Family Reunions Coast to Coast Social Networking NBA & ABA Legends Cavaliers in Tacoma VOL 19 NO 3 FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 2009 Display until April 30, 2009.
$3/USA
in this issue DEPARTMENTS FRONT WORDS – 4 ALUM & I – 6
February/March/April 2009 Volume 19 • Number 3 PUBLISHER / EDITOR IN CHIEF
Edith Wagner TRAVEL EDITOR
Jacky Runice
High School Reunion. a poem by Sandy Stert Benjamin An enduring reunion at 60 by Bill Williams Charitable reunions, yearbook tracks class of 1969, class finds time capsule
SCRAPBOOK – 12
ART DIRECTOR
Jennifer Rueth SALES
Marion Liston Senior Account Manager
Reunion School Louisville reunion services, Niagara Homecoming,
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Reunion Beer and reunions of NBA and ABA legends, gangs, old timers,
Karla Lavin
railroaders, civil rights marchers, clowns, orphans, beach bums
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
BRANCH OFFICE – 16
Andrew Bordeaux Nicole Dettermering Ksioszk
Celebrating family traditions with Meg Cox Other families visit roots, genealogy resources
SPECIAL DISTRIBUTION
Thelma Jones
MASTERPLAN – 18
CONTRIBUTORS
Miramontes meeting by Terri Guerrero
LaVonne Allen • Sandy Stert Benjamin Meg Cox • Lloyd Dean LaShawna Fitzpatrick-Hughes Ryan Guerrero • Terri Guerrero Monica Guidry • Ralph Hall Sally Hickey • Carole Neal Lorraine Orton • Forestine Rose Shandi Stevenson • Bill Williams
Keeping up with the Gordashians by Monica Guidry Neal family enjoys Bay area by Carole Neal Gamble family celebrates by LaShawna Fitzpatrick-Hughes Biltmore welcomes Langhoff family by Sally Hickey Once in a lifetime: planning a “special occasion” reunion by Shandi Stevenson Other families: Allen, Reich – Prince George’s County Family Reunion Sweepstakes winners
REUNION FEATURES – 26 Meet where the river bends … in Chattanooga by Edith Wagner Do social networking sites affect reunions?
MILITARY REUNION NEWS – 31 Cavaliers in Tacoma by Ralph Hall Women Aviators final reunion Women’s Relief Corps, USS Texas, Keep the Spirit of ’45 alive, Bataan soldier honored
REUNION RESOURCES – 34 A directory of reunion-friendly places, services, vendors and products.
ON THE COVER Laila Muhammad, Hydeia Muhammad, Glenda Key, LaShawna Fitzpatrick-Hughes, the author and reunion coordinator, Risa Roberson, and Danielle Key in the front row at the Gamble Family Reunion. See page 20.
REUNIONS MAGAZINE, INC. (ISSN #1046-5s235), is published 4 times per year. Send correspondence, queries, submissions, subscriptions, advertising to REUNIONS MAGAZINE, PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211-0727. Written permission from the publisher is required for reproduction of any part of this book except pages which encourage sharing. Please explain your intended use when requesting permission to reprint. Email: editor@reunionsmag.com or fax 414263-6331. Tear sheets of reviews and reprints required. REUNIONS MAGAZINE, INC., will not be liable for information presented as facts contained in any of our advertising, byline stories or materials. We reserve the right to edit and/or refuse any material submitted for publication. We solicit participation and take responsibility for submitted materials. Unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE), submissions and photos will not be returned. All materials sent for purposes of publication become property of REUNIONS MAGAZINE, INC. Subscriptions: US and Canada $9.99/yr, $17.99/2 yrs. Foreign orders add $36 for subscriptions. All foreign payment in US funds or drawn on a US bank. Back issues available for $3 each plus s/h. Payment must accompany requests for subscriptions, back issues or other items for sale. Advertising rate information available from REUNIONS MAGAZINE, INC., PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211-0727; 414-263-4567; fax 414-2636331; e-mail editor@reunionsmag.com; reunionsmag.com. © 2009 REUNIONS MAGAZINE, INC. F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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FRONT WORDS
Be in touch! HOW IS THE ECONOMY AFFECTING YOUR REUNION?
Mail to R EUNIONS MAGAZINE PO Box 11727 Milwaukee WI 53211-0727
hat’s the question we asked, and SPRING IS WORKSHOP TIME For charge orders hundreds of readers responded. Sign up for a reunion workshop now. See call 800-373-7933 or More than 92% confirmed that offerings on pages 12 & 13. Well worth your visit www.reunionsmag.com reunions are important or essential. time to learn ways to plan, develop and or fax it to 414-263-6331. That is good news for reunions and for the execute a successful reunion. Check often businesses who serve them. However, most online, where we update workshop information Or best of all, e-mail reunions are rethinking what they do and as we receive it. If you find nothing in your editor@reunionsmag.com. how they do it in order to keep costs down area, ask the convention and visitors bureau when they’re doing a workshop. and attendance up, but almost none would I look forward to workshops too. I will be at Lake consider canceling. County, Illinois, and Fairfax, Virginia, events; details on If you’d like to add your voice to this survey, page 12. I’ll be at Fairfax County’s Family Reunion email editor@reunionsmag.com and we’ll send a Workshops February 21st. For more information, contact link for you to participate. The reward is a free Dean Miller at 703-752-9509. Lake County’s workshop subscription to Reunions magazine. March 26-28th is three days of exploring. touring and To do our part we are stepping up our search for learning how your reunion can enjoy Lake County. To freebies, sweepstakes and workshops and adding them learn more, contact Kimberly Ghys at 800-LAKE-NOW at reunionsmag.com as soon as we find anything. (525-3669) or kimberly@lakecounty.org. Space is limited.
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BUT THE ECONOMY IS AFFECTING US
We are, regrettably, forced to be a quarterly book until more advertisers choose our pages again. Subscriptions will be fulfilled. YOU’RE IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT
Reunions are not going away during this economic downturn; in fact, facilities, vendors and services are more eager than ever to find you. We urge you to contact our advertising partners in this issue as well as online (where you can click directly to their sites for lots more information). Also imagine hotels bidding for your reunion in a reverse auction! It’s pretty simple at reunionsmag.hotelplanner.com. You tell them what you want, then review their bids for your reunion. Listen to a new podcast (at reunionsmag.com) about reverse auction sites and how to get a hotel that works for your reunion. Also learn how convention and visitors bureaus can help your reunion. Sign up and get new podcasts automatically. THERE’S A NEW WORKBOOK AND THIS IS A NEW PLANNING YEAR!
Have you received your 9th edition Reunions Workbook? If not, order one today … online (reunionsmag.com) or call (800373-7933, ext 4); just $10 or free with subscriptions ($9.99). It will keep you on track and answer questions you’ve not even thought to ask.
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ANNOUNCE YOUR REUNION
Is your upcoming reunion listed at reunionsmag.com? Email your reunion name, date, place and contact information to editor@reunionsmag.com. We’ll notify you when your reunion announcement is online. YOUR REUNION OUGHTA BE IN PICTURES
Add your reunion picture to Reunions Picture Gallery. Requirements at reunionsmag.com and it’s free. We look forward to seeing you soon. APOLOGIA … BIG TIME!
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa Now, you know it’s bad. Our last issue (Nov/Dec/Jan 2009) included an article by Bettse Folsom. She has contributed before to Reunions magazine, so we’re not strangers. But we (I) murdered the spelling of her name in not one, but TWO places. In fact, the spelling was different in both and did not even approximate the right name. How these things happen is incomprehensible when you figure we read and proofread every word of this magazine at least six times by a total of four people. But, hey! It happens and we have already apologized to Bettse and hope she forgives. AND NOW TO MY REUNION!
Yes, my family enjoyed a reunion in September at the Garris Family Reunion cabin at the YMCA of the Rockies (ymcarockies.com), Estes Park, Colorado. Mention of this will sneak into many future passages but for now, suffice it to say, this was a magnificent setting at an amazing location that I would recommend to anyone considering reunion plans in Colorado. EW
F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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ALUM & I
An enduring reunion at 60 This report from frequent contributor Bill Williams, Hampton, Virginia, is about the recent 60th reunion of the Warren G. Harding High School Class of 1948, Warren, Ohio.
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here were 84 classmates present, which is quite good for our class of 368 as we have lost 145. We can still account for all 368 of us but it is more difficult each time, as people move in with a son/daughter or into an assisted living/retirement community and are no longer listed. In my remarks I included the need to notify the reunion committee. I suggested that they incorporate a codicil into their will that informs us upon their demise. This actually worked this year when someone died and the reunion announcement was returned but her estate lawyer also notified us. I took a gift to the hometown committee. Many groups, when faced with the “last” reunion, buy an expensive bottle of wine/champagne/moonshine and the last one standing is to open that bottle and give a toast to those who have gone on before. I took in a bottle of RC
there was more reaching out and the current session said they heard from animated conversation. With spouses we Ed and they hadn’t really known him, had 125 total. Our surviving pool is but which made their signatures all the more 223, so 37% is good. We had 54% at our meaningful. An Eagle Club member, Bill 50-year reunion. Kalvesmaki, has Parkinson’s and I I took along five cards to send to provided the main points of a classmates not able to attend, including conversation we had two weeks ago – he two for seriously ill classmates. Each folder included a greeting card and two sheets of paper for signatures. About 60 signed them. Success from the 50th and 55th reunions says they are totally unexpected and genuinely appreciated. Ed Manley, who died in 2000, got one from the 50 year reunion and called to tell me how Co-chair of the Reunion Planning Committee, Lou Sullivan with author Bill Williams much it meant to him. and Jack “Jocko” England. Williams is giving England a replacement yearbook he found in mint condition.
At the Saturday evening dinner event. Seated, left to right, Bill Manofsky, David Hirsch and his wife, Rose; Standing on left, Don Wright and Ausmer “Aus” Tuttle. Close friends for many years.
cola with a Moon Pie (appropriate for someone with 30 years at NASA) in a nice gift bag. The 60-year reunion went extremely well. I sense classmates realized this group will never be assembled again and 6
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He pulled out his yearbook, looked up the photo of every signee; then wrote notes if he knew them or had classes with them. This became his way to reminisce about the Harding years, which is what we all do at the reunion itself. Several at
and I were drafted together in 1952 and I call him each year on that date. Three cards were to classmates who lost spouses who were also classmates. I enclosed the new 60-year booklet with current names/addresses and phone numbers with the cards. I took along 20 photos of what I call my “MemoraBILLia” collection (seven grade school class photos, four junior high and some high school musicals/a capella and school patrol group from a grade school w/rain slickers and hoods). I knew our hometown “gatekeeper” was going to get a beautiful plaque for her years of dedication; I helped prepare the wording. But I was most surprised to also get a plaque as an “associate” member of the planning committee. A friend and I got take-out meals from the infamous West Side Hot Dog Shoppe for lunch with a classmate who was not able to come to our reunion as he is on oxygen and tires easily. So we took our reunion to him.
free Free podcasts: New how-to plan a reunion. Listen online or upload to your iPod or mp3 player!
Free reunion timetable: Just starting a reunion or need a list to guide you? Print a timetable from reunionsmag.com; go to choosing a date. Now annotated and linked to more information.
Free reunion chatter: Join Reunions forum anytime, 24/7: forums.reunionsmag.com.
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free
Free contests and sweepstakes: Check contests and sweepstakes online at reunionsmag.com. New ones added all the time.
Take advantage of workshops; listings updated regularly.
Email your upcoming reunion info (reunion name, date, place and contact information) to editor@reunionsmag.com.
Free issue of Reunions magazine. Request at reunionsmag.com. Free picture gallery online: Is Or your reunion picture in the Free subscription for participation gallery? If not, it's free. Email in surveys. Sign up to answer klavin@reunionsmag.com or mail questions about your reunion. to Reunions magazine, PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211. Free monthly email newsletter: News, contests and sweepstakes, reunion-planning reminders. Email Free publicity for your reunion: request to editor@reunionsmag.com. Media opportunities for reunions
Free reunion evaluation form.
Free workshops:
Free reunion listings online:
Learn more at reunionsmag.com, "wrapping up your reunion."
we know. Email details to editor@reunionsmag.com or mail to Reunions magazine, PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211.
Lots more freebies at reunionsmag.com, click on free stuff. F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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ALUM & I CHARITABLE REUNIONS
East Syracuse Class of 1958 donates tree Trees serve as ast Syracuse (New York) High School been so much fun and so rewarding,” one ‘living memorial’ EClass of 1958 celebrated its 50th committee member said. “So many reunion and planted a red maple tree on the grounds of the former high school, now known as East Syracuse Elementary School. The tree will be large enough in a few years to provide shade for the children. The class dedicated the tree to the “students, faculty and staff of the original East Syracuse High School throughout the years.” An 11-person committee began planning about 18 months ahead. “It has
friendships have been rekindled and memories of past events talked about.” The small class, comprised of approximately 70 students at graduation, gathered for an informal evening Friday, followed by dinner on Saturday and a picnic on Sunday. For many who attended, it was the first time in 50 years they had seen each other. From a story by Tami S. Zimmerman in Eagle Newspapers, Syracuse, New York.
A classy act of kindness
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oey Merrion has multiple sclerosis, a disease that stops people from moving. He can walk with a cane but needs a wheelchair, which he owns but can’t get outside his home without a ramp. His limited mobility kept him from attending his 25th Hernando High School Class of 1983 reunion. When his classmates learned this, a dozen members of the class – from as far as Texas and Ohio – reunited a second weekend to help build a wheelchair ramp into Merrion’s modest mobile home in Brooksville, Florida. “We wanted to eliminate any excuses that keep him from getting out of the house and help him back into the land of the living,” said Chip Palko, a former
football teammate who drove from San Angelo, Texas. The original plans called for a ramp, but once classmates started, they kept going. They installed hallway and bathroom handrails, along with a more accessible toilet. Money and supplies were donated by classmates and community members who saw Merrion’s story in the Hernando Times. Merrion said he won’t forget his classmates now. “I’m going to be riding on that ramp for the rest of my life,” he said. “And every time I ride it, I’m going to be thinking of them.” From a story by John Frank on Tampabay.com, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Another reunion gives back
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ast Dubuque Illinois High School classes that graduated prior to 1968 plan a scholarship and donation of two flag poles for baseball and softball fields.
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Adding to the generous offer, the American Legion donated two flags to fly atop the new flag poles. From the East Dubuque Register, East Dubuque, Illinois
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former kindergarten teacher’s memory will live on with the help of a tree formation behind Crestwood Elementary School in Cresco, Iowa, where kids can play, adults can walk and the community as a whole can remember Sandy Mikkelson, a Crestwood Elementary School teacher for 30 years who died from breast cancer in 1996. The unique construction involves a couple dozen trees planted in a circle around a round concrete patio. Each tree’s branches interweave with the branches of the other trees to form a canopy overhead. The trees will continue to grow and intertwine with each other on the top and sides of the concrete patio, creating a fully enclosed space in the future. Sandy taught kindergarten and first grade at Crestwood. She graduated from Cresco High School and lived in Cresco her whole life. Jahn Stopperan, Lakeville, Minnesota, Sandy’s brother, researched how to graft trees and make a frame to form the trees into a hut shape. After receiving support from Crestwood High School and the Howard-Winneshiek School Board to place the structure on school property, he contacted local residents willing to help with planning and construction. Prairie Cascade trees were ideal because of their fast growth rate, and although they grow straight when they are young, they are still able to be grafted. A year after the trees were planted, the Stopperan family completed the project and during a family reunion held a formal ceremony dedicating the memorial to Sandy. From a story by Sara Daehn in the Cresco Times-Plain Dealer, Cresco, Iowa.
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ALUM & I
Reunion poetry? P
oetry in Reunions magazine is meant to entertain and to share. We rarely use poetry unless we find something that is universal and unless we are given permission to offer it to all reunions to reprint or read during reunion programs. The following by Sandy Stert Benjamin for her 40th class reunion is just such a poem. Sandy has given permission for you to use this poem in your newsletter, on your website or at your reunion. However, you must give proper credit and be willing to send copies for the poet to Reunions magazine, PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211 or editor@reunionsmag.com. Credit as follows: With permission from Sandy Stert Benjamin, originally printed in Reunions magazine.
High School Reunion by Sandy Stert Benjamin What happened to those handsome guys with washboard abs and muscled thighs? Those youthful, energetic teens with roaming hands and urgent jeans? And all the girls with tiny waists, some were loose and others chaste? We had that storied teenaged glow the world was there for us to know. Now everybody looks the same we’re age-enhanced and lost our game. The boys who had the perfect bods are doughy or as thin as rods.
Yearbook tracks Class of 1969
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very five years Mark Warns brings the same yearbook with a blue and green cover to the reunion of the Chippewa Falls Senior High School class of 1969. His classmates usually cringe while looking at their high school photos, wondering why they wore their hair as long as they did and how anybody talked them into wearing those now awful-looking clothes. Then they sign Warns’ copy of the Monicle yearbook, as they have done every five years for nearly 40 years. Warns can track how his classmates have fared simply by opening his yearbook and reading what they had to say, though
they tend to say less as years progress. One entry in the half-inch thick yearbook is special to Warns. It is signed by Evelyn Voegli. “We did have our good times in study hall 106,” she wrote in 1969. They married in 1974. For the class reunion in 1999 she wrote, “Well, after 30 years, it’s still interesting.” “In high school, we think what we think,” Warns said. “But we didn’t know what we know.” From a story by Rod Stetzer in the Chippewa Herald, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
Class goes back in time after finding time capsule
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n 1984, a Santa Fe (Texas) Junior High School science class filled a time capsule with artifacts, artwork and videotaped interviews. The recovered contents were presented 24 years later, at the class of 1988’s 20-year reunion. When the district expanded the old junior high, there were rumors that new construction sealed the time capsule under a cement slab forever … the capsule became mythical and forever lost. Class member Doug Graham, a US Navy serviceman, was present when the time capsule was buried (he wasn’t able to attend the reunion) and drew a map to the buried treasure. Another class member rented a backhoe and retrieved
it. The time capsule was cracked and flooded with water. Reunion organizers salvaged cartoons by Ricky Cagnoletti. There was also a jelly shoe, and a video restoration service rescued one of two videotapes. They watched the tapes from Mrs. Lee’s junior high science class full of big hair, owl-like glasses and young faces. Roxanne showed us a jelly pen bracelet and Tommy demonstrated how Apple IIE computers used 5 1/4-inch disks. Each student, in procession, walked on-screen and told about themselves and what they wanted to be when they grew up. From a story by Todd Elliott in the Daily News, Galveston County, Texas.
Those who had the thickest hair now boast a strand, just here and there. The pretty girls, once shaped like 8 don’t have the curves to celebrate.
Postcards that make your reunion point!
It seems the older we become we’re less unique and all just one. Recalling life when it was fun, stick a fork in us – I think we’re done!
e sav the e dat
Send
Send
save the date
TIME IS RUNNING OUT
when you’ve set it!
when it is!
Custom Printing – $45 p/hundred; 50¢ each, Fill-in cards $15 p/hundred; 20¢ each; plus s/h: 100-200 cards – $5, over 200 – $10.
PO BOX 335428 NORTH LAS VEGAS NV 89033 800-654-2776 • reunions.com narm@reunions.com 10
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Send message, check & request to: REUNION POSTCARDS PO Box 11727 O Milwaukee WI 53211-0727 To charge, call 800-373-7933.
SCRAPBOOK
Louisville adds reunion services All take place on Saturdays unless otherwise noted. All prefer or require advance reservations. Most are free or at a nominal cost. For more information call or visit reunionsmag.com. LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY
February 7, 2009 May 16, 2009 August 15, 2009 November 14, 2009 “From Our Family to Yours” family reunion workshop series; all 9 to 11 AM. Reservations required. Free to anyone planning a family reunion in Louisville; seating limited to two guests per reunion. Contact Keri Willard, Louisville CVB, at kwillard@gotolouisville.com or 502-560-1487. FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA
February 21, 2009 Meet Reunions Magazine editor, Edith Wagner Contact Dean Miller, VisitFairfax, 703-752-9509. ATLANTA’S COBB COUNTY
February 28, 2009 Reservations required. Contact Kathy Buske at 678-303-2624 or kbuske@cobbcvb.com. ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Contact Nina House, Small Meetings, Atlanta CVB, 233 Peachtree Street, NE, Ste. 100, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-521-6640; nhouse@atlanta.net; www.atlantareunions.com NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA
Friday-Sunday, March 13-15, 2009 The 3rd Annual Military Reunion Planner Familiarization (FAM) Tour. Complimentary accommodations. Contact Cheryl Morales at 888-493-7386; cmorales@nngov.com. LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Thursday-Saturday, March 26-28, 2009 Workshop experience includes educational sessions, exhibition from local hotels and venues, tours and idea sharing. Meet Reunions magazine editor, Edith Wagner. Contact Kimberly Ghys 800-Lake-Now; www.lakecountyreunions.com. DETROIT, MICHIGAN
March 28, 2009 September and October 2009 Register online at visitdetroit.com or 313-202-1985. Contact Nikki Donald at 313-202-1972; ndonald@visitdetroit.com. FLINT, MICHIGAN
March 28, 2009 • Stonegate Banquet Center Contact Renee Cobb, 316 Water St, Flint MI 48502; 888-230-2586; rcobb@flint.travel. 12
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he Louisville (Kentucky) Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) released its “How to” Planning Guide for Family Reunions & Gatherings in Louisville. This 48page kit includes a two-year, step-by-step planning guide, timetable, sample itineraries, sample worksheets and forms and other useful tips. There are suggestions and tips for everyone, from someone who plans all of their family’s reunions to the first time planner. Family reunion planning assistance includes sending “leads” to local hotels, one Louisville souvenir per attendee, and access to the Louisville CVB’s Family Reunion Service Specialists. The Louisville CVB is also offering a free quarterly family reunion workshop series presented by the CVB’s Family Reunion Service Specialists and a “meet and greet” with hospitality industry reunion partners. To download a “How to” guide, visit www.gotolouisville.com.
Gang members hold reunion
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orty years ago, a gathering of the Earls, Lords TK, Scotties, Little Cobras and other rival gangs got police attention in New Britain, Connecticut. But the once-surly teens are now in their late 50s, 60s and 70s and are friends. So the 10th annual reunion of aging gang alumni is a social event, not a police incident. “Our slogan is ‘leave your chains and bring your canes,’” said former TK member Gary Chute Sr., a retired New Britain detective who has helped organize the event for years. But the years are cutting into the ranks; 14 died since last year’s reunion. From a story by Bill Leukhardt in The Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut.
17th National Family Reunion Conference 2010 T
he Family Reunion Institute of Temple University and Portfolio Associates, Inc., is preparing for a 2010 National Family Reunion Conference in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the premiere national meeting for family reunion organizers from all over the country. Care to join us? Want to learn more and be listed to receive conference updates? Go to workshops, conferences and seminars at www.reunionsmag.com to complete a survey in anticipation of the conference. Or for information, contact Sylvia Ford-George, Portfolio Associates, Inc, 215-627-3660, fax 215-6271944; sfordgeorge@portfolioassociates.net; www.portfolioassociates.net.
Niagara Homecoming
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everal summers ago, an event in Niagara Falls, New York, was sponsored in part by members of the Alabama Social Club. A group of families, including the Hales, Millers and Harrises got together for a backyard party to celebrate their Niagara roots. More than 200 people from all over the country, representing just about every culture, race and religion, showed up for the party. Some had not seen one another for 30 years or more. Like many of us who have traveled or lived for any period of time outside our hometowns have discovered, there is no place like home, according to Bill Bradberry in the Niagara Gazette. Niagara Rises encourages local tourism development and promotes efforts to help develop tourism assets that might lead visitors to come to Niagara Falls and stay longer. Then there is the Buffalo Homecoming 2009 that celebrates this increasingly vibrant city, next on June 2528, 2009. The sense of community alone is worth the visit. Even those who have lived in Buffalo all their lives find much to discover and enjoy during the Homecoming.
Old Timers Reunion does well in 45th year
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he Bradford County Old Timers Association 45th Annual Reunion in East Smithfield, Pennsylvania, included tractor pulls, wagon rides, antique cars, antique dealers and homemade ice cream. They also had an old sawmill for spectators. One big draw is old engines, many of which were “dug out of hedge rows” and restored, including one engine from 1903. Most of the antiques ranged from the late 1800s to about the 1960s. “Preservation and restoration of past history” is the reason president Jason Chandler gave for holding the reunion every year. From a story by Chris Manning in the Towanda Daily Review, Towanda, Pennsylvania.
All take place on Saturdays unless otherwise noted. All prefer or require advance reservations. Most are free or at a nominal cost. For more information call or visit reunionsmag.com. GWINNETT COUNTY, GEORGIA
Friday, April 10, 2009 • Hyatt Place, Duluth Friday, July 10, 2009 • The Lodge at Simpsonwood, Norcross Friday, October 9, 2009 • Jillian’s at Discover Mills, Lawrenceville ABCs of Planning a Family Reunion. Complimentary lunch, Family Reunion Planning Guide. Reservations only, no walk-ins. Contact Linda Busby, GCTS, Gwinnett CVB Education Specialist, 888-494-6638; lbusby@gcvb.org ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA
April 25, 2009 • Hyatt Place, North Point Parkway Plan the ultimate family reunion in awesome Alpharetta. To reserve your spot, call Alpharetta CVB, toll free 877-202-5961, Carol Gryson, carol@awesomealpharetta.com KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA
Autumn 2009 CVB Reunion Familiarization Tour for military, family, class and retiree association reunion planners. Accommodations, meals, seminars, mini-trade show, site inspections and transportation complimentary for first attendee. Places limited; first come-first served. Contact Sara Melendez-Davis at 800-831-1844, ext 42446; smelendez@floridakiss.com. Call for dates DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA
Bring Your Family Home to DeKalb! Contact DeKalb County CVB at 800-999-6055 or 770-492-5000 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
Contact Sheila Nickelson, Meet Minneapolis, at 800-445-7412; www.minneapolis.org/reunions. Space is limited.
Memories of struggle
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eterans of the historic Mississippi “Freedom Summers” of the early 1960s gathered for their fourth Sunflower County Civil Rights Reunion in Indianola, Mississippi. Their hair now turning gray, most alumni were teenagers when they answered the call. They put their very lives on the line to face what became the most brutal legal and extra-legal resistance to Black advancement in the 20th Century. The sacrifices paid off for some of the veterans, as well as for the state and nation as a whole, participants said. One of the movement veterans is now a retired judge; others became doctors and attorneys, as well as elected officials. From a story by Askia Muhammad on FinalCall.com, Chicago, Illinois
SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA
Contact Suzanne Manfredi, Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau, 629 Spring St, Shreveport LA 71101; 318-222-9391; smanfredi@sbctb.org. BRANSON, MISSOURI
Military Reunion Planners Conference hosted by the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau. Register at www.explorebranson.com ESTES PARK, COLORADO
Family Reunion University • YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park Center Contact Conference Office at 800-777-9622 WINTER PARK, COLORADO
Family Reunion University • YMCA of the Rockies, Snow Mountain Ranch Contact Conference Office at 800-777-9622 F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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SCRAPBOOK
NBA & ABA Legends reunion extravaganza
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NBA Legends Buck Williams (NBRPA President) and Albert King
hey recalled old basketball war stories, played golf and participated in the group’s “Project Smile” community initiative with the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Nearly 200 basketball greats met in Puerto Rico for the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) Legends Reunion. Moses Malone, Rick Barry, Chuck Person, Micheal Ray Richardson and many more basketball greats transcending all eras of the game gathered to catch up with former teammates and network. The Legends Reunion culminated with the Association’s “Project Smile,” a year-round program that aims to boost spirits, bring hope and deliver smiles to men, women and children worldwide. In partnership with the Starkey Hearing Foundation and hosted by Chrysler, the NBRPA provided 250 hard of hearing and underprivileged Puerto Rican kids with hearing aids. The Legends also distributed Webster’s Spanish/English Dictionaries to the children, courtesy of Federal Street Press, a division of Merriam-Webster. Buck Williams, NBRPA President, described the Legends Reunion as bringing the family of former basketball players together in a unique brotherhood that shares “a love for the game that impacted each of us tremendously.” Visit www.legendsofbasketball.com.
Rick Barry and Micheal Ray Richardson
Company reunion of friends
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eba Hollingsworth met Betty Faircloth 41 years ago when both were hired to work in the Rohm & Haas textile plant lab. Over the next three decades, the people who worked at the plant grew into a 40hour-a-week family away from home. The plant opened in 1967 and provided work for 2,750 people. It changed hands and names six or seven times, but many employees remained in their jobs. In 2003, the plant closed for good. At Paradise Acres in Gray’s Creek, North Carolina, 300 former plant employees spent an afternoon catching up at what seemed more like a family reunion than a company picnic. The only strangers were the caterers. Entertainment included a bluegrass band. “We lost our jobs,” one said, “but we didn’t lose our friends.” From a story by John Ramsey on FayObserver.com, Fayetteville, North Carolina
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Hall of Famer Earl “The Pearl” Monroe
Robert Reid and Marques Johnson All Photos By: Dexter Jones
Reunion Beer…a memorial
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alling it a beer for hope and in honor of the passing of a long-time friend, SBS Imports of Seattle, Washington, offered its specially crafted Reunion Beer ™. Reunion Beer is the inspiration and collaboration of Alan Shapiro, president of SBS Imports, Pete Slosberg, creator of Pete’s Wicked Ale, and Virginia MacLean, longtime friend and colleague, as a way to raise awareness of and donations for the Institute of Myeloma and Bone Cancer Research (IMBCR). They met during the early days of Pete’s Brewing Company. Virginia passed away from the disease four months after the initial release of Reunion Beer. “Reunion ’09 will again celebrate the life and cause of our departed friend,” said Alan. “Virginia wanted to continue the mission of bringing hope to others with the Reunion project.” All proceeds are donated to IMBCR. To date almost $100,000 has been raised. Retail availability, distribution and a list of partner pubs and restaurants featuring Reunion ’09 on draft will be available at www.reunionbeer.com.
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Craddocks visit ‘roots’ or 30 years, the Craddock family has held a reunion in Kansas City and researched their roots back to the days of slavery in America. Fifteen descendants of Edward and Ophelia Craddock of Saline County visited Marshall, Missouri, on a reunion daytrip from Kansas City. They visited the Marshall Public Library Genealogy Room, Fairview Cemetery, Mount Olive Cemetery and the site where Edward and Ophelia’s house once stood. They were given a tour of the Saline County Courthouse, where Ed Craddock Jr. was custodian for over 50 years. At the courthouse there was a chance meeting with Howard and Reta Murray of Aurora, Colorado, who were there to share information about their ancestor, Temple Murray. In conversations the families discovered a possible connection, though more research would be needed to verify it. During the visit to Marshall, George Lee Craddock, Fort Washington, Maryland, presented a plaque of appreciation to the Marshall Public Library Genealogy Division on behalf of the Craddock family. As far as they know, there are no relatives still living in Saline County, but anyone with information about the family may contact the Marshall Public Library Genealogy Room, 660-886-3391; genealogy@marshallpublib.org. From a story by Jacob Hatfield in The Marshall Democrat-News, Marshall, Missouri.
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Celebrating family traditions M
eg Cox, author of The Book of New Family Traditions, offers a teacher’s manual for those who want to teach groups and families how to create rituals and celebrations. The manual gives detailed instructions and suggestions for a traditions workshop that covers why it’s so important for families to develop good traditions, and includes several ritualcreation exercises and a craft. This is a great new idea for reunions that include workshops in their program. Rather than print the manual and shipping it, Meg is making it available electronically. She said, “I don’t want to spend my time doing shipping and billing, but I do want to make this material widely available and affordable.”
She asks you to contact to request the manual at meg@megcox.com. Include the nature of the workshop you’re planning and who is running it. She will email the manual to you. Once she emails the text, she asks you to sign a contract saying you will respect her copyright, and that you’ll send a modest check of whatever amount you deem appropriate in compensation for the materials. You can print it out (25 pages) and order additional handouts listed in the manual. Also check out Meg’s The Heart of a Family: Searching America for New Traditions That Fulfill Us by Meg Cox, Random House, 1998. Visit www.megcox.com.
GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY RESOURCES ccording to genealogist Tina A Sansone, The Brigham Young University (BYU) Family History/Genealogy Resources webpage (www.lib.byu.edu/fslab) is a great source for genealogy information. These are other helpful genealogy websites: www.FamilySearch.org www.CyndisList.com www.Genealogy.org www.Genealogy.com www.HeritageQuestOnline.com www.Ancestry.com 16
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See you there!
A Day at the Meader Family Reunion riter Rusty Goe’s The Mint on Carson Street and a new book about Carson City, Nevada, Mint superintendent James Crawford (James Crawford: Master of the Mint at Carson City) led to connections. A distant descendant of James Crawford invited Goe to attend a reunion in Carson City for the Meder family, whose ancestors Goe described in her book. Reunion organizer Jane Meader (alternate spelling) Nye, from east-central New York, thought Goe might enjoy the gathering, whose express purpose was to nostalgically link themselves to their ancestral past. David Bugli, computer programmer by day, Carson City Symphony Orchestra conductor by night, and passionate Meder family researcher always, was the morning speaker. The Meaders could not have asked for a better introduction to their 19th century Nevada kin. After lunch, David herded Meaderfamily day-trippers onto Carson City’s historic main street for a narrated tour through the downtown area. A group photo
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on the Capitol Building steps preceded a viewing of memorable exhibits inside. Then they left the Capitol and followed David across the main street to the west side of historic Carson City and toured many houses once occupied by members of the Meder family. They toured St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, a 140-plusyear-old house of worship. And from there they headed toward the old mint building (now the Nevada State Museum). Many also visited history-rich Lone Mountain Cemetery to see Meder family gravestones. They discovered that this local clan reserved more plots for its deceased than any other family. The evening ended with the Meader Family Association’s traditional limerick contest, arousing the lighthearted poetic spirit. The judge faced a tough challenge, but eventually selected the winning limerick, whose author received a small figurine. From a NewsReleaseWire.com release by Rusty Goe, Reno, Nevada.
Key to family’s past oy Robinson lives in a Brewster, Massachusetts, historic sea captain’s house, which many people drive by and admire. Solomon Freeman, a sea captain and farmer who owned the house before he died in 1877, was a great-greatgrandfather of Averill Keith, Snoqualmie, Washington (who identifies Solomon as “my grandfather’s grandfather”). Robinson invited Keith in, for his first visit to the home of his ancestor. Keith said his daughter’s curiosity after years of hearing about Captain Freeman led to a reunion. Nearly 60 Freeman descendants got their own tour of the house during a Keith Family Reunion under a rain-
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drenched tent in Robinson’s side yard. The Robinsons are only the fourth owners of the house since the original Freeman family. Over the years, Robinson found numerous treasures in the walls and attic. Two weathered but still readable circa 1825 cloth-backed maps, one of the Mediterranean Sea and the other of the North Atlantic were tucked away. Several wooden navigation tools (compass, barometer and parallel) also were found, as well as a wooden tube full of long iron needles used to sew heavy canvas sails. From a story by Robin Lord in the Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Massachusetts
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Keeping up with the Gordashians
Miramontes meeting
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onica Guidry described the Gordon family as having character and personality. Their reunion in Houston, Texas, was an unforgettable experience with fun, history and cherished memories. The planning committee expected members and friends to leave the event with a new sense of pride in the legacy of Lonnie and Clydie Gordon, who were parents of 16 (“Sweet 16”) children, 38 grandchildren and, to date, 34 greatgrandchildren. Their legacy lives on. Family always was revered in the Gordon household. Lonnie and Clydie have passed on, and the unexpected loss of two of the “Sweet 16” created the urgency for a reunion. The reunion also celebrated Clydie’s side of the family, the Duculluses, who came from across the nation with great excitement and anticipation. At a Thursday Meet & Greet, attendees picked up visitors’ information, t-shirts, name tags and family history packets. Friday afternoon there was a genealogy workshop and health clinic that highlighted diseases prone to appear in the Gordon family. At the evening banquet, a seven-minute mini-documentary told how Clydie and Lonnie migrated from Louisiana to Houston, Texas. Family elders received awards, and a quasi-Fais Do-Do (Cajun dance party) commemorated the family’s Louisiana beginnings before they danced the night away with the help of a DJ. At the picnic at Regal Ranch in Stafford, Texas (about 30 minutes from downtown Houston), they enjoyed good Texas barbecue, pony rides, face painting, clowns, volleyball, football, basketball and tug-ofwar. Most important, they continue to love and cherish the legacy of Family. Reported by Monica Guidry, Houston, Texas.
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obert Miramontes (83), Danville, California, and Steven Lopez (6 months), Longmont, Colorado, were the oldest and youngest of 123 people at the Guerrero, Miramontes, and Trevino Family Reunion in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Family history was presented by Sara Miramontes de Trujillo, Fernando Viera and Robert Miramontes. The Miramontes family migrated from Mexico in 1916 through Laredo, Texas, and settled in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. In 1924 Domingo Miramontes and wife Jovita began a home mission that became the First Mexican Baptist Church associated with the American Baptist Convention. The family enjoyed a July 4th picnic. They visited ancestors’ graves where stories were told at each grave site. The following day, they enjoyed a wonderful catered dinner and dance with more stories and a special poem by Ryan Guerrero. Everyone who attended wrote their names on a “family tablecloth” given away in a drawing. The person who received the tablecloth must bring it to the next reunion to display. Reported by Terri Guerrero, Glendale, Arizona.
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by Ryan Guerrero Not enough hours in the day, we often say we watch as the business of life allows time slip away. Before we know days turn to months and months into years, Time is mapped with laughter and cheers, the long road sometimes landmarked with sadness and tears. Elders pass and children grow, has it been that long we ask, where does the time go? Not every chance to gather is taken. “We’ll see them next time” we say and hope we’re not mistaken. A chance like now comes once in a lifetime it seems, when the bright light of family is nurtured and beams, there will be laughter and time to reminisce we will all be proud this is a chance we did not miss.
Neal family enjoys Bay area by Carole Neal
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escendants and extended family of the late Ollie (Ward) and Eleazer L. Neal, Sr., of Winnsboro, Louisiana, gathered in San Francisco, California, for the Neal Family Reunion. The theme was “Honoring and Preserving the Neal Family Legacy.” Eleazer and Ollie had seven children, and all seven branches were represented. Family members came from 14 states and many cities in the Bay Area. This was the first time the reunion was held in San Francisco, though four of the Neal brothers migrated from Winnsboro to San Francisco beginning in 1944. All four were employees of and retired from the City and County of San Francisco. All four of the San Francisco Neal families lived in the Bayview District – within walking distance of one another. The Neal brothers’ service to the city was recognized in a letter of welcome from Supervisor Sophie Maxwell and through the Certificate of Honor issued by the Board of Supervisors. These documents, along with letters of welcome from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mayor Gavin Newsom, were on display during the Welcome Reception/Meet and Greet and are part of the keepsake reunion booklet
Learning the Cupid Shuffle at the Neal Family Reunion.
Approximately 200 attended the three-day reunion. A prereunion worship service was held Thursday evening at the Logos Christian Fellowship Church in San Jose, California, where Rev. Isaac Neal is the pastor. Friday included a morning Welcome Reception/Meet and Greet, where members received goody bags that included a copy of the reunion booklet, family directory, t-shirts and, for members who ordered it, a DVD of the 1988 Neal Reunion. Louis Neal made two family tree wall charts that were on display where people could mark where they fit into the family. Afternoon was “on your own” at Pier 39 and the Fisherman’s Wharf area. At the evening banquet, Kenneth Blackson, Jr., was Master of Ceremonies for a program that included recitation of the Family Reunion Pledge and
Neal family grand and great grandchildren
singing of the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” At a special candlelight memorial tribute to family members who have passed on, young family members served as candle lighters. There was also special recognition and acknowledgement of young family achievers, presentation of a special family Photo Essay produced by Makailah Perkins and brief family history presentations. After the reunion, another younger cousin took the initiative to develop a website (www.nealfolks.com) where family members could upload photos, and videos are available for sharing. On Saturday, everyone enjoyed a day-long picnic at Emerald Glen Park in Dublin, California. On the ride to the picnic, members were treated to sightseeing, Neal Family style. They drove through the community where the Neals resided, pointing out places of interest such as the streets where the families lived, the church some attended, businesses they patronized (barber and beauty shops), and recreational sites frequented by family members. Crossing the Bay Bridge, they could see more of the Bay Area and other landmarks. At the picnic, activities included a playground and inflatable jump house for the young ones, and basketball, volleyball, skateboarding and board games for all age groups. Sunday’s activities included worship at the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, where the pastor is Rev. Emmett Neal, Sr. Following church, they gathered in the social hall for a farewell dinner. The reunion was captured on videotape, which will provide family members many years of fond memories and happy recollections. Most of the feedback lauds this as the best reunion so far.
About the author Carole Neal, Castro Valley, California, is the Neal Family Reunion Coordinator and family historian, She has been researching her family history since 1997 and is a member of a number of genealogical societies. She has presented Family Reunion Planning programs for her local genealogy society and has published several articles on family history research in genealogy journals. F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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Gamble family
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hanks to hard work and dedication our family has huge turnouts: 140 for our third and most recent reunion in Cleveland, Ohio. I am one of the younger family members and it was important to me to initiate the family reunion to get in touch with my roots and build relationships and bonds with my family. Until the family reunion, the only time I saw most of my relatives was at funerals and it was important to Uncle Joseph at 2006 reunion in Mobile, Alabama; now 103. me that we get together under happier circumstances. Our family is rooted in history. We are descendants of Anna Gamble, who was a slave, and her slave owner’s son, William Saffold, of Selma, Alabama. Although it was unheard of at the time, Anna and William lived together as husband and wife with their children in Orrville, Alabama. Two of their children, Margaret and Joseph, age 103 are still alive. We honored them at the 2006 family reunion in Mobile, Alabama, where they live. A family member researched county records and gave a detailed family history. My family has a great time at our reunions. Young and older members all together let loose and have fun. During the banquet, we have fashion and talent shows which older
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One happy reunion leader – LaShawna Fitzpatrick-Hughes!
members really get a kick out of. Then, we dance the night away. It’s amazing to see everyone, old and young, on the dance floor showing off their moves. This year we had a red carpet to honor family member and Academy Award nominee Terrance Howard. We wanted to give the family an opportunity to see what it’s like to be a star! Each year I try to outdo the last reunion with activities for everyone. Aunt Margaret earlier, is an elder The family today at 103. really enjoys getting together under positive and fun circumstances. The most rewarding moment for me was when Aunt Margaret, Anna Gamble’s only living daughter, called me up to tell me how proud she was of me; she said that she was so inspired that someone young would take the initiative to start a family reunion. That was a great moment for me because I realized that I was starting a tradition in our family that we did not have before and one day my descendants would be talking about my contribution to the family. It made me proud! Reported by LaShawna Fitzpatrick-Hughes, Gamble Reunion Chairperson, Encino, California.
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Biltmore welcomes Langhoff family by Sally Hickey
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n 1976, the Langhoff family celebrated our country’s 200th birthday at the Atlantic shore in Beach Haven, New Jersey. Thirty-one years later, a daughter-in-law, Jennifer, and a niece, Sara B., decided to do it again. This time in the winding, lush, tree-covered Smoky Mountains on Lake Lure, above Ashville, North Carolina, we rejoiced in Uncle Steve’s recent recovery from leukemia. It was anything but a quiet mountain retreat. The piece-de-resistance was the elegance and grandeur of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Built gradually by George Vanderbilt, it became the largest home in America. Its vast gardens complemented the architecture (but August in the hot clime was not optimum flower time). Those who were children at the 1976 reunion are parents now, hailing from four states, and their parents are grandparents. Our matriarch, probably enjoying from above, was a solo grandparent in 1976; now there are seven grandparents. At Beach Haven 18 grandchildren traveled the bridge from the mainland to the Atlantic island; a third of their children, 13 parents, brought 20 of their children from seven states, including two newborns, one of whom was three weeks old, just off a respirator. At the first reunion, an obviously in-the-limelight foursome of preteen girls – Sara B., Mary, Sara H. and Dempsey – formed immediately. This time it was Emily, Leah, Erin and Lizzie. No one remembered where the 10- to 12-year-old boys were all that week: Anthony, Joseph, Peter, and Steve H.– now parents – confessed to having been led by their slightly older cousins, Mike and Steve B. Our present five- to nine-year-olds camped out in the basement mini-golf room of the big house named “Duffers’ Delight.” They started the golf balls rolling at 7 AM and, like the older boys before them, weren’t much more visible. Tennis was the sport at Beach Haven; this time golf was the sport du-jour. The four or eightsomes mixed ages – from the nine-year-old and teenage high school team player, to Uncle Steve, now a grandfather. Two dads climbed Chimney Rock. Preteen girls and younger sibs braved horseback riding led by Grandmother Bitty up and down steep, slippery, “horsestumbling” mountain paths – not for the faint-hearted. Two resort swimming pool races were won in the under-6 years and the other over-65s. No one was excluded from an activity, and a volunteer babysitter was always available when a parent wanted to participate in a sport, luxuriate in a massage or play Pied Piper to the rest of the kids. If there’s an order of succession of matriarchs, it must be the now-Grandmother Susie, who planned the Beach Haven reunion. She planted the seed that continues to grow. Maine, possibly Vermont, have been cited for another reunion. The smaller Beach Haven reunion of just three generations was 100% attended. The Smoky Mountain get-together was planned just a few months before the August date; the other twothirds were not present because the less-than-a-year advance planning conflicted with other commitments, travel expenses, too short a time to save the where-with-all and births of new babies.
Www.Rumblingbald.com* was useful in choosing housing, reserving golf tee times, fees, coupons and activities such as the children’s day camp. Planned-ahead resort dinners, found on the website, were attended by the group, except the first night welcome meal in Duffers’ Delight coordinated by planner Jennifer, with delicious contributions from everyone. Barriers were lowered and cousins acquainted or reacquainted. On the second night, at a dinner in a private room of the Lake Lure Inn (found on the North Carolina Tourist website), situated in an historic hotel, the children proved themselves well able to be together at a table on their own. Rumbling Bald’s roast beef buffet on the third night reached the apex while staying within a reasonable price range. The resort’s pool picnic was a suitable climax. Within a week and a half after the Smokys get-together, plans for Reunion No. 3 were riding the internet. We regretted all who were not able to attend, but with advance planning I wager they will be at the next one. Jennifer and Sara felt fewer planners best. With a small amount of input they chose the date and place with the most appeal, driving accessibility, near a major airport. Different families of cousins lodged together – a good mix up. Days were not over-planned and sufficient choices were allowed for all. These were our challenges: 1. We underestimated large activity bookings, such as the horseback ride. 2. Driving was necessary everywhere, but don’t arrive at the base of the Smoky Mountains after dark. 3. Due to steep, curving mountain terrain, hiking and biking were not possible. 4. There was no indoor pool, nor a city nearby with entertainment, if it had rained.
About the author Sally Hickey, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is second daughter in the original Langhoff family and mother of the six Hickeys. Their next reunion in 2009, will be in Charleston Beach, South Carolina, to welcome nephew, LtCol Anthony Herlihy and family, upon retirement from the US Marine Corps, Camp Pendleton, California. Hickey has just published Alex, prequel to Empty Shoes from Trebleheart Books.
* Reunions magazine recommends that you check Reunion Resources at reunionsmag.com and a reverse auction at reunionmag.hotelplanner.com 22
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F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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Once in a lifetime: planning a “special occasion” reunion Shandi Stevenson
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here is no better excuse for a reunion than a milestone such as an important wedding anniversary or birthday. And there’s no better way to celebrate a milestone than with a reunion of family or special friends. A “special occasion” reunion can be the best gift your guest of honor will receive, and also an unforgettable time of warmth, togetherness and fun, fun, fun for the whole group. A special occasion reunion has a guest of honor, but it can be more work (and more fun!) than a party, because it’s also designed as an enjoyable group activity for everyone who attends. What are some occasions to consider celebrating with a special occasion reunion? Some families assemble for reunions to celebrate wedding anniversaries. For some, a day or weekend of laid-back catching up with close family can be a far more memorable way of celebrating than a formal party or a cruise. In one case, that first get-together spawned an annual reunion of children and grandchildren. When the first of my ten very close cousins was expecting her first child, we celebrated with a very unconventional baby shower for the prospective parents. A milestone birthday is another excellent candidate for a “reunion” celebration. My grandfather’s 80th birthday provided the excuse for one of the most relaxed and enjoyable get-togethers my family ever shared. A family of five adult siblings I know, who live in five different states, has a pact to meet and celebrate on each of their 50th birthdays. My great-uncle’s surprise 90th birthday celebration brought the family he loved so much together from all over the US. Graduations, new jobs, moves, important achievements – they can all be the perfect reason to celebrate with family or a special group of friends. In an increasingly hectic world, the gift of taking time and making travel arrangements to be together can be the most priceless way to show your honoree how loved and valued he or she is. HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?
First, decide whether you want your special occasion reunion to be a surprise or would your guest of honor rather be in on the planning and able to look forward to the event as it comes together? If you decide a surprise is a good idea, there are basically two choices. You can let your honoree know that a reunion will be happening, but keep it a surprise that it will be in his honor. Or tell your guest of honor you’re planning a special party, but let her be astonished when people she thought were far away show up I’ve tried both approaches for events I’ve helped plan, and both can be great fun. My grandfather knew the family would be gathering to celebrate his 80th birthday with a cookout, but had no idea we had all been working on a video in honor of his birthday. On the other hand, when my dad was turning 50, we told him we wanted to take him to the park to picnic and play Frisbee, but managed to keep it a total secret that his friends and family from all over the southeast would there to surprise him. If you do decide that at least part of your event should be a surprise, keeping the secret while getting so many people organized may be the biggest challenge you face! I’ve found that simply telling guests the date and what each should bring (while emphasizing the need for secrecy) works better than 24
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letting too many people in on all the details. Work on a “needto-know” basis, to minimize the chance that someone will accidentally spill the beans! Having one centralized source of information, rather than using the usually convenient family grapevine, also helps when you’re trying to keep something hush-hush. Don’t ask cousin Joe to pass the word to his three siblings and two grown children; instead, take the time to call, write or email everyone yourself, stressing that the event is a surprise, and provide your personal email account or cell phone as the way to RSVP or ask questions. FOCUS ON THE HONOREE
Planning a special occasion reunion requires double duty: Planning the “special event” activities that focus on the person or event you’re celebrating, and taking into account all the standard logistics of a reunion. I find it helpful, in the early stages of planning, to keep two completely separate to-do lists – one for the special party or activity and one for the nuts and bolts of gathering, feeding and entertaining a crowd of people. It’s like planning one ordinary group reunion and one surprise party. For the organizer, they only come together at the last minute. It can be daunting to devise activities that will both honor your special guest and be practical and enjoyable for the crowd of different ages and interests you’ll be expecting, but with a little creativity and the courage to think outside the box, it can be great fun. Try dividing the day or weekend you’re planning into separate time slots – time for people to do whatever they usually enjoy at family get-togethers, and a smaller amount of time to focus on the special occasion. At my grandfather’s 80th birthday celebration, we spent the afternoon swimming and boating as we always do. Only after dinner, when he thought things were winding down, did we surprise Grandpa with the “movie” we had made in honor of his special day. Or be adventurous and put a new spin on a traditional theme to combine your special celebration with a reunion-style activity that’s fun for everyone. Our whole family of four generations gamely joined in an “Ugliest Name” contest at my cousin’s baby shower, and emptied their pockets of change to bet on the baby’s birth date. Even the men donned pink bows everyone wore, encouraged by the fact that the parents-to-be looked even sillier in crowns of pink ribbon. Everyone cheered and laughed as we voted which soon-to-be-parent gave the best performance of Dr. Seuss’s “Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?” The theme of a special occasion reunion is that a group of people are giving the gifts of their time and their presence to show how much they value the guest(s) of honor, and to say thank you for the role that person plays in creating the warmth and closeness they all enjoy. So it’s especially important to find ways to include everyone in planning and celebration. Delegate roles to showcase each person’s unique contributions and talents. All my first cousins participated in the special movie we made for Grandpa’s 80th. We reminisced about our memories of Grandpa, what we appreciated about him, and swapped funny stories and impersonations. Some enjoyed dressing up in Grandpa’s clothes and performing an imitation of him. Others, who were camera shy, felt more comfortable participating in an on-camera group discussion and contributing childhood photos to include in the finished
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production. Someone who works a hectic schedule or drives a long distance may be making the biggest contribution of all, even though someone who lives in the neighborhood or enjoys more spare time is happy to bring refreshments or to run a few more errands. Someone who’s talented at writing or drawing or music or photography or computers may take a starring role in pulling together a written tribute, a special scrapbook or a DVD, while others feel more comfortable and contribute just as much by setting up chairs and tables, or making a last-minute run to the store. Do all you can to avoid hurt feelings or leaving people out by soliciting feedback before you get started. A special occasion reunion, by definition, is offered both by and for the whole group, so begin by finding out whether others are as excited about the idea as you, then encourage people to share and contribute their own ideas – and use them. Try to make sure everyone enjoys at least part of the schedule you plan. And don’t do everything yourself, even if you could. Give other people the chance to contribute. Finally, be sure to say thank you for all the help and ideas you do get!
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he Allen Family Reunion met in Williamsburg, Virginia, kicking off with a meet-and-greet on Friday. On Saturday a dinner and program included awards, door prizes and certificates. They were entertained by Sylvia Tabb Lee, 18th century historical interpeter and storyteller, and Jesse and Craige Powers of the Jazz Masters
Band. On Sunday they worshiped at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Lanexa, New Kent County, where Susan Allen (born in 1827) is buried; her son Fleming Christain Allen was one of five deacons who established the Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1880. Reported by LaVonne Allen, Lanexa, Virginia.
BE ORGANIZED … BE FLEXIBLE
The most important thing to remember in planning a special occasion reunion is to be super-organized beforehand, and super-flexible on the day itself! The more you take care of ahead of time in the way of scheduling, cooking, delegating and planning, the more you, your guest of honor and everyone else will be able to relax and enjoy the day. A special occasion reunion involves the unpredictability and last-minute changes that are part of every large group activity! Once the celebration gets under way, try to go with the flow and be as adaptable as you can. The special occasion reunion celebrates family and friendships and fun people have together, while focusing on one person or event that contributes to that special connection. As long as that’s happening, your event will be a spectacular success.
About the author Shandi Stevenson is a freelance writer and tutor. She lives, writes and plans reunions in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Her insightful reports have appeared before in Reunions magazine.
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endie Reich, Laurel, Maryland, was the grand prize winner of Prince George’s County Family Reunion Sweepstakes, sponsored by the Prince George’s County Conference and Visitor’s Bureau. Kendie, husband Kevin, their four children and family members and close friends celebrated a family reunion 25th wedding anniversary. The Sweepstakes event is working to strengthen families and foster pride in Prince George’s county, its communities and businesses. An evening reception and pizza party kicked off three days of activities. A genealogy workshop was presented by Nathania Branch-Miles and a cruise around the Potomac aboard the Seadog presented a unique and seldom-seen view of the historic landmarks and sites that dot the river’s edge. County Executive Jack Johnson honored the family during the 25th wedding anniversary celebration. F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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VENUES & PLACES
Meet where the river bends by Edith Wagner
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eunions are a clear and present specialty in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Any family, military or other reunion group would do well to avail themselves of Chattanooga’s warm and welcoming attitude and myriad ways to help. The location of this “Great City by Nature” is important to all things Chattanooga, with the Tennessee River central to all that goes on in and around the city – and the focus of many activities you may plan while you’re there. As a family reunion destination, Chattanooga is jam-packed with exciting things to do for each generation or the entire group. Following her recent Willis Family Reunion, Sue Sisson wrote that guests new to Chattanooga were amazed at the variety of activities available; likewise, guests who were familiar with the city but had not been to Chattanooga in recent years were stunned by the transformation of downtown, especially along the river.
Other unique area attractions are Ruby Falls (rubyfalls.com) and the Incline Railway, which will make you appreciate the wonders of engineering! These attractions, like some in the city of Chattanooga, offer special rates for those who buy tickets to all three attractions, and all of them offer group rates. Plan ahead. GRANDPAS LOVE TRAINS
Rock City marked the 70th anniversary of the first appearance of barns as advertising icons. Today, fewer than 100 remain out of a rural network that once numbered nearly 900 in 19 states.
Family members of a certain age will well remember, starting in the 1930s, those ubiquitous signs on barns (throughout the midwest) to visit Rock City, Georgia (seerockcity.com). Here is your chance and you will not be disappointed. Rock City is a beautiful area of well-developed paths through lovely gardens tucked among rocks and overlooks of breathtaking scenery – including the famous one where, on a clear day, you can see seven states. 26
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Train enthusiasts will find many highlights in Chattanooga. In fact these are great ways for grandpas to share their love of trains with grandchildren while parents are off doing other things! First, consider staying at the Holiday Inn Chattanooga Choo Choo (choochoo.com) in one of their Victorian sleeper cars. Yes! sleeping on the train. At the Choo Choo, you’ll want to visit the Model Railroad Museum where grandpa can really regale the little ones with a replica of one of his favorite toys (or fondest wishes as a kid). Then, for a taste of the real thing, you’ll want to take a ride on the Tennessee Valley Railroad’s steam engine train. Your trip will take you
through Tennessee’s scenic back-country. You’ll also learn about Chattanooga’s transportation history while looking at restored rail cars at the railroad museum (tvrail.com). Finally, ride the Incline Railway, known as the world’s steepest passenger railway; a short trip from the top of Lookout Mountain culminates in spectacular panoramic views of the valley (ridetheincline.com). Then, maybe those grandpas and kids will be having so much fun that they should just go on to the fantastic hands-on experience at the Creative Discovery Museum (cdmfun.com), a very engaging children’s museum: water play, a dinosaur dig, crafts, multi-sensory exhibits … lots of play, laughter and smiles! Also plan some time at the Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park (www.Chattanooga. gov/PRAC/30_zoo.htm). The newly renovated zoo features animals from Latin America, Asia, North America and Africa, including red pandas, snow leopards and spider monkeys. SURROUNDED BY HISTORY
The history buffs in your group will love visiting the nation’s first and largest military park, as well as the African American History Museum & Bessie Smith Hall, the Regional History Museum, and the world’s only tow truck museum! Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (nps.gov/chch) commemorates the Civil War campaign for Chattanooga in 1863. The park includes significant sites like Chickamauga Battlefield, Point Park and Lookout Mountain Battlefield. Bart Scalzi of USS Marias Navy reunion declared Chattanooga “a fine military reunion city. A pleasant, friendly city and people.” … AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Outdoor adventurers whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River, hang gliding above the city at Lookout Mountain Flight Park, kayak through downtown Chattanooga on the Tennessee River, bike along the River Walk from the downtown
The Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) offers perfect solutions and easy ways to manage your next reunion. First there is Christina Petro, who devotes her time and energy to making sure reunions have all the attention and service she can provide to ensure that your reunion celebrates happily in Chattanooga. Call the CVB (800-322-3344) or complete a request form online at chattanoogafun.com.
riverfront to Tennessee River Park, a 10-mile pathway that offers bikers a variety of scenic views. There’s also hiking, rock climbing and rappelling. A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT
To see Ruby Falls requires a guided walk of about one mile round-trip through a cave (not exactly spelunking), for which you must cast aside your claustrophobia. The goal of your hike, below Lookout Mountain, is a magic 146-foot underground waterfall.
Reunion planners receive the CVB’s thick Family Reunion Guide, filled with lots of helpful information and suggested itineraries. Included is a form for providing information about the number of hotel rooms you’ll need and other special requests. When the CVB receives this information, they know how to help you plan your best, most memorable family reunion ever. They circulate requests-for-proposals (RFPs) to accommodation providers and plan site visits to hotels (you pay for transportation). For your invitations or pre-reunion mailings you can request enticement brochures (coupons and information are available on their website). They can provide planning suggestions and help with local vendors for t-shirts or other services. For reunion days they’ll provide plastic welcome bags, visitors’ guides, shuttle maps, discount coupon booklets free and moon pies at cost. They maintain constant contact with you through the reunion to make sure everything is going smoothly. They’re always available during business hours to answer questions. In fact, these folks do such a great job that after your reunion they’ll ask for an evaluation to learn how they can improve. Tarina Mabry-Orr of the Orr Family Reunion wrote: “Everything was great! The CVB returned calls and emails in a timely manner and provided useful maps and program booklets. Chattanooga was a wonderful city; there is so much to do and see. We were able to stay under budget thanks to the great pricing.”
nders rent Sa rt by B cover a t le k o Bo
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Water is an overarching presence and theme of Chattanooga. Many attractions are on or near the Tennessee River (makes walking to destinations convenient) and water is at the center of life. In summer, concerts and festivals are on the river. Bike paths skirt the river. Uniquely, when the Walnut Street Bridge crossing the river was closed to traffic, it was converted to a walking bridge from which views up and down the river are spectacular. Or you can take a leisurely ride aboard the Southern Belle Riverboat (chattanoogariverboat.com). I am an aquarium fan and Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium (tnaqua.org), the world’s largest freshwater aquarium, on the Tennessee River, is a destination! Towering over the river, topped by its impressive flying fins you can see from forever, the Tennessee Aquarium is a must for all visitors … and clearly a favorite of residents, particularly children. The collection of sea horses and wonderfully frisky penguins,
for example, can amuse and delight even the crankiest among us. The Aquarium’s self-guided tour follows the path of a tiny raindrop from an Appalachian Mountain forest to a colorful coral reef in the blue depths of the Gulf of Mexico. And now the Aquarium takes you out of the confines of the building aboard the River Gorge Explorer, to the heart of “Tennessee’s Grand Canyon,” an unspoiled stretch of the Tennessee River. The Explorer, a high-speed catamaran which operates four times daily, is the first of its kind to cruise on an inland waterway in North America. An Aquarium naturalist points out native plants and animals and discusses the rich history of the Gorge, emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts. continued F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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VENUES & PLACES
Meet where the river bends
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Tennessee Aquarium’s River Gorge Explorer.
DOWN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
When I visit reunion cities, I love to learn about distinctive neighborhoods that follow the history of the city. Chattanooga has one such very distinctive area called Bluff View Art District located on the bluffs above the Tennessee River. A century ago it was where Chattanoogans wanted to live, but it fell into disrepair over time until the imaginative and generous Dr. Charles and Mary Portera envisioned its restoration. They bought and renovated properties into a thriving art district of restaurants, gardens, museums, cafés, galleries and the impressive River Gallery Sculpture Garden. Bluff View Inn’s C.G. Martin House, T.C. Thompson House and Maclellan House offer memorable accommodations for a small family or weekend girlfriends’ getaway reunion. Bluff View is adjacent to the recently renovated and expanded Hunter Museum of American Art, showcasing an impressive collection from the colonial period to present. And all within easy walking distance of many other attractions. GOING ‘ROUND AND ‘ROUND
There are two very special carousels in Chattanooga worth visiting and riding for the young and young at heart. The endangered animals carousel is at the zoo and the other is in Coolidge Park. The animals for both were created and carved at Horsin’ Around Carousel Carving School (horsin-around.net) in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. It is the only carousel carving school in the US. Founder Bud Ellis trains students from 28
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TASTY CHATTANOOGA
Chattanooga Choo-Choo’s Station House is where singing for your supper takes on a whole new meaning as “singing servers” provide live entertainment. One moment your waiter is serving you, and then you see him on stage belting out a rock and roll or country tune. The Grandview at Rock City, a stately English Tudor mansion with a magnificent view, is available for reunion events, with gourmet catering services. Other area restaurants worth considering are Niko’s Southside Grille, Sticky Fingers for barbecue, the Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar and, right on the Riverwalk, the Blue Plate, home of elegant comfort food. around the country in the art of carving. He welcomes visitors and, I can promise, this is a fascinating place to meet people dedicated to preserving a very special art. No matter what your idea of fun is, there’s something in Chattanooga for everyone! Visit chattanoogafun.com for a complete list of attractions, restaurants, hotels, and events.
About the author Edith Wagner is publisher and editor of Reunions magazine. She travels to reunion cities and areas all over the country and says she is always pleasantly surprised at how eager they are to host reunions.
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Do social networking sites affect reunions?
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acebook and MySpace are changing how high school classes reunite according to Lisa Chamoff writing in the Norwalk (Connecticut) Advocate. Though people have long used the internet to reconnect with old friends, social networking sites make it easier to keep track of classmates beyond once-a-decade reunions. Facebook has 90 million active users, according to the company, one of the most-trafficked social networking sites in the world. However, for some twentysomethings, online social networking has made organizing reunions easier. Lauren Zalis, planning the 10-year reunion for Stamford (Connecticut) High School’s Class of 1998, found 75 of more than 300 classmates with little effort through Facebook. Barry Lewis in the Middletown, New York, Times Herald Record says before computers we called that socializing. Lewis calls this the idiot’s guide to Facebook, from a real idiot: Sign-up is free. You give your email and password and answer some profile questions. The system then matches your email contacts with those in its system. When Facebook finds a match, “The Facebook Team” sends you an email that someone wants to be your friend. Facebook needs your approval to add a friend. Jennifer Halloran, assistant director for Classes and Reunions at Harvard’s Alumni Association, noticed attendance is way up at five- and 10-year reunions, a jump in enthusiasm she attributes in part to social networking sites that make it easier to keep track of graduates and get the word out about reunions. Chalmer Harper started a Facebook group for his 10year reunion at Cleveland (Tennessee) High School. Facebook helped him find classmates, but he’s waiting for the reunion to connect on a deeper level. Jeff Clarke, Norwalk (Connecticut) High School class of 1993, who did not go to his 10 year reunion, says on “Facebook, every day is a high school reunion.” Nick Nickitas planned a five-year reunion solely through Facebook. In less than a day, 125 people, about a quarter of his Greenwich (Connecticut) High School’s Class of 2003 joined the Facebook group to plan the event. “If I had done a mailing,” said Nickitas, “there’s no way for me to be absolutely sure that they would see it.” He said kids in his generation use this way to stay in touch. Dayna DeSimone thinks Facebook has fired up her former classmates for Wilton (Connecticut) High School’s 10-year reunion. Half of the 180 class members are part of a Facebook group for the event. She thinks people are more inclined to come because of the momentum of getting in touch with people from their past. Even Nickitas, only five years from high school, who can see what everyone is up to, looks forward to seeing 30
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them in person. He said, “Ultimately, face-to-face interaction is what’s most important.” Who needs a high school reunion when you’ve got Facebook? wondered Zachary McDonald, a writer for the Bellevue, Nebraska, Leader, when he learned about his 10-year high school reunion. He went to high school in Virginia, now lives in Nebraska, and must consider whether he will go. Then, he remembered a high school acquaintance had recently sent him a friend request from Facebook and he realized he already knew what Karl was up to. He realized, through the magic of Facebook, he could find out what most of his class is up to without ever seeing them in person. Sites like Facebook and MySpace are now competition for the class reunion according to Emily Zeugner in the San Bernardino (California) Sun. Many far-flung graduates say the ease of exchanging pictures and memories online makes it hard to justify costly trips home. In fact, Chris Farmer, Vancouver, British Columbia, created “Facebook Has Eliminated The Need For A High School Reunion.” When he signed up for Facebook, Farmer was flooded with messages from high school classmates: jocks, nerds, popular kids and even people he’d never spoken to. At first the 45 members of Farmer’s group, all classmates from Hapnot Collegiate High School in Flin Flon, Manitoba, agreed with him. But then, online discussions evolved into a decision to have an in-person reunion. At Harvard, where Facebook began, the class of 2003 is using it to help plan their five-year reunion. Their Facebook reunion group has 770 members, or about half of their graduating class. Some reunion organizers use Facebook as a marketing tool to get people excited. Khaula Kaiser in Berkeley’s Daily Californian wonders if Facebook is friend or foe. The very features, Kaiser says, that make the site welcoming are the same that encroach on our everyday lives. You should be aware, she writes, of the drawback because class reunions are critical for school fundraising. When alumni loyalty is strong, donation checks come. An absence of reunions force schools to face greater difficulties raising money for things they really need. Reunion planners for Shawnee Mission (Kansas) East High School, Class of 1983, sent contact info and updates through a Facebook Groups section. Jon Niccum wrote in the Lawrence, Kansas, Journal-World that Facebook takes pressure off the actual reunion. He knew what classmates looked like, where they lived and their marital status. He didn’t have to fumble around during face-to-face introductions. Niccum noticed that “recently divorced gals were particularly active on Facebook leading up to the reunion.” How has social networking affected your reunion?
MILITARY REUNION NEWS
Cavaliers in Tacoma
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alph Hall, Batavia, Illinois, reports that his USS Cavalier [APA-37] reunion confirmed that the Seattle area is very “military reunion-friendly.” The USS Cavalier [APA-37] reunion in Tacoma, Washington, was truly spectacular! Tacoma’s locale generated an interesting success story. Of the 35 Cavalier veterans registered for the reunion, 16 were sailors who lived in the Pacific Northwest and had never before joined a reunion. The Cavalier’s base of operations was Tacoma’s outstanding King Oscar Motel, which included an extensive breakfast. The King Oscar Restaurant was the scene of the final banquet. Transport between the motel and Seattle-Tacoma Airport was free. Through the good graces of the McChord Air Force Base chaplain, Captain Brian McCormack, and his assistant Sgt. Turner, the Cavalier’s memorial service was conducted in one of two base chapels. As each deceased Cavalier shipmate’s name was stated, the chapel bell was rung. Reunion planner Tom Wolder arranged low-cost bus service with a school bus company. Visits to an Indian Village, Tacoma baseball stadium and Seattle’s waterfront, as well as the ladies shopping tour to downtown Seattle, were all by bus. The group attended a Tacoma Raiders baseball game in seats located just above the playing field level. A picnic supper was available until the seventh inning. Five of the group recovered foul balls (Ralph Hall stopped a fly ball at the bend of his right arm and carried a bruise for ten days as proof of his inept baseball-catching ability). Arlette Hall and Annette Arnall were “hugged” by the team’s reindeer mascot. A 45-minute ferry ride to Blake Island led to a visit with the Tillicum Indian Tribe, who shared aspects of their native life, foods, monuments and buildings, and entertained with Tillicum folklore and tribal legends. Included was an allyou-can-eat salmon bake of “King Salmon.” A very outstanding evening! Reported by Ralph Hall, Batavia, Illinois
Cavalier Ladies
Arlette Hall and Annette Arnall were “hugged” by the Tacoma Raiders reindeer mascot.
Our Cavalier Men F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S
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MILITARY REUNION NEWS
Women aviators’ final reunion
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omen aviators from other generations joined the final reunion for the original Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II. The purpose was to honor the courage and dedication of the WASPs who officially disbanded after the reunion. The youngest of the WASPs is 83. Management of the organization was handed to a new group called Wingtip to Wingtip to help the ladies continue to keep in touch with one another. For the official last flight, the WASPs’ original members flew on a C-130 Hercules flown by an all-female aircrew from the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing from Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
According to Maj. Jennifer King, a C-17 Globemaster III pilot with the Air Force Reserve Command’s 315th Airlift Wing from Charleston AFB, South Carolina, these living legends “broke through so many barriers and enabled women to serve their country in the military and in the air." In 1942, the WASP program was established to fill stateside aviation duties, including ferrying aircraft and towing targets. At the end of World War II, the women were discharged from the program without official recognition or benefits from serving in the military. This report from a longer item by Capt. Wayne Capps, 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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he last Union Civil War veteran and last member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Albert Woolson, died in 1956. However, the Women’s Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army, still survives and recently held their 126th national convention in Oberlin, Ohio. Marcia Butgereit of Kentwood, Michigan, was reelected national president. The WRC maintains a national museum and headquarters in Springfield, Illinois, dedicated to the GAR and the Union veterans of the Civil War. Visit suvcw.org/WRC/index.htm. Submitted by Lorraine Orton, National Historian and Past NY Dept. President, Syracuse New York.
WHEN YOU’VE FINISHED USING THIS MAGAZINE, PLEASE RECYCLE IT.
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racy Mathews, A PhD student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is working on dissertation research that requires interviews with women who entered military service or the work force at war-time factories as a result of WWII. If you or someone you know answers this description and you’d be willing to be interviewed, contact Ms Mathews at 573-450-8442 or tmathews@siu.edu.
Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive!
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n impressive list of national organizations plan to mobilize youth to preserve WWII legacy. They are asking Congress to designate a national Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive! event in August 2009. The effort includes plans for engaging America’s youth in a national campaign to help preserve the history and heritage of World War II. Stories of Service (stories-of-service.org), a non-profit initiative, mobilizes youth to produce “mini-movies” of the lives of
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people who experienced World War II. Their intent is to share the outcomes with schools, libraries, museums and a global internet audience to educate and inspire future generations. They hope to reach more than one million students throughout the US to observe a “National Day of Remembrance” in August each year to honor the legacy of the World War II generation. Contact Warren Hegg, 408857-5252; warren@digiclub.org.
Tuskegee Airmen persist as pioneers & role models
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eroes overseas, the Tuskegee Airmen – US military’s first black airmen, ground crew and mechanics during World War II – returned home from mortal risk and national service, only to be ordered into “coloreds-only” lines and to suffer other slights of segregation. The Tuskegee Airmen’s convention is equal parts reunion, memorial and history lesson. Only 330 of the original 16,000 to 19,000 Tuskegee Airmen – who served at the Tuskegee Army Air Base in Alabama between 1941 and 1949 – are still alive.
The veterans were a moving reminder of the inevitable transition from living, breathing bodies able to give firsthand testimonials to accounts found only in pictures and text. At a solemn ceremony to remember Tuskegee Airmen who have died during the past year, George Watson, Lakewood, New Jersey, an original Tuskegee Airman, read their names as a bell tolled after each name. From a story by Dana DiFilippo in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bataan Death March soldier honored
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he Rowan County. Kentucky, Veteran Organization at the Haldeman Community Center honored Lee Clark, a Haldeman resident, when he died on the Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942. His body lay in an unmarked grave for nine years but when found was definitely identified. Lee’s body was
returned in 1952 and buried at Brown Cemetery. Former members of the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines helped honor Clark recently. Lloyd Dean, Morehead, Kentucky, wrote, “We hope to designate a room in our Community Center for veterans and name it the Lee Clark Room.”
WEB PAGE: reunionsmag.com CALL: 414.263.4567 FAX: 414.263.6331 E-MAIL: reunions@execpc.com WRITE: PO Box 11727 Milwaukee, WI 53211-0727
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exas Parks & Wildlife and Battleship Texas State Historic Site, LaPorte, Texas, hosted the USS Texas Veterans Association reunion. A memorial service honoring fallen shipmates was open to the public with paid admission to the ship. The Battleship Texas is located 22 miles east of downtown Houston. Contact 281-479-2431; www.tpwd.state.tx.us.
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CATALOG OF REUNION RESOURCES
Welcome to Reunion Resources! How to use REUNION RESOURCES Reunion resources is divided into sections. Reunion friendly places include destinations (convention, visitor and tourism bureaus) and locations (hotels, resorts, ranches, condominiums, bed & breakfasts, inns, dormitories, camps). They are listed alphabetically by state and city. The sections which follow list books and publishing, cruises, fundraising and mementos, invitations, photography, preserving reunions, postcards, and other products and services. Many resources include e-mail and web page addresses. Start on our web page www.reunions mag.com and in just one click, go directly to other resource pages – a wonderful way to visit, get more details and in some cases even place orders. We encourage you to tell the listings you contact that you learned about them from REUNIONS MAGAZINE. And if at any time you find any info that is inaccurate or e-mail or web links do not work, notify us immediately at editor@reunionsmag.com; PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211-0727. And by all means, feel free to comment and/or suggest changes and additions you’d like to see in this section. REUNIONS MAGAZINE will not be held liable for information presented as facts in these ads. We reserve the right to edit and/or refuse any material submitted for publication.
US DESTINATIONS NATIONAL FOREVER RESORTS offers vacations for a lifetime with 46 destinations to choose from and enjoy. From wilderness lodging in Northern AZ to our smooth-water raft trip from the base of Hoover Dam…from touring the famed Southfork Ranch to awe inspiring views of the Rockies. Not to mention, 12 houseboat marinas including Lake Powell. Come see why we are the ideal spot for reunions. 480-998-7199 x 7114; fax 480-998-9965; mkien@ForeverResorts.com; www.ForeverResorts.com.
ALABAMA MOBILE BAY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU 1 South Water Street, Mobile AL 36602. Rely on us to make planning your reunion easy and affordable with these services: Direct contact with hotels to obtain rates and banquet pricing, a single proposal packet detailing military sites, attractions, dining and transportation, follow-up to answer all your special needs, sightseeing service to coordinate your leisure activities. Call 800-566-2453 ext 4 for a free Planning Guide. E-mail to ronmcconnell@mobile.org. Visit us at www.mobilebay.org.
ARIZONA HOLIDAY INN PHOENIX WEST 1500 N. 51st. Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85043; 602-484-9009 x 517; fax 602-484-0404; ssheline@lodgian.com; www.holidayinn.com/phx-west RADISSON SUITES HOTEL TUCSON AIRPORT 7051 S. Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85756. We are Reunion Specialists! Our spacious suites with full amenities, lush courtyards with fountains, pool and whirlpool spa will make your group feel right at home! We have great on-site dining and beautiful banquet facilities for groups large & small. A full American breakfast buffet, evening reception & internet access are included in the rate! Call 520-225-0800 for information or email: habbott@ viharas.com. www.radisson.com/tucsonaz
ARKANSAS THE LODGE AT MOUNT MAGAZINE STATE PARK, ARKANSAS Reconnect with family or friends at this mountain resort lodge while you enjoy the view from Arkansas’s highpoint. Guest rooms and cabins. Conference and meeting rooms. Indoor pool, plenty of outdoor activities and nature programs. Make this reunion one to remember. Call 1-877-665-6343 for group rates or log on to MountMagazineStatePark.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
CALIFORNIA BALBOA INN “The Resort” and Banquet facility is located on the beach offering 45 rooms and ocean view suites with balconies and state of the art amenities. Located at 105 Main Street, Newport Beach CA 92661. 949-675-3412; Toll Free: 877BALBOA-9; fax 949-673-4587; www.balboainn.com; info@balboainn.com BUENA PARK CONVENTION & VISITORS OFFICE 6601 Beach Blvd. Suite 200, Buena Park CA 90621-2904. Come see why we are the ideal spot for reunions and family vacations. We are home to five major tourist attractions including Knott’s Berry Farm and 34 R E U N I O N S O reunionsmag.com
only ten minutes away from Disneyland. Accommodations, restaurants and shopping are all within a mile! Beaches and mountains close by. Call 800-541-3953 for a free Travel Planner, or fax 714-562-3569. tourbp@buenapark.com; www.visitbuena park.com. YOSEMITE PINES RV RESORT & FAMILY LODGING 20450 Old Highway 120, Groveland, CA 95321 (209) 962-7690 We offer some of the best lodging near Yosemite National Park with an assortment of cabins in a variety of sizes and price points. Our Luxury Cabins offer plenty of space with a large double loft and room for eight people, while our Premium Loft Cabins offer a large single loft and room for six people. The whole family will enjoy our pool area, our gold mine tour and our games area complete with sand volleyball court, tetherball and horseshoes. www.yosemitepinesrv.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! LAUREL MILL LODGE PO Box 368, Los Gatos CA 95031; 408353-5851; proprietors@laurelmilllodge.com; www.laurelmilllodge .com. HOLIDAY INN SAN DIEGO BAYSIDE 4875 N Harbor Drive, San Diego CA 92106; 619-224-3621; 800-650-6660; fax 619224-1787. Host your reunion at the beautiful Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside across from San Diego Bay. Our experienced staff will assist you in creating a very special event. Complimentary hosp suite and special reunion rates. Beautiful guest rooms, heated pool, spa, shuffleboard, ping-pong and billiards, exercise room, family restaurant and cocktail lounge, free pkg, in-room movies, coffee makers, refrigerators, hair dryers; dos@holinnbayside.com; www.holinnbayside.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! NORTHSTAR-AT-TAHOE™ RESORT offers a great place to sleep, eat, play and relax in a beautiful mountain setting with a wide variety of accommodations and activities such as golf, swimming and tennis in the summer and snow sports activities in the winter. It’s no wonder Northstar was voted as a top 10 reunion destination by Family Travel Forum. A personal event planner is provided to help plan your unforgettable reunion. Highway 267 & Northstar Dr., Truckee, CA 96160, 800-926-5096, northstar@boothcreek.com, www.NorthstarAtTahoe.com. VACAVILLE CONFERENCE & VISITORS BUREAU 1671 E. Monte Vista Avenue, Suite 112, Vacaville CA 95688. Discover the hidden the hidden gem of Vacaville, California. We’re only a short drive from the Golden Gates of San Francisco, the Wine Country in Napa and Sonoma, our historic Capitol in Sacramento and the spectacular Sierra mountain range in Lake Tahoe. For more information please contact us at info@vacavillenow.com or 888822-2132; visitvacaville.com.
COLORADO ESTES PARK CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU PO Box 1200, Estes Park CO 80517. Estes Park may be the perfect setting for your reunion! Nestled in a valley surrounded by Rocky Mountain National Park, fabulous scenery and recreation await you. Enjoy shopping, trout fishing, horseback riding, river rafting, golf, go karts, barbecues, hayrides, miniature golf, tram rides, scenic drives and hiking. Let our group specialist help you find lodging, meals and fun things for the whole family to enjoy! 80044-ESTES; fax 970-577-1677; groupsales@estes.org; www.estes parkcvb.com/groups.cfm. COLORADO ROCKIES – BEST WESTERN LAKE DILLON LODGE located 70 miles west of Denver, within 11 miles of Keystone, Copper Mtn, & Breckenridge Resorts. Full-service hotel includes banquet & catering facilities, volleyball and horseshoe pits, indoor pool & Jacuzzi, great family rates, and O’Brien’s Restaurant & Bar. Year round recreation for everyone. Visit us at www.lakedillonlodge.com, 800-727-0607, 970-668-5094, sales@ lakedillonlodge.com, 1202 N. Summit Blvd. Frisco, CO 80443.
FLORIDA CORAL SPRINGS MARRIOTT GOLF CLUB & CONVENTION CENTER 11775 Heron Bay Blvd, Coral Springs FL 33076. 954227-4115, fax 954-227-4102; lynn.thomas@JQH.com; www. marriott.com/fllmc EMERALD COAST CVB, INC. DESTIN-FT. WALTON BEACH FL Emerald Coast CVB, Inc. Destin-Fort Walton Beach – Okaloosa Island a reunion planner’s paradise with 24 miles of sugar white beaches and emerald green waters, 16,000 first-rate accommodations, 400 events & festivals, water sports, superb coastal cuisine, championship golfing, Air Force Armament Museum, Big Kahuna’s Water Park, art galleries, nature trails and the largest fishing fleet in Florida. Emerald Coast Conference Center offers 35,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space and gourmet catering. Let us make your reunion planning easy! Contact Sherry Rushing, CTIS, srushing@co.okaloosa.fl.us, 1-800-322-3319; www.destin-fwb.com .
FLORIDAYS RESORT ORLANDO 12550 Floridays Resort Drive, Orlando FL 32821. 321-329-4022; fax 321-329-4000; sal@floridaysorlando.com; www.floridaysresortorlando.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! THE ORLANDO MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN is located in the center of Orlando’s business and entertainment district and across from the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Amway Arena and minutes from major attractions, shopping, entertainment and restaurants. Choose from 290 gracious guestrooms including eight parlor suites, 2 concierge and 2 executive levels providing high-speed Internet access. The Orlando Marriott Downtown has 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and a high-tech business center. We invite you to call us at 1-800-574-3160, fax 407-839-6109, www.orlandomarriott.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! Check out our “Reunion to remember” package. WET ’N WILD – ORLANDO 6200 International Dr. Orlando, FL 32819. 407-351-1800 Toll Free: 800-992-9453; www.wetnwild orlando.com; info@wetnwildorf.com. Make your reunion a splashing success! Come join us at Wet ’n Wild to celebrate your unforgettable Family Reunion. We offer a variety of group discounts for groups of 15 or more. Various food and beverage options can be added for the complete package. With more multi-passenger tube rides than any other waterpark in Orlando! Open year-round with pools heated seasonally, Wet ’n Wild is the perfect place for the entire family to relax, have fun, and soak up the warm Florida sun! HAMPTON INN – DAYTONA/ORMOND BEACH 155 Interchange Blvd., Ormond Beach, FL 32174; P: 877-677-9998, F: 386-677-0663; Email: dos@daytona-ormondhampton.com Hotel fully renovated by June ’08. Enjoy our beautiful new rooms featuring Hampton’s Cloud Nine Bedding Experience, along with free internet access and expanded cable with HBO & ESPN. Complimentary HOT breakfast each morning and fresh baked cookies each evening in the lobby. All reunion guests receive a welcome bag at check-in and the coordinator is sent a framed family photo after departure. Hotel features a brand new pool area and a fully equipped fitness facility. We are just 5 miles to the “World’s Most Famous Beach,” the Daytona International Speedway and Central Florida attractions are a day trip away. An ideal location for your family reunion - Make It Hampton! COMFORT SUITES – WORLD GOLF VILLAGE 475 COMMERCE LAKE DR, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 32095; 877940-9501; Adjacent to World Golf Village, visitors have convenient access to area courses, the IMAX Theater, and the World Golf Hall of Fame. All 162 luxurious suites come equipped with desks, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee-makers, two telephones, and high-speed Internet access. A heated indoor pool, exercise facility, outdoor pool, whirlpool, and sundeck round out the hotel’s recreational facilities. Enjoy an upscale continental breakfast and drinks at the popular Mulligan Pub in the evening. Group discounts available. www.cswgv.com or comfortsuites@ bellsouth.net. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! CHASE SUITE HOTEL TAMPA 3075 N. Rocky Point Drive East, FL. 33607. Each of our villa-style suites features a full-size, fully equipped kitchen, some unique rooms with a two bedroom loft, waterfront property overlooking Tampa Bay with a tropical resort feel, heated pool and hot tub, complimentary deluxe breakfast buffet, and basketball court. Plenty of activities for families, and extended stay guests and Chase Suite Hotel is petfriendly! Located near the airport, attractions and the beaches and favorite retreat for groups, because we are, “Close to Everything, Far from Ordinary.” Group reservations call: 813-281-5685 or individual reservations visit our website: www.chasehoteltampa.com.
GEORGIA DOUBLETREE HOTEL ATLANTA NORTHWEST-MARIETTA 2055 South Park Place, Atlanta GA 30339. Located off I-75 north of downtown Atlanta in Marietta, close to all area attractions, shopping & restaurants. Our oversized rooms feature signature Sweet Dream bedding and Chaise lounge, Coffee Makers, Full Sized Ironing Boards and Irons, Flat Screen TV, Data Ports & Wireless Access in Rooms. Indoor and Outdoor Pools. Hotel has free parking, fitness center, restaurant & coffee bar on site. 770272-9441; fax 678-252-5907; lori@resourcehospitality.com; www.atlantamarietta.doubletree.com. GWINNETT CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU (ATLANTA) Minutes from Atlanta, the GCVB provides a FREE Reunion Planner, group welcome bags with gift; and free lodging assistance! Gwinnett has 97 group-friendly hotels with 33 of Atlanta’s best parks, and easy I-85 access to Six Flags, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Home, the new Aquarium and Stone Mountain Park! Call Cricket Elliott toll-free at 1-888-494-6638, ext 6049; direct at 770-814-6049 or by email at celliott@gcvb.org to plan your next Atlanta-based reunion today! www.gcvb.org. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
CATALOG OF REUNION RESOURCES JEKYLL OCEANFRONT RESORT 975 North Beachview Drive; Jekyll Island GA 31527; 912-635-2531; fax 912-635-9072: linda.amazon@jekyllinn.com; www.jekyllinn.com DOLCE ATLANTA – PEACHTREE offers 40 beautifully landscaped acres located only 25 miles South of Atlanta. With 233 guestrooms, tantalizing food and on site activities that include swimming, volleyball, tennis, horseshoes, basketball, biking and access to 90 miles of walking paths throughout the city, there are endless options for enjoyment. Nearby shopping, golf, summer concerts and easy access to downtown Atlanta ensures something for everyone. 770-487-2666; www.dolce-atlanta-peachtree -hotel.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! SAVANNAH GETAWAYS 509 E. McDonough Street, Savannah GA 31401; 866-690-2074; info@savannahgetaways.net; www. savannahgetaways.net
IDAHO BOISE Boise offers the culture and entertainment of a large urban area in a place that feels a little like everyone’s hometown. Festivals, whitewater rafting, golf, riverfront bike trails, snow skiing, unique and historic attractions like the Warhawk Air Museum, a vibrant downtown, shopping, fine dining and performing arts will ensure a reunion jam-packed with memorable experiences. BOISE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU PO Box 2106, Boise ID 83701; Lisa Edens; 800-635-5240; 208-344-7777; fax 208-3446236; ledens@boisecvb.org; www.boise.org.
ILLINOIS RECONNECT IN LAKE COUNTY halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee. Lake County’s natural spaces and fun places are the perfect place for your next reunion. Our world-class attractions and more than 60 lodging properties, including three resorts, will make your next reunion a resounding success. For free Reunion Planning Assistance call or email us with your reunion planning questions to tourism@lakecounty.org; www.lakecounty.org. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
MISSOURI THE BRANSON/LAKES AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Located in America's heartland, Branson, Missouri is the perfect destination for your next reunion because we offer so many choices of entertainment, lodging, attractions, dining and more. Remember, in Branson, our value is unrivaled, our scenery breathtaking and our time-honored Ozarks hospitality inviting. Call us toll free at 800-636-8573 or visit our website at explorebranson.com and request a 2007 Reunion Planner Sales kit. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! When you walk into WILDWOOD SPRINGS LODGE, you take a walk back in time. You are cordially invited to visit our facilities for your next family reunion. Your meals will include freshly prepared, from scratch, home style food served in the unique setting of the historic Wildwood Springs Lodge dining room. Wildwood Springs Lodge offers a variety of activities for young and old. The Steelville area is rich with history, and natural beauty. Visit www.wildwoodspringslodge.com, email us at wildwood1922@ misn.com or call us at 573-775-2400.
MONTANA ELKHORN RANCH is a mile outside of the NW corner of Yellowstone Park and surrounded by the Gallatin National Forest. Started in 1922, our tradition is families that come to reacquaint while engaging in a variety of outdoor activities – riding, fishing, hiking and relaxing. With an all-inclusive package, Elkhorn is ideal for family reunions or small groups. 33133 Gallatin Road, Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730; 406-995-4291; elkhorn@wildblue .net, www.elkhornranchmt.com. MONTANA'S FLATHEAD VALLEY is the gateway to Glacier National Park and home to Flathead Lake and Big Mountain Ski Resort with an abundance of recreation and cultural treasures. Discover picturesque towns, championship golf, museums, galleries, shopping, fine cuisine and true western hospitality. Flathead CVB, 15 Depot Park, Kalispell, MT 59901; 800-543-3105; fax 406-257-2500; fcvb@fcvb.org; www.montanasflatheadvalley.com.
KENTUCKY
NEVADA
LOUISVILLE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Do something original and affordable in a city guaranteed to have people talking about their memories at the next reunion. Order your free Reunion Planning Kit and the Louisville Multicultural Visitor Guide, by calling 888-LOUISVILLE/888-568-4784 or visiting www.gotolouisville.com. Stop by our new Visitors Center in downtown at 4th & Jefferson Street. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
MARDI GRAS HOTEL & CASINO 3500 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV. Conveniently located just off the Strip and a 3 minute walk to the Monorail. Spacious oversized guestrooms each 400 sqft w/ mini-frig. Fun, affordable restaurant/bar open 24 hours. Have your banquet in our 4000 sqft of flexible event space. Enjoy all the fun and excitement of Las Vegas without the high price tag. Create a lasting memory for all with the personal attention you will receive from our friendly staff. Call today for great group rates! 702-731-2020 x 743; www.mardigrasinn.com.
MICHIGAN GREEKTOWN CASINO – HOTEL is the best venue for your group. The hotel offers theme buffets, 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, rates based on double occupancy, and is located in the heart of Detroit’s Greektown entertainment district. More than 26 restaurants within walking distance, over 100,000 sq. ft. of gaming space and great entertainment. There is also a people mover stop located in Greektown Casino. 1200 Saint Antoine, Detroit MI 48226; 877-GCH-5554; www.greektowncasino.com.
MINNESOTA WORRY-FREE REUNIONS AT CRAGUN’S RESORT 11000 Craguns Dr, Brainerd MN 56401: 800-CRAGUNS (272-4867). Since 1940 Cragun’s has taken pride in creating memorable reunions ... here’s why: 1) trained coordinator will help plan it all, 2) arrival “Welcome” and registration areas with planned activity agendas, 3) activities including golf outings, lake cruises, picnics, fishing contests, horse drawn trolley rides and more, 4) indoor facilities to ensure you a “weather-proof” reunion, 5) private gathering areas, 6) special celebration meals, 7) professional group photos, 8) and best of all, enjoy a safe, secure friendly environment. Come to Cragun’s for your reunion. Named “One of MN’s ideal locations to hold a Reunion.” by AAA. Call for FREE Reunion Planning Packet or visit: www.craguns.com/157. THE SMOKEY HILLS WILDERNESS RETREAT (formerly “The Village of the Smokey Hills”) is now open again as a Christian owned family retreat/resort. We are excited to showcase our property with lodging/dining and private gathering spaces for over 100 people. Enjoy our “Cookhouse Restaurant,” “Tin Cup Coffee Shop”, theater, sauna, Jacuzzi, game room, gift shop, and more. Activities include volleyball, basketball, horse shoes, Karaoke, bingo, wagon rides, train rides on the “Smokey Hills Express,” petting zoo, pirate ship play area, The Smokey Hills Wranglers Chuck wagon Supper Show, and much more. Together your family will experience unsurpassed service, exceptional food, our amazing themed cabins, all in a breath taking setting here in the Smokey Hills. Make Your Reunion an Adventure!
DESERT ROSE RESORT 5051 Duke Ellington Way, Las Vegas NV, 89119; Phone 888-732-8099, Fax 702-597-3345; Spacious renovated condo-style suites with full kitchen, separate living room, dining room and relaxing balcony. Each room is modern and beautifully decorated; Property features continental breakfast each morning; location is just minutes from the famous Las Vegas Strip, McCarran Airport. Resort consists of 284 suites in addition to newly refurbished pool and Jacuzzi with BBQ facilities and shaded seating; Banquet space available for special events. This property makes for a perfect reunion of any kind. E-mail: Sarah-Marie Vergara, Sales Manager svergara@shellvacations llc.com;www.desertroseresort.com. GOLD COAST HOTEL & CASINO 4000 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas NV 89103. Located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, the Gold Coast features luxury accommodations and 24-hour gaming excitement. Casino attractions include a 720-seat bingo parlor, a race and sports book and a poker room. Guests enjoy 711 beautifully-furnished rooms and suites and 30,000 square feet of meeting space. Amenities also include six restaurants, a showroom, swimming pool, health spa and 70-lane bowling center. 702-251-3560; 800-331-5334 x 400; www.goldcoast casino.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! Established in 1980, PRESTIGE TRAVEL & CRUISES is the largest travel agency in Nevada and a Representative office of the American Express Travel Services Network, with over 1,700 locations worldwide. By combining the strength of American Express with our local expertise, you have access to the best available rates and offers on worldwide cruises and tours. Our long established supplier relationships allow us to negotiate the best value on air fares, hotel rooms, transportation and other meeting services. We specialize in reunions and groups. Contact us at (800) 431-6117. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! SAM’S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL 5111 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas NV 89122. At Sam’s Town, 650 rooms and suites surround the world-famous Mystic Falls Indoor Park and Atrium. The popular hotel and gambling hall has 30,000 square feet of meeting space, ten restaurants and a spacious entertainment center. Visitors also flock to Sam’s Town to enjoy its 18-screen movie complex, 56-lane bowling center and 500-space RV Park. A western-themed casino is one of Las Vegas’ most appealing attractions. 702-454-8120; www.samstownlv.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! SUNCOAST HOTEL & CASINO 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas NV 89145. Suncoast is an elegant gaming resort located on the picturesque western edge of the Las Vegas Valley. The stylish
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CATALOG OF REUNION RESOURCES 400-room hotel is near three championship golf courses and has free shuttle bus service to and from McCarran International Airport. Among the Suncoast attractions are 25,000 square feet of convention space, nine restaurants, a 64-lane bowling center, a 16-screen movie complex, a pool and a 500-seat showroom. 702-636-7050; www.suncoastcasino.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! THE ORLEANS HOTEL AND CASINO blends the glamour and excitement of Las Vegas with the festive flavor of New Orleans. The 88-acre full-service resort has 1,800 rooms and suites, 40,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, 12 exceptional restaurants and an oasis-like swimming pool. Attractions also include a spa and fitness center, a 70-lane bowling center, an 18screen movie complex, a 900-seat showroom and 9,000-seat arena. 4500 W Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89103; 702-3657050; 888-365-7111 X 7050; www.orleanscasino.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT SPA RENO 3800 S Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89502. Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is the destination property for adventure with exciting gaming in an exotic oasis, just minutes from Lake Tahoe. With 1,000 spacious and beautifully appointed rooms, full-service European Spa & Salon – guests truly experience paradise. Our premier chefs delight your senses at any one of the eight exceptional restaurants. Complimentary airport shuttle, acres of free parking and valet available. 775-8244400; fax 775-825-1170; www.atlantiscasino.com.
NEW HAMPSHIRE NASHUA RADISSON 11 Tara Blvd, Nashua, NH 03062; 603888-9970. Have your reunion at the largest castle hotel in Boston’s north neighbor-Nashua! Attractions include Canobie Lake Park, indoor skydiving, skiing, Anheuser Busch Brewery, & tax free shopping! Newly renovated, 326 guestrooms, indoor/outdoor pool, restaurant, free parking & health club. www.radisson.com/ nashuanh. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
NEW MEXICO ANGEL FIRE RESORT 10 Miller Lane, Angel Fire NM 87710. Angel Fire is a beautiful year-round destination with slopeside accommodations and activities varying from skiing and snowboarding to world-class mountain biking to championship golf, and everything in between. In fact, it’s the perfect place for your next business meeting, wedding, family reunion, youth group outing or conference. We’ll be happy to create a custom package that’s just right for your group. Toll Free: 888-472-0124; groupsales@angelfireresort.com; www.angelfireresort.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
NEW YORK
OHIO
FORT WILLIAM HENRY RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTER 48 Canada Street, Lake George, NY 12845 888-3894554. Balancing traditional elegance with Adirondack charm, this New York State landmark hotel provides guests with exceptional service only surpassed by spectacular views of Lake George and the surrounding Adirondack Mountains. 193 Guestrooms, ample free parking, onsite restaurants, spa and museum. www.fort williamhenry.com.
BERTRAM HOTEL& CONFERENCE CENTER 600 North Aurora Road, Aurora OH 44202. Located minutes from Wildwater Kingdom in the historic Western Reserve. Offering 224 deluxe guestrooms, suites & hospitality rooms, heated outdoor pool, two fitness, two business centers & game room, banquet facilities, casual & fine dining restaurants onsite. Area activities include spa, golf, flyfishing, shopping, museums, horseback riding, canoeing & amusement parks. Local & airport shuttles. Virtual tour at www. thebertraminn.com. For reunion packages contact Liz Palchick at 330-995-7624. LAKE ERIE SHORES & ISLANDS 4424 Milan Road, Suite A, Sandusky OH 44870; 800-255-3743; fax 419-625-5009; www. shoresandislands.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
QUEEN OF THE AMERICAN LAKES – Lake George, NY: 32 miles of crystal clear water ready for fun, relaxation, exploration and building memories. Surrounded by picturesque mountains, Lake George is a family destination paradise with Adirondack flare. 4 hrs from NYC and Boston, less than 3 hrs from Montreal via interstates. 1 hr from Albany International Airport. FREE VACATION GUIDE. Luisa Sherman at 518-668-5755 or 1-800705-0059. reunions@LakeGeorgeChamber.com, www.LakeGeorge Chamber.com. NIAGARA USA With the awesome majesty of Niagara Falls, historic venues like Old Fort Niagara and the Erie Canal, wineries, quaint villages, casino gaming and world-class sport fishing, this region offers something for everyone in your group. For FREE assistance with all your planning needs, including collecting rates from area hotels and tour companies and providing welcome bags for your attendees, contact Niagara Tourism & Convention Corporation at 1-877-FALLS US ext. 305 or rdarone@niagara-usa .com or visit www.niagara-usa.com
NORTH CAROLINA LAKE LURE & THE BLUE RIDGE FOOTHILLS Family, girlfriends, military buddies, golfing, relaxing…whatever your reason for getting together, you’ll find the perfect setting here. Cruise on beautiful Lake Lure, shop, go to a spa, dine, hike, bike..do it all – or do nothing at all, and enjoy your gathering with family and friends. Choose from sumptuous accommodations in an historic hotel, cabin on the lake or other unique accommodations. We are surrounded by major highways, have three major airports within an hour, and are only thirty minutes from Asheville NC. Please visit us at reunionsyourway.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! WILMINGTON / CAPE FEAR COAST CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Looking for an interesting destination? Then head to Wilmington & NC’s Cape Fear Coast. You can let us know what kind of adventure you have in mind, or we can suggest some themes that’ll please the most persnickety travelers. We’ll even create a customized itinerary matched to your exact specifications so that your guests will gladly follow you anywhere. Call 866-207-1969 or visit www.VisitNCVacations.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
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OHIO ATTRACTIONS NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER 50 E. Freedom Way, Cincinnati OH 45202, is the nation’s newest monument to freedom, spotlighting courageous acts from the Underground Railroad and beyond. Interactive and engaging, it has 5 galleries, 1 theater, a dialogue area, and research and education areas complete with a family search center to trace your heritage. Group tours and facility rental available. 877-6484838 or www.freedomcenter.org.
OREGON LOON LAKE LODGE & RV RESORT 9011 Loon Lake Road, Reedsport, OR 97467. (541)-599-2244 Reserve Cabins or the Lakefront Home for your next Family Reunion. Some of the amenities include a fully furnished kitchen, microwave, coffee pot, satellite TV and free Wi-Fi. There is plenty of open water for fishing, kayaking, WaveRunner riding, water skiing, or just relaxing on a leisurely pontoon boat ride. Some of the smoothest water skiing in Oregon is right here at Loon Lake! www.loon lakerv.com SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
PENNSYLVANIA WOODLOCH RESORT & MEETING FACILITY Nestled in the pristine forests of the Pocono Mountains Lake Region of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Woodloch Resort is the ideal destination for family vacations, reunions, weddings and corporate retreats! Featuring a private lake and miles of beautiful scenery, this 250 acre resort is located only two and a half hours from New York City and is the perfect combination of old world charm, gracious hospitality, and modern resort conveniences. We invite you to visit our website at: www.woodloch.com or call 1800-572-6658 for further information and reservations. VALLEY FORGE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU 1000 First Avenue, Suite 101, King of Prussia PA 19406. DO WHAT WASHINGTON DID. SET UP CAMP IN HISTORIC VALLEY FORGE FOR YOUR NEXT REUNION! Quality hotels, unique offproperty meeting sites, world class shopping and fine dining. Thirty minutes from Philadelphia. Surrounded by great regional attractions. Get a free Valley Forge Meeting Planners Guide. Contact Courtney Pozo: 610-834-7971,or pozo@valleyforge.org or visit www.valleyforge.org. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! THE CHATEAU RESORT 300 Camelback Road, Tannersville PA 18372; 800-245-5900; fax 570-620-0910.
SOUTH CAROLINA At 14 stories the HOLIDAY INN RIVERVIEW stands tall. This unique Charleston landmark offers guests 180 nicely appointed guest rooms and a full service restaurant with panoramic views of Historic Charleston and the Ashley River as well as complimentary shuttle service to the heart of the city for shopping and tours. Enjoy easy planning with our experienced staff. Ask about special incentives for event planners. 301 Savannah Hwy, Charleston SC 29407. Contact Megan O’Hara Owen at 843-460-1440; fax 843766-8355; mowen@hiriverview.com; www.holidayinn.wm/chsriverview.com. SEA MIST OCEANFRONT RESORT– MYRTLE BEACH SC 1200 South Ocean Blvd., 29577. REUNIONS MADE EASY! Specializing in reunions from military to family at the most affordable rates in Myrtle Beach. Sea Mist’s premier oceanfront location is near shopping, theaters and golf courses. Over 600 of our 800 units have been completely remodeled, restaurants, miniature golf, 10 pools, Jacuzzis, fitness room, 17,000-sq.ft. of versatile meeting space and much more! 800-200-8687; groupsales@ seamist.com; www.seamist.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! SOUTH CAROLINA ATTRACTIONS RIPLEY’S AQUARIUM, Myrtle Beach SC, staffs experienced special event managers who are fully qualified to tailor extraordinary events for any group. Our catering team will create magnificent menus for any occasion including: Breakfasts, gourmet dinners, themed events, incredible family reunions & receptions. Please contact us at 1-800-724-8888 ext. 269 or at www.ripleysaquarium.com.
CATALOG OF REUNION RESOURCES SOUTH DAKOTA RAPID CITY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU Nestled at the base of the legendary Black Hills, Rapid City lies at the heart of the American experience, just minutes from the highest concentration of public parks, monuments and memorials in the world. Explore the South Dakota Air and Space Museum and Ellsworth Air Force Base, then cap it all off with exciting tours and fine dining before winding down in luxurious and affordable accommodations. Visit www.visitrapidcity.com or call 800.487 .3223. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
TENNESSEE CHATTANOOGA AREA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU We are ready to host your next family or military reunion. Our Staff works closely with the hotels, attractions, tour companies and you to provide exactly what you need to have a great reunion. Contact Christina Petro at 800-964-8600 ext. 3017 or by e-mail at chrisp@chattanoogacvb.com for free help planning your next reunion! www.chattanoogafun.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
TEXAS KILLEEN CIVIC AND CONFERENCE CENTER AND CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU 3601 South W.S. Young Drive, Killeen TX 76542; Visit Killeen and Central Texas’ newest state-of-the-art Civic & Conference Center, and Regional Airport. Over 2000 hotel rooms, unique attractions and tours, of the world’s largest military installation, Fort Hood. “Where Freedom Grows!” 254-501-3888 or www.killeen-cvb.com.
UTAH PARK CITY LODGING (formerly R&R Properties) is located in the beautiful mountains of Park City, Utah. Enjoy properties throughout Park City, Deer Valley and The Canyons resort areas. We can provide many ideal accommodations for reunions, retreats and weddings. Call 800-348-6759; www.ParkCityLodging.com. Let our knowledgeable staff assist you in creating a memorable mountain experience.
VERMONT
Sleepy Creek Spa. Conference & dining facilities. 1694 The Woods Rd., Hedgesville WV 25427; 800-248-2222; fax 304754-8146. Kathy@TheWoods.com; www.TheWoods.com
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES All of the following can be purchased at www.reunionsmag.com/ shopping or call 1-800-373-7933, ext. 4.
BOOKS THE FAMILY REUNION SURVIVAL GUIDE: How to Avoid Problems With Your Family Without Avoiding Your Family by Laurence A. Basirico. (2003, Identity Publishing, $11.95). A book about relationships at family reunions and how to enjoy them. Based on original research. 2106 Coy St., Burlington, NC. (336) 584-1442. Secrets of Successful Family Reunions by Robert W. Wolfe a.k.a. Uncle Bob A how-to-book for successful family reunions. Whether simple or elaborate it helps those who wish to pass their values to the next generation. 2008. $16.99 + s/h. The Pick A Party book set, by Patty Sachs, party-planning expert. Book #1: Pick a Party, The Big Book of Party Themes and Occasion 100 theme party plans. Book #2 Pick-A-Party Cookbook Menus, recipes and table decoration ideas for the 100 theme parties in Book #1. Regularly $20 for the set, only $16.00 + $6 s/h) . Family Reunion, by Mary Quattlebaum, Illustrated by Andrea Shine Thoughtful and fun, this book gives glimpses of family togetherness and tradition through various poetic forms, including free verse, a sonnet, haiku, a ballad and more. $16 + s/h. The Miles of Smiles: 101 Great Car Games & Activities, by travel writer Carole Terwilliger Meyers. $8.95 + s/h. Treasure and Scavenger Hunts (3rd ed.) How to Plan, Create, and Give Them, by Gordon Burgett Communications Unlimited, 2007, 134 pp. $15.95 + s/h or $12.95 digital.
SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH RESORT At America’s Reunion Resort, you’ll experience Mountain Resort Living, award-winning children’s programs (6wks.-17yrs.), family activities and entertainment, swimming, skiing, hiking, dining, shopping & more. Smugglers’ Notch Resort – the only resort in North America to guarantee Family Fun – Summer, Winter & Fall. For more information, call 1-800-521-0536. or visit www.smuggs.com/reunions. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! BASIN HARBOR CLUB 4800 Basin Harbor Road, Vergennes VT 05491 Our family has been welcoming families to Basin Harbor for 121 years located on Lake Champlain Vermont. With so many things to do and such a wonderful setting to do them in, it has become the destination of choice for families planning a special occasion. Our family event coordinator tailors your celebration to your needs and pays attention to every detail so you don’t have to. Ask about July reunions! 888-339-8074: www.basinharbor.com or paul@basinharbor.com.
Park Ride Fly USA is the fastest growing seller of offsite airport parking on the Web. All pre-paid parking reservations include complimentary shuttle service, luggage assistance, and $100,000 of Automatic Flight Insurance provided at no additional cost. Visit www.reunionsmag.com and click on Park Ride Fly for discount airport parking at more than 50 U.S. airports and start saving today!
VIRGINIA
BADGES AND BUTTONS
VISIT FAIRFAX/FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA Enjoy everything the National Capital Region has to offer. From the monuments and memorials of Washington DC to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Fairfax County is an ideal location for your military or family reunion. Call us at 703-790-0643 or visit our website today at www.fxva.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! NEWPORT NEWS Close encounters with the ocean, ships, history and the great outdoors in one central destination. All this, plus Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. Whether getting together with old classmates, shipmates or “familymates,” Newport News provides the perfect location and services to make your reunion a success! Outstanding services and support, the best value and plenty to see and do, Newport News will make your next reunion a memorable one. Call Cheryl Morales at 888-493-7386 or email her at cmorales@nngov.com to book your reunion. www.new port-news.org.
Badgeaminit.com is your source for buttons. For over 37 years, we have led the industry in the development of faster, better, easier, button-making machines and parts to be used at home, at school or at the office. Shop Badge-A-Minit for FREE Shipping, FREE Lifetime Guarantee & FREE Tech Support. Visit www.badge aminit.com or call 800-223-4103. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
WEST VIRGINIA CANAAN VALLEY RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTER offers 250 lodge rooms, 23 cabins, and 34 campground sites in the highest mountain valley east of the Rockies. Activities include 18 hole championship golf course, hiking/biking trails, indoor/outdoor swimming pools, scenic chairlift rides, summer tubing, as well as winter activities. Over 10,000 sq ft. conference space available. HC 70, Box 330 Davis, WV 26260; 800-622-4121; rhodesk@ canaanresort.com; www.canaanresort.com. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD! THE WOODS RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTER is located in the Northern Shenandoah Valley & offers lodge rooms, cabins, villas & private rentals. 36 holes of golf, 3 pools, basketball, racquetball, tennis, softball, playground, exercise room, & the
Your Living Family Tree: Keeping your family together forever through print, photos, sound and video, by Gordon Burgett Communications Unlimited, 2008, 174 pp. $17.95 + s/h or $15.95 digital.
MUSIC CD OR TAPE THE MALONE FAMILY CHOIR: A FAMILY REUNION is an original gospel CD opening with a song you’ll want to play to say Welcome to Our Family Reunion! CD $15 or tape $10 + s/h.
AIRPORT PARKING
NAMETAG (PHOTO BUTTON) Using the alumni’ photo we create a custom button with your school name, colors, and reunion year. Attachment options and accessories are available. We offer personalized service and quick turnaround. Visit us at www.TheButtonFactory.com/Reunions.htm
BOOKS THE REUNION PLANNER 11661 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 306, Los Angeles CA 90049; 310-820-5554; fax 310-820-8341; lindah@reunionplanner.com; www.reunionplanner.com.
COOKBOOKS THE COOKBOOK PEOPLE FAMILY REUNION COOKBOOK SOFTWARE Write, organize and print a family reunion cookbook from your own computer with Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software. There are no extra charges or contracts. 27 templates give you a variety of cookbook designs you can print with your home printer. www.cookbookpeople.com.
GAMES Seeking ideas to build enthusiasm before your reunion? Create an online matching game of Then and Now photographs and challenge everyone to pair them up. We help you digitize old photographs inexpensively and invite everyone to contribute current pictures. 10% discount coupon: RM1. Can you recognize everyone at www.YouHaveNotChangedOneBit.com?
FAMILY REUNION GAME is a personalized family game that takes your unique family history, stories and trivial facts and preserves this information in a fun, interactive, custom-made board game. In addition, each game comes with a game board made exclusively for you with your individual family photos. This game is ideal for reunions and get-togethers and for preserving your family’s heritage and unique stories. Document your legacy at familyreuniongame.com
NAMETAGS/ MEMENTOS REUNION NAME TAGS Full color photo quality nametags for your family, military or school reunion. Thermal imaged on credit card size vinyl badges with lanyards or gator clips that stay on, without damaging clothing. Affordable, durable, unique. Call or e-mail for free samples. Reunion Name Tags. 775-686-0441; yournametags@wildblue.net or www.reunionnametags.com.
PLANNERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REUNION MANAGERS (NARM) PO Box 335428; North Las Vegas NV 89033 narm@reunions .com; www.reunions.com. IN CHARGE OF PLANNING YOUR CLASS BASH? AT CLASSMATES.COM, you’ll have access to time-saving toolsand the world’s largest alumni database-to make your job easier. Contact your entire graduating class with one message. Create surveys to find out what your attendees want to eat, see, and do. And when details (inevitably) change, post event updates on the fly. Plan at www.classmates.com/reunion and reunite relaxed. SEE OUR DISPLAY AD!
POSTCARD ANNOUNCEMENTS Notify your reunion members to SAVE THE DATE (bright red, they’ll not miss it!) and when you need reminders, send postcards that say TIME IS RUNNING OUT. Fill-in cards – $15 p/100 postcards or 20¢ each – you fill in the date and reunion name; or Custom printed cards – $45 p/100 postcards or 50¢ each. Send info to be printed: for SAVE THE DATE! (name, date, & place of reunion, contact info). For TIME IS RUNNING OUT (name & date of reunion & RSVP date) + fax number or email address to get your approval before we print. Send to Reunions magazine, PO Box 11727, Milwaukee WI 53211-0727; credit card charges call 1-800-373-7933 ext. 4 or order online; www.reunionsmag.com/shopping.
RIBBONS/ MEMENTOS REUNION ’09? Colorful, embossed custom ribbons (in your words) add a “touch of class” to your event & name badges. Ideal bookmark-keepsake that says “you were there.” Created expressly for class, family and military reunions. Class Ribbons available in school colors. For sample ribbon and idea brochure: REUNION MATE 800-208-6804 or www.ribbons4reunions.com
REUNION WEBSITE BUILDER MYEVENT.COM Create your own reunion website with no skills. It’s fast and easy to use. Your reunion website has great features and planning tools. It will make planning much easier and everyone will love it! Features: Online registration, rsvp, ticket payment, message boards, family tree, guest book, quiz, poll, stories, photo albums, no ads, travel information, more. 7 day free trial. Only $9.95 / month. www.myevent.com. Any Questions – 877-7693836 or info@myevent.com.
T-SHIRTS **FAMILY REUNION T-SHIRTS by Cacprintwear.com** Experience the advantage of buying manufacturer direct. Our designs make the difference, our graphic art’s staff will help you customize a special design with all your reunion details free of charge. Free banner or cookbook offer, free shipping and friendly customer service. Don’t buy until you get our price! Call toll free 1-866-661-4348 AMERICA’S #1 SOURCE FOR REUNION APPAREL AND GIFTS T-shirts, Totes, Keepsakes & Gifts Easy-To-Order. Fun-To-Wear. Fast-Turn-Around. Beautiful and colorful reunion designs as featured on Good Morning America, personalized for your event! Browse our huge selection of quality apparel and exciting new products. Shop our Reunion Kits for great package pricing and low minimums! REUNION GEAR 1-800-451-1611 www.reuniongear.com CUSTOM SCREEN PRINTING AND EMBROIDERY. Customize T-shirts and many other items for your event. Use one of our fully customizable screen print templates or a stock embroidery design and there is NO set-up charge! Quick, friendly service. A portion of every sale goes to benefit children’s charities. Contact us for a no obligation quote. www.CustomizationHQ.com; store@custom izationhq.com or 240-398-3526. F E B R UA R Y / M A R C H / A P R I L 20 0 9 O R E U N I O N S 37
P.O. Box 11727 O Milwaukee WI 53211-0727
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