We have just started to reconnect as a class. Our last successful reunion was our 15th, and things just never gelled for the 20th or 25th. CC has been a godsend for us, and we are all extraordinarily excited about our 30th next year.

One of our goals has been to keep interest up between reunions, and create a system (CC, Bank accounts) by which we can easily plan reunions, and keep in touch. One thing we want to do is create a bereavement fund to send flowers/donations when a classmate dies. We thought we would have plenty of time to discuss and plan this.

Unfortunately, we lost a classmate yesterday. Do any of you have this type of fund? How is it set up and what are your guidelines?

I appreciate any advice you have to give.

Thank you,
Julie

Hopefully somebody here who's done this type of thing can give you a more specific answer to your question. On a technical level, one thing you could pretty easily do is utilize your Donate Module. You're already using it for a different purpose, but for any other readers:

1) Click Edit Site Pages
2) Click the Edit button next to home page
3) Turn on your Donate module
4) Click "Manage Donations" to enter your verbiage to describe what you're collecting for.

Since you're just using yours generically at the moment, maybe you could redo the Donate Module temporarily for this specific purpose.

Thanks, Brad. I think this is what we will do, for now. We have not been using PayPal yet, because they have such stringent restrictions for non-profit designation, and the tax implications for, well... me as coordinator are not something with which I wanted to play. We thought about doing this through the site, but that would mean leaving a reunion turned "on" at all times.

Thanks for the feedback.
Julie

We accept donations for various functions, one of them is "flower fund". We send to classmates who lose a family member. We also have classmates make donations in memory of classmates for benefit of the site. We need a note to the family about the donation

Brad, I have a semi-technical question.

In the reunion planner, is it possible to allow the classmate to change the amount of an item purchased? For instance, if I created a "Donation" item at $5, could the classmate change it if he/she wanted to give more, or would there have to be specified amounts?

We have been so impressed and pleased with CC that we would like to keep the donations processed here as well, if possible. Honestly, PayPal has been something of a nightmare for us.

Julia sorry to hear of your loss. We had the exact thing happen to us. One of the classmates took the bull by they horn and sent an arrangement in the name of the class. We have since set up a sunshine committee and and donations. We ask that every classmate donate $12.00 a year. ($1.00 for every month) Then when a classmate passes we send one single red rose with our class year on it. If they request no flowers we donate to their charity of choice. If there is neither and no service they call a relative and let them know what we want to do and arrangements are made. A single red rose was a symbol of the class when they graduated so that was why we picked it. If a classmate is seriously ill or having surgery they send a card designed to match the sigle red rose and if a parent or child dies they send a card. We did the donations on the home page and donations have been great!! some have donated more than the $12.00 some up to $50.00 Hope this helps