5 Steps to get you started…
1. Request your class list from the Summit Alumni Office by sending an email to
2. Send a Save the Date email to your class: See a sample template in the Invitation Samples
section.
3.
Send an official email invite to your class: Again, see a sample template in the Invitation
Samples section. Best practices indicate this should be sent out at least 4-6 weeks before the
event.
4. Send a mailed reunion invitation to your class: again, see a sample template in the Invitation
Samples section. Best practices indicate this should dropped in the mail at least 4-6 weeks
before the event.
5. Commit to come back - and to give back. Make your reunion that much more meaningful;
encourage each other to make a donation back to the school. As you reconnect and reminisce
about the great times you had at Kennedy, think about the teachers and programs that
allowed you to thrive and go on great success personally and professionally. Learn more in the
Giving Back section.
WELCOME TO YOUR REUNION!
.
Pre-event checklist
✓ Request your class list from the Alumni Office
✓ Choose a date/time/location
✓ Work out your event charge and individual payment methods (if any)
✓ Send email and mail invitations
✓ Utilize social media to connect people and promote your event
✓ If needed, ask for help from your classmates on the planning process
✓ Send reminder(s) to RSVP’d guests
Day of the event checklist
✓ Arrive to your location at least an hour early to:
o Get registration set up
o Make sure your venue location is ready for your guests
o Decorate
✓ Check in guests as they come in
o Ask to confirm their updated contact information (phone/email/address)
✓ Take photos
o Consider posting event photos or updates live and tag people
✓ Give short remarks
o “thank you for coming”
o “thank you for your donation” – possibly provide the impact of the gifts there (reached
100% participation, these gifts will provide xyz)
o Go over the 5 things they can do as alumni and why those are important (see sample
remarks on Tips document)
1 week post event
✓ Send the attendance with updated guest contact information list to the Alumni Office
✓ Post pictures on your social media page
✓ Send pictures to the Alumni Office – they will also post pictures on social media
✓ Send a thank you email to all those that attended and/or send the recap of the event to the
entire class (to share with those that missed it).
Event Checklist
Want a boost? Check out these tips to success.
1. Create your class Facebook group page. Click here for step by step instructions on how to create a
Facebook group page. Invite your existing Facebook connections from you class to join the page and
ask for their help in inviting others. Add the link to all of your email communications. Add photos
from your class year, post some “do you remember….” moments, submit questions to the group and
ask for their feedback. This will help get conversations started.
2. Don’t do it alone. Ask a fellow classmate to help. Or better yet, lead a planning committee!
3. Google and Pinterest are your friends. Don’t be afraid to search and use ideas from other reunion
events out there.
4. Refer to your yearbook(s) for ideas. Don’t have one? Ask a classmate if they have theirs. OR ask
the Alumni Office if you can come in and browse through one from the archives.
5. Invite your favorite faculty members. Ask the Alumni Office to provide you with the contact
information of your favorite teachers.
6. Make a point to give short remarks about the schools successes and/or ways that they can
continue to stay involved (see points below). Thank everyone for their gift in conjunction with the
event and share the impact of those gifts - The Alumni Office can help provide talking points.
Below are 5 things alumni can do to stay engaged:
❖ Come back to campus. Make plans each year to attend or participate in at least one alumni
event each year. Have a family? Bring them to one of the many family friendly events that take
place on campus throughout the year.
❖ Connect with one another. Stay in touch with your classmates and faculty members. Utilize our
network!
❖ Volunteer your time. Check in with us and learn about ways that you can help Kennedy.
Whether it’s for an hour or a year, your time is as valuable to us as your donation. Help us create
a network that is meaningful for you and your peers.
❖ Talk about us. Keep yourself updated on the school’s successes. Tell others about our renowned
curriculum and devoted faculty. Share your Kennedy story with your community.
❖ Give Back. When the envelope or phone call comes, please give. No matter the size of your gift,
your participation is very important and is greatly valued by all of us.
Reunion Planning Tips
Date & Time
❖ Survey your class to find out what time of year they want to meet. Consider using Doodle, an
online scheduling tool that allows you to easily and clearly gather preferences from your audience.
Event Style
❖ Consider some of these options when planning for your event:
Location
❖ Consider some of these locations when places when planning your event:
Tips on Choosing a Date / Time / Location
Breakfast Buffet
Brunch Buffet
Lunch Buffet
Dinner Buffet
Cocktail Party
Family BBQ
Potluck
Sit down
Standing room/Party-style
Indoor / Outdoor
Hosted in someone’s home or at a Clubhouse
Park Pavilion
Private Room in a Restaurant/Bar
Sectioned-off area in a Restaurant/Bar
First, ask yourself...
Do you want to pay a vendor/bar/restaurant to provide service, food, alcohol, etc. for your
event?
If yes…
1. Speak to your vendor(s) about how they want to be paid. Some like the money up front, while
others allow you to pay at the event. Some allow people to pay the vendor directly, others ask
for a single payment or multi-payments from a single source. They will be able to walk you
through everything.
2. Ask your vendor how they would like to receive the guest count – to prepare for your event.
Some may ask for a confirmation of the number of attendees before the event, while others
may be okay with learning the count the day of the event.
3. If you would like to collect payment from individuals to cover the cost of your event, consider
how you would like to collect payment. Some avenues are:
a. Create an Eventbrite account and page for your event. Add the link to RSVP on your
electronic invitations. Collect payment as it comes in and pay your vendor at your
negotiated time. This platform can also integrate with Facebook.
b. Ask guests to RSVP with you, have them mail you a check and pay your vendor at your
negotiated time. Consider also using online money transferring tools like the Venmo
app.
c. Again, speak with your vendor and ask if they can take care of the individual payments
for the event. For example, they may be able to collect the money online ahead of time,
at the door or other avenues.
OR
You could collect the money and budget out what you will need for the event as it comes in. For
example: You could collect the funds as they come in and budget to use 70% on the food/drinks the day
of the event and 30% to purchase prizes or t-shirts, etc.
If no…
1. Make sure to communicate your event details and/or expectations with your guests. Some cost
free event ideas could include:
a. Potluck at a person’s home, park or here at Kennedy
b. Simply advertising the reunion to take place at a bar or restaurant and ask each
individual to pay for their own tabs.
c. Get your event sponsored or underwritten by a person or a business.
Event Payment & Collection
Save the Date
Subject Line: Class of 2014 John F. Kennedy Reunion
Copy: Dear John,
Save the Date!
Class of 2014
5-year reunion
Saturday, September 22
nd
at 7:30 p.m.
Join our Facebook event page to stay updated on details leading up to the big
day! [INSERT LINK].
For more information, please contact me at [email protected] or call me at
555-555-5555. More details are on the way!
Signature: Jane Smith ’14
Reunion Chair
Invite copy samples
Official Reunion Email Invite
From Line: Jane Smith
Subject Line: Class of 2014, you’re invited!
Copy: Dear John,
As reunion chair, I am excited to announce the details of this highly anticipated
event! Please join us for what is sure to be a fun-filled walk down memory lane.
Class of 2014
John F. Kennedy Catholic School
5 Year Reunion
XYZ Restaurant
Saturday, September 22
nd
7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
$15 per person. Grab your favorite brew at the bar and enjoy pizza, prizes and a
t-shirt! Click here to RSVP.
Join our Facebook event to stay updated on details [INSERT LINK].
Let’s pay it forward! As a class, we can make an impact on the lives of the
students walking in our footsteps. Please join me in making a gift of $15 to The
Kennedy Commitment. Our donations will help provide financial aid, updated
academic and sporting equipment, and reach all other areas in need within the
school. To make your gift, please visit:
www.warrenjfk.com
For more information, please contact me at [email protected] or call me at
555-555-5555.
Signature: Jane Smith ’14
Reunion Chair
Invite copy samples
Mailed Reunion Invitation
Class of 2014
John F. Kennedy Catholic School
5 Year Reunion
XYZ Restaurant
Saturday, September 22
7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
$15 per person. Grab your favorite brew at the bar and enjoy pizza and prizes in our
sectioned-off area.
Let’s work together to pay it forward. Join me in making a donation of $15 to the
Kennedy Commitment and help our class impact the students and faculty walking those
halls today.
RSVP by September 10
th
Jane Smith ’14
Reunion Chair
Invite copy samples
Commit to come back – and give back
The support from our alumni is important now more than ever to help the school continue to provide
the best character based education in the city. We are working hard to sustain the school financially well
into the future. The generosity of our alumni, parents, and friends has been a part of the school from its
start. From the donation of the school’s first scoreboard, to funding student scholarships, to donations
that provided new state-of-the art science equipment for students in recent years, the support from our
Kennedy Family has been a driving force in the advancement of the school. We couldn’t do it without
the help from our alumni!
❖ What to give to:
The Kennedy Commitment is helps with funding to keep the school operating
competitively. Each donation is immediately allotted to the areas of critical need as
determined by the school’s strategic plan. Funds are used for financial aid,
professional development for teachers, student org needs, operational needs,
equipment updates and much more. A thriving Annual Fund is a major pillar of
support for any successful non-profit educational institution.
❖ Giving Strategies:
▪ In the invitation, ask each class member to make a gift of a meaningful amount to
them with a goal of 100% participation
▪ OR ask each class member to make a gift of a certain amount to total a certain dollar
goal
➢ Or simply ask to reach a certain dollar goal and ask everyone to participate in
any way they can
▪ Consider matching gifts – if a class member(s), would like to match gifts up to a
certain amount to reach your goal, the Alumni Office can help with this tracking to
make it a success
➢ Example 1: John Smith will match each donation (not to exceed $500 for
him). So, he’ll match each individuals donation (whether it’s $5, $25 or
more) until his $500 limit is reached
➢ Example 2: If the class reached a total of $500, John Smith has committed to
match that by personally donating $500.
Giving back
The Reunion Chair(s) is responsible for:
• Leading the invitation process
• Contacting classmates and keeping them informed of your event
• Providing content and/or participating on the reunion Facebook event page
o Providing the link to that page to the Alumni Office
• Planning the reunion from A to Z
o Finding a location
o Catering
o Entertainment
o Décor
o Event management: check in, remarks, running the event
o Event payment
▪ The event could be sponsored by an individual, a business, etc
▪ You could charge classmates to cover the event
▪ The event can be free by hosting it at someone’s home and asking people to
bring a food or drink item
• Report the attendance back to the Alumni Office
• Encouraging alumni to join the Kennedy Alumni Facebook Group, and your reunion event
within the Kennedy Alumni Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/JFKEagleAlumni/
• Sending the event confirmation email to guests (2-4 days before the event)
• Share photos from the event with the Alumni Office
o Photos will be posted on Kennedy's social media pages
• Recruit volunteers needed to help with the event
The Alumni Office is responsible for:
• Providing a list of contact information for classmates
• Sending out the invitations (if you choose to use our online forms)
• Promoting Reunion involvement throughout the year
• Providing contact information for requested faculty members
• Advising the reunion chairs
• Recognizing and thanking the reunion chairs throughout the year
Roles and Responsibilities
