Sherry Schreiner (Beckwith)

First of all Thank you Robin for all your amazing efforts. I wish I was closer in the area to help with more of the ground work but have been following the thread with regard to the 30th reunion.

I would like to say that my preference is for a more casual atmosphere and agree the last venue, while within a grand hotel with plenty of accomodations for out of towners; did have a very different vibe I found a bit disappointing. The DJ didn't seem to bring an 80's tone along as evidenced by his playing the Michael Jackson catalog to a volume that had many of us attempting to talk over, ultimately leaving the room entirely so we could catch up with people and hear them. I feel that the organizers of the reunion did a great job for that reunion; it just fell a little flat because of the space and the attendance was surprisingly smaller than I had expected would attend.

While there is absolutely no perfect way to please everyone, I want to say that I am flexible to attending in the simple option 1 or the hotel option set up by the hired Reunion organizers as previously done in the past to simplify burden on alumni. I will obviously require a hotel as I am now in Connecticut more than my home in New Jersey which is under renovation, so to have that option at the venue site is a perk for us.

As the date comes closer, I can offer to help with decorations if that becomes an option we are steering toward entertaining and can help on that committee. Many of you know from my FaceBook wall I am pretty "crafty" and design centerpieces/ decor for my home and personal party events so those things I can put together and bring with me to the event coordinating with a committee if that is the direction we lean toward.

Thank You so much for all of you who are really trying to make this years event a memorable and well attended reunion. It is never an easy task to coordinate things of this magnitude but your efforts are worth it and I appreciate your valuable time you invest.

Sherry

Chris Martell

Oh, Mike Hurta...that picture is meant to advertise my triple chin!  That said, a beer at the bar is a must!

Lauren Birnbaum (McHale)

Hey Everyone,

Just some thoughts - wherever it is, we can dictate how casual or not it is.  

It's just a room with tables.  If we say come in jeans, it's jeans.  If we say semi-formal, it's that.  

Beer tastes like beer wherever you are, and if you are amongst friends, it just tastes even better :)

I am just looking forward to seeing as people as possilbe.

I live about 30 mins from Parsippany or Fairfield, and even I would consider a hotel.  So my vote is a venue with hotel.  That way when our event time is up, we could still gather in a lobby, etc.

We can certainly adjust a menu so that cost might be a little less, too.  

Local people keep your eyes out for good DJs, hopefully we can get a better DJ.

Thanks for everyone's work on this, especially Daryl.  Let's get a date on the calendar!!!

Susan Gnibus (Wasienko)

Another thought in the year 2015 you don't need a DJ. You run all of the music you want through a computer and my husband has a PA to use or a rental which isn't horrible (less than. DJ).

Michael Hurta

Chris Martell...  A beer (or two) at the bar, it is!  Meatime, let's start working on getting those triple chins reduced to at least double chins by the event... My own included!  

Chris Martell

Wow...I've never agreed with so many of my fellow classmates before but...

Lauren - Good points but you DID go to Knollwood, afterall, so I would expect nothing less from you.  I guess my only point on the room was it felt like we were in a closed box in the corner of the hotel;.  Very easy fix.

Sue - Very good idea.  By volunteering your husband you realize you're committing to attending the reunion, right?  :)

Mike - Agreed but no guarantees (beers - yes; chins - no way!) LOL

Sherry Schreiner (Beckwith)

Just a note Many of us know Joe Racz (Debbie & Diana's brother) and he is a DJ, very affordable and just did the 1984 reunion I attended. No complaints everyone had a great time.

Sherry

Daryl Capuano

I have received a couple dozen e-mails asking what are we doing for the reunion. 

I am only involved because in the past classmates would ask me what we were doing and my option was to do nothing.  Now, given the greater ease of communication, we have more people who want to contribute to event planning. That is a good thing.

Here’s how I see it: the majority of people who live far from Parsippany would prefer a hotel. The majority of people who live near Parsippany prefer a more casual venue.

For the 25^th reunion, Facebook and other means to contact all classmates were not nearly as pervasive as now.  Since it was the 25^th reunion  - the big one – since contacting everyone would have been very challenging and since I suspected that we, as a class, would be in the exact place we are now – disagreeing regarding preferences and not moving forward -, the professional planner at the hotel made sense. For the 30^th reunion, trying something different seems reasonable.

In order to make the process open, at least in the context of giving everyone an opportunity to state their preferences, I suggested that anyone interested express their opinion.  

On Class Creator, the preference seems to be for a hotel. On Facebook, it seems to be for casual. Given that the hotel option would involve doing the same thing as last time, I figure that we give those who want a casual event a chance at creating one. 

I’m in Connecticut so I can’t help much with tangible organization. Whether the event is at a park, the Elks Club, Smith Field, the high school bleachers, it doesn’t really matter as long as old friends and favorite classmates are there. Other than to ensure that the process is open and that we make an effort to contact all classmates, I’ll suggest that those who want to create the event do so. I’ll also add that multiple people e-mailed me to say that they did not want to argue/debate on Facebook as it is open social media.  They preferred discussing the event on a password protected site like Class Creator. https://www.classcreator.com/Parsippany-NJ-1985/class_forum.cfm. I’ll leave that to your discretion.

So, from here, those who are organizing the self-created reunion, choose your venue and if I can help communicate to classmates, I’m happy to do so.

Chris Martell

That's a lot of words.

Not sure how I'm feeling about this right now.  5 years ago I started a forum on FB for our 25th but was asked, albeit politely, not to coordinate details of the reunion.  I took this in stride, attended the 25th and had a really good time seeing some childhood friends.  Now, because of apparent private emails condemning our ideas and efforts, the buck is being passed.  Challenge accepted!  With the help of others who have expressed interest in the past, we'll coordinate the 30th reunion...no sweat.  Robin has done a fantastic job assembling the email/address list for the class and I promise that the event will be as inclusive as practicable.  

If anyone has any objections to this strategy, please feel free to email me at cmartell6467@gmail OR post here in this forum.  See you this Summer!  

Michael Hurta

As an out of towner, I'm for any venue which can be managed by the locals who have offered to do the leg work.  I can get a hotel on my own and I'll have a great time and appreciate the work put into the reunion by others.  At this point, my sole question and concern is the date!!!!

Mike

Sherry Schreiner (Beckwith)

I too can book a hotel or stay with family but the date is the only detail I don't see here. LOL

You are all doing an AMAZING job, I wish I were closer to help more. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Sherry

Gloria Basem

First - a huge thank you to Daryl and Robin who have done more than they intended and more than most of us will ever know.  They tried - however hard it may have been - to find a compromise.  I worry the debate is going to overtake the event.  While I don't think the planner is the reason for the smaller turnout for our 25th (FB was relatively new and people were getting back in touch in different ways), if someone wants to own it - thanks to you!.

I'm lucky enough to live only an hour away but think that if the goal is to get as many people who want to come into the same place for a great time, we are moving in the wrong direction.  We need to make it easy for those who do not live nearby to get there.  They have said they want a hotel event. Knowing that the hotel requires a deposit, would people confirm in advance or do we have to just find someplace near a hotel?  Perhaps we can get a block of rooms/ group rate to make it easier. 

A picnic is a great idea for an interim or supplemental event - but it's not what I would want for a reunion.  If I had to plan a trip into Parsippany, and worry about weather and finding my own things for BYO (chairs, food, drinks, etc), it's too much and I'd skip it.  Again, for those of us close by, it's something we can do another time.

Chris Martell

PPPFFFFTTTTT!  And on that note, I'll go fuck myself.  Later!

Robin Coe (Hanna)

Thank you Daryl (and others) for your kind words.  Daryl has done a lot over the years for the class of 85 and I was just tryng to help him after I found out that the burden of a reunion has been his alone to carry all this time.  I have just been trying to gather information to share with he and the class so that an informed decision could be made for our 30th reunion.  From the looks of the postings it seems as though we are still very much at odds as to the type and location of event we would like to have.

Everyone who has contributed to the discussion has made legitimate rationales for the type of reunion they would like to see.  Ultimately the purpose of a reunion is to be able to see  as many people from our class as possible while hopefully not costing everyone an arm and a leg to attend.

My concern at this point is that no reunion will actually occur and that all this information gathering has been for naught.

-Robin

Lee Gootblatt

Jeez Mike, that was quite an eyeful to read. Thanks for being a wet blanket.      I've been reading all of this stuff for months now, and it seems that a place like the Elks Club is best.   Nice & casual, and I don't have to wear a tie.  There are plenty of nearby places to stay for the out-of-towners, at various expense levels, as opposed to being compelled to spend big bucks at the hotel where the reunion takes place as was the case with the 25th.  BTW Mike, plenty of folks showed up at the 25th, and we had a good time re-connecting.

Lauren Birnbaum (McHale)

Hey All,

Did you guys just meet Michael or something?  His response really did make me laugh out loud!!

We just have to get back to basics at this point.  Here's how I see it:

No one's gettin' any younger.  And everyone's calendar is booking...fast.

At this point, do many of us have even have a summer weekend free?  

Wherever it is - a hotel, a barn, a club - the point is to make it easy and fun for all.  

"In hotel" was to have everything easy, in one location, and costs could be cut by lessening food quantities/options and bringing our own music.  Other costs would be the reunion company, which would guarantee the room, contacting friends, and deal with paperwork and insurance.  

"Out of hotel" was to really be casual, perhaps hire a band or DJ, but introduced other challenges like bringing in food, drink, and anyone traveling would still have to get to a hotel somehow.

It seems the same few people are voicing their opinions on this forum, but I do not know about who has been on the FB page.

Those who have stepped up to organize, thank you.  And again, Michael, thanks for the morning joke.  

My vote is to be casual, at a hotel, where like before once the "event" time was up, we went back to the bar/lobby area and hung out longer.  

Either way, it would be fun to see everyone and keep this thing going.

Michael Hornyak

Folks,

Chris, Robin and Daryl good work.

E-mail was just poking fun.

Whomever is planning this than come up with a date.

Time to come up with a date and venue and mobilize.

This process needs to be hammered out and than invite people.

Come to a compromise with a hotel at a cheaper price and the DJ.

See you there!

Michael

P.S. - Lee Gootblatt you still memorize me with your defiance and independent minding thinking.

         You are the man!

Susan Gnibus (Wasienko)

I couldn't help but laugh when I read the latest posts. My husband is also celebrating a 30th reunion. Here's how that went...we got notified of the date, place, how much we owed, sent our check and many, many people so far confirmed. There actually was no back and forth. At all. Maybe simple is best. Thanks to all of you who have located as many people as possible. And to all who have done leg work regarding venues etc. Seems someone should pick a date, tell us what we owe and where to mail the check. What I see happening though, is the likelihood  of the milestone passing us by. There are people scattered all over. Any interest in the Jersey shore? All I know is we are paying 50$ for two people at a venue at the shore. No, it isn't fancy, but it was easy, will be relaxed and so far looks to have a great turn out. 

Gloria Basem

Sue Gnibus - can we just piggy back on your husband's reunion?  Where should we send the check?

Susan Gnibus (Wasienko)

Gloria!!! Good to "see " you!! yes! Let's do that!!! :-D

Michael Hornyak

HI,

Ok rather than be cute and silly,

I have a proposal to move this forward and i want to see everyone at this event.

Visited the Sheration Tara and they have a Saturday night open in October.

Rate for this event with a minumum of 30 people with buffet and open bar is  $68.00 per person.

Personally, totally understand a less formal event, but there have been numerous requests for people who are coming out of town that want to stay overnight.

In addition to that,  there is a DJ spot and I believe Chris Martell who really did get everybody excited about this event from facebook can provide a DJ and  feel good about his efforts.

Guys, the Tara was the old stomping grounds at PHS and while it might look nice it is right in our backyard.

I really think that is time to compromise and set the date.  Again, I don't want to be rude or cute but this is less than .45 per day for the next 150 days until the event.

Personally, I don't want be rude or mean to anyone, but can we just get the date set, venue and move on.

Thanks,

Michael Hornyak

Robin Coe (Hanna)

Mike - Love the cost of the Sheraton Tara but I do have a question with regards the venue.  With Reunions Unlimited they take all the financial burden (insurance, money up front, etc).  Who will be responsible for these costs if we decide to utilize the Tara?  The "issue" we had with the Embassy Suites is that someone from the class would have to take on that financial responsibility and that was going to be a rather large amount of money.

Robin

Michael Hornyak

Robin,

This would be taken care of....

Thanks,

Michael

Sherry Schreiner (Beckwith)

I agree the Tara is a simple central location to the PHS crowd and out of towners will be very pleased with the accomodations as I stay there everytime I have come back to Jersey to visit the friends we have in bands for a Saturday night. I am so confident in the abilities of all of us who have been going back and forth here that if we can set that October date and keep communication about the DJ plan or even band.. (Lets face it, The Racz brother Joey IS A DJ and has his own band) Barry and I are very good friends with Frank Dyer (class of 84) and who doesn't or hasn't gone to see his band recently.. we can work out the entertainment portion once this is locked up on a date.

The 25th reunion yes was a smaller turnout HOWEVER.. those who did come out had some really good catch up time complete with an after party get together at the bar. If there are still those who after all the effort of booking a hotel location to host this that do not attend, then so be it. A great deal of leg work and personal time has been invested.. (Martell don't go F yourself, you are after all a married man now.. and no blowing out candles either! This can be done!) Let's roll with the plan to go with the Tara, October. Robin does have a very valid point about the security deposit and who will be responsible for the $ collected to pay the hotel costs. Is there no chance reunions wouldn't run it through them to organize that portion?

If all else fails Who wants to meet up at The Beckwith Barn.. Bring a tent I can get a band, food and run a good old country style Reunion. Any takers you have my FB information and details her. Message me. WOuld love to see everyone but we need a date/decision and then we can work on getting people to commit.

Love hugs and patience... we are almost there guys!

Sherr

Michael Hurta

Michael's plan is the best idea I've heard lately.  As for me, I'm in for two people and I can send a check to whomever I need to right now.  Let's get the word out and get the commitments and checks in.  30 people is 15 couples.  Michael - thanks for taking the initial financial responisbility. Let's do this.

Hurta