20th Year Reunion – Jackson High, Michigan, Class of 1990
Answers to commonly asked questions
When:
Saturday, July 24, 2010
4:00 p.m. Meet at JHS for a tour of the school.
7:00 p.m. Reunion
Where:
Daryl’s Downtown in Downtown Jackson, MI
151 W Michigan Ave
Jackson, MI 49201
(517) 782-1895
darylsdowntown.com
Cost:
$40 per person
“What is included in the ticket price?”
The reunion will have a DJ. For food and drink there will be appetizers, soft drinks, coffee and cake. A cash bar serving only our group will be available in the banquet room. It will serve beer, wine, and mixed drinks.
"How do I pay for my admission?"
For your convenience there is a link to Paypal, so you can pay online with a credit card, or directly from your bank account. Paypal is a secure, third-party payment site that has been around for a long time. We never see your bank account information or credit card numbers. You can also send a check or money order to Dawn Bengel, care of her business, Pro-Tech Computers. The address is on the main page. If you wish to pay with Paypal, you will need to set up a Paypal account if you don't already have one. I've had mine for years and trust me, they're very useful if you shop online at all!
“What should I wear?”
It’s a casual event so please wear what makes you comfortable. Business casual to cocktail attire is probably a safe bet but we won't kick you out if you'd really like to wear jeans!
“Can I bring my kids?”
Because of the alcohol, evening start time and “remember when” stories this is a kid-free event.
“Why Daryl’s?”
We did a lot of research for a nice venue in Jackson or Jackson County. Some venues charge extra for set-up or security which Daryl’s does not. Some close earlier while Daryl’s stays open later. We thought that Daryl’s was the best location for the price and amenities. For those of you are familiar with Daryl’s we will have a bartender on our floor so you won’t have to leave the reunion for your drinks.
“Where do I park?”
Park behind Daryl’s or on the street. Please drive responsibly. Cabs and carpooling can be arranged.
“Why only appetizers?”
Sit-down meals makes ticket prices more expensive. We opted to serve appetizers not only to cut down on the cost but also to increase the potential to mingle and socialize. Since you don’t have to pick one table to sit at for most of the evening you may be able to catch up with more classmates and/or get a chance to catch up with the ones you are most interested in reconnecting with.
If you are interested in doing a “shout out” to see who is available for a pre-reunion dinner you can always post something on the discussion group on this site.
“Tell me more about my $40 ticket price.”
We really tried to keep the price down. (A friend's husband paid $100/ticket for his reunion in New Jersey last summer.) The class of '89 held their reunion at Daryl's last summer and were able to offer tickets at a slightly lower rate due to having the husband of a classmate who donated his services as a DJ. We also have to cover printed invitations for the people who aren't online, postage, decorations, food and rental of the banquet room. All these things are expensive and as much as we'd like to, none of us can afford to foot the bill for this party. :)
A lot of thought also went into the decorations. If you have ever thrown a party you know you can spend a lot on decorations. It’s amazing, actually, how much they can add up. We want the venue to look great but we felt having reasonable ticket prices was more important. So while we will have a cake and we will make the place look nice we are not buying a lot of trinkets.If there is money left after all the vendors are paid we'd be happy to release it to someone who wants to plan a Sunday activity or we can put it in the bank for the next reunion. We started from nothing, meaning there was $0 in the bank and right now there's not much more than that there. We are waiting for your ticket money to reimburse us for expenses we have already paid for up front.
Pro-Tech Computers will have a paid photographer at the reunion. Dawn has generously offered to donate a CD of reunion pictures to anyone who wants one after the reunion, at no cost. If you forget your camera or just don't want to spend the night taking pictures, this is going to be a great souvenir for you!
"I think you should plan some more activities for the weekend of the reunion."
There will be a tour of the school on Saturday before the reunion. I hear the place has changed quite a bit since we were there! Some of us will be meeting at various bars on the Friday before and you're welcome to join us. If you're looking for something to do, let me know and we can figure something out. Right now I am looking for someone to arrange a golf outing over the weekend. Trust me, you don't want to go to a golf outing that was arranged by me! :) I wouldn't know where to begin. We're also looking into having a more family/spouse oriented gathering on Sunday- maybe a picnic at Ella Sharp or The Cascades or just getting together for doughnuts. We got started planning this whole thing kind of late and all of us have families and or full time jobs. If anyone has an event they'd like to plan for that weekend, please let me know and I will be happy to publicize it on this site and on Facebook.
Are You Ready To Register?
If you are ready to register, great! Go back to the first page and send in your information.
Not sure yet? Keep reading.
Does one of these statements sound familiar?
“But I Have Plans That Weekend!”
We know some of you won't be able to make it and we wish that weren't the case. However, any weekend we would choose, there would be several people who would be busy. If you had heard all of the work that went into finding the right date that wasn’t on a race weekend or another kind of weekend where the venue was available that was still in the year 2010 you would have simply nodded meekly when the date was locked down, too.
“But I Don’t Live In Jackson Anymore”
You’re not the only one. So far graduates are flying in from all over the U.S. including Georgia and Virginia, Texas and California. Did you know that we even have some classmates living abroad in Italy and Spain?
“But I Don’t Remember Everyone’s Name!”
Me either, so please keep your name tag on. And no switching it with your neighbors just to be funny.
But if you want to brush up on some names, faces and latest stories from your classmates there are a lot of us on Facebook.
But still, no switching name tags. I’m talking to you.
"I didn't actually graduate with you even though I was in your class. Or I didn't graduate at all."
There are quite a few people who didn't technically graduate with the class of 90, either because they moved or dropped out. To be honest, we don't remember who dropped out, nor do we care! Also, we grew up with many of you and just because you dropped out or moved at some time during high school doesn't mean you weren't a member of our class. Please come, the more the merrier! If you know of anyone in this situation who didn't get invited but wants to come, please direct them to this site.
“But I Have Kids And It’s A Kid-Free Event”
Many of us have children. If you don’t have a local babysitting solution you can visit the discussion forum on this site and ask for local babysitting referrals on the forum.
We would offer to watch your kids but we’re going to be at the reunion. Sorry!
“But My Family Doesn’t Live In Jackson Anymore”
There will be plenty to do around the reunion even if you don’t have an official family visit planned. If you need a place to stay, or someone to share a motel room with, let me know, I might be able to find you another person who needs the same thing!
“I’m Not Sure What I’ll Do There”
How will you know unless you go?
We hope to see you all there. If you still have questions or hesitations, please let us know!
Your Reunion Committee,
Heather Darling
Dawn Bengel
Amy Weese Rice
Beth Johnson Martens
Heather Ferris
Saturday, July 24, 2010
4:00 p.m. Meet at JHS for a tour of the school.
7:00 p.m. Reunion
Where:
Daryl’s Downtown in Downtown Jackson, MI
151 W Michigan Ave
Jackson, MI 49201
(517) 782-1895
darylsdowntown.com
Cost:
$40 per person
“What is included in the ticket price?”
The reunion will have a DJ. For food and drink there will be appetizers, soft drinks, coffee and cake. A cash bar serving only our group will be available in the banquet room. It will serve beer, wine, and mixed drinks.
"How do I pay for my admission?"
For your convenience there is a link to Paypal, so you can pay online with a credit card, or directly from your bank account. Paypal is a secure, third-party payment site that has been around for a long time. We never see your bank account information or credit card numbers. You can also send a check or money order to Dawn Bengel, care of her business, Pro-Tech Computers. The address is on the main page. If you wish to pay with Paypal, you will need to set up a Paypal account if you don't already have one. I've had mine for years and trust me, they're very useful if you shop online at all!
“What should I wear?”
It’s a casual event so please wear what makes you comfortable. Business casual to cocktail attire is probably a safe bet but we won't kick you out if you'd really like to wear jeans!
“Can I bring my kids?”
Because of the alcohol, evening start time and “remember when” stories this is a kid-free event.
“Why Daryl’s?”
We did a lot of research for a nice venue in Jackson or Jackson County. Some venues charge extra for set-up or security which Daryl’s does not. Some close earlier while Daryl’s stays open later. We thought that Daryl’s was the best location for the price and amenities. For those of you are familiar with Daryl’s we will have a bartender on our floor so you won’t have to leave the reunion for your drinks.
“Where do I park?”
Park behind Daryl’s or on the street. Please drive responsibly. Cabs and carpooling can be arranged.
“Why only appetizers?”
Sit-down meals makes ticket prices more expensive. We opted to serve appetizers not only to cut down on the cost but also to increase the potential to mingle and socialize. Since you don’t have to pick one table to sit at for most of the evening you may be able to catch up with more classmates and/or get a chance to catch up with the ones you are most interested in reconnecting with.
If you are interested in doing a “shout out” to see who is available for a pre-reunion dinner you can always post something on the discussion group on this site.
“Tell me more about my $40 ticket price.”
We really tried to keep the price down. (A friend's husband paid $100/ticket for his reunion in New Jersey last summer.) The class of '89 held their reunion at Daryl's last summer and were able to offer tickets at a slightly lower rate due to having the husband of a classmate who donated his services as a DJ. We also have to cover printed invitations for the people who aren't online, postage, decorations, food and rental of the banquet room. All these things are expensive and as much as we'd like to, none of us can afford to foot the bill for this party. :)
A lot of thought also went into the decorations. If you have ever thrown a party you know you can spend a lot on decorations. It’s amazing, actually, how much they can add up. We want the venue to look great but we felt having reasonable ticket prices was more important. So while we will have a cake and we will make the place look nice we are not buying a lot of trinkets.If there is money left after all the vendors are paid we'd be happy to release it to someone who wants to plan a Sunday activity or we can put it in the bank for the next reunion. We started from nothing, meaning there was $0 in the bank and right now there's not much more than that there. We are waiting for your ticket money to reimburse us for expenses we have already paid for up front.
Pro-Tech Computers will have a paid photographer at the reunion. Dawn has generously offered to donate a CD of reunion pictures to anyone who wants one after the reunion, at no cost. If you forget your camera or just don't want to spend the night taking pictures, this is going to be a great souvenir for you!
"I think you should plan some more activities for the weekend of the reunion."
There will be a tour of the school on Saturday before the reunion. I hear the place has changed quite a bit since we were there! Some of us will be meeting at various bars on the Friday before and you're welcome to join us. If you're looking for something to do, let me know and we can figure something out. Right now I am looking for someone to arrange a golf outing over the weekend. Trust me, you don't want to go to a golf outing that was arranged by me! :) I wouldn't know where to begin. We're also looking into having a more family/spouse oriented gathering on Sunday- maybe a picnic at Ella Sharp or The Cascades or just getting together for doughnuts. We got started planning this whole thing kind of late and all of us have families and or full time jobs. If anyone has an event they'd like to plan for that weekend, please let me know and I will be happy to publicize it on this site and on Facebook.
Are You Ready To Register?
If you are ready to register, great! Go back to the first page and send in your information.
Not sure yet? Keep reading.
Does one of these statements sound familiar?
“But I Have Plans That Weekend!”
We know some of you won't be able to make it and we wish that weren't the case. However, any weekend we would choose, there would be several people who would be busy. If you had heard all of the work that went into finding the right date that wasn’t on a race weekend or another kind of weekend where the venue was available that was still in the year 2010 you would have simply nodded meekly when the date was locked down, too.
“But I Don’t Live In Jackson Anymore”
You’re not the only one. So far graduates are flying in from all over the U.S. including Georgia and Virginia, Texas and California. Did you know that we even have some classmates living abroad in Italy and Spain?
“But I Don’t Remember Everyone’s Name!”
Me either, so please keep your name tag on. And no switching it with your neighbors just to be funny.
But if you want to brush up on some names, faces and latest stories from your classmates there are a lot of us on Facebook.
But still, no switching name tags. I’m talking to you.
"I didn't actually graduate with you even though I was in your class. Or I didn't graduate at all."
There are quite a few people who didn't technically graduate with the class of 90, either because they moved or dropped out. To be honest, we don't remember who dropped out, nor do we care! Also, we grew up with many of you and just because you dropped out or moved at some time during high school doesn't mean you weren't a member of our class. Please come, the more the merrier! If you know of anyone in this situation who didn't get invited but wants to come, please direct them to this site.
“But I Have Kids And It’s A Kid-Free Event”
Many of us have children. If you don’t have a local babysitting solution you can visit the discussion forum on this site and ask for local babysitting referrals on the forum.
We would offer to watch your kids but we’re going to be at the reunion. Sorry!
“But My Family Doesn’t Live In Jackson Anymore”
There will be plenty to do around the reunion even if you don’t have an official family visit planned. If you need a place to stay, or someone to share a motel room with, let me know, I might be able to find you another person who needs the same thing!
“I’m Not Sure What I’ll Do There”
How will you know unless you go?
We hope to see you all there. If you still have questions or hesitations, please let us know!
Your Reunion Committee,
Heather Darling
Dawn Bengel
Amy Weese Rice
Beth Johnson Martens
Heather Ferris
