How did I get here? Well, "You will be a leader of your high school class in a place you will not be able to see" was never in my fortune cookie. The Chicago area psychic didn't predict it after graduation and she did not say that my high school class would some day be in my computer. Back then, did I know what a computer was?
In 2009, I had a surprise request from a classmate... would I plan our 40th reunion? Though I had experience, I had not been to one class reunion. I recalled who planned the 30th reunion and began searching for his email address.
Immediately, I started a class group page on Facebook. That led to a free site - thanks to one of technology’s major companies. I jumped right into building the site. Yet, I was unable to do all I wanted. I wanted instant messaging, a map and more. My list of wants grew and my success at finding free plug-ins failed with each search.
The person who planned previous reunions was located, planned our dinner and began taking registrations. I decided to add a school tour and gathering at a local bar the night before the dinner. Everything was going well and I should have been pleased as punch that soon the web site and all would be finished, but no – not me.
Less than two months before the reunion, I ramped up for another search. Into the search bar I keyed free maps for web sites. Once again, I began checking the results from the top. Four or five links into it, I found myself on a host of class sites – Class Creator. I had no intention of moving the site for less than sixty days but I had to see the map. I saw the map and… oh my, there was everything I wanted and more! Maps, the ability maintain classmates' contact information, birthday announcements, instant messaging, and online classmate registration! I sat staring at the features offered by Class Creator and knew I wanted to move our class site right then!
So it began. Soon our class name, school colors and mascot were in place. I copied a few pages into this new site and wanted to share it with friends. Not yet, I had two more things to do. I added the donation button and sent an email invitation to all classmates asking them to visit the site, look around and donate to the site’s subscription if they liked what they saw.
Did my classmates like what they saw on the temporary site hosted by Class Creator? YES! They donated on the site and the first year subscription was paid in full. Not only that, as soon as I added our reunion details into the Reunion Planner module, classmates began registering for the reunion on the site!
It didn’t end there. In the midst of the holiday
shopping season that year, I sent out another email asking classmates if
they would like to extend the site through our 50th reunion. Within
days, they clicked on that donation button until we were paid through
2020! They paid for ten years! Who is the best? Well, my classmates for
sure, but Class Creator is right there alongside them!We all have our stories. It has taken some of us a few years before finding Class Creator. But, today, we are settled in! We welcome new administrators weekly in the Help Forums and online chats to discuss what is happening and ask each other for a 'tool' to solve something when needed. We are neighbors in this online community and give our time to provide an online home where classmates can reconnect.
Beyond the many tools available in building and using our sites, there is one main reason we stay: the unmatched customer service. In the forums, responses are received in a timely manner and there is a willingness to meet our needs, when possible. In addition, forum posts are answered by staff as if we are all friends. This special place for our sites is Class Creator.
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