SCRAPBOOK Reunion School

Reunion Planning Workshops are added regularly on the web at www.reunionsmag.com/getting-started/workshops-conferences -seminars/. Don’t miss a workshop near you; check the list online for new offerings and changes.

REUNION WORKSHOP Saturday, June 11, 2022 • Noon Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort 4021 Lakeview Drive, Stone Mountain GA Register: www.discoverdekalb.com/meetings-groups/ Contact: Penny Moore, 770-492-5018

MILITARY REUNION NETWORK FAM - IN PERSON June 20-23, 2022 Louisiana Northshore Website: www.militaryreunionnetwork.com/upcoming-events/ #!event-list Contact: Sharon Danitschek 425-501-1430 | info@militaryreunionnetwork.com

FREE VIRTUAL FAMILY REUNION PLANNING AND LEGACY BUILDING WORKSHOPS JULY 9, 2022 • Noon Attendees will enjoy hearing from industry experts and participate in “live” question and answer sessions. Limited virtual seats are available. To register email: webuildlegacy@gmail.com

MILITARY REUNION NETWORK FAM - IN PERSON July 17-20, 2022 Omaha, Nebraska Website: www.militaryreunionnetwork.com/upcoming-events/ #!event-list Contact: Sharon Danitschek 425-501-1430 | info@militaryreunionnetwork.com

REUNION PARKS TOUR September 10, 2022 • 10 AM-1 PM Ike Owings Community Center, Douglasville, Georgia Website: https://www.douglasvillega.gov Contact: Peyton Powers | 770-947-5920 PowersP@douglasville.gov

MILITARY REUNION NETWORK FAM - IN PERSON September 22-25, 2022 Washington DC Website: www.militaryreunionnetwork.com/upcoming-events/ #!event-list Contact: Sharon Danitschek 425-501-1430 | info@militaryreunionnetwork.com FAMILY REUNION INSTITUTE VIRTUAL FAMILY REUNION PLANNERS WORKSHOP October 08, 2022 • Noon Free, interactive virtual workshop with practical ideas, tools, and resources to assist family reunion planners. Website: www.familyreunioninstitute.net To register, email: admin@familyreunioninstitute.net

REUNION WORKSHOP October 15, 2022 • 10 AM-Noon Preston Ridge Community Center, 3655 Preston Ridge Road Ste 100, Alpharetta, GA Register: www.awesomealpharetta.com/meetings-specialoccasions/reunions-gatherings/family-reunion-workshop/

Virtual family reunion planning workshop

The Family Reunion Institute’s inaugural two-hour virtual family reunion planners workshop was well attended by enthusiastic family reunion planners. Presenters were Institute’s Advisory Board members who have years of family reunion planning experience. Attendees were able to secure practical ideas, tools, and resources

Bill Vargus in the areas of forming a planning committee, fundraising, and technology. Participants developed a list of planning committee positions to be filled and identified potential planning team members. Planners were able to secure a lengthy list of fundraising ideas for their next reunion. They also created a plan for a tech solution that fit their family’s skills and reunion budget. Comments from participants echoed their enthusiasm! Excellent presentation … great information … very helpful. I found today’s workshop insightful, informative, and useful. I am inspired and excited to share this with my family; thank you for this experience today. This was a fantastic presentation.

The Family Reunion Institute’s next free virtual reunion planning workshop is Saturday, October 8, 2022 from noon-2 PM EST. For more information and to register email admin@family reunioninstitute.net. Visit: www.familyreunioninstitute.net A zoom screen from the inaugural workshop. Top row: Suzanne Holloman, Bill Vargus, Sylvia Ford-George; Bottom row: Helen Wilkerson, Dr. Ione Vargus

HOSPITALITY ANSWERMAN

The Site Inspection – an important part of any successful reunion

Q: My sister suggested that she and I go out to look at three or four hotels nearby for our reunion next summer. I think I already know which hotel I want to use (I’m in charge of the reunion). How important is it for me to actually visit the hotel I want to use for our reunion before I sign the contract? Couldn’t I just take a look at the hotel online to get an idea of what it’s like? A:Yes, you could, but you’d still be taking a chance that the hotel is going to be able to meet all your needs, as well as be a place that everyone in your reunion group will enjoy. While there will occasionally be instances where a site inspection isn’t going to be possible, we always encourage planners to conduct an in-person inspection of any hotel or hotels they are thinking of using, before signing a contract.

Here are just a few of the reasons why we think an in-person visit is so important.

There is much about a hotel or a catering facility that you can’t tell from a photo in a brochure or online. For starters, what is the surrounding area like? Is the hotel between a transmission repair shop and a junkyard? Is it easy to get to? Are there places to eat and shop nearby? Is parking easily available? Visiting in person will answer all of these questions; the hotel’s website may not.

Photos can frequently be misleading or omit crucial details. A photo of a meeting room taken from the corner or from a doorway will typically make the room look larger than it actually is. You’ll want to walk into the meeting room(s) that the hotel is recommending for your hospitality suite, your dinner, your talent show, or any of your other functions, and make sure that the room is large enough to comfortably accommodate the number of people you expect.

Walking around the hotel with a sales representative allows you to gauge the level of cleanliness and maintenance that the property receives on a regular basis. Are there tell-tale signs such as torn carpeting, scuffed-up woodwork, or trash scattered in the parking lot? These may be an indication that you need to seek another hotel.

Inspect several guest rooms with the sales representative. Do the rooms smell fresh? Are the rooms clean and in good repair, or are there torn lampshades, stains on the carpeting, dirt or mold in the bathroom, or dust in the corners? All of these are warning signs.

Throughout the hotel, is the staff friendly and do they seem accommodating? At the front desk, are guests checking in and out with ease, or are there long lines? In the hotel’s restaurant, do things seem to be running smoothly, or are there staffing issues, e.g., long lines at the hostess stand and uncleared tables?

And finally, do the sales representative and the other staff members you meet seem genuinely friendly and interested in having your group with them, or are they just going through the motions of showing you their guest rooms and meeting space?

At some point during the site inspection, sit with the sales representative and go through the major points that are important to you. Can they accommodate the special services your group needs, such as early check-ins, connecting rooms, rollaway beds, and/or cribs? What hours is the restaurant open? Which services are complimentary, and which services incur a charge?

What are your banquet and/or your other meal functions likely to cost? Does the hotel offer an adequate number of rooms with two beds? How about handicapped accessible rooms … do you have family members who will require one? Does the hotel have an adequate number of these? If you plan to have a band or a disc jockey, will noise be an issue? You may not successfully negotiate every issue in one sitting, but this will give you a good feeling about how flexible the hotel is able to be, and how eager they are to host your reunion. Putting a checklist together beforehand that lists your most important concerns is always a good idea. By asking the same questions of each hotel you visit, you’ll have an easily organized database of information to compare when you go to make your final hotel selection. I’ve always encouraged planners to take photos during their site inspections; if you’re visiting multiple hotels during a single day or over the course of a weekend, this can be very helpful to you in keeping things organized when you go back to review your notes afterwards. If transportation isn’t an issue, I recommend coming back to the hotel a few days or weeks later and touring the property unannounced. You’ll likely see things you didn’t see on your first visit. Go into the restaurant, order a cup of coffee or a soda, and sit and watch how the other guests are being served. Chat with some of the other guests and ask them how they’re enjoying their stay. And finally, if having a swimming pool available is important to your group, be sure to ask about this. More importantly, will the pool be open and available for your group’s use when your reunion will be taking place? Be aware that many hotels across the country have removed their swimming pools or are making plans to do so. If this is a “must have” item for your group, be sure that this is noted in your contract. By taking time to actually visit the property beforehand, you’ll greatly increase the likelihood of finding a property that is a good fit for you and your family, while avoiding a facility that isn’t going to work well for you. Hope you have a terrific reunion! About the Hospitality Answerman

Dean Miller, national sales director for Visit Fairfax (www.fxva.com), the convention and visitors bureau in Fairfax County, Virginia, is a great friend of reunions. Contact him (703-790-0643; dmiller@fxva.com) when you are planning a reunion in the Washington, DC, area. Fairfax County is nearby, affordable, and conveniently located to all the area has to offer.

???????? What is your question for Dean Miller, Hospitality Answerman? Send to editor@reunionsmag.com

August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month Photo Reminiscence Therapy for family members

Of the 106,000 people in the US who are awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant, roughly 60% are minorities. Following are three reasons why more organ donors of diverse backgrounds are needed.

As part of National Minority Organ Donor Month,

Mayo Clinic experts provide three reasons why getting more people from diverse backgrounds to be organ donors is vital to help save lives. 1.Some racial and ethnic populations are more likely to need a transplant. African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and Native Americans have an increased risk for kidney disease. African Americans are nearly four times more likely to have kidney failure compared to white people according to the National Kidney Foundation. Higher rates of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes in communities of color also can lead to organ failure. 2.The number of people awaiting a lifesaving transplant far exceeds willing donors in the US for people of all backgrounds. Every day, an estimated 17 people in the US die awaiting an organ transplant, according to organdonor.gov. While people of color make up most of the people awaiting an organ transplant in the US, only about 30% of donors come from communities of color. 3.More diversity among organ donors benefits everyone. While organs are not matched based on race and ethnicity, people will generally have a better chance of matching with someone from a similar racial or ethnic background. The reason is that compatible blood types and tissue markers used for making a match are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnic group. As a result, people of color may wait longer for a transplant.

Increasing the diversity of organ donors will help improve access to transplant for people of color. One simple step people can take is to register to be an organ donor.

To register to be an organ donor, visit the Donate Life America website at www.donatelife.net/nmdam/ Dementia Education recognizes that Photo Reminiscence Therapy (pRT) improves the quality of life for those with dementia. Many families facing a member with dementia are always looking for ways to help, even improve the loved one’s life. Families and caregivers can improve the quality of life for those living with dementia or related forms of memory impairment with the healing power of photos. Photo Reminiscence Therapy (pRT) can minimize social isolation and improve medication compliance and general cognitive performance. Videos about the study are available at www.vivid-pix.com/reminisce/.

THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PHOTOS

The pilot group studied the effects between viewing generic stock photos, personal photos, or no photos. Photo types included family, self-portraits, pets, landmarks, newspaper articles, nature, and abstract themes. Aged or faded personal photos were edited using Vivid-Pix technology to digitally enhance and restore images, improving color, contrast, clarity, and overall quality. This allowed photos to be more recognizable and relatable. Vivid-Pix’s knowledge of how people emotionally connect and interact with photos was also essential to the research. “This study highlights the emotional, mental, and physical health benefits that looking at photos provide to the young and young-at-heart alike,” said Rick Voight, CEO of Vivid-Pix.

Visit www.nid.education/nide-publications.html for the complete pRT study.

Looking for ways to pay for your reunion? Consider these ideas!

Make a family cookbook!