Update from the Class of ’81 Dream Team

The reunion committee met yesterday, Aug 13, 2016. The primary purpose of this meeting (one day after the payment deadline) was to assess our financial position, in other words, did we have enough funds to continue moving forward with the reunion. I am “over the top” excited to tell you YES, YOU DID THIS! I would like to send out a sincere thank you to those that sent in payments. Currently, we are expecting 70 Falcons/guest, and this number is expected to grow as others have asked for an extension to send in their money.

After a brief round of high-fives, and a moment of celebration, the committee got down to business. Ideas were flying across the table at a frenzied pace and every task was eagerly accepted by the team. I can’t say it enough, this committee is AWESOME.

Now that the major expenses are paid for, we are now in a position to extend the deadline to Sep 9, 2016. Please note, this is the absolute drop dead deadline, as the food preparation will be based on the headcount at this point. We WILL NOT accept money at the door.

Lastly, we are in EXECUTION mode for real, for real. LOL. We want this to be a memorable event for everyone, so….If you have ideas you would like to share, please don’t hesitate to do so.

Idea Solicitation #1

Do you have any ideas for Gifts (to be used for door prizes or game prizes). Keep in mind, we purposely kept the reunion cost as low as possible in an effort to encourage more participation, so, gifts ideas must be in the reasonable category : )

It is not often that several individuals can come together to form a perfect team. I can say without a doubt, this is one of the best teams that I’ve had the honor to be a part of. Their willingness to divide and conquer is amazing, and for this I have the greatest love for my fellow Falcons, my ever trusting friends!

Looking forward to making more memories at the 35 year reunion!

Hello Fellow Falcons...There are still too many classmates missing out on the 35-year reunion updates. Please share the news and direct any interested classmates to our blog.

Don’t miss out on our Class of ’81 35-year Reunion.

Reunions are a time to……

Network

Reminisce

Reconnect with old friends

Share your story

It's all good...time to make some new (old) friends!

Payment deadline is Aug 12, 2016…..26 days away!!!!

Thank you to those that have already paid : )

On another note…I plan to create a photo book of the 35-year reunion, similar to the one created for our 30-year reunion. You can view the book on Shutterfly using this link:

 www.71stclassof81memories.shutterfly.com

Do you have some pictures that you would like to share, past and present? It will be great to have some "then and now" shots.

Please send them electronically to

71stFalcon@gmail.com

Pictures from our 20-year class reunion have just been posted....


We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone. ~Anonymous


If the class reunions cease to exist, I will always be able to relive the moment through my photos.

Please view the pictures from our 30th class reunion. We had a great time. I am looking forward to the 35th!!!!!


www.71stclassof81memories.shutterfly.com

Being privy to our innermost thoughts….

The reunion committee met on Saturday, Jun 25. I thoroughly enjoy every time we meet because it is a mini-reunion in itself. We discussed reunion business, but also real-talk. I would like to share one topic that dominated the conversation because it is relevant to the upcoming reunion, which could very well be our last.

It is no secret that class reunions are on the decline. We had frank discussions regarding the multitude of reasons: technology, the recent recession, just plain old lack of interest in nostalgia and reconnecting with friends. Technology dominated the conversation (more on this). The impact of the recession is what it is and we can’t make the reunion free of charge, so we understand this reasoning. Lastly, as for the lack of interest, there is nothing anyone can do to change a person’s heart….So, back to that dreaded “T” word!

Technology has helped family and friends get reconnected and stay in touch, and many of you believe this is good enough. Most of us admit we love seeing the photos and status updates from all 999 friends…HA! I love people watching, and I often wonder how many times one of the 999 passed before me and I never recognized them as a friend. Sorry, I digressed.

An actual reunion boils down to this, technology vs reality. Facebook, nor Twitter, nor Snapchat will ever be an adequate substitution for human connection. In reality, you see and appreciate people for who they really are and not their virtual selves, in reality you see the joy or feel the pain that you otherwise will not see in the edited virtual version. What I know to be true is that in life happiness and sorrow is inextricably linked, and no one person will have one without the other. Here is another truth that I’ve acquired through years of living (aka, wisdom) and have come to appreciate as I get older; relationships are the greatest joy, to help celebrate your successes or, more importantly, hold you up in times of despair. Yes, you are flooded with the congratulatory or condolence sentiments on Facebook, but.....is that enough to sustain you?

Your Hard Working Reunion Committee!

August 12, 2016 !!!!!

Deadline for 35 year Class of '81 reunion payment

FYI.......If you are paying through Pay-Pal. Please select "Send money to friends and family"

Hello Class of ’81 Falcons

The committee has secured the venue, so we are ready to put our plans into action. Here are a few more details for the upcoming 35 year reunion.

The objective of the committee is to make this reunion remarkable and memorable, while keeping the total reunion cost as low as possible. We realize many of you will be traveling from out of town, so we are mindful of that expense as well. In an effort to keep the costs reasonable, we have opted not to bundle expenses, but allow you the option to choose the events and memorabilia items that interest you. As we continue to finalize the details we will pass along this information as quickly as possible. Below are the details that have been solidified and we are excited to share them with you!

Friday – October 14, 2016

Informal Gathering at 71st Homecoming Game

A little nostalgia, a walk down memory lane. Hmmm, what was your favorite hang-out spot after the game?

Please Note – Ticket price for the game is NOT included in the cost below

Saturday – October 15, 2016

Campus Tour – time TBD

 “Through the halls of 71st High School – Where it all began”

Main Event 7:00 pm

The Ambiance of Fayetteville

Join us for an evening of fun...Come mingle, reconnect and reminisce!

Dress Code – After Five Attire

 Keeping with our affordability objective, there is no need to go out and purchase a one-time-only outfit (unless, of course, you need an excuse to go shopping) 

Heavy H’oeuvres

A little something for everyone’s taste

Entertainment – Music and More!

We have some ideas in mind, but would love to hear from YOU.

Cost For Main Event - $50 per Falcon & $75 Falcon + guest

Payment Options:

By Check:
Make Payable to 71st Class of 81 Reunion

Send to:
71st Class Reunion
c/o Sandra Thomas
PO Box 114
Clayton, NC 27528

By PayPal:
You will need to setup an account if you do not have one. Follow this link…
https://www.paypal.me/71classof81

or from the PayPal website, Send Money to Friends and Family, using email address 71stclassof81@gmail.com

Please note – There is a small processing fee when sending money via a debit/credit card.

By Square Cash:
https://cash.me/$71stclassof81

or download the Square Cash app to your SmartPhone and Send Money using your Debit Card to $71stclassof81

Please contact the following if you have any questions regarding payment:

For Electronic Payments, Teresa Sasser-Berends at 71stclassof81@gmail.com
Or Payment by Check , Sandra Mouton Thomas at 71stfalcon@gmail.com

A Plea from the committee……Many of you expressed an interest in having a 35 year reunion. Now, in order for us to gauge sincerity, we need your commitment by way of a timely payment. In order of us to move forward with the planning we must have funds to pay for upcoming expenses. Please show your commitment by paying early. Thank You….

We look forward to seeing you in October!

Class of '81 Seniors

Mark your calendar for the 71st Class of '81 35 year reunion!

Oct 14-15 – Seventy-First Homecoming Weekend 

The committee has been eagerly awaiting this confirmation and we are excited to begin the reunion planning in earnest. We will meet this Saturday to discuss and commit to the venue.

PLEASE NOTE: The committee is willing to put forth monies to secure the venue, however, in order for the reunion to be a success we need your commitment as well. A few months back we solicited feedback from you and based on your positive response the decision was made to move forward. So, now it’s up to each of you. If you plan to attend, I kindly ask that you show a commitment by paying dues in a timely manner so that we can continue to plan an awesome event for the Mighty Class of ’81!

I am so excited! I look forward to seeing you soon. Stay tuned for more details.

What was your most memorable moment in High School?

So many memories...Driving bus 324, the football games, getting wild with friends from the class of '82 & '83, the marshmallows at graduation and so many other good times with good friends.
~Darlene Webster Goodheart

20-year reunion MEMORIES

What was your most memorable moment in High School?

Singing with the performing ensemble and at the Miss 71st pageant during senior year. Playing the "TINMAN" in the Wizard of Oz during sophomore year.
~Norman Simon

20-year reunion MEMORIES

What was your most memorable moment in High School?

FRIENDS
~Greg Barnes

Jan 30, 2016 Meeting Minutes

Reunion Date
Reminder – The reunion will be held the same weekend as 71st Homecoming (most likely in Oct). Unfortunately that date has not been set yet. According to Dave, the Athletic Dep does not publish this information until the April time frame. This prevents us from moving forward on venue selection, which is a little concerning. We discussed whether to stick with the Homecoming weekend or just pick another weekend. The committee unanimously decided to stay the course and continue with the 71st Homecoming weekend. Everyone is looking forward to a 71st Football game!

Falcons Search Committee Update
Darlene is diligently working through and compiling a Master list of all our classmates using various data sets, i.e., graduation list, multiple past reunion email lists. The committee is providing email updates as we get them, as well as reaching out to classmates in an effort to obtain their contact information.

Venue/Catering Committee
There are two venues being compared. We will provide an update as soon as information is available.

Hotel Committee
Reminder - The committee decided not to lock-down a particular hotel via blocking rooms. In an effort to cut the venue expense, the location of the reunion will most likely take place outside of a hotel. Due to the use of various hotel booking websites, many individuals will likely be able to book a hotel more economically than we are able to negotiate a room rate. This also lessens our risk of being left with un-booked rooms.

Thank you for your patience as we work diligently to finalize the details.

Welcome to the Seventy-First Class of '81 Blog!

The purpose of this blog is to keep you informed of our upcoming 35 year class reunion. We have several classmates on Facebook and this is an efficient means of communicating our progress. However, we realize many people are not on FB, so we wanted to create one safe source where everyone could receive the same message and connect with your fellow Falcon. The planning committee highly encourages you make this an interactive venue of communication. We are looking forward to your feedback.