Family Reunions and Organizations

Family Reunion Games

2006-07-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Andrea Johnson for these super family reunion games and activities!

Fish Pond
Buy inexpensive gifts from a local dollar store or Oriental Trading Company. Hand a sheet or printed shower curtain between 2 trees. Construct a fishing pole from a long stick, string or twine and a clothespin (for the "hook.") Each child gets a turn to fish. One adult or teen should hide on the opposite side of the sheet and attach prizes to the clothespin.

Snowball Fight
Save white athletic socks. Roll each pair into a ball and fold it inside out on itself to make a "snowball." Give each teacm 30 "snowballs" and let the fun begin.

Musical Rugs
Place carpet remnants in a circle. Start with one less rug than the number fo players. Play music as the players walk around the circle ontop of the carpet remnats. When the music stops, everyone sits on a rug. The player who does not have a rug is OUT. Remove an additional rug and repeat the game until one player remains.

Time Capsule
Each family or family member brings something to contribute. It can be a poem they have written, a photograph or an art project. It might be a list of current world events. Be sure to include a list of all family members.

Service Project
Working together brings families closer. Smaller families can serve meals at a local soup kitchen or pick up trash. Families who love to sing can provide entertainment for local charity groups. Large families can tie quilts, collect and mend clothing or assemble hygiene kits. Families with small children can create greeting cards for the elderly.

Scavenger Hunt
This old favorite can be tailored to fit the theme of your family reunion. A sound scavenger hunt can be done using tape recorders. Digital cameras provide the perfect tools for creative scavenger hunts.

Happier Holidays!

2005-01-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

The holidays provide a special opportunity for extended families to spend time together but if your family needs some new traditions for the holidays, try these suggestions next year.

Many family Christmases turn into chaotic gift-unwrapping sessions. While it may be "the thought that counts," few of us need the trinkets and baubles that we receive during the holidays and even fewer of us have the money to waste on knicknacks that have very little value for the receiver. There are many activities that allow families to stretch their budgets, care for others and spread holiday cheer at the same time.

1. Organize a gift exchange. Instead of every person buying a gift for every other person, each family might give to one present to another family. Or, the adults could give gifts to each other and the children could give gifts to their siblings or cousins. The entire family could give gifts to Grandma and Grandpa that everyone can use such as games or movies. Names can be drawn out of a hat or an assigned rotation can be created to make sure that everyone is included.

2. Give only homemade gifts to family members. Scrapbook pages, photographs of special occasions, love letters, homemade games, decorated T-shirts, handmade quilts, samplers, treats and candies, favorite recipes, doll clothes, DVD's of family vacations, poems or hair ribbons make creative gifts that even young children can give.

3. Instead of having a Christmas party with gifts, start a new tradition. Spend the evening caroling as a family then enjoy hot chocolate and donuts before bed. Go sledding or build a snowman. Write your New Year's resolutions and share them with each other. Each family or person can share a talent. Invite each person to bring their favorite Christmas story to read. Have a relaxed, casual family picture taken (this is not the time to be uptight about quality- just make sure everyone is in the picture and shows their personality.) Make a video tape or journal entry about the neat things everyone can remember about the past year. Quilt a quilt or tie blankets for a local shelter. Have each family/person bring or prepare their favorite party game.

4. Skip the gifts entirely. Use the money that would have been spent on presents to help a family whose circumstances are less than your own.

Many of us comment that we dislike the holidays. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we dislike the stress that accompanies the gift giving and never ending parties. We can make our holidays happier by choosing a few simple traditions that focus on our family and eliminating the rest.

Let's Get Started!

2004-11-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

Fall is the best time to begin organizing your extended family group. Summer reunions are over and there is plenty of time to plan next year's perfect family reunion. Let's start with a basic overview.

Most families find that a business style structure works best for larger family groups. Hold a brainstorming session where all family members are invited. Come prepared with suggestions, ideas, lots of paper and pencils, a whiteboard or overhead projector and refreshments. Don't leave without a plan. For this first meeting, you will need a chariman to keep order (probably yourself) and a secretary to take notes (don't do this yourself as well- delegate.) Enforce strict rules of listening to others' ideas, writing all suggestions down for consideration and taking turns when speaking.

1. Select an ancestor to serve as the base. All descendents of this individual will be part of the organization. The simplest plan is to choose your parents. More complex options involve choosing your great-grandparents or selecting the first member of your family to immigrate to a particular state or country.

2. Name your group. For example, if your father's name is Alfred Quincy Madonnagen, then you might call yourself "The Alfred Q. Madonnagen Family Organization." Likewise, if your parents are Ronald and Betty Smith you might name yourselves "The Ronald and Betty Smith Clan."

3. Choose a few officers. There will be many jobs to be done and one person cannot do them all. Temporary committees can be called for transitional projects but there will need to be several permanent positions. Family members can vote to fill different jobs or each individual can rotate through the positions on a scheduled basis. Basic positions might include a president, a secretary and a treasurer. Depending on your family size, individuals may need to fill more than one spot. As you make plans for your organization, other jobs may become necessary. A few to keep in mind include family history specialist, photographer, website developer, music coordinator, newsletter editor, phone tree head, public relations specialist, membership coordinator, food committee chairman and service project coordinator. Be sure to consider each family member's talents and special skills as positions are filled.

4. Set goals. Discuss what you want to accomplish as a family. Do you want to coordinate family history research. Do you want your children to know their cousins, aunts and uncles. Does your family have a motto? What is your mission? Ask the questions and write down the answers.

5. Charge dues... or don't charge dues. It is important to decide if dues will be a part of your organization and what responsibilities and benefits accompany those dues. This is particularly important for large, extended family groups. For example, everyone who claims ancestory to a particular individual may belong to the organization but only those who pay dues may serve as officers or vote during meetings. Dues can fund website hosting, newletter printing costs and refreshments.

6. Write a general charter. Have the secretary keep acurate notes from this meeting. Notate who the officers will be, how frequently the family committee will meet, dues required, if any, family goals, members concerns and plans for the future including projects to be finished before the next meeting.

7. Register your organization with local and state authorities. By establishing itself publicaly, a large family organization can avoid duplicating the genealogy efforts of other groups and individuals. If you collect money, you may need to register as a non-profit organization for tax purposes. If you will operate any type of business ventures, proper registration is crucial. It also becomes more convenient to open a bank account for the family organization funds. Perhaps most importantly, it is a public statement that you are serious about your commitmment to your new family organization.

8. Secure a domain name. Even if you do not currently have a website for your family, you may want one in the future. Domain names are relatively inexpensive to reserve but almost impossible to snag from someone else already using the name.

9. Have fun. Let everyone play at their new roles in the family. If an argument starts, encourage the family to put it on the back burner and focus on a different issue. There will be plenty of time for arguments later. Make the first meeting enjoyable so that the relationships will last.

Good Luck!