The reunion committee holds monthly meetings every third Thursday at the Cocoa Library, and everyone's welcome to attend. Got something to say? Contact Mary Repass-Friend, Pat Tash, or Robert DeWitt.

My Open Letter to the 2005 CHS Reunion Committee

Subject: Re: January CHS/CBHS 40th Reunion Meeting
Date: February 5, 2005 5:36:05 PM EST

Dear Bob;
I've watched this reunion revival lurch forward in fits and starts since I concluded the 2000 event was the last I'd attend. Recent communication with classmates has caused me to reconsider that decision, and my comments are as follows:

2000 EVENT
1) The committee is aware that the difference between items promised and items delivered in 2000 is significant, as were the expectations of attendees concerning use of the hotel accomodations, i.e. the pool and deck area.

2) You may remember that following the plea for contributions to fund production and publication of the promised so-called "memory book", Joan Realino and Joyce Crisafulli convened a brief meeting between you and I and that I volunteered to digitally produce the book at no charge, following a brief explanation to you of what was involved.

3) Your response at the time was that you'd "certainly think about it," but no further communication was received and the book, and several other items that were promised as part of the event, was never produced or compensated, despite the approximately $4,000.00 in collected excess funds.

CURRENT PLANNING PROTOCOL
4) In the interval, the committee holds meetings at a time totally inconvenient for anyone outside the central Brevard area to attend, and stubbornly avoids all but the most basic e-mail functions to further communications between alumni and the committee.

5) The current level of e-mail has not improved over the situation in 1995, which even then was not nearly used to it's fullest extent. In fact, the current level of activity has actually regressed to a point that renders it non-functional for all practical purposes. The average third-grader has more appreciation for enhanced e-mail, web site chat, and i-chat than does the committee. (ed. note: this is meant literally, as today even pre-schoolers are familiar with the general workings of computer communications.)

GRADUATE COMMUNICATIONS
6) Bob Mayo hosts a very practical and informative web site which the commmittee has only recently discovered. Bob is fully prepared and equipped to accomodate not only real time "chat", which could be very useful for purposes of committee decision making, but he can also host an interactive PayPal function for easy event registration which is far superior to the e-mail just sent out. (In addition, many systems today are desktop chat capable.)

7) The committee, in light of their 2000 planning and follow-through and the sub-par performance leading up to the 2005 event, should make every effort to enlist Bob's help in registration fulfillment, as well (in my opinion) of functioning as the official repository for direct reunion information.

2005 EVENT ACTIVITIES
8) I understand that the cost of Saturday night's band - which I fully endorse - is in the $1500-2000 range, which seems appropriate, and that the meal cost is in the $30/per range, which also seems appropriate.

9) Friday night's selection of karoke for entertainment, however, is wildly off mark, especially in light of the horrendous Elvis impersonator, skit, and sing-alongs at the 2000 event. Most attendees travel long distances for the main purpose of visiting with classmates, not sitting through poor impressions of American Idol wannabees. The funds you solicited are for the advertised purpose of producing a reunion, not a variety show.

10) My strong suggestion is that a DJ with some working knowledge of Sixties dance music, or at least a good jazz selection, be booked for Friday, and that one or two complimentary drink coupons be included in the $65 cost to attend for use at a cash bar setup. I would also suggest that either Bob Busk or Bobby Fuhrel would be excellent choices for consulting musical tastes of the period.

My hope is that you accept these critical comments in the spirit which they're given. I'm pleased someone's putting a reunion together, but the committee needs to do a much better job of ecouraging and accepting external input from those well qualified to offer guidance.

Sincerely,
John Siebenthaler
john_siebenthaler@cocoahigh65.com
www.cocoahigh65.com

and some of the responses...

Dear John
I read your e-mail to Bob Dewitt.  It seems to me you owe an apology to him and the committee.  They have worked hard and done the best they can. 
 
Perhaps it might be best that you organize the reunion.  After you have done all that thankless work, please let me know if you got any complaints or whether it came out perfectly in the eyes of every single attendee. 
 
My guess is that you will get complaints from the complacent and ungrateful who know only how to criticize. 
 
Where would you fit?

DEAR JOHN,
 
YOU JUST DON'T GET IT!  YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT IN TOUCH WITH THE REAL WORLD. SOMETHINGS DID NOT GET DONE TO ANYONES SATISFACTION, BUT MOST OF US UNDERSTAND WHY, AND WOULD NOT ATTACK THE ONE PERSON WHO WORKED THE HARDEST TO GET IT RIGHT.  A STIFF DOSE OF TACT WOULD DO YOU A WORLD OF GOOD.  IF THAT DOESN'T HELP, TRY PROZAC. IT HELPS ME.