Plan a Genealogy Family Reunion
What better way to get to know your living relatives
Organizing an event that could include hundreds of people that you aren't all that close to, can be a daunting task. But it could be worth the effort for your research.
If you are tired of only seeing your relatives as names, dates and old photos, you might want to organize a family reunion to bring the living members of your family tree together. Though family reunions can be simply social get-togethers, a few extra steps can turn your event into a real research tool without taking away from the fun.
Get Some Help - This is going to be a big project, so you might want to recruit some assistance. Do you have any cousins or siblings who are also interested in family history? Try to find someone who you are reasonably close with, since you are going to be asking for a lot of their time.
Who, What, Where? - Since this event is focused on your family history, you might want to choose a location that has significance, rather than just your local park or hall. Is the old family homestead still in your family? Regardless, try to choose a location that is convenient for the largest number of people. As for who to invite, go through your tree and choose just one branch to focus on. People who are too distantly related aren't going to feel much connection with each other.
Tell People the Purpose - Most people see family reunions as plain social gatherings, and might not be interested in filling out questionnaires or doing historical interviews. So be clear about the purpose when doing your invitations. Tell your guests what's involved and perhaps ask them to bring old photo albums or other memorabilia to share. But make sure you let them know that socializing is still the major element of the event. You don't want people staying away because it sounds like a lecture or conference.
Plan Activities - Though you might be in heaven, just sitting around looking at photos and hearing old stories, you could have a lot of bored guests on your hands. This family reunion website offers a list of possible games and activities to help keep everyone busy and having fun. Make sure the activities are organized and well laid-out. Give everyone a schedule when they arrive so they know where and when everything is going on.
Be Prepared - There is going to be a lot of information floating around during your reunion, so make sure you are ready to capture as much as possible. Some supplies you'll need: paper (blank pedigree sheets, contact forms, questionnaires, and plain note paper), pens and pencils, extra film or memory cards for your camera, and maybe a micro-cassette voice recorder. You could even hire someone to photograph and/or videotape the entire event. Have envelopes with your address ready to go, with stamps for all those people who have materials "at home". Giving them an envelope will increase your chances of them remembering to send it. If possible, you might also want to have a computer with scanner set up nearby. It's the best way to copy all those old photos that are being passed about.
Afterwards - Even family members who don’t care about genealogy are going to want something to remember their trip by. You should put together a memorial booklet to send to everyone who attended. Include some family tree charts, group photos, memorable stories and histories that were shared, and a contact list so that people who met during the reunion can keep in touch.
