Thursday, August 11, 2022

What I Learned Calling 37 local High Schools

I replied to a request from Olivia's HS youth pastor. Who wouldn't offer to make a few phone calls? We belong to a church of several thousand people, of course there will multiple people offer to help. RIGHT??? To be honest, I didn't even entertain the thought I would be THE ONLY volunteer.

Well, I was!

Omaha isn't that big. How many high schools could we really have? We have 37. Ok, so that won't take too long to make 37 phone calls, right? This week I called all the high schools to obtain permission to use their school logo and request a vector file of that logo. This is all about helping kids find other students from their school at this event. That's it, nothing more.

I did what any rational person would do...I started with a spreadsheet. I love spreadsheets! They make me happy. They are orderly. It's a tidy list with space to make notes, check off items, highlight items and easily editable. Spreadsheets are my friend! :)

So here's the deal. You have to...

- look up the number and call each school

- look up the AD (activities director) and their email

- hopefully talk to the AD but probably leave a voice mail or message with the administrative assistant

- send an email to the AD (usually the AD, maybe the comm team or administration office)

- wait for a response

- download the file, half of them are not the format I asked for but I will take them anyway

- contact the church comm team. "what do I do with these vector files?"

- realize I use to have Dropbox and now how do I find that username and password

- upload to Dropbox

- figure out how to use dropbox

- keep track who I called and emailed, who gave permission, who sent the file

This took exceptionally longer than I anticipated. As of tonight, I still have 8 more schools to contact. Of the 28 schools I have reached, only 17 have sent files. 

These high schools are all so different. 

SIZE: The big public schools are about 2500 students. The small public schools are about 700-800. And the parochial schools range from class A 2500 students down to class C 300 students. 

AUTHORITY: Some secretaries have the authority to send what I need. Some ADs have the authority. And then some of the schools I had to speak with someone at the district office. Some acted like they had no idea where to even find a file of the school logo while others offered 3 different versions. 

WEBSITES: And then there's the websites. Holy Buckets! Some schools have a horrific web presence. Finding information on staff was like pulling teeth while others I could simply google school name and athletic director and everything I ever needed was right in there in black and white.

PERMISSION: Almost every person I have spoken to has been super helpful and excited that our church is doing a citywide gathering for youth. Only Bell East, so far, was concerned about the unintended endorsement they would be giving by allowing us to use their logo. Funny thing is the other school in that district, Bell West, had no problem giving us permission. And our largest district in town, Omaha Public Schools just doesn't have the time to respond to me. 

This has been interesting, kind of fun but much more involved than I expected. 

One more side note: several ADs asked me if I was related to Chris Raabe. Gosh, my husband is famous. 

(a post that is of very little significance to anyone but what I have been up to this week)

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Twenty-Third Annual Raabe Reunion

 
Here's the group, missing Ang & John

The Chris Raabe looks forward to this time of summer every year. We are blessed to have a family who we not only love but enjoy. 23 years ago when this all began, none of Chris' cousins were married and Emma was the only great grandchild of Warren Raabe, there were 15 of us. Our group has grown to 31 fun loving, loud, generous, some times controversial, game playing, pizza eating, story telling, Husker loving (except the Iowa bunch) family members. It's awesome!

 
"Like branches on a tree, our lives may grow in different directions yet our roots remain one"


Our weekend began at our house with cornhole, firepit and smores.
Joe wowed us all with his chalk art

See...we like to eat. :)
HyVee breakfast is about the only place all 30+ of us can sit together.

My favorite people!!!
After breakfast we headed north of town about 30 miles to a beautiful little farm with a barn built just for gatherings, space for bocce, a gorgeous pool, fire pit and lots of seating. Tom and Patty who don't even know most of us were fantastic hosts. 



The cousins
missing Angie and Lisa
These 7 cousins grew up together. The stories they tell about sleepovers at "The Place", taking baths together, going to church, grandma cooking whatever they killed on the farm and fishing with grandpa are the best!

This family takes bocce pretty serious
A couple years ago Paul and I won. I thought I had a good chance at a run for gold because I was matched up with Paul's son. We should have won but didn't even come close. HA  In 2022 Emma and Amy take home prize of "Bragging rights for a year"


Nat, Liv and Taylor

Our youngest with Kelly's youngest
Olivia and Selah


Our family reunions have taken us to KC, Lewis & Clark State Park,  Platt River State Park, Honey Creek Resort, Some farm in Iowa, Ponca State Park and now Omaha for the second year. With growing families and lives getting busier it's been a greater challenge to find a time when everyone can attend. I love these people and hope we can keep it going for years to come.