fun(d)raising
How are you going to pay for your reunion?
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f your family or group has a rich uncle or benefactor who is willing to cover the cost of your reunion, plan ahead and don’t worry about the cost. If, on the other hand, you’re like most planners, what you do next will either make or break your reunion idea. While determining a date and place, you’ll have to keep costs in mind. Will it be an afternoon picnic in a nearby park or a weekend at a resort or hotel in a city where members live or somewhere everyone wants to visit, but no one lives? You can see the range of possibilities for what this is going to cost, so keep that in mind as you pick a date and place for your reunion and begin to formulate a budget. Keep in mind that where you go and what you expect to do once you get there will all have associated costs and there will be seasonal rates to keep in mind. Since most families plan summer reunions when kids are out of school, rates in many places will be higher and reservations for some activities may be required. For example, prime picnic areas will need to be reserved months in advance in many places and will require a fee. There may also be lingering Covid restrictions to how many people can be in some parks or attractions. Also remember there will be a range of what your members can afford to pay for the reunion. So the picnic is the easiest and least expensive, particularly if it’s potluck and everyone brings side dishes and desserts. Perhaps all you’ll pay for is the meat for a barbecue and you can divide that cost among the adults. But if you are talking several days and the cost of travel to get there, you’re getting into an area that requires much more planning and consideration. Will the local family pay for the reunion and out-of-towners incur just the cost of travel? Or does everyone pay an equal amount of divided costs for adults? Are kids included at no cost or reduced cost? Or are costs divided by the total number expected, except for infants? How will you charge the elders who are on fixed or limited incomes? It is not written in stone that a reunion must cost lots of money, but you will need approximate expenses to notify members as soon as the date is set so they can plan ahead. While this is easier and less expensive with email and facebook, an eye-catching save-the-date card to post on refrigerators or bulletin boards is even better. That will cost printing and postage. You’ll need money for deposits if you’re planning a banquet or reserving a park pavilion. If you’re like many reunion organizers, you will front some, if not all of the money, to begin planning. So, unless this reunion is your gift to your group or family, others will need to know immediately that you expect them to contribute to and/or pay their fair share to this important endeavor.
36 REUNIONS v www.reunionsmag.com
WHERE TO BEGIN … Start by answering a question that addresses how to ask for money to stage your reunion. One planner wrote that the hardest part is soliciting everyone to contribute. She said she wrote a very tactful letter asking everyone for a mandatory contribution. She is not alone in her concern and here are some things I’ve learned that I hope will help. In preparing a letter, think about the following ideas and the letter will write itself. How many of your family members know what you need and why you need it? Who have you talked to? What was their reaction? Clearly state what you are asking for. Money to start planning ... money for deposits for accommodations, for a banquet or catering ... to reserve motor coaches for tours … to reserve a picnic site. There are many things for which you will need advance cash so asking for help right up front is to your benefit in the long run. It will also get cooperation and “buy in” from members. It will help with the time and effort you are/will be putting in. Ask for volunteers. Many parts of reunion planning and execution can be done by volunteer members. Remember, praise and recognition go a long way to generate and maintain volunteers. Are volunteers willing to design announcements or a newsletter? Can someone visit hotels to help decide which to choose? Be sure to contact the local convention and visitors bureau who will help plan visits and requests for proposals from hotels. Will someone be in charge of a picnic and recruit more volunteers to prepare food? Will younger family members help plan and stage activities just for their generation? Who will be in charge of the banquet program? Will the banquet be a buffet or table service? Who will choose the banquet menu? … yummm Combine your requests with some of the exciting ideas you're considering or working on. In fact, hook them first with the good news, then deal with their responsibility to help make the reunion happen. Fortunate families have generous, benevolent members who underwrite events/banquets/t-shirts/tour buses — stuff like that. Some donors demand that their generosity be shouted from the rooftops. That’s easy: do it! Thank them in all your correspondence and especially at the reunion ... over and over again. One bonus of the hoopla is that others may be inspired by the recognition to be generous, too. It’s called sibling rivalry! Others prefer anonymity. Lucky you, if that's your case. Generally speaking, though, acknowledging any contribution, no matter how small, will always generate more. For example, in all your communications, list who has already stepped forward, unless they’ve requested
