Committee. Such a bank account will be independent of the Association's moneys, but will enable your committee to use the Association's tax exempt number for purchases that are taxable. Your bank account will require at least two signatures on the bank account card. Your bank statements will be mailed to your treasurer.

Establishing a Plan for a Class Reunion: This is an example of the kind of decision that can be made by "The Committee." A date (or set of tentative dates; location; approximate cost per participant; and tentative details for a reunion Program should be identified.

Establishing a Budget and Raising Money for a Class Reunion: Your Reunion budget should include an estimate of all expenses you expect to incur for which collected moneys will be used to pay. This would include such items as: postage and printing for mailing; cost of food; cost of meeting room (if not included in the food cost); honored guests (if to be included); favors (if desired); entertainment (if desired); handouts (printing and/or copying); and gifts and donations. With a total amount identified you can then determine the best way to raise the money from your classmates. The simplest method is to divide the cost by the anticipated number attending. However, you may not know until the end how many will actually attend. Some classes have used a "Reunion Pledge" approach, asking each member to pledge an amount the person feels he or she can afford. This way those with more resources may give more while those with less may contribute less. One class conducted a pledge campaign for 5 years prior to their 50th so they would have enough money to support everything they wanted to. Each year they asked members to send in the amount pledged for a year. By this means the class was able to raise a substantial amount of money. If a pledge approach is used you may be able to "underwrite" the cost of your events so the registration and/or banquet costs may be made quite small thereby enabling more of those members less able to pay the cost to attend. For example, if your banquet cost, including food, name tags, favors, handouts, etc. is expected to $30 per registered person, if enough money is raised you might be able to offer the registration per person at $15 or lower.

Using the Alumni Web Site to Communicate: Each class has a web page already on the Alumni Association web site. To have information placed on your page you need to send the information to the web master either as an email message or as a paper message. The same information may also be appropriate as a press release to the newspapers (QCN and others) The Alumni Association web site also provides a Bulletin Board service which can be used directly by anyone signing on to it. Again, a special place has been set aside for each class so they can carry an exchange of information easily and efficiently. For more help, visit the web site and send a message to the web master, or call.

What the Association Expects of a Class: The Association will provide you with as much help as possible to make your reunion experience a success. The cost of class lists; mailing labels and the maintenance of the web site are paid for from membership money. Your class can help with these funds by encouraging all of your living members to become Active Association members. An active member is one whose membership dues are current. Some classes have adopted a plan whereby they include Association membership dues for all classmates as part of their reunion budget. The current membership annual dues is $5 per year.

Sharing Ideas of Past Reunion Successes: If you class has held reunions before we are all interested in knowing what successful ideas you came up with and how they worked out, or what you learned that you would not do again. These ideas can be shared on the Alumni Association web site. If you would like to send in some of your success stories, contact the web master. If your class is new at the reunion business and is looking for ideas, contact the Association Registrar or Web Master who can put you in touch with Class Contacts willing to share their ideas with you.