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RP's Linda Hoffman in the Media
Linda Hoffman has been interviewed and quoted in the following media publications — take a look!
Reviews of The Reunion Planner Book
Writer's Digest Review
April, 2004 Issue
11th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards
Evaluation Sheet of The Reunion Planner: The Step-By-Step Guide Designed to Make your Reunion
a Social and Financial Success!
This is an impressive undertaking, on a "hot" topic that should have wide appeal. Overall, the presentation is clear and
attractive. I especially like the cover, where the title "pops"
in bright orange letters. You've also got a couple of nice endorsements
on the back, though the use of white letters for identifying these almost
loses them completely. The use of charts and photos inside is
also quite effective. I like your step-by-step approach and the
way your book applies to a wide variety of reunions, from family to
military.
Your writing is clear and straightforward. It is an overall extremely useful and nicely presented book that should get a lot of sales mileage given the booming interest in reunions.
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Library Journal Review
February 15, 2002 Issue
reviewed by Cheryl La Guardia
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I'm usually skeptical about programs that say they're step-by-step guides to anything, having seen too many resources take quantum leaps between steps and leave you hanging in the void. This package is an exception. Everything you need to put together a successful high school, family, or military reunion is in this book/disc combo.
The book, written by Linda Johnson Hoffman and Neal Barnett, clearly and succinctly outlines a planning time line (what to do a year before the event, nine months before, etc.), how to get organized, checklists and resources (e.g., Find People on the Internet), and invaluable insider tips you might otherwise overlook (fundraising ideas, creating a family history book, applying a theme, etc.). The "Questions for the Catering Manager" section alone is practically worth the price, but there's much more here: tips on negotiating points with reunion locales, detailed budget estimates, illustrations and sample letters, even a section on how to deal with participants' procrastination and indecision. The book will be an ongoing reference source as planning proceeds.
The companion disc is an easy-to-use database management and tracking program with an enormous information storage and reporting capacity. "Easy to use" and "database management program" are usually mutually exclusive terms in my lexicon, but this program is fill-in-the blank easy. The depth and breadth of information the system prompts, organizes, stores, and reports should cover the smallest detail your event is likely to need. Information entries include room for multiple addresses and phone numbers, up to eight guests per person entry, e-mail, table numbers, multiple meal preferences, a full budgeting facility for expenses and revenues, a statistics reporting section, label/name tag/badge printing capabilities, a to-do roster for tracking activities online, and more. Report options include all invitees, those paid, those unpaid, respondents, individuals located/not located, individuals attending/not attending, individuals from out of town, budget data, a to-do report, and items (souvenirs) paid for. You can, of course, connect directly from the disc to the Reunion Planner web site, which is a marketing tie-in but also an expanded resource for updated planning tips with a discussion forum and spotlighted articles on successful reunions.
The Bottom Line: Anyone planning a reunion should get their hands on The Reunion Planner as soon as possible; it will save you enormous amounts of time and effort and ensure a successful event. A wonderful resource, enthusiastically recommended for all library collections and individuals with reunions in mind. Libraries need two copies-one for reference and one to circulate.
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From There to Here
Los Angeles Times, May 26, 2002
Author Unknown
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One familiar element of news reports involving a fatality is the comment by friends or relatives that they were unaware of major aspects of the departed's life. Or what they thought they knew was wrong. Friends of Sgt. Gene Vance Jr., who was recently killed Afghanistan, knew he was strong and vigorous and loved challenges but were surprised to learn he was in the Special Forces, for instance.
Everybody has secrets. But few of us pause to ponder the real message of those puzzled people quoted in the newspaper. We often misjudge others, even some close to us, on incomplete information. At no time is that more apparent than during this annual season of reunions-the school kind, these days, and later in the summer, the family kind.
Reunions aren't for everyone. Many dodge them as useless attempts to recapture youth and stale memories or as unwelcome reminders of unhappy times. Others approach the get-togethers cautiously but curiously, like returning to a childhood home to see how the familiar place and frontyard sapling have weathered the years.
The fifth, 10th and l5th school reunions can be forced affairs with classmates more eager to impress than to learn about others. Later-say, the 30th or 40th-reunions seem more personally revealing about character, the welcome wisdom that comes accidentally with passing time and the inevitable vagaries of accumulating years. Everyone is much older by then-and can't hide it. There's more comfort with who we are and what we have or have not done. The tales of yesteryear are perhaps taller, and fonder. But it's not what you're recounting that matters so much as that you're sharing the story. Alums who once spent four formative years together now share two formulaic days and an unspoken celebration of simply surviving.
These reunions contain several categories of attendees-those who hover vaguely in the shadows of time and strangers who look like aging newcomers. Attending spouses deserve medals for patience. Typically, the class leaders of yore remain the leaders today, but are quieter. The wilder, louder pals from before remain, well, the same, only less so. But the nerds, who weren't called that then, turn out to be awfully good people; in fact, they can be a whole lot more interesting now than the ones who seemed so captivating so long ago. A few classmates are gone; others struggle with health. Silently, class members share duties pushing the wheelchair, making space at the table and wordlessly delaying the class photo till their newly stubborn old friend arranges the blanket over his malfunctioning legs.
Nothing there worthy of Page 1. But not insignificant lessons to acquire on a May weekend, even this long and this far out of the classrooms of youth.
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Spring 2002 Issue
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Reunion book and software revision
3rd Edition of The Reunion Planner Book and Software Version 4
Since 1992, Linda Johnson Hoffman and Neal Barnett, authors of The Reunion Planner book and software, have helped planners with their class, family and military reunions. A revised 3rd edition of the book is available with newly enhanced PC-compatible software, now available on CD.
New features include biography reports, enhanced search capability, enhanced data import and export features, better statistics reporting, new report sort-by capability, completely updated documentation and more. There is also the ability to include up to eight guests per member; up to eight items can be purchased and up to six meal choices per guest can be ordered. Many new name tag formats are also included.
Continued conveniences include data entry information for each guest, including space for three phone numbers and an email address and calculation for estimated and actual budgets. You can generate to-do lists for committee members, and choose from many report options. Book and software, regularly $49.95, are now on sale for $39.95 [ends April 30]; compatible with Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP. Contact Goodman Lauren Publishing, 800-899-6978; www.reunionplanner.com
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Summer 2000 Issue
reviewed by Julie Olson Backus
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The Reunion Planner by Linda Johnson Hoffman and Neal Barnett (1999, 2nd Ed. Goodman Lauren Publishing).
Many enthusiastic individuals have volunteered to assist or spearhead class or family reunions and then realized they had a monster by the tail. The management of database, registrations, and information for a family tree or an updated membership booklet is time consuming and overwhelming if delegated to slips of paper.
The second edition of The Reunion Planner by Linda Hoffman and Neal Barnett is an easy-to-read guide that could make the first reunion a success or an annual event even better. I have been involved in planning family reunions for over 500 people every five years since 1980. If a professional planner is not in your budget or plans, this book can provide tips and strategies for registration, events, and especially time management!
The Reunion Planner is organized by time. It begins with one year, then tasks are outlined for every three months until the day of the reunion. It's filled with checklists and practical tips, including a lengthy list of recommended search websites. Particularly interesting is the site: www.555-1212.com that can even take you backwards from an old phone number.
Obtaining funds, particularly for family reunions, is always a challenge. The book includes a number of unusual tips for raising money including printing advertising business cards from family members in the reunion mailing - it can raise money and provide inexpensive advertising.
If you're organizing a class reunion, this book and CD excel. The sample provided is related to a class reunion and is not set up for a family reunion, however, it can be customized. The CD ROM provides a database that's ready to fill in - addresses, phone, registration, amounts and more. It is easy to use and provides very useful items like nametags and address labels. The book refers to parts of the CD, however, specific references to parts of the CD are needed to make it really useable by the "computer challenged." There are few hints, and no questions and answers section about the software or direct references to the menu of the software in the book. There is a help menu on the CD with lots of background information, but if you cannot get to the program, there is no written documentation to help you.
Finally, the book is fun to read with little tidbits and ideas gathered from "real" reunions that will probably generate more clever ideas designed to get the people there. Isn't that what reunions are all about?
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