Can I subscribe for 5 years and, if so, what is the fee?

For several years, the maximum subscription extension has been 3 years. Before then, there were 5 and 10 year options as well. My guess is 3 years is the limit due to the uncertainty of inflation.

Yes I remember when longer "add times" terms (>3 year current maximum) were available. We added a couple of times when promos were offered. I'm curious how many admins took advantage of "Add time" promos when they were offered? Our reunion committee thankfully funded our 1969-70-71 site, and at this time, we're good until until 2030. Do you have "expiry dates" later than that?

For those of us in the older demographic (I'll be 78 in 2030) have you established "exit strategies" for the day when there won't be anyone left (or interested) to admin your reunion sites?

Allen Mar wrote:

I've thought about it from time to time over the years. I've gotten several classmates to assume partial control, primarily related to reunions we hold very five years, but have never gotten a classmate interested in having access to all areas of the site. A relatively small group remains fairly active but it's becoming increasingly smaller. At this point I think the site is going to go out with a whimper not a bang and I'm becoming increasingly comfortable with that. To paraphrase General Douglas MacArthur, "Old classes never die they just fade away."

Allen;

You’re considerably older than me; I’ll only be a mere 77 when ours expires in 2031.

We just added 3 years after our “70th Birthday Party” 2 years ago.

As for continuing, I’m kind of counting on CC being around after I’m not. If that’s the case and there is still an ‘Ad supported free site’, the site will go on. *

We were kind of late to the party, as we only had a 10th and 30th handled through ‘phone trees’. When the person that handled the former reunions passed in ‘21, I was told about CC. I set up a site in November of ‘21 for a potential 50th the following year. Worked out beyond our wildest expectations – we ended up with 259 joined / 137 not joined (class of 440, 63 deceased) by the following August and had 194 in attendance at our 50th in 2022!!!

Going forward? We’re in the same boat. The litany of responses when I ask for help / replacement / going forward are what you’d expect, but mostly settle into “Geez – I’d REALLY like to help, but I don’t know NUTHIN’ about computers. But the site is AWESOME! Keep it up!!”

*So, my “Exit Strategy” is to maintain it as best I can, and if no one steps up, it goes to the “Ad Supported Free” after 2031. But, with that thought specifically in mind, I have set up the site with all of our ‘Historical Mementos’ on the site, easily accessible for any future browsing for ‘what was it like back then?’

From where I sit, if the site lacks any ‘refresh’ or ‘updates’ after any point in time, the site still exists for those that want to post or scroll through our ‘stuff’; it’s just that the In Memory won’t be maintained.??

I should add, because of a comment in these Forums, we started a “Third Thursday Lunch” that is held locally that has 10 – 15 every month. Also, I posted a Survey for our “55th” (next year - 2027), and we already have over 100 that are interested. At that function, I plan to be sure to let the class know at that time my “Exit Strategy” plan and see if anyone steps up when we’re face-to-face.

So, to quote F C, “At this point I think the site is going to go out with a whimper not a bang and I'm becoming increasingly comfortable with that.”
Thank You – I STRONGLY second that!!! This has been adopted as my CC Mantra going forward. I think those of us that have done the lions share (perhaps elephants share?) of the work for the site for so long, feel ‘responsible’ somehow. You can only ask so many times for help or suggestions for ‘the future’ with no response before you have to say “It is what it is.”

Mark

I appreciate Allen bringing up the topic and Mark’s comments, Both started me thinking longer term and re-thinking some decisions I have made.
Since its onset I have kept my site as open I thought appropriate. For example, though mostly unrestricted I have kept events such as class breakfasts and quinquennial reunions to which pictures were posted showing participants under wraps but my profile has always been open. The In Memory page was always unrestricted too or so I thought. Early on I discovered that was not always the case. It turned out that if a classmate who had joined the site and had allowed access to their profile to only logged on classmates that also restricted the In Memory access. This made no sense to me so I contacted CC via this forum.
Though not directly related Mark’s comment, “ I have set up the site with all of our ‘Historical Mementos’ on the site, easily accessible for any future browsing for ‘what was it like back then?”, caused me to reverse my decision regarding the alteration of a deceased classmate’s profile. Additionally, I’ve unrestricted access to all but the “latest” class breakfasts and quinquennial reunions.

Since the creation of our site in 2009, every page (now at 51 pages) has been open to public viewing, without any complaints or difficulties. Besides our classmates, we have many people from other classes, faculty, staff, parents, and townspeople who enjoy viewing the pages, which really pleases us, whether or not they join the site. I administer a Facebook nostalgia page for my home town and often provide a link to the In Memory entry or other pages of interest when someone makes a comment or asks a question. To me, it's all about sharing and getting the word out.

Each classmate chooses whether to block his/her profile visibility. Sensitive contact info on the Edit Contact page is automatically blocked.

I don't understand the rationale of password protecting a home page, unless the site is for some exclusive club, but for a high school class, I feel it limits the opportunity for a classmate to join the site. Same with blocking access to the Classmate Profiles page: For goodness' sake, let a prospective member see who the other classmates are who have joined and what your site looks like!

Finally, I do have a backup administrator. She will likely not have the inclination to create the elaborate In Memory entries I do, but at least she'll be able to put something up when a classmate, parent, faculty, or staff member passes.

Okay --- enough of my musings!

Scott,

You've certainly put a lot of work into your site and the In Memory entries are truly impressive. I've visited your site on occasion over the years and seem to recall that your profile was not locked. Am I imagining things or did you decide to restrict it for some reason?

F C,
Thanks for your kind words. Yes, my profile was unlocked for a long time. But now, in the Comments section of my Profile, I have added my full contact info, including my private email, cell and home phones, and mailing address, as I sometimes receive correspondence related to the class at these points of contact, and did not wish the general public to have access to them. So, I locked my profile. Otherwise, I would have left it unlocked.