Chicago - 2011

There have been six Triennial Reunion of BCHSIAA: the last one held in August of this year in Chicago, the previous ones being in Seattle, Washington, DC, Toronto, Honolulu, and San Francisco.

The venues are decided during the general meetings of each of the reunions. San Francisco was voted in for the seventh, in 2014. While there were two contenders including Los Angeles, a vote was placed to decide which one. In other years, it was a matter of suggestion and approval by acclamation. The Chicago group was quite reluctant to take up the challenge, mainly because there was no Chicago chapter to speak of, and there were only a few people who attended the decision-making session. They were also given an extension period to accept the 2011 venue, so it was only in December 2008 that the handful of hardy City-Higher’s agreed.

In the meetings that were organized by the committee, only a few people showed up, in spite of telephone calls and emails to announce the meetings. The BCHSIAA Directory was utilized for this. The first meeting had only five heads accounted for: it was also a Labor Day weekend so there were only a few hardy souls left in town. Their next meeting was an improvement, with 9 people in attendance. It was at this second meeting that the date was set. They also decided that more efforts be placed to get more people involved. A picnic was planned: this is always a crowd-pleaser, especially if there are Filipino specialties made available! Our food culture worked in their favor.

Quarterly meetings were held hence. Class 61 had no one in the area to participate: we miss Nap Meana, who lived in the Chicago area. He would have been, with certainty, active in the organizational phase of the reunion. It became necessary for more frequent meetings, and more potluck meals. Ads were placed in the Filipino newspapers. This boosted more interest in the venture.

“Cañao Idiay Chicago” work was plentiful: hotels, registration, tours, souvenir program items, bags, banners and the like. By January there were only 5 registrants, increasing to 14 by March. 100 was the goal set with the hotel, and decisions needed to be made to solve this lack of registration numbers. Hotel deposit funds were borrowed from the BCHSIAA in order to hold on to the hotel. Mass emailing, more local advertising, and solicitation of ads for the program went on. Pressure pressure pressure!!! To cancel the banquet or not. To cancel the tours or not.

Finally - the Gala Night attendance was close to 300! With a big sigh of relief, the reluctant hosts became fulfilled hosts at the end. And a Chicago chapter as a bonus.

Class 61 has a few inputs in the souvenir program including a paid ad in exchange for raffle tickets at the Baguio 2011 reunion: the brainchild of Art B. Our thanks to Rudy, Norma and Estrella for making the presence of Class 61 felt!