By Chris Schroder
Having organized two of my high school class reunions this past decade, I’ve been intrigued how some folks find it more comfortable to avoid the past. I nearly stalked some former classmates to urge them to attend, but after they didn’t respond to my series of emails, phone calls, handwritten notes, I finally let them continue in peace.
I suppose those folks would not have enjoyed my 2010. Not only did I attend an all-classes college fraternity reunion in April, a couple of weeks later I retraced my move right after college to a Mississippi River town for a reunion of my first job. Dozens of reporters – including every one from my era – who worked for the Delta Democrat-Times gathered to re-tell stories of covering the civil rights struggles as part of that city’s cultural festival.
In October, an elementary school classmate organized a reunion. Classmates flew in from all over to reminisce how a group of nuns shepherded us through childhood at a Buckhead Catholic school. After decades of not seeing each other, we vowed to get together again soon.
I attended family reunions, roommate reunions – and a few unions. One, my son’s wedding, was foretold in a column in this very newspaper. Readers in 2002 smiled yet were no doubt skeptical when Thomas wrote in Atlanta INtown about a girl he had just met in his sophomore year of high school. “She’s a keeper,” he announced in the paper. Through years of attending different colleges and working in different cities, they persevered. At Thomas and Amanda’s wedding in June, everyone entering the reception signed a framed copy of that prescient 2002 INtown column.
A few weeks ago, Wendy Binns, INtown’s owner, asked if I’d write a few words for this issue – another reunion of sorts – as I used to write a monthly column here in the 1990s. A few months after I started the newspaper in 1994 I hired Ward Binns to be its editor and first employee. Little did I know he was also a salesman. A few years into his tenure I introduced to the staff a bright young college graduate who was starting as a salesperson. Ward ended up selling her: she said yes when he proposed a couple of years later. They just celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary.
I met my lovely wife Jan while working together at the paper. A few weeks ago, I attended another wedding of a couple that met while working at my PR firm.
Seventeen years after its founding, this paper thrives with Wendy’s guidance through tough economic times in a newspaper industry that has been battered by technological and demographic shifts. Wendy says she may host a reunion of this newspaper’s employees soon. I’ll be there, of course and I hope it happens – next year!
Read Chris Schroder’s columns published between 1994-2001 at his blog, Ink By The Barrel, at wwwchrisschroder.com. Schroder is president of Schroder PR, a full service communications firm, and the founder of Atlanta INtown. You can reach him at chris@schroderpr.com.
