Learn more about NAMI here.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Donation Made in Memory of Five Classmates
In honor of our five classmates who have passed away, Micaela Bengoechea, Michael Birkinshaw, Aubri Chance, Rachel Shumway, and Phillip Tinney, the THS Class of 2004 donated $140 to the National Alliance for Mental Illness. The donation comes from the remainder of funds for our reunion. NAMI was chosen because so many in our world suffer from undiagnosed or untreated mental illness, affecting themselves and those around them. While not all the deaths of our classmates may have been related to mental illness, we wanted to remember and celebrate these five individuals. Thank you for your lives and your presence in ours.
Learn more about NAMI here.
Learn more about NAMI here.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Micaela Bengoechea, 1986-2014
Our classmate Micaela Bengoechea died unexpectedly on July 2 from an undiagnosed heart condition. Please keep her family and loved ones at the forefront of your thoughts and prayers. For those wishing to reach out, Micaela's Facebook page is full of posts, photos, and notes remembering her friendship and life.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Reunion Memories Made
More than 60 people attended the THS Ten Year on June 7. New memories were made, lives were shared, drinks and food were enjoyed, and a successful reunion was had. Thanks to all who planned, attended, and helped make the night a rousing celebration. A few pictures are below. If you have snapshots to share, send them to us.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Tickets Available at the Door on Saturday
Thinking about attending our THS Ten Year but haven't bought a ticket? Worry not! We will have sales at the door by credit, check, or cash. The party starts at 7pm on Saturday at the Basque Center.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Guest List Updated; Add Yourself by Purchasing a Ticket
Are you coming to our reunion on Saturday? Let everyone know you're coming by purchasing a ticket today. We've said it many times: Friends, food, drinks, location, and memories -- get it all here. We hope to see you in a few short days!
Monday, June 2, 2014
Countdown: Five Days
The countdown is at five short days until our THS Ten Year. Are you going to be there? Ticket sales continue here on our blog for only $30 per person. This is a once-a-decade opportunity. We hope to see you at the Basque Center later this week!
Here's a joke for the day:
It was the end of the school year, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils.
The florist's son handed her a gift. She shook it, held it overhead, and said, "I bet I know what it is. Flowers." "That's right!" the boy said, "But, how did you know?" "Oh, just a wild guess," she said.
The next pupil was the sweet shop owner's daughter. The teacher held her gift overhead, shook it, and said, "I bet I can guess what it is. A box of sweets." "That's right, but how did you know?" asked the girl. "Oh, just a wild guess," said the teacher. The next gift was from the son of the liquor storeowner. The teacher held he package overhead, but it was leaking. She touched a drop off the leakage with her finger and put it to her tongue. "Is it wine?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with some excitement. The teacher repeated the process, tasting a larger drop of the leakage. "Is it champagne?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with more excitement. The teacher took one more big taste before declaring, "I give up, what is it?" With great glee, the boy replied, "It's a puppy!" SURPRISE!
Here's a joke for the day:
It was the end of the school year, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils.
The florist's son handed her a gift. She shook it, held it overhead, and said, "I bet I know what it is. Flowers." "That's right!" the boy said, "But, how did you know?" "Oh, just a wild guess," she said.
The next pupil was the sweet shop owner's daughter. The teacher held her gift overhead, shook it, and said, "I bet I can guess what it is. A box of sweets." "That's right, but how did you know?" asked the girl. "Oh, just a wild guess," said the teacher. The next gift was from the son of the liquor storeowner. The teacher held he package overhead, but it was leaking. She touched a drop off the leakage with her finger and put it to her tongue. "Is it wine?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with some excitement. The teacher repeated the process, tasting a larger drop of the leakage. "Is it champagne?" she asked. "No," the boy replied, with more excitement. The teacher took one more big taste before declaring, "I give up, what is it?" With great glee, the boy replied, "It's a puppy!" SURPRISE!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Countdown to THS Ten Year: Six Days
One week from today our class will renew our bonds at the Basque Center. Will you be there? Buy your ticket today.
Today, we get to hear some perks of growing old:
Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.
Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.
Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the National Weather Service.
People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"
People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.
There is absolutely nothing left to learn the hard way.
Things you buy now definitely won't wear out.
You can eat dinner at 4 P.M.
You can live without intimacy but not without your glasses.
You enjoy hearing about other peoples operations.
You get into heated arguments about Social Security.
You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge, except for the minimum speed allowed.
You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
You sing along with elevator music.
Your eyes won't get very much worse.
Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.
Today, we get to hear some perks of growing old:
Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.
Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.
Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the National Weather Service.
People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"
People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.
There is absolutely nothing left to learn the hard way.
Things you buy now definitely won't wear out.
You can eat dinner at 4 P.M.
You can live without intimacy but not without your glasses.
You enjoy hearing about other peoples operations.
You get into heated arguments about Social Security.
You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge, except for the minimum speed allowed.
You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.
You sing along with elevator music.
Your eyes won't get very much worse.
Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Seven Days Until We Meet Again
We've made it an entire decade since our graduation. Come celebrate with us! Get your ticket for our THS Ten Year today.
Today's joke is another top ten list. Here are the top ten reasons to make it to our reunion.
10. You've not thought about getting into shape since graduation.
9. You want to try to dance one more time before your next hip replacement.
8. You want to squash 10 years of rumors about you...and possibly start new and better ones.
7. The reunion committee will NOT stop contacting until you do show.
6. You don't have to ask for the keys to the family car or sneak out a window to be with your friends.
5. You can feel better knowing you're not the only who's been married or divorced.
4. To see what color the girls' hair is now and to see how many of the guys still have hair.
3. There will be no swimsuit competition.
2. You don't have to lie about your age. We know how old you are.
And the NUMBER ONE reason to attend your 10th class reunion is:
1. You can re-connect with old friends, make connections with new friends, and re-capture the joys of youth. The reunion won't be the same without you.
Today's joke is another top ten list. Here are the top ten reasons to make it to our reunion.
10. You've not thought about getting into shape since graduation.
9. You want to try to dance one more time before your next hip replacement.
8. You want to squash 10 years of rumors about you...and possibly start new and better ones.
7. The reunion committee will NOT stop contacting until you do show.
6. You don't have to ask for the keys to the family car or sneak out a window to be with your friends.
5. You can feel better knowing you're not the only who's been married or divorced.
4. To see what color the girls' hair is now and to see how many of the guys still have hair.
3. There will be no swimsuit competition.
2. You don't have to lie about your age. We know how old you are.
And the NUMBER ONE reason to attend your 10th class reunion is:
1. You can re-connect with old friends, make connections with new friends, and re-capture the joys of youth. The reunion won't be the same without you.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Countdown: Eight Days to THS Ten Year
Are you excited?! We are eight days away from the big event. Sign up so we can see you there. You don't want to miss this!
Here is today's reunion joke:
A group of Waseca classmates discuss where they should meet for dinner on the night before their 20 year reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's restaurant because the waitresses there have low cut blouses and nice breasts.
10 years later, at the time of their 30 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because they have a two-for-one special on drinks.
10 years later, at the time of their 40 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because the food there is very good and the wine and beer selection is good, also.
10 years later, at the time of their 50 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free.
10 years later, at the time of their 60 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator.
10 years later, at the time of their 70 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion and agrees they should meet at Charlie's because they have never been there before.
Here is today's reunion joke:
A group of Waseca classmates discuss where they should meet for dinner on the night before their 20 year reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's restaurant because the waitresses there have low cut blouses and nice breasts.
10 years later, at the time of their 30 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because they have a two-for-one special on drinks.
10 years later, at the time of their 40 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because the food there is very good and the wine and beer selection is good, also.
10 years later, at the time of their 50 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free.
10 years later, at the time of their 60 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion. Finally it is agreed they should meet at Charlie's because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator.
10 years later, at the time of their 70 year reunion, the group once again discusses where they should eat the night before their reunion and agrees they should meet at Charlie's because they have never been there before.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Nine Days Left
Our reunion is just over a week away. Have you bought your ticket? Get it today! We hope to see you at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 at the Basque Center.
Here is another reunion funny for your enjoyment:
He was a widower and she a widow. They had known each other for a number of years being high school classmates and having attended class reunions over the last 20+ years without fail.
This anniversary of their class the widower and the widow made a foursome with two other singles.
They had a wonderful evening, their spirits high, the widower throwing admiring glances across the table. The widow smiling coyly back at him.
Finally, he picked up courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?"
After about six seconds of careful consideration, she answered, "Yes, yes I will!"
The evening ended on a happy note for the widower. But the next morning he was troubled. Did she say "Yes" or did she say "No?" He couldn't remember. Try as he would, he just could not recall. He went over the conversation of the previous evening, but his mind was blank. He remembered asking the question, but for the life of him could not recall her response. With fear and trepidation he picked up the phone and called her.
First, he explained that he couldn't remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the past evening. As he gained a little more courage, he then inquired of her. "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say 'Yes' or did you say 'No?'"
"Why you silly man, I said, 'Yes. Yes I will.' And I meant it with all my heart."
The widower was delighted. He felt his heart skip a beat.
Then she continued. "And I am so glad you called because I couldn't remember who asked me!"
Here is another reunion funny for your enjoyment:
He was a widower and she a widow. They had known each other for a number of years being high school classmates and having attended class reunions over the last 20+ years without fail.
This anniversary of their class the widower and the widow made a foursome with two other singles.
They had a wonderful evening, their spirits high, the widower throwing admiring glances across the table. The widow smiling coyly back at him.
Finally, he picked up courage to ask her, "Will you marry me?"
After about six seconds of careful consideration, she answered, "Yes, yes I will!"
The evening ended on a happy note for the widower. But the next morning he was troubled. Did she say "Yes" or did she say "No?" He couldn't remember. Try as he would, he just could not recall. He went over the conversation of the previous evening, but his mind was blank. He remembered asking the question, but for the life of him could not recall her response. With fear and trepidation he picked up the phone and called her.
First, he explained that he couldn't remember as well as he used to. Then he reviewed the past evening. As he gained a little more courage, he then inquired of her. "When I asked if you would marry me, did you say 'Yes' or did you say 'No?'"
"Why you silly man, I said, 'Yes. Yes I will.' And I meant it with all my heart."
The widower was delighted. He felt his heart skip a beat.
Then she continued. "And I am so glad you called because I couldn't remember who asked me!"
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Ten Days Left -- Get Your Tickets!
To start a countdown to our reunion, we're posting every day leading up to June 7. We want you to buy your ticket today. There are many people being added to the guest list. We want you there too! Get your ticket today through our safe PayPal method. Don't miss out!
While sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist, I noticed his DDS diploma, which bore his full name.
Suddenly, I remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school class some 40-odd years ago. Could he be the same guy that I had a secret crush on, way back then? Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought.
This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate.
After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended Waseca high school.
"Yes. Yes, I did. I'm a Bluejay," he beamed with pride.
"When did you graduate?" I asked.
He answered, "In 1959. Why do you ask?"
"You were in my class!" I exclaimed.
He looked at me closely. Then, that ugly, old, bald, wrinkled, fat ass, gray-haired, decrepit SOB asked, "What did you teach?"
Shared by Judi Larsen Szyszka WHS 1959
Here is a quick reunion story for a little laugh:
Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, 'Surely, I can't look that old!' Well.... You'll love this one.
While sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist, I noticed his DDS diploma, which bore his full name.
Suddenly, I remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school class some 40-odd years ago. Could he be the same guy that I had a secret crush on, way back then? Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought.
This balding, gray-haired man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate.
After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended Waseca high school.
"Yes. Yes, I did. I'm a Bluejay," he beamed with pride.
"When did you graduate?" I asked.
He answered, "In 1959. Why do you ask?"
"You were in my class!" I exclaimed.
He looked at me closely. Then, that ugly, old, bald, wrinkled, fat ass, gray-haired, decrepit SOB asked, "What did you teach?"
Shared by Judi Larsen Szyszka WHS 1959
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Ten Reasons to Buy Your Ticket Today
1. So we have enough food and drinks. If too many people wait until the last minute, the well may run dry.
2. Your friends will be there. And if you're not sure they will be, contact them to be sure. Go together!
3. This only happens every ten years. You don't want to miss out!
4. The location is ideal. The Basque Center is walking distance to night life throughout downtown.
5. Wine and beer are covered. White, red, and Blue Moon are covered in the ticket price.
6. You want to see what happened to everyone. C'mon, you know you do! Facebook can only tell part of the story.
7. It's a summer night in Boise. What could be better than a Saturday evening in June walking through the City of Trees?
8. The party is on. We have good reason to celebrate -- ten years distant from high school!
9. We're getting old. Let's commiserate together.
10. It's fun. How many opportunities like this come along in a lifetime? Take advantage. Buy your ticket today.
2. Your friends will be there. And if you're not sure they will be, contact them to be sure. Go together!
3. This only happens every ten years. You don't want to miss out!
4. The location is ideal. The Basque Center is walking distance to night life throughout downtown.
5. Wine and beer are covered. White, red, and Blue Moon are covered in the ticket price.
6. You want to see what happened to everyone. C'mon, you know you do! Facebook can only tell part of the story.
7. It's a summer night in Boise. What could be better than a Saturday evening in June walking through the City of Trees?
8. The party is on. We have good reason to celebrate -- ten years distant from high school!
9. We're getting old. Let's commiserate together.
10. It's fun. How many opportunities like this come along in a lifetime? Take advantage. Buy your ticket today.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Friday, May 16, 2014
Now is the Time
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover."
- Mark Twain -
NOW IS THE TIME. Don't miss out on our Timberline Ten Year! Only three weeks remain, and tickets are on sale right now on this site. Stop waiting, stop reading, get your wallet, click on Buy Tickets, and book your place. We want to see you, each one of you and all of you collectively, on June 7 at the Basque Center where we will gather for a celebration worthy of our decade distant of THS. Food, friends, drinks, memories old and new. Be there. Buy a ticket today. NOW IS THE TIME.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Less than 40 days until we meet
Our countdown just went under 40 days, and ticket sales are slowly increasing. Join the fun and get your ticket today. Your purchase helps the planning continue as we look forward to a night at the Basque Center with Spanish tapas, beer and wine, old friends, and new memories. Bring your significant other and enjoy the evening.
If you have yet to send an update, take five minutes to tell us about yourself. Even if you cannot attend the reunion, we want to hear your story.
For a flashback, do you remember hearing and loving this song during our THS days?
If you have yet to send an update, take five minutes to tell us about yourself. Even if you cannot attend the reunion, we want to hear your story.
For a flashback, do you remember hearing and loving this song during our THS days?
Saturday, April 26, 2014
The Big Day is Coming!
Quite a few classmates sent updates this week, and many pledged to buy tickets. Check out our Classmates page to see what everyone is doing these days. Our reunion is coming quickly. Are you ready? Get your ticket today through our easy, secure PayPal system. What's stopping you? See you soon for the big day!
Friday, March 28, 2014
New Classmate Updates, Messages Being Sent
As we come closer to the reunion date, keep an eye on your email inbox and Facebook messages. We hope to contact as many classmates as possible. Two more updates arrived today and an additional ticket was sold. Join in the fun -- send your update on the Registration page and Buy Tickets today!
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Ticket Sales need a boost -- Get yours today!
The countdown continues toward our Timberline Ten Year -- only 79 days remain. We need your help to make this event a reality. Have you purchased a ticket? Now is the time to act! Without ticket sales, we cannot continue planning because we lack funds to book the food, music, and venue. What's stopping you? The admission price is small, and the potential for great memories is immense. Here is a note from our reunion committee asking for your help:
March 8, 2014
Dear Classmate,
We last gathered at our commencement ceremony in what was still the Pavilion at Boise State in May 2004. On that day, decked in blue and with jubilation over reaching the finish, we switched our tassels, threw our caps, and began our future.
What adventures have you experienced since that day? Where have you gone? Who have you met? What have you done? Where are you headed? As connected as Facebook and technology allows us to be, nothing replaces human contact, gathering with old friends, sharing stories, laughing over adolescence, partying among peers, and commemorating our common history as graduates.
The time to gather again is near. A decade has passed since our graduation from Timberline High School, and we want to celebrate with you. You and your significant other are invited to the Timberline Ten Year Reunion on Saturday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Basque Center of Downtown Boise.
As the reunion draws closer, more activities will be planned, including family-friendly and group specific gatherings during the morning and afternoon of Saturday, June 7. For now, we encourage you to purchase your ticket to the reunion for only $30 per person. This purchase covers admission, catered dinner by the Basque Market, beer, wine, and soda (mixed drinks will be available for an additional charge), and a slideshow DVD. We also want to keep track of each classmate, so take a couple minutes to register on our website whether or not you plan to attend. You can purchase your tickets here on our blog.
At our graduation, a series of dares was set before us in the commencement address: To capture the night, to chase our dreams, to make the world a better place. Now we issue another dare to you: Come to this reunion. Buy your ticket. Book your flight. Tell your family and friends you are coming home. Bring your spouse. Revel in the past. Look toward the future. Do not miss out on our Timberline Ten Year.
Sincerely,
Courtney LeHosit (Conner), Daniel Miller, and Ben Rosenthal
Your Reunion Committee Chairs
March 8, 2014
Dear Classmate,
We last gathered at our commencement ceremony in what was still the Pavilion at Boise State in May 2004. On that day, decked in blue and with jubilation over reaching the finish, we switched our tassels, threw our caps, and began our future.
What adventures have you experienced since that day? Where have you gone? Who have you met? What have you done? Where are you headed? As connected as Facebook and technology allows us to be, nothing replaces human contact, gathering with old friends, sharing stories, laughing over adolescence, partying among peers, and commemorating our common history as graduates.
The time to gather again is near. A decade has passed since our graduation from Timberline High School, and we want to celebrate with you. You and your significant other are invited to the Timberline Ten Year Reunion on Saturday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Basque Center of Downtown Boise.
As the reunion draws closer, more activities will be planned, including family-friendly and group specific gatherings during the morning and afternoon of Saturday, June 7. For now, we encourage you to purchase your ticket to the reunion for only $30 per person. This purchase covers admission, catered dinner by the Basque Market, beer, wine, and soda (mixed drinks will be available for an additional charge), and a slideshow DVD. We also want to keep track of each classmate, so take a couple minutes to register on our website whether or not you plan to attend. You can purchase your tickets here on our blog.
At our graduation, a series of dares was set before us in the commencement address: To capture the night, to chase our dreams, to make the world a better place. Now we issue another dare to you: Come to this reunion. Buy your ticket. Book your flight. Tell your family and friends you are coming home. Bring your spouse. Revel in the past. Look toward the future. Do not miss out on our Timberline Ten Year.
Sincerely,
Courtney LeHosit (Conner), Daniel Miller, and Ben Rosenthal
Your Reunion Committee Chairs
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Guest List Up and Growing
Our guest list is up on the blog and growing with each ticket purchase. Nothing can replace face-to-face gathering. We want you to be there for our Timberline Ten Year, and you will always remember the good people, great drinks, tasty food, perfect location, and unrepeatable memories you create. Join the guest list by buying your ticket today. It's only $30!
Friday, February 14, 2014
How Facebook is Affecting School Reunions
This article comes from TIME Magazine and is written by Gilbert Cruz. See it in original form here. It's a great reminder that online social networking cannot replace face-to-face contact and the experience of the reunion. You don't want to miss our Timberline Ten Year. Tickets are on sale. Buy yours today!
Who got fat, who got hot, and is that old crush of mine still single? Whatever happened to that weird kid with the hair? Wait, am I the one who got fat?
Such are the essential questions at the core of every high school and college reunion. For decades, the routine has remained the same: a bunch of old classmates get together and catch up, settle (or renew) grievances and swap glory-days stories. Yet the ability to locate former classmates through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and, well, the Internet itself, has alumni organizations and other such groups wondering if the sun is setting on the traditionally organized reunion.
Take Kim Brinegar, who in 1998 helped organize the 10-year reunion for her class at Maryland's Arundel High School. "Back then, the Internet wasn't really that reliable for finding people," she says. "I had to rely on word of mouth, advertising in the paper and sending things to people's parents." For the 20-year reunion, however, she had a new tool: Facebook. Through the site, Brinegar was able to get in touch with tons of people she couldn't track down last time around, including an exchange student from Italy who flew across the Atlantic for the reunion last November.
Rather than turn people off from wanting to attend ("Well, smokin' hot Sally looks just awful now — no need for me to go"), Facebook only increased the excitement for the 20th reunion at Massachusetts' Sharon High School, says Holly Goshin, who helped plan the event. "It's enticing. It's like a little preview, seeing everyone's life online. And whether you're happy that someone is not doing as well as you or you're happy that they look amazing, you get to see it all in person. Then you can move on with your life."
But such self-organization is hurting businesses devoted to reunions, says Jonathan Miller, co-owner of Reunited Inc., a 20-year-old company that has helped plan more than 1,000 high school reunions. "It's definitely affected our business," Miller says. "Classes can now easily say to me, 'Jonathan, we have 150 people in our Facebook group right now, and we really don't need your services.' "
College-alumni associations are dealing with the same issues. "Students now are all connected through Facebook and MySpace and other sites, so they leave college with their own network completely intact," says Deborah Dietzler, executive director of alumni relations at the University of Georgia. "This is not like 20 years ago, where, if you wanted to get in touch with someone, you kind of needed to call the alumni office."
On a personal level, Dietzler is a good example of how Facebook can hurt reunion attendance. "There was a Facebook page for my 20-year college reunion, which took place this May," she says. "I looked at it a couple of times and it didn't seem like anyone I knew would be there, so I lost interest."
Still, the idea that social-networking sites might kill reunions is a faulty one, because that would essentially mean killing nostalgia itself. While Facebook allows you to easily discover that your old pal Jack now has twins, it does not allow you to knock back a drink with Jack at your old campus dive (unless it's a virtual drink, and where's the fun in that?). What the Internet is doing is shifting power from schools to former students. There's less need for snail-mail brochures and impersonal e-mails from alumni offices and businesses like Reunited Inc. when any former student can just form a reunion group on Facebook.
Marc Dizon was a class officer for Virginia's West Springfield High class of 1999. Nine or so years later, dozens of former classmates began to e-mail him via Facebook to ask if a reunion was going to happen. The interest was there. "I don't think reunions are redundant on account of social media," he says. "You're always going to want to see people face to face. And those who don't go are probably those who wouldn't have gone even if there was no Facebook."
Mike Huynh, who helped organize a reunion for his 1998 Lowell High School class in San Francisco, says the gathering — which 214 out of about 600 class members attended — might not have happened if it weren't for Facebook. "It made it very cheap for us to connect quickly with classmates and get information out to them. It was also easy to get feedback on what dates students prefer and, afterwards, on how the event went. I think that five years from now, the popularity of Facebook is going to make it an even more effective way to get people together."
So reunions are probably here to stay, says Andrew Shaindlin, executive director of the Caltech Alumni Association and a blogger at Alumni Futures. But the real danger is that an end to reunions organized by alumni associations would make it more difficult for those associations to raise funds from former students. "It's going to affect donations," says Shaindlin. "We've lost our monopoly over the data on how to communicate with schoolmates. We need to step back and figure out how to remain relevant, because there may be some point three or five or seven years from now when we're going to hold a reunion and almost nobody is going to sign up." By then, however, alumni associations may have figured out how to tap donors via Facebook.
Who got fat, who got hot, and is that old crush of mine still single? Whatever happened to that weird kid with the hair? Wait, am I the one who got fat?
Such are the essential questions at the core of every high school and college reunion. For decades, the routine has remained the same: a bunch of old classmates get together and catch up, settle (or renew) grievances and swap glory-days stories. Yet the ability to locate former classmates through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and, well, the Internet itself, has alumni organizations and other such groups wondering if the sun is setting on the traditionally organized reunion.
Take Kim Brinegar, who in 1998 helped organize the 10-year reunion for her class at Maryland's Arundel High School. "Back then, the Internet wasn't really that reliable for finding people," she says. "I had to rely on word of mouth, advertising in the paper and sending things to people's parents." For the 20-year reunion, however, she had a new tool: Facebook. Through the site, Brinegar was able to get in touch with tons of people she couldn't track down last time around, including an exchange student from Italy who flew across the Atlantic for the reunion last November.
Rather than turn people off from wanting to attend ("Well, smokin' hot Sally looks just awful now — no need for me to go"), Facebook only increased the excitement for the 20th reunion at Massachusetts' Sharon High School, says Holly Goshin, who helped plan the event. "It's enticing. It's like a little preview, seeing everyone's life online. And whether you're happy that someone is not doing as well as you or you're happy that they look amazing, you get to see it all in person. Then you can move on with your life."
But such self-organization is hurting businesses devoted to reunions, says Jonathan Miller, co-owner of Reunited Inc., a 20-year-old company that has helped plan more than 1,000 high school reunions. "It's definitely affected our business," Miller says. "Classes can now easily say to me, 'Jonathan, we have 150 people in our Facebook group right now, and we really don't need your services.' "
College-alumni associations are dealing with the same issues. "Students now are all connected through Facebook and MySpace and other sites, so they leave college with their own network completely intact," says Deborah Dietzler, executive director of alumni relations at the University of Georgia. "This is not like 20 years ago, where, if you wanted to get in touch with someone, you kind of needed to call the alumni office."
On a personal level, Dietzler is a good example of how Facebook can hurt reunion attendance. "There was a Facebook page for my 20-year college reunion, which took place this May," she says. "I looked at it a couple of times and it didn't seem like anyone I knew would be there, so I lost interest."
Still, the idea that social-networking sites might kill reunions is a faulty one, because that would essentially mean killing nostalgia itself. While Facebook allows you to easily discover that your old pal Jack now has twins, it does not allow you to knock back a drink with Jack at your old campus dive (unless it's a virtual drink, and where's the fun in that?). What the Internet is doing is shifting power from schools to former students. There's less need for snail-mail brochures and impersonal e-mails from alumni offices and businesses like Reunited Inc. when any former student can just form a reunion group on Facebook.
Marc Dizon was a class officer for Virginia's West Springfield High class of 1999. Nine or so years later, dozens of former classmates began to e-mail him via Facebook to ask if a reunion was going to happen. The interest was there. "I don't think reunions are redundant on account of social media," he says. "You're always going to want to see people face to face. And those who don't go are probably those who wouldn't have gone even if there was no Facebook."
Mike Huynh, who helped organize a reunion for his 1998 Lowell High School class in San Francisco, says the gathering — which 214 out of about 600 class members attended — might not have happened if it weren't for Facebook. "It made it very cheap for us to connect quickly with classmates and get information out to them. It was also easy to get feedback on what dates students prefer and, afterwards, on how the event went. I think that five years from now, the popularity of Facebook is going to make it an even more effective way to get people together."
So reunions are probably here to stay, says Andrew Shaindlin, executive director of the Caltech Alumni Association and a blogger at Alumni Futures. But the real danger is that an end to reunions organized by alumni associations would make it more difficult for those associations to raise funds from former students. "It's going to affect donations," says Shaindlin. "We've lost our monopoly over the data on how to communicate with schoolmates. We need to step back and figure out how to remain relevant, because there may be some point three or five or seven years from now when we're going to hold a reunion and almost nobody is going to sign up." By then, however, alumni associations may have figured out how to tap donors via Facebook.
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