Throughout our first year of existence, the Mountain Lakes Alumni Association has made a huge effort to become an active non-profit organization geared towards connecting the town of Mountain Lakes, Mountain Lakes High School, and it’s great alumni. Here are some of the successes we have enjoyed so far:
We began by creating a Board of Trustees and an Advisory Board, both of which are made up of alumni as well as community leaders. As it stands now we have thirteen Advisory Board members, three of which hold seats on the Board of Trustees. Upon the formation of our boards, we filed and were approved for a 501(c) – Tax Exempt Non-Profit application with the IRS. From there, we established an MLAA bank account with a generous start-up donation from Board of Trustees co-chair Jamie Rodgers. And like that, we were up and running!
Based on the advice of our knowledgeable board members, we determined that an online presence and a means of connecting with alumni was the next logical step. We gathered emails and other contact information, and eventually put together a database of over 1700 alumni. Additionally, we created a modern, mobile-friendly website, two unique logos, and a strong social media presence (both a Facebook page and group, LinkedIn networking group, and Instagram page). Since then, we have sent out two newsletters to our alumni database, posted job offers via LinkedIn, and developed a class captain program so that we are able to better communicate with classes as a whole.
Though we are still in our early stages, MLAA has organized some successful events and activities. We hosted the first of many open bar networking events at Fiddlesticks Pub in NYC this past December. We also introduced ourselves to the MLHS seniors when we hosted a career fair at the high school to highlight the many careers and industries Laker Alumni currently work in. Our hope is to make these events bi-annual or annual in the future.
One main focus of the MLAA will always be to give back to both alumni and the community. MLAA Board members have recently spent a day volunteering for the Morris County Habitat for Humanity, which proved to be a fun and rewarding event that will continue in the coming years. Additionally, we have prepared and shipped care packages for college freshman who might appreciate receiving an unexpected gift from home. This too was worthwhile and gratifying, and the start of a tradition that will continue on as we grow.
In conclusion, we are extremely proud of the path we are on as a non-profit organization and have some really big plans for the future. At the moment, our focus is on organizing a successful Alumni/Homecoming Weekend (Oct. 20th – 22nd), where returning alumni will be treated to some fun activities, a real big party, and sentimental memories of our great town.
If you have any questions or comments for the MLAA, please leave a comment below, or contact us here.
