EVENT FAQ

Tickets

Q. Does my ticket include food and drinks?

A. Our catered food and any non-alcoholic beverages will be included. There will also be at least 1 alcoholic drink ticket (optional) included as well. You are free to start your own tabs for anything else beyond what is provided.

Q. I can’t afford $75/person, is there a way I can still attend?

A. Yes, please apply for financial assistance. We will try to help if there are excess funds from donations.

Q. Why are you asking for donations and sponsors in addition to ticket sales?

A. We want to be able to provide financial assistance to anyone who might struggle to afford tickets to the reunion, and we want to make a donation to Mesa High School as well, on behalf of the Class of 2003.

Q. Can I purchase at the door?

A. Kind of? They still need to be purchased through the ticketing website, but you can purchase them the day of the event. HOWEVER, they will cost more ($85). We strongly advise you to purchase your tickets no later than 2 weeks ahead of time, if possible. We have to give our final headcounts to the venue and caterer in advance, so late ticket purchases can create logistical challenges.

Q. Do I really need to enter my +1’s name and information for their ticket?

A. No, but we could not find a way to disable that in the ticketing software. Instead, click on the “Copy Previous” link that sits above the text fields for their ticket, to copy your information onto the 2nd second ticket.

Q. After I select my ticket, the website asks for a donation. Is that required?

A. No, it is not required, but it’s definitely appreciated. Donations will go towards helping others who need financial assistance to attend to get a ticket, and also go towards a gift to Mesa High School. Also, anyone can donate without buying a ticket.

Q. Do I have to pay for the “Credit card processing fees” in addition to the ticket?

A. No, but this is another way to indirectly make a small donation. There is an “Edit” link that you can use to change that and roll the credit card fees into the ticket price. We’d love for you to cover them, but it won’t hurt our feelings if you don’t.

Q. What is the “Add a tip to support Givebutter” for? Do I have to tip 12%?

A. Givebutter is the service that powers our ticketing and donations website. It is provided free of charge. They only make money through these tips. So while it would be great to support the Givebutter service with a tip, it is not required by any means. To change the tip, use the dropdown menu. To remove it entirely, select “Other” in the dropdown menu and enter a zero in the text field that appears.

Q. I’ve been given a discount code. How do I use it?

A. When you click the “Tickets & Donate” button on the ticketing website, at the top of the popup there is a link that says “Add promo code”. Click this to expose a text field where you can enter your code, then hit the “Add” button. This will apply the discount to the tickets in your order. Make sure to enter the discount code exactly as it was provided to you, as they are case-sensitive and may include ambiguous characters (like zeros and “O”s).

Activities

Q. Do the casino games cost money?

A. This is just for fun; there is no real gambling. No real money will be used or rewarded. Everyone at the event will be given a voucher that they can convert to chips at any game table.

Q. What casino games will be available to play?

A. Blackjack, Poker, Roulette, and Craps. If you are unfamiliar with any of these games, you can read about them on Wikipedia or other websites.

Q. How will the raffle work?

A. TBD. You will receive ticket(s) at the reunion, and winners will be announced at the end.

Q. How will the silent auction work?

A. Due to planning time constraints, we are no longer doing a silent auction. There will still be a raffle though!

Q. How should I dress?

A. The event is in late October and will be both indoors and outdoors. We recommend dressing in business casual. We do have a casino theme though, so if you want to go all out, we won’t stop you. Be comfortable. Be you. Be there.

Q. Do I need to be there right at 5:00?

A. For maximum fun, we recommend you arrive between 5:00 and 5:30 to have time get checked in and eat before you get too involved in the casino games or visiting with others. We will have a short program and announce the raffle winners a little after 8:00 PM.

Q. Do I need to stay until 9:00?

A. We will have a short program and announce the raffle winners a little after 8:00 PM, so we recommend staying the until the end. Also, at 9:00, we will roll right into the after party, so stay longer!

Q. Is there an after party?

A. There are two unofficial afterparties. Part of the space we are in is a nightclub, and at 9:00 PM, it opens up to the public. Feel free to stick around, if that’s your scene. There is no separate entry fee. If that’s not your scene, there are also people meeting up at The HUB (near Stapley and the 60) for food/drinks.

Food

Q. What’s for dinner? 🍽️

A. We are having food from Caldwell County Mexi-Q catered to and served at the venue. This place is delicious, and we hope you enjoy this fusion of Texas-style BBQ and Mexican cuisine. If you have any questions or concerns, especially about dietary concerns, please reach out to the reunion committee.

Q. Will this be a seated meal?

A. No. It will be more like a party/reception. There will be many tables and chairs, but there may not be enough for everyone to sit down simultaneously.

Q. Do I have to pay for my food separately?

A. No, the food will be catered and included as part of your ticket. Non-alcoholic beverages are also included. In addition, there will be at least 1 alcoholic drink ticket (optional) included as well. You are free to start your own tabs for any additional drinks.

Q. I have dietary concerns and/or restrictions. Are there accommodations for this?

A. We will certainly try to accommodate them, if you let us know ASAP (preferably at least 1 month in advance). Send us an email at mesahighclassof2003@gmail.com.

Additional Events

Q. Will there be a free, family-friendly activity, like we did for our 10-year?

A. Yes. Let’s get together at Countryside Park in Mesa, on Saturday, October 21st (the morning of the reunion), from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. We will have some drinks and snacks available under Ramada #3, near the playground area. This will be a come-and-go type of thing, and friends from classes 2001-2005 are welcome to come say hello. This event is free.

Q. Will there be anything going on Friday night (10/20)?

A. No. We originally considered hosting another activity the night before the reunion, but have decided to focus on the main event and park meetup.

Q. When is the Homecoming Football game?

A. The homecoming football game is Friday, October 27th at Mesa High School. Let’s show up and root for our Jackrabbits! The game starts at 7:00 PM and costs $5/person. This is the weekend after the reunion.

Travel

Q. When should I arrive?

A. The main event is Saturday night, but we also have the family-friendly meetup on Saturday during the day. If you want to attend both, you might want to arrive by Friday night.

Q. Where should I stay?

A. All of our activities will be in the East Valley, so stay somewhere in Mesa/Gilbert/Chandler, hopefully with family or friends. We do not have any hotel blocks/reservations, so if you have any concerns about lodging, please let us know at mesahighclassof2003@gmail.com.

Donations & Volunteering

Q. I have time, but no money. How can I help?

A. First of all, spread the word! Make sure all your friends are coming. Secondly, you should volunteer to help the Reunion Committee. We are going to organize subcommittees soon, so we can divide-and-conquer. Come share your time and talents.

Q. I have money, but no time. How can I help?

A. First, buy your ticket(s). Second, donate! Even a bit little helps. All the funds raised through ticket sales and donations will be used for the following:

1. Covering all the expenses to host a nice reunion event (i.e., more money = better food).

2. Helping cover reunion ticket prices for classmates that may need financial assistance.

3. Giving money (or something else) to Mesa High School on behalf of the Class of 2003.

Q. I (or someone I know) owns a business. How can I help?

A. We would love to have you sponsor the event. Sponsorship money will help us achieve our monetary goals listed in the previous question. We will work out something with you to get your brand noticed (e.g., logo/link on website/emails, advertisement on sign/TV at the event, etc.).

Q. Can I donate items for the silent auction or raffle?

A. Yes. That would be so helpful. You can use this form to submit those items.

Q. What gift/donation are we doing for Mesa High School?

A. TBD. This will depend on how much money we raise. If you have ideas, please let us know.

Other

Q. Is there a code of conduct for the event?

A. Yes, we expect all in attendance to treat everyone and everything with respect. See our Code of Conduct page for the full details, and for how to report any incidents.