Date:                     30 October
Time:                     6.30pm to midnight (if you can last that long)
Venue:                 Merewether Surf Club (for the view and flexibility – Norm has made a booking)
Style:                     Standing to enable mixing with seating available to the side
Food:                    Good quality, served by circulating waiters
Drinks:                  Beer, wine and soft drink
Est cost:               About $50-$55 (if this is too expensive please say so because we can reduce costs if people buy their own drinks - what are your thoughts?)
Partners:             More than welcome – it just costs you double!  My wife, Louise, will come.
Payment:            We need to know numbers as soon as possible, so please let us know whether you will be coming or not.  Final payment will be due by end of August
Surplus:                Any surplus could be paid to either the Old Boys Association or kept on deposit for the 50th reunion (what are your thoughts?)

Can you please let us know your reaction to this proposal?  Norm will go ahead and set up a bank account to enable direct payment.  He will let everyone know the details as soon as we have them.  Payments by installments will be OK as well.

Other ideas:

Most of us (but not all) are entering a period where we have either retired or are contemplating an easier life.  It might be that for people who have more leisure time, there is interest in reconnecting with others and expanding networks, or finding new connections.  So it could be that the 40th becomes not just an event but the beginning of a range of opportunities. One way of building this would be for each person to write two short paragraphs about family and what you are interested in nowadays.  We can find a way to make these vignettes accessible prior to and during the night so there is an opportunity to build new connections.  There is also the option to begin to work towards our 50th and the special OBA dinner in August 2020. Let us know whether you think it is worthwhile trying to do some of these things and if so what you would like to do.

Finding missing persons:
Right now the most pressing task is to build the contact list and find out who is attending.  We have made some progress and now have about 63 email addresses out of a target of 158 (a little shy of 40%).  I’m sure we can do much better!  Also forgive me if I have somehow missed a previous communication from you – just let me know.

Can you now each please try to find 2 more people?. Maybe use internet searches, chase up old leads, whatever…  Some of you have already indicated you have people in your sights – nail them!