Old B-CC

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

Alumni

Reunion Resources

Home Button Classmates Button Reunions Button Photo Gallery Button Ways to Help Button B-CC Ed Found Button
Alumni News Button Contributions Button Resources Button School Song Button Contact Us Button B-CC HS Button
         
 

Planning a Reunion

Introduction
Do it yourself or hire a commercial company?
Date
Location
Caterers, Music, etc.
Costs
Class Gift
School Tour

Introduction

Reunions are wonderful ways to reconnect with old friends but they take careful planning. There are lots of decisions to be made: date, location, type of party, music, food, and, most importantly, how to reach as many classmates as possible. The purpose of this article is to share with you some suggestions from those who have planned reunions in the last year. The information comes from the people on the “Reunions” page on this website. You should e-mail or phone them directly if you have specific questions.

First, some general advice. It is important to start early. Many locations, including hotels and restaurants, are booked early, especially over the holidays, so you need to reserve them well in advance.

Secondly, find ways to communicate with your classmates. Word of mouth is always most effective, but the Internet and social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), and the old B-CC directories are also very helpful. You may be able to track down many classmates by calling their parents’ telephone number listed in the old school directories. You could also get help with the class list from the B-CC High School Educational Foundation which keeps an alumni database (bcchsedfoundation@gmail.com). Put together a list of e-mail address and phone numbers, keep your classmates informed, and ask them to call other classmates with whom they are in touch.

 

Do it yourself or hire a commercial company?

You can plan the reunion by yourselves (a committee of 5-10 classmates) or hire a reunion planning company. Doing it yourself saves money but requires you to spend more time and energy. Committee members will need to take responsibility for the different tasks to be accomplished and stay in close touch with each other. Having a class page on Facebook will make it easier for classmates to find you. If a class member has the expertise, setting up your own class website is a great way to help with the planning and registration tasks, as the class of 1983 did for its reunion (www.jdland.com/bcc83).

Hiring a reunion company may be a good choice if your class doesn’t have a nucleus of people willing or able to do the work, or, if few of you are in the Bethesda area to check out possible locations, music, food, and such. You can get some helpful tips at http://www.classreport.org and www.reunionannouncements.com.

Having the reunion at a restaurant may be a good choice if you are short on time and manpower, and if you are unsure about the number of classmates who will be attending. The Class of 1978 had their 25th in a restaurant in Bethesda in 2003, then a gala at Hyatt for their 30th five years later.

You may also want to contact the following classes who had their reunions recently to see what their experiences have been:

Did it themselves: 1958 (Leslie Yaffe Marks lmarks@nahb.com)
  1963 (Sharon Lee Vogel, sharonleevogel@aol.com)
  1968 (Susan Redman Wimsatt, swimsatt@gilday.com)
  1973 (Barbara Mulitz, bblam@aol.com)
  1983 (Laura Subrin Yeager, LJSY@austin.rr.com)
  1993 (bcc93_reunion@yahoo.com)
   
Hired reunion companies: 1978 (Gary Zinkgraf, Gzinkgraf@foleylaw.com)
  1982 (Karen Feldman, kfeldman@jhmi.edu)


Date

The best date is the time when the most people can come. Survey your classmates (by e-mail or a phone tree) to find out when that is. For some alums, including those with young families, Thanksgiving or during the holidays is a good time because they plan to be in the area then visiting family. Other classes have found that a weekend in October or the Memorial Day weekend works well. See the “reunions” list on the Reunion page on this website for the dates different classes have chosen.

Another decision is whether to do a single event in one evening or several events over the course of a weekend. A number of classes have arranged for tours of the newly-renovated B-CC during their reunion. The class of 1973 had a Sunday brunch at the school, combined with tours of the new facility, led by current B-CC parents.

 

Location

What Other Classes Have Used:

The following is a list of where classes have held their reunions in the last year. To find out more about the facilities and costs, e-mail the B-CC alums who helped organize the class reunions.

Location Address and Phone No. B-CC's Class Reunion Organizer
Four Points Sheraton, Bethesda 8400 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda
(301) 654-1000
1963 Sharon Lee Vogel
sharonleevogel@aol.com
Hyatt Regency Bethesda One Beth. Metro Ctr, Bethesda
(301) 657-1234
1973 Barbara Mulitz
bblam@aol.com
Hyatt Regency Bethesda (Fri) and

B-CC Rescue Squad (Sat)
One Beth. Metro Ctr, Bethesda
(301) 657-1234
5000 Battery Lane, Bethesda
(301) 652-0077
1958 Leslie Yaffe Marks
lmarks@nahb.com
Knights of Columbus 1500 St. Camilus Dr., Silver Spring
(301) 439-5533
1982 Karen Feldman
kfeldman@jhmi.edu
Park Hyatt, Washington (Fri.) and

Candy Cane City (Sat.)
1201 24th St NW, Washington, DC
202-789-1234
Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase
301-948-5053
1983 Laura Subrin Yeager
LJSY@austin.rr.com
Pooks Hill Marriott 5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda
(301) 897-9400
1953 Toni Ward
toniward2002@yahoo.com
The Barking Dog, Bethesda 4723 Elm Street, Bethesda
(301) 654-0022
1988
bcc_class_of_88@yahoo.com
Tragara Ristorante, Bethesda 4935 Cordell Ave., Bethesda
(301) 951-4935
1978 Gary Zinkgraf
gzinkgraf@foleylaw.com

 

Other places to consider:

Town and Community Centers:

Must be arranged through a resident of the town:
Chevy Chase Village Hall 5906 Conn. Ave., Chevy Chase (301) 654-7300
Edgemoor Club 7415 Exeter Road, Bethesda (301) 907-2961
Somerset Town Hall 4510 Cumberland Ave., Chevy Chase (301) 657-3211

Don’t need to be a resident to rent:
Friendship Heights Center 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase (301) 656-2797
Leland Center 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase (301) 652-2249
Town of Chevy Chase 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase (301) 652-2249
  (Same building, smaller space, as the Leland Ctr.)

Country Clubs:

Membership required for rental of space:
The Bethesda Country Club 7601 Bradley Blvd, Beth. (301) 365-1700.
The Columbia Country Club 7900 Conn. Ave., Beth (301) 951-5000

Membership not required for rental of space:
The Kenwood Club 5601 River Rd, Beth (301) 320-3000.
  You do not have to be a member to use the club. Book through the catering dept. Their general manager can sponsor you.

Yacht on the Potomac:

Odyssey Cruises, www.odysseycruises.com, (202) 488-6000


Other Clubs:

Membership not required for space rental:
The Woman’s Club of Bethesda 5500 Sonoma Rd, Bethesda (301) 530-9854
The Woman’s Club of Chevy Chase 7931 Connecticut Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-8480

Hotels:

The following is a list of area hotels in the B-CC Community Phone Book (please note that this list is provided as a convenience and does not carry any recommendation from the Foundation):

American Inn of Bethesda 8130 Wisc. Ave., Beth 301-656-9300
Bethesda Court 7740 Wisc. Ave., Beth 301-656-2100
Bethesda Suites Marriott 6711 Democracy Blvd. Beth 301-897-5600
Four Points Sheraton 8400 Wisconsin Ave., Beth 301-654-1000
Holiday Inn 5520, Wisc. Ave., Ch Ch 301-656-1500
Hospitality Partners 7101 Wisc. Ave., Ch Ch 301-718-6161
Hyatt Regency Bethesda One Beth. Metro Center, Beth 301-657-1234
Pooks Hill Marriott 5151 Pooks Hill Road, Beth 301-897-9400
Residence Inn By Marriott 7335 Wisc. Ave. Beth 301-718-0200

In addition, B-CC alum Daniel Baez ('04) is the account executive for Marriott Hotels in the Bethesda area and can be a resource for alumni classes planning their reunions. He can be reached via email (daniel.baez@marriott.com) or by phone (301-512-6640).


At the school:

This is possible but please be advised that no alcohol may be served at the school or on its grounds. Some classes have held a brunch outside on Sunday morning, along with a tour of the renovated school with guides from the B-CC HS Educational Foundation. Room reservations can be made through B-CC HS' business manager, Sherry Swanke, at (240) 497-6315. Please scroll to the bottom of this page for school tour information.

 

Caterers, Music, etc.

(Please note that the information here is provided as a convenience to alumni and does not carry any recommendations from the Foundation.)

The following is a list of area caterers listed in the B-CC Community Phone Book:

Artful Party Llc Bethesda 301-469-5400
Bangkok Garden Restaurant 4906 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda 301-951-0670
Boston Market 4870 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda 301-215-9222
Bradley Food & Beverage 6904 Arlington Rd., Bethesda
www.bradleyfood.com
301-654-6966
Caddies on Cordell 4922 Cordell Ave., Bethesda
parties@caddiesoncordell.com
301-803-0589
Cafe Express 8000 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda 301-913-9330
Caffe Appassionato 4801 Edgemoor Ln., Bethesda 301-654-0043
Catering by Vailstar 1522 Wisconsin Ave., Wash. DC
www.vailstar.com
202-518-1295
Catering by Windows 1125 North Royal St., Alexandria, VA 703-519-3500
Charles Levine Caterers Bethesda 301-913-0444
Corner Bakery 10327 Westlake Dr., Bethesda 301-469-8853
Four Points Sheraton 8400 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda
kevin.crabtree@starwoodhotels.com
301-941-2735
Glorious Kosher Bethesda 301-913-0444
Honey Baked Ham Co. 6831 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda 301-657-1900
Inn At Glen Echo 6119 Tulane Ave., Glen Echo 301-229-2280
La Haute Cuisine Caterer 6421 Kenhowe Dr., Bethesda 301-229-4931
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants 7401 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda 301-961-2626
Pampered Palate www.pamperedpalatepersonalchef.com 703-622-9269
Ridgewells Caterer 5525 Dorsey Ln., Bethesda 301-652-1515
Rock Creek Mansion 5417 W. Cedar Ln., Bethesda 301-896-0686
Sutton Place Gourmet 10323 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda 301-564-3100
The Palate Pleasers 1023 Bay Ridge Ave., Annapolis
www.thepalatepleasers.com
410-263-6941
Thyme Square Restaurant 4735 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda 301-657-9077
Wagshal's Bakery & Catering Kitchen 4330A 48th St., NW, Wash. DC 202-363-8807
Yirasai Sushi & Cafe 5110 Ridgefield Rd., Bethesda 301-654-5599

B-CC Parents' List:

A request to the B-CC parents listserv netted the following information:

*  “Music: I can recommend Marty Nau, a very impressive saxophonist, who can put together any size band for an occasion. He happens to be my son's sax teacher (at the Washington Conservatory of Music) but I hired him to bring a 4-piece jazz band to an event that I was in charge of. Was brilliant! Cost is generally $200 per musician for a "gig" which generally is a 4-hour period. Again, any size ensemble can be put together by Marty, and the musicians are of the highest caliber. He has a website: www.MartyNau.com
Caterer: For the same event I used MedCatering (out of Wheaton). They were fantastic . . . and their website is www.medcatering.com

*  “My high school (Western High School) class reunion used Maggiano's and the Odyssey and we had a great time.”

*  “I know of a great band in the area, Retrospect”: The band has been in business for 25 years. Its website is www.RetrospectBand.com

*  “Chuck Shorter, the husband of a good friend of mine has just gone full-time into this business. The following is from Chuck:
I've been a DJ for over 20 years, entertaining groups from 50 to 2,000. These events are both private and corporate. Parties, weddings, corporate functions, school dances, etc. The only area I do not go into is Bar/Bat Mitzvah's. Everything else is fair game.
My rates are $75./hr with a 3 hour minimum.
My music spans 40's through today and I carry more than 1,000 CD's with me to every event.
Please check out my website www.tophatentertainment.info.”

 

Costs

Costs will vary according to the number of people coming, the number of reunion events, where they are held, and whether you use a reunion company or not. Additional costs to be considered: invitations, music and food. Invitations can be done on the computer or by a printer. Several classes have recommended that music, whether live or taped, be low rather than loud because loud music can get in the way of what people really want to do: talk to each other. One class had a 3 hour “happy hour” where people could talk, followed by live music to dance to. Food costs vary and may be provided by a caterer or by the location where the event is held.

Other optional costs: a photographer to take photos at the event and “a directory with short bios everyone had been asked to submit” (class of 1953). Some classes include a class gift to the school (see below).

 

Class Gift

Some classes mark their reunion with a class gift to the school. The gift can be for a specific project or item that the school needs, or it can be unrestricted. Donations can be made through the B-CC High School Educational Foundation and are tax deductible. All donors will be recognized in the Foundation’s Annual Report. In addition, the Foundation has a plaque in the school’s entrance hall honoring its generous supporters for gifts of $2,500 to $5,000 and $5,000 and over. For ideas on a class gift and ways to give, please go to Gift Giving on the Resources page.

 

School Tour

Reunions are good times to revisit the school, see the changes, and relive old memories. B-CC underwent a major modernization in 2002. A number of classes have arranged for tours of the newly-renovated B-CC during their reunion weekends. The tours are usually on a Saturday morning and last about 90 minutes. Parents from the B-CC PTSA and the B-CC HS Educational Foundation volunteer as guides during these tours. To arrange for a school tour, please email school secretary Ms. Joan Black, or call her at 240-497-6300, to have the tour date and time put on the school's master calendar. If the school has to be open specifically for the tour (such as during the holidays), there will be a charge for custodian services. Please email Carole Brand or Sing-huen Morgan or phone Carole at 301-657-2547 for more information or to arrange for tour guides.

 

 
Back to Top


Home - Alumni News - Classmates
Alumni Contributions - Photo Gallery - Reunions
Resources - Ways to Help - Contact Us
B-CC HS Educational Foundation - B-CC High School

Page Last Updated
August 28, 2016