Reunions Workbook 2015 Edition Preview

2015 Edition

A Premier Travel Media publication $ 9.95 • www.reunionsworkbook.com

Plan the Best Reunion Ever 2015 Edition

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Editorial & Advertising Office Laurel Mink

veryone likes a vacation, and almost everyone relishes that increasingly rare chance to get together with a big group of relatives.

Combine a trip with a family reunion and you’ll come away with a load of memories to last a lifetime.

Mink Family Reunion

Your gathering could be at a fancy resort or a big-city hotel. Perhaps the clan will meet at a dude ranch or state park, or on a cruise ship or houseboat. It sounds like great fun, the camaraderie and all. But somebody has to organize the much-anticipated event, and that’s more than a casual task. It calls for homework. And that’s where Reunions Workbook comes in.

The guide you’re holding is designed to help the reunion planner piece together the puzzle ….invitations, activities, meals, accommodations and special mementos all have to be thought out far in advance. This freshly revamped 15th edition of Reunions Workbook will help you chart a course, step by step, through the whole process, providing advice and checklists on everything from choosing a reunion date, destination and theme to inspecting hotels, planning a potluck picnic and ordering keepsakes. Our re-imagined guide also introduces profiles of cities, counties and resorts that want your reunion and will work with you to make it shine. These destination Site InSpections start on page 36.

621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 info@ptmgroups.com www.ptmgroups.com

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk jeff@ptmgroups.com

Managing Editor – Randy Mink randy@ptmgroups.com Staff Writer – Lauren Reiniger lauren@ptmgroups.com Director, Design & Production – Robert Wyszkowski rob@ptmgroups.com

If ever there was a case for getting together with family across the miles, it’s made brilliantly in the page 6 article by guest columnist Erin Gifford, a nationally known writer who specializes in family travel. Her words really bring home the value of reunions in a world where phone calls, emails and text messages seem to overshadow the importance of person-to-person contact.

The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited photos, slides or manuscripts.

Also check out our website, ReunionsWorkbook.com, where you can download a digital edition of this guide, sign up for InSite on Reunions e-newsletter, read up on fun destinations, find planning tools and download helpful forms.

Reunions Workbook (ISSN 2155-7608) is published annually by Premier Travel Media, Inc. 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527. This publication is distributed to reunion planners and may be ordered through groupuniversity.com. The regular subscription price is $9.95 per year.

Make this the year the whole gang gets together.

Happy trails,

CONTENTS

There’s No Substitute For A Family Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Is There A Reunion In Your Future? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Establishing A Timetable For Your Reunion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Choosing A Date For Your Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 How To Conduct A Hotel Site InSpection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Making Destination Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Hotel Negotiation Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Fundraising Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Keepsakes/Memorabilia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Your Communication Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Planning Reunion Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 101 Games Reunions Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Invitation Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Better Meal Planning & Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Preserving Your Reunion Memories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Reunion Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 SITE INSPECTIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Wrap Up & Evaluate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 4 REUNIONS WORKBOOK

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publication

Copyright 2015. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

©iStockphoto.com/kali9

Randy Mink Managing Editor

Send Address Change to: Premier Travel Media, Inc. 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

ON THE COVER

Cover photo courtesy The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Is There A

Reunion In Your Future?

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1. Reunions create unity among extended family 2. Reunions help the younger generation learn about their ancestors, culture and heritage 3. Reunions nurture existing family traditions and inspire new ones 4. Reunions create new lifetime memories while sharing fond memories and reflecting upon family members who have passed.

If you decide to hold a reunion, you must be devoted to your reunion event from start to finish.

Plan early, preferably a year in advance depending on the size of your extended family and distance they must travel to the destination. You must be able to spend time on the project, be willing to take charge and ruffle feathers if need be. Some decisions are easy, other times you feel like you’re herding cats. Be eager to do everything necessary to plan a successful event and keep smiling through the process. The payoff is well worth the pain.

Don’t Do It Alone Someone must be in charge, but all successful reunions need people to help before, during and after. Ask for help immediately and start forming teams and committees to tackle the various tasks.

Schedule meetings in person if you can. If not, by conference call (try www.freeconference.com), email (can become messy with chains of email back and forth and “reply to all”), Facebook pages/posts and Skype instant messaging/internet phone service.

Stress the importance of members being involved. New people mean fresh ideas. People who work to implement reunion goals will continue to support them. Avoid burnout by sharing the workload – and make it a lot more fun.

Reunions are best ruled by consensus. Equality and ownership are great group motivators. Every 8 REUNIONS WORKBOOK

member owns a reunion equally. Every member has a voice; those who choose not to use theirs make the choice to enjoy what others plan.

Like any major undertaking, it’s important to have a designated leader – who arbitrates final decisions, coordinates details and is always willing to go the extra mile. The leader can volunteer, or be elected or chosen by consensus. Never try to do everything alone. These are job positions that may need to be filled:

Organizer/chairperson/leader Must be willing to gather and nurture reunion members. Able to harness pesky details, capable of comprehending and settling conflicts. Able to act on gut instinct. Diplomatic to a fault. Able to bear early costs such as deposits, printing, copying and postage. Loves hugs.

Treasurer Collects and spends the reunion’s second greatest asset – its money. Makes and manages budget, keeps books and pays bills. May also handle reservations, registration and purchasing reunion keepsakes.

Secretary Takes and maintains meeting minutes.

Develops and maintains member/mailing lists.

May write and distribute invitations, newsletters, registration materials.

Program chairperson Must be creative. Able to identify members’ talents, skills and desires. Able to plan and organize memorable activities involving participants of all ages. Selects entertainment. May hire photographer.

Arranges set-up and clean-up.

Historian/genealogist/ griot/storyteller Shares a passion for research and reveres the past. Collects and archives group history.

Displays family tree, historical wall charts, yearbooks, memory books, albums, historical documents, computer printouts, artifacts, and tells the story.

©iStockphoto.com/kali9

ith an estimated quarter million reunions held in the United States annually, more and more families are reuniting. But is it right for your group? Here are some reasons why your group should consider a family reunion.

Forming Committees Committees are crucial and add to the fun and ownership of reunion organizing. Choose committee members of all ages for their expertise.

For example, a chef might be in charge of food; teachers enhance the scholarship committee or program planning for kids. Here’s a list of sample committees: Accommodations. Selects site; makes reservations, site arrangements and welcomes members.

Fundraising. Develops long-range fundraising projects. Plans and stages reunion day fundraisers.

Transportation. Sends directions, maps, instructions, lists of accommodations and restaurants along the way, airport pickup schedules. Makes arrangements to move members during the reunion (hotel to picnic, tours, off-site entertainment).

ReunionsWorkbook.com

Food. Plans, chooses and provides food, or works with a caterer or food and beverage professional.

Program. Plans and coordinates reunion activities, registration.

Scholarship. Sets rules and requirements.

Reviews and judges applications. Plans and officiates at scholarship awards ceremony.

Worship or Fellowship. Plans, presents rituals, ceremonies and memorials.

Set-up/clean-up. Works very hard on Reunion Day. Ultimately your committees will develop a consensus for all aspects of your reunion, dates, locations, activities and formal program, theme and budget. It’s important that committees share progress reports regularly and report any complications early on to avoid a disaster down the road.

ReunionsWorkbook.com

Should You Incorporate? hile most reunions operate effectively without incorporating, some incorporate as nonprofit organizations. If you want to incorporate, recruit an accountant or lawyer from your group to help. Anyone can file to incorporate, but it takes expertise to master IRS requirements and to analyze restrictions involved. Apply for Tax Identification Number (TIN) – needed to open a bank account in your reunion association’s name. The TIN is your identification number for IRS or other required government reports.

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If you choose to incorporate: ❏ Appoint a committee to draft bylaws. ❏ Develop a written statement of purpose and goals that generate enthusiasm. ❏ Elect officers. To ensure continuity, elect half the officers each year for two-year terms.

❏ Recruit reunion organizers. The best reunions are well organized and generate attendance and meaningful programs. ❏ Hold a membership meeting at the reunion.

REUNIONS WORKBOOK 9

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

f you’re looking for a warm, family-friendly place to host your reunion, it’s time you got to know Pigeon Forge. Located in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, the town is filled to the brim with Southern charm. It has become a hub for tourism in the area.

The near-perfect climate all but ensures beautiful weather, and the proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park guarantees scenic backdrops for your reunion pictures.

Aside from in-town attractions like arcades and movie theaters, Pigeon Forge is home to Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s famous amusement park. It also is host to the Titanic Museum and to car shows, beauty pageants and concerts featuring the best of today’s country music stars. Shopping is focused on the Parkway, a beautiful five-mile road that runs right through town.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just five miles from town, has every conceivable outdoor activity the family might want to pursue, including hiking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting and zip lining.

Pigeon Forge offers a wide array of restaurants catering to every budget and taste. The town is famous for its pancakes obsession, with more than 50 varieties of pancakes in various eateries. Dinner theater options include the Lumberjack Feud, Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud and Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, each with succulent Southern cooking and rousing entertainment.

Hotels and motels at every budget level offer rooms with all the standard amenities. There also are plenty of condominium rentals in town, plus chalets and cabins that provide all the comforts of home right in the middle of nature.

Affordable rooms, great dining choices, a variety of activities and the friendliest people on earth guarantee that a reunion in Pigeon Forge will be everything you hoped it would be.

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800-285-7557 • PigeonForgeReunion.com www.facebook.com/MyPigeonForgeTN • www.twitter.com/My_PigeonForge

WELCOME TO A PLACE THAT TURNS FAMILY TIES INTO UNBREAKABLE KNOTS Our five miles are packed with more ways to bring your loved ones closer together. More live shows. More roller coasters. More craft exhibitions. More down-home cooking. More horses and lumberjacks.

And more mountain views. Which means more spine tingles, goose bumps and unforgettable moments for anyone at any age.

Welcome to the place where families come together.

PIGEONFORGEREUNION.COM

1-800-285-7557

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