Making Progress.

Hi Folks!

We would like to assure you that progress continues to be made in planning the events for the big reunion! We have booked a DJ for a long, late-night dance on Saturday evening. We have asked him to focus on songs from 1988-1990, but if you have a particular 80s song that you would like in the playlist, let us know.

After looking at catering options in the Columbus area, we are leaning heavily toward a casual, Southern-style BBQ for the Saturday evening dinner at Plymouth Bluff. The legendary Little Dooey would be the caterer for this option. We are having a little difficulty coming up with a good vegetarian option, so if anyone has some thoughts on that issue, please contact us and share them. Also, if a vegetarian option is something that you or a member of your group will require, please speak up and let us know so that we can begin to get a count of how many of these options we will actually need. Also, we will be providing a keg or two on that evening, probably the "Southern Pecan" ale from the MSMS-Alum co-created Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company. Please feel free to bring along any libations that you desire for what should be a wonderful evening of memories, both old and new.

One of the next projects will be tracking down some of the faculty from our time at MSMS. There are only a few of the originals remaining now at the school, and we would like to see as many of the people that shaped our experience and had such a dramatic impact on our lives as possible.

So far, we haven't had a tremendous response as far as reservations. Only 22 class members have spoken for a spot at Plymouth Bluff. Surely we can do a lot better than that. While there are still six months until the reunion, it is vital that we have as accurate a count as possible as soon as possible. PLEASE call your friends, pester them, cajole them, beg them, whatever it takes to get them to commit to being there. And, as it stands now, there are only five rooms left at Plymouth Bluff.

Finally, there are a couple of rooms that have been reserved, but payment has never been received. These rooms will be released back into the open count on October 15. Thank you SO MUCH to those who have already sent in your money. It is these funds that have allowed us to make the necessary deposits on Plymouth Bluff, the DJ, and, in the next few days, the caterer.

See you in April!

Progress Report.

Hi, Folks! Sorry that it has been several weeks since we made any sort of update.

We are currently deciding on entertainment. There are several DJs in the area that look good. If anyone has strong feelings about a particular one, please let us know by commenting here.

Also, we will be making deposits on entertainment, catering, etc., in the very near future, so we need to have an idea of the number attending. If you haven't reserved your spot, please do so as soon as possible. These numbers become more important as we start working on catering especially.

PLEASE make sure that all of the classmates that you personally keep up with have been made aware of the plans. We don't want to miss anyone, and we can only manage that task with help from everyone.

Tentative Itinerary.

While we are far from certain on the exact itinerary, this is the likely framework.

*Friday-
Lunch in Columbus
1p-3p - gather in Hogarth, PB lodgers receive room assignment
3p - sit it on chosen class for last period of the day
4p - some sort of 'state of the school' address in Hooper Auditorium followed by a school tour
5:30 - gather at Proffitt's Porch for dinner
8p - special performance of Tales of the Crypt IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
10p - gather at PB

*Saturday -
sleep in, recover from Friday evening
Lunch on own
1:30p - opening of the Time Capsule - somewhere on campus; Mississippi Public Broadcasting interviews for MSMS documentary; presentation of donation check
6:30p - Group photo at PB
7p - Dinner
Nomination & acceptance of duty for planning the 25th
9p - Entertainment - a DJ, band, or combination of each

*Sunday morning-
Gather room keys & turn in to PB
Lunch - on own
Bye!

It's That Time!

Hi, folks. While it is hard to believe, it is time to begin serious preparation for our 20-year reunion! After some preliminary discussion on Facebook, and some coordination with the MSMS & Columbus event calendars, a date has been set. The weekend of April 16-18 is the date that we have reserved. Several weekends already had conflicts, such as prom, orientation, graduation, etc. While April falls within the school year, and many of us have children in school, we felt that it was important to have our reunion while MSMS was in session. We will have the opportunity to visit the school, see all the new developments, and visit with staff.

We will be holding our activities at the Plymouth Bluff Center, just outside of Columbus. For those who attended the 10-year, I'm sure that you have fond memories of our weekend there. It is a beautiful facility, set up on the bluff over an old section the river. We will have a catered dinner on Saturday evening, followed by a dance on the outside pavilion.

Plymouth Bluff also has 22 rooms, providing the same facilities as local hotels. These rooms will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Unlike last time when individuals reserved rooms directly with Plymouth Bluff, PB has given us all of the rooms in advance, and the planning committee is on the line for the entire cost. There are also plenty of local hotels in the Columbus-Starkville area for those who would rather be in town. However, with the Columbus Spring Pilgrimage in process that weekend, it would be wise to make those reservations as soon as possible. The Pilgrimage can be a great alternative activity for spouses who may not want to be completely immersed in the MSMS experience for three days.

Also, we should have the opportunity to attend a performance of Tales From the Crypt, the award-winning project that MSMS has been doing since around 1992. This project is developed each year by MSMS history students, and is performed in Friendship Cemetery several times during Pilgrimage. If you have never been able to attend before, it is always remarkable. While there, we can also visit the graves of Carl Butler & Judy Morris.

Costs are still being determined. The facilities at Plymouth Bluff, which includes the 22 guest rooms, is costing around $3800. In addition, we still have to figure in catering & entertainment for Saturday evening. We are cautiously estimating around $6000. We would very much like to have a tidy sum left over that we can donate to MSMS. With the recently-added $1,000 tuition, and the constant need to replace & update equipment and dorm furniture, there is always a need for more money. Now that we are 20 years out, it would be admirable if we can make a financial impact as a group.

So, regarding individual registration fees....... If you are reserving a room at Plymouth Bluff, the cost for the room will be $150 (2 nights at $75/night), plus a $75 fee per single adult or $125 per couple to cover all the other costs. If you are staying elsewhere, the fee is $75 per single adult or $125 per couple. The preferred method for paying fees is through Paypal, which will give you the ability to pay through your bank account or through a credit card.

We will be updating the registration list as money comes in. Of course, for all of this to work, we need as many to attend as possible. There will always be circumstances preventing someone from coming, but hopefully with 10 months notice, most people who want to come will be able to plan appropriately. Please email all of your friends and be sure that they are aware of the plans. Help us find the lost alums, who are listed on the Facebook discussions. Update your personal info at the Alumni Association site. And please get your money in as soon as possible, especially if you want one of the rooms at Plymouth Bluff.