08/04/2016
Date: August 3, 2016 (re-posted May 1, 2020)
THERE'S A BANNER HERE WAITING TO BE PICKED UP
Hi, everyone! For a number of months now I have been noticing an increasing number of hits on this page which had basically been dormant since our 50th reunion in 2012 when it was put up. Unfortunately, since it isn't a commercial page I cannot see who is visiting. (I can see you if you "like" the page when visiting but not if you just click on it. So please post a "like" if you want me to know you were here.)
I finally pieced together that the probable reason for the hits is that people are trying to see if there will be a 55th reunion of either or both classes in 2016 or 2017. I contacted the other members of the 50th Reunion Committee to see if any of them would like to get involved in putting together a rather informal 55th but no one volunteered.
Let me say that for a number of reasons the 50th was destined to be the last formal hotel-centered, DJ-entertaining, wet bar and food service-provided reunion our classes will have. First of all, Great Reunions who helped us organize 90% of our classes' reunions over the decades has gone out of business. But even while they were in business they advised us that the 50th is the last high school reunion for all schools that commercial reunion organizers can make a profit running. So we geezers are on our own from now on. The committees I have chaired over the decades have never wanted to dip into our own pockets to front the deposits for venues and vendors that a formal reunion would require which is one of the main reasons we used a professional reunion planner. That leaves informal BYO picnic, community center, public park, private home sorts of reunions as the only viable possibility.
That said, it would be a shame for our classes to never have another low-key reunion since we have been so close as classmates over the years. But without the committee stalwarts from years past being willing to leap into the breach some of the others of you are going to have to carry the flag. There are resources available even if commercial organizers aren't interested. For one, Rees Clark '60, who maintains the Temple City High School Alumni Assn. page and site , has helped other classes organize their own reunions without a commercial planner and may be available still.
I am willing to help but I am not going to devote the person-hours that past reunions have consumed. Anyone who wants to get something organized can have use of this page among other resources to publicize it. If you're serious I'll grant you direct access to the page in order to post things and reach out to people.
Leave a Comment or a Message on this page and I'll get back to you. (Please do that so our classmates will know you have visited.) Or you can contact me through my personal page as well (but that would work only if we're "friended" - so send a friend request if we aren't).
Richard Curtis
