With time and experience, most Freddie grads come to appreciate what a blessing it was to grow up in Fredericktown and receive their education in the local school system. These grads want to show their appreciation to the people and environment that made their positive experiences possible.
To show their gratitude, many Freddies decide to team up with their Classmates, on the occasions of their Class Reunions, to do something special by running a “Freddies Helping Freddies” campaign for their Class.
These Class Reunion campaigns typically set their goals on “100% participation” rather than the “donation amount”; usually suggesting an individual gift corresponding to their graduation year-e.g.; $19.61 for the Class of 1961; $19.62 for Class of 1962 and so forth. Larger gifts are encouraged, of course, but the primary goal is maximum teamwork with “100% participation” being the “Holy Grail”.
Classes that run these campaigns are always surprised by the power of their teamwork and the amount they raise. Class members always say, “this is the best thing we have ever done as a class- we totally bonded to our common goal!”.
As more and more Classes began to run campaigns, a scorecard was created to promote communication, generate enthusiasm and establish friendly competition among the Classes. That scorecard became known as the “Class Challenge”.
To date the Class Challenge has resulted in four “Named Scholarships”: Class of 1947; Class of 1958; Class of 1959 and Class of 1961. Not even one of these Classes ever thought their Class would raise more than $10,000 and be able to Name a scholarship.
But just by trying, amazing things began to happen, proving once again the Fredericktown motto “It can be done in a small town”.
Class leaders that decide to run a “Freddies Helping Freddies” campaign as a part of their Class Reunion experience, can count on the Fundraising Committee for information, materials and advice.
