THINKING ABOUT

ORGANISING A REUNION?

Past students of Scotch College, MLC, Oakburn College,  or Scotch Oakburn College

Alumni reunions offer past students a wonderful opportunity to renew school friendships and to relive unique memories made during formative years.

Scotch Oakburn College reunions appear in various forms:

Old Collegians Association Reunion Events

• The Scotch Oakburn Old Collegians Association (SOOCA) organise regular annual events for ‘all’ members of the past-student fraternity, including the Old Collegians Annual Dinner, held in Winter, where special tables are often  organised by past students from specific year groups. Also appearing on the SOOCA annual events calendar are the Spring Cocktail Party, the Scotch College Old Boys Luncheon and the MLC Old Girls Luncheon – the luncheons are held in November. SOOCA events are publicised in the Focus - the Scotch Oakburn College Community Magazine, and on the College web site: www.soc.tas.edu.au

• For more information about SOOCA events, email: oldcollegians@soc.tas.edu.au   

Class, Sport and Special Interest Reunion

• The Scotch Oakburn Community Relations & Development Office actively supports the organisation of class reunions and sporting/special interest reunions, generated by individual past students and small groups from a specific year. For example in 2006, there were reunions for the Class of 2001, the Class of 1996, the class of 1991, the class of 1986, and the Class of 1981.

• The College encourages reunions in all parts of Australia and overseas. Many of these reunions are generated by the College, with the exception of Victoria where a branch of the Old Collegians Association organise an annual dinner.

• For assistance in organising a Class, Sport, Special Interest, State or Overseas Reunion, email: tania.gaby@soc.tas.edu.au or telephone Tania Gaby on (03) 6336 3393.

Organising a Reunion - Checklist

1.   Gather together a number of your student contemporaries. Seek out the best combination of individuals for your organising committee to ensure optimum success

2.   Contact the Scotch Oakburn Community Relations and Development Office for past student name lists and other areas of assistance. The organising committee will have the responsibility of chasing up any ‘missing addresses’ and then notifying the College to update the database.

3.   Start planning your reunion sooner, rather than later! Bear in mind, some invitees may wish to attend from interstate or overseas

4.   Consider sending out an initial postal survey to potential attendees asking them to indicate their interest in attending the reunion, offering options for dates, costs, activities, venues etc. Check the College Calendar for clashes with College events and school holidays. Click here: http://www.soc.tas.edu.au/NewsEvents/calendar.htm

5.   Select a date, place, time and activities schedule that suits the majority. If you would like the reunion to be held at school, discuss the possibilities with the Community Relations & Development Office on (03) 6336 3393 - venues such as the Briggs House Dining Room, the Kate Perrin Dining Room, Mary Fox Hall or the Scotch Oakburn Park Pavilion.

6.   Ensure the cost of attendance covers the costs for the reunion event. Scotch Oakburn can absorb the cost of preparing and mailing invitations, but will not financially support the reunion event

7.   Mail out the official invitation well in advance, with a reminder (or telephone call) within a month of the event

8.   If your reunion is in Launceston, contact the Examiner to publicise the event in their weekly reunion column, and to invite an Examiner photographer the attend the event (three days out from the event)

9.   Submit photographs and captions from your reunion to Focus, the Scotch Oakburn College Community Magazine - alastair.blount@soc.tas.edu.au or telephone Alastair Blount on (03) 6336 3315.

10. Scotch Oakburn can assist with the receipt and processing of RSVPs, payments, and name badges

11. The Principal, Andrew Barr, or his delegate, attends reunions wherever, and whenever, possible, enabling past students to be kept informed of current College developments and events

12. Reunions are encouraged during school term, so that past students have the opportunity to experience campus tours whilst the College is in operation.

For more information, contact:

Tania Gaby
Assistant to Director of Community Relations & Development
Scotch Oakburn College
Locked Bag 103, Kings Meadows, Tasmania 7249
Tel: (03) 6336 3393
tania.gaby@soc.tas.edu.au