We Pulled It Off!

Looking back, I am extremely proud of the success of our 10th Class Reunion. It was a wonderful evening, really and truly. Catching up with people I hadn't seen in years. We had an even better turnout than we thought we would. The weather was perfect, the decorations were beautiful, the food was delicious, the games were fun, but the best part was the company. If you weren't there, you missed out on a beautiful evening with old friends. If you were there and have photos or any memories you want to share, please email them to ao04.blogspot@gmail.com or post them in the comments. Here are some of the highlights:

Looking at the class quilt made by the art class in 2004.

Remember this old thing? Each classmate had a square made in their honor.

Silent Auction was a bust, but it looked nice. 

S'mores bar? Best. Idea. Ever. Thank you, Pinterest.

Quinoa, Broccoli Salad, & Lobster Ceviche. Fancy stuff.

Which one was more popular? Both of them. Together. Yum!

The luminaries.

Really proud of how these turned out.

Yearbook display to induce your cringing.

Thank goodness for these grillmasters.

Airplane!

Everyone's favorite activity: talking and catching up. :)

The firepit was sweet, but a little smoky.

Playing bags with the little one.

Chow time.

Beautiful kebobs cooked by our awesome grillmasters.

Some s'mores action!

Orange and blue jello cupcakes. Mmm!

Still really proud of the photo booth...

Even if we were the only ones to use it.

Volleyball Mom. :)

Drinking on the job.

What a great group!

We had plenty of fun for the kiddos. Ring toss, bubbles, and a playground too!

There was a lot to catch up on!

We ended the night the best way: Cards Against Humanity.

Putting the Fun in FUNdraising

When I first realized it was time to start planning our Ten Year Class Reunion, the first question I asked was, "What the heck? It's been 10 years already?!" But the second question was, "How the heck are we gonna pay for this thing?" With no class funds, your organizers are on their own. So, to keep ticket costs relatively low, we've come up with some fun ways to drum up a little money to help pay for this gig, but more importantly so we have a little nest egg the next time the class reunion comes creeping upon us.

1. Silent Auction 

Be sure to bring some cash or a checkbook to the class reunion for the silent auction. We are still accepting donated items for the auction! Items to be auctioned include:

• A homemade A-O themed cornhole game 
• The class quilt the art students made for the class of 2004. Remember the panel with your name on it?
• Spirit gear such as this A-O Bombers cowbell, because you've got a fever...

2. Book Sales

For a class project in Mr. Cowgill's AP Literature class in 2004, twelve students set out to create a tale of horrific homicide set to the tune of religious fervor. Given the task of writing one chapter each, the students -- almost exclusively from the class of 2004 -- collaborated to tell the story of Leonard, a rabbit with his herbivorous teeth set on destruction, plagued by the commercializing of his favorite holiday: Easter. Order The Easter Basket Case here and have this great book in time for Easter. Or buy it at the reunion.

At $12, all proceeds from book sales will go toward funding this and future class reunions. Try to guess who wrote what chapter without looking at the table of contents. Listen to the little nuances between the authors' voices while still maintaining the voice of our narrator. See how the authors set up the next chapter to further the plot, or to challenge the next author. (We're offering a $2 off discount to contributors. Email ao04.blogspot (at) gmail (dot) com for the discount code.)

3. Donations

Of course, you could always simply donate money. Cold hard cash is always appreciated. Even $5 could go a long way toward purchasing food and drinks for everyone.

4. Decoration Sale

At the end of the reunion, all decorations have to go. Pinterest-inspired luminaries and backdrops will sell for less than you'll pay on Etsy. Cute decor such as a hula hoop chandelier and photo booth props like mustaches on sticks are just a couple examples.