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Class Reunions

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Planning Class Reunions

Getting started

Allow at least four months to organize and prepare for your reunion.  Contact SHA's Alumnae Director to confer on your reunion date and site.  The Academy is available for reunions, but we need to reserve your space well in advance in order to avoid conflicts.

SHA can help you with:

• a list of your classmates (current names, addresses, and phone numbers).  You may also want to consider inviting former or present faculty.
• mailing labels as needed.  Please do not assume that the information in the 2003 Alumnae Directory is still accurate.  We are updating our computer records constantly and can provide current addresses for most alumnae.

We are happy to do your reunion mailings for you.  We ask only that you reimburse the school for mailing costs.  The cost of the mailings can be built into your reunion ticket price.  Please plan mailings well in advance so our office staff has complete and accurate information on your reunion and enough time to prepare your mailing.

What goes into the first mailing?

The first mailing gives classmates advance notice of your reunion date and time so they can mark their calendars.  It's a good idea to do this as soon as you have a date for your reunion.  Everyone will appreciate the advance notice.  You may be able to locate some classmates by including a list of "lost alumnae" in your first mailing.  (Please notify us of any new information on "lost" classmates.)  Include an alumnae update form so classmates can send "news" for the Cordecho.  Ask classmates to start looking now for SHA memorabilia to share and display at your reunion.

What goes into the second mailing?

Do the second mailing 8 to 10 weeks before your reunion to confirm the date, time, and site.  Give classmates more details including planned activities, cost, reservation deadline, request for class gift, and a response form.  (A suggested response deadline is four weeks before your reunion.)

Class Gifts

Traditionally, reunion classes make a donation to Sacred Heart in the name of their class.  A class gift response form is available to enclose in your second mailing.  Classmates who cannot attend the reunion may still wish to make a donation to the class gift.  Gifts of all sizes are welcome.  Some people may want to include a donation with their ticket payment.  In that case, they need to write two checks.  The check for the gift must be made out to Sacred Heart Academy in order to get a charitable gift tax deduction.  Each donor to the class gift will receive a personal acknowledgment letter.

The Significance of a Class Gift

A class gift is a demonstration of loyalty and support for Sacred Heart on the occasion of your reunion.  As a special occasion "tribute", the class gift is a special additional gift rather than one given "instead of" an annual donation.  Sacred Heart depends on annual gifts from alumnae to fund over $100,000 a year in scholarship and tuition aid.  Please do not hinder the success of the annual Loyalty Fund Campaign by suggesting that alumnae give to the class gift instead of the annual fund.  We need to encourage both types of gifts.

Gift Recognition

Class gifts received by June 30 are included in the annual development report (published in the fall Cordecho).  The listing will show a gift from the "Class of ____".  The names of individual donors will appear in the gift club category reflecting each person's total donation for the year.