Y2K class reconnect for a cause

REUNION

By ZARA KANU LEBO
WHERE friendship knows no distance, we have built a bond forged over 20 years and the relationship from school days is still strong as ever.
The Port Moresby National High School (PomNaths) class of 2000 is one era not to underestimate with because this group has set its sight on its reunion for 2025, exactly 25 years since graduating at the turn of the century year 2000.
As silly as we were intelligent as being from the top school in our era and it still is, we had generation names and even to this day, some of us still don’t know some of the others by their real names (smiling), so this is great because we are re-connecting and putting names to faces again.
We are now surrounded by doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, a judge, members of the disciplinary forces, diplomats, engineers, economists, airline workers, bank officers, journalists, businessmen and women, public servants and private sector workers in various strategic positions.

It was not an easy initiative as most members are located all around the country and a few overseas but we pulled through and we still making things happen. The committees of past and present were part of forming this association and getting things off the ground. All hats off to committee formed in 2020 and the current executives of the PN2000 group.
Working together requires patience, commitment, friendship and sacrifice and despite busy work schedules, we are committed together to ensuring we reach the target to get our silver jubilee reunion off the ground in 2025.
Reunions reinforce our common bonds, regenerate our friendships and reinvigorate our spirits in appreciation of life’s different but parallel journeys.
The PN 2000 alumni is a reflection of our past, a representation of the present and a link to the future. This will be a memorable event where attendees can relive the past by getting nostalgic and reminiscing about the good old days with former class mates.
As media is a powerful tool, this article is intended to highlight the progress in our association meets and fundraisers to show that this committee is serious and with the school slogan ‘to do great things’ we will achieve the purpose of this association and on target.

Background
The Port Moresby National High School Class of 2000 have recently come together to discuss their silver jubilee reunion, following a three-year break. The discussions are centered on the ‘silver jubilee reunion and beyond’, with the ultimate aim to give back to society.
The reunion was initiated by Samantha Aki five years ago and the road to reconnect everyone has not been easy but it did not stop the group from coming together.
The 20th anniversary of the PomNaths class of 2000 was held in 2020 under the leadership and stewardship of then president Gilbert Polum and his dedicated team and the event coordinators. Following the first reunion, the search for school mates continued since December 2023 and the number of the WhatsApp groups has increased from 34 to 134 to date, with 74 being informed from outside the group.

Co-president Samantha Aki
I first posted on the PomNaths 2000 WhatsApp group in December 2023, with about 34 members, my initiative to bring the rest of our class of 2000 friends together to discuss and plan our silver jubilee reunion event, coming up in 2025.
I had been added to the PomNaths 2000 WhatsApp Group by then president of the outgoing committee, Gilbert Polum, in August 2023.
Immediately after I proposed the idea on the WhatsApp group, I reached out to the 27 contacts I had and with each one’s consent I forwarded to the group for admin and then secretary of the outgoing committee to be added to the group. Following that, other members who had been on the group, joined in sharing their contacts as well. In just a few weeks after, the group more than doubled in membership. Everyone was excited to be in contact again after 20 plus years.
By mid-January the group reached 100-plus in memberships and towards the end of February the group reached 150-plus. Some have left the group due to notifications and phone issues, a handful sorted their device issues and reached out so were added back to the group.
There are members who have declined the Invitation to join the WhatsApp group and have requested to be updated separately, 21 in total. Therefore, to date, out of 275 students registered in the year 2000, sadly 13 members have since passed on, leaving 262 members, of which 134 are on the PomNaths 2000 WhatsApp group and 54 are being updated separately. There are a total 134 members who are aware of the upcoming reunion event.
The remaining 74 members we have yet to find and reach out to and I have faith we will find them.
Nominations for a new committee (Silver Jubilee Reunion Committee) began in February of this year and was carried out by the outgoing committee. Unfortunately, only 16 per cent of the total number of members on the group participated.
Therefore, a general meeting was called on Saturday Feb 10. A resolution was reached for nominations to continue for another five days commencing Feb 12-16.
Immediately after announcing the successful nominees, two for each office of the president, vice president, treasurer and secretary, voting immediately followed via an online polling on the WhatsApp group.
Out of the 139 members at that time, 75 participated and the new committee was voted into office with myself Samantha Aki as president, James Ume as vice president, Bagara Peter as the treasurer and Robert Sakumai as secretary.
The newly elected executive committee met soon after and reached a resolution for the president and vice president offices to be done away with and instead both to be addressed as co-presidents or co-chairs.
The other reason being the weight of decision-making and responsibility to be carried on four shoulders instead of two and also, this was how we addressed our student leaders back in school where we had a male and a female as co-presidents.

Treasurer, Bagara Peter
Since the election of the new executive committee in February 2024 and the creation of a fundraising committee, the group has organised four successful fundraising events; a beer dart competition, raw dish kaikai, asausage sizzle and a fundraising dance. The capital for the fundraising events mainly came from membership fee contributions and donations from members and friends of the group. The group hopes to raise over K350,000 for its silver jubilee reunion dinner to be held in 2025 and activities beyond the reunion.
A family day, walkathon and raffle draws are some of the fundraising drives recommended by members which the association will embark on in the coming months.

Secretary, Robert Sakumai
The current committee is dedicated to ensuring that the silver jubilee reunion is achieved and this is reflected through the regular meetings which have been documented each time and conducting our fundraisers thus achieving 100 per cent results.
For the fundraising sub-committee, they were all handpicked for a reason and having the trust and faith this team will push us to achieve our goal to celebrate our reunion of 25 years since graduating from Port Moresby National High school in year 2000. We have so far maintained a clear record of meetings and events by way of minutes and media and we have reiterated time and again to the members that participation and commitment is just as crucial to ensure to keep all members stay intact and in tune with the happenings of the committee.
Fundraisers and administration
The newly elected executive committee, after a few meetings, has published a notice of intention to register an association with the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), opened a postal address and have purchased an address stamp and common seal stamp for the association and is currently in the process of opening a group account.
In addition, the executive committee has put together a fundraising sub-committee consisting of 23 members (including the four executives) and have since organised four successful fundraisers beginning with a beer dart Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser on Feb 23, followed by a raw food hamper fundraiser sale on Apr 27, the sausage sizzle on May 4 and a fundraising dance which was held at the Club Regal on May 11. We managed to get popular local musician Tarvin Toune to perform during the event. The committee is thankful all the PN 2000 Alumni Association members for the immense participation by way of attending fundraisers, personal donations and the support of our families, contacts and the general public through the fundraising drives we have held so far as all proceeds will go towards our anticipated 25 Years Silver Jubilee Reunion Event coming up in 2025.
We also aim to give back to the school that brought us all together and collectively all executives and members views are just as important, as a whole on the Fundraisers carried out, the Meetings held and discussions as well as ideas/ thoughts from individual members & the Aim/ Vision of the PN 2000 Alumni Association, what we plan to achieve at the Silver Jubilee Reunion Event and beyond.

Comments from some members
“Thanks for the solid team work and excellent progress so far with the fundraisings.” – Trevor Andrew Winemalei, Western Australia
“Thank you for the combined efforts of the committee. You are all doing an awesome job.’ – Taiko Kairu, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
“I appreciate all that you (Samantha) and the team are doing for the group.” – Antoinette Alarcos, Port Moresby.