What’s on your reunion video?
We are collecting information about stories told on reunion videos. Several years ago videos from the Beckley, Brolra and Walker Family Reunions were all featured on The Family Channel’s Home and Family show. Each video told a story; the Beckley’s of their youth recognition ceremony and talent show, Brolra’s Beach Olympics and Walker’s re-creation of their ancestors covered wagon trek. If your family reunion video has special stories to tell, share the videos with us. We will add them to our web site and facebook page. Think: ice breakers, auctions and raffles, displays and exhibits, kids (and adult) games, cooking with the crowd, re-creations, sports and talent shows; always with people having a great time! Be creative! Your family may be featured on TV but not unless we know about your video. Email them to [email protected] with the reunion name in the subject line.
Reunions in the limelight, on TV, in the news
Year round, we encourage other media to feature reunions. As we learn about interview and appearance opportunities, we contact reunions for permission to refer them to interviewers. If your reunion is between now and the end of the year and, if your members are willing to be interviewed and/or photographed, we are interested in knowing more. Email [email protected] your answers to the following questions to help us make a referral.
- What is the name of your reunion?
- What are the exact dates/times you’ll be meeting?
- Where will your reunion be taking place?
- What are contact phone numbers and email addresses before and during the reunion?
- How many do you expect to attend?
- How “old” is your reunion?
- This is very important: add interesting, colorful stories/anecdotes/tidbits to help us “talk up” your reunion. Most referrals are based upon the stories we can tell about your reunion, its history (or not), why you’re meeting, what everyone looks forward to and why they come.
Celebrate your reunion
Reunions magazine and www.reunionsmag.com are reader driven. Our readers are our greatest source of inspiration and material. If you want to share your reunion story, some of what you do, how you do it, add details that will motivate others to do the same. Look at Reunions magazine or visit www.reunionsmag.com for examples of reunions who have contributed to a great body of reunion knowledge. Most importantly, we are looking for reports submitted with enthusiasm and sincerity about reunions that have great meaning to their participants.
We edit everything we receive, mainly because we have limited space to fill and want to fit lots. So write all the details, don’t worry about length. We do not include very large reports, instead use parts of many reunions in features about specific subjects. (Writers Guidelines)
Reunions magazine includes many features that require information from reunions. These are some of the topics we are working on … all the time. If you can relate to any of these ideas, have ideas not suggested or questions, email them to [email protected].
You can also help us write Reunions magazine by clicking here and answering questions that we can use in features we’re working on!
How is your reunion governed?
Is this one person’s party? One person in charge? Does one person take care of all the details? Or do you share the work? How? Do you have a committee? Or many committees?
Food
All reunions must eat. How do you arrange that? Do you look for a hotel with a coffee shop and banquet room and stay there for your meals? Do you have a large, sumptuous pot luck that showcases everyone’s culinary talents? Do you have family favorites your grandmother was renowned for? We use recipes when they’re accompanied by a story about the recipe and the reunion. Do you just ignore meal planning and go for an all-inclusive arrangement where all meals are provided (resorts, cruises, ranches)? Or do you cook all your meals? have an elaborate schedule that gets everyone sharing in the cooking responsibilities where grandparents can teach grandchildren how to make family favorites or ethnic essentials? Or you have it all catered: great choice! How did you find/select your caterer?
How do you choose your reunion location?
Do you always have your reunion at the same place? Why? Is it the family farm? the family home? a favorite resort? If not, how do you choose your reunion location? Does everyone stay at the same place? Or are you scattered? For example, a camp site, cabins and nearby hotels? Do you visit your reunion site before signing a contract? Do you rely on convention and visitors’ bureaus to get bids for your reunion and other reunion services? Do you have a dream reunion site? If so, what are you doing to go there? Do you camp? Go to a hotel? Resort? Cruising? A park? A theme park?
How do you pay for your reunion?
Do you divide expenses equally? Or is yours a potluck picnic? Who makes the decisions and what goes into how you decide upon cost? Do you have a budget? Do you have a treasurer and regular financial reports? Do you solicit donations? memberships? Do you have reunion angels who pay for some or all of your reunion? [my dad did, but we are a tiny family]. Do you enjoy fundraisers at your reunions? Yes, enjoy: that’s what readers tell us. Auctions, raffles, car washes, flea market sales, bake sales, eBay sales, white elephants?
Heritage touring
Has your reunion been touring family or historical sites? Who leads tours? Tells stories? Demonstrates family history? Have you visited the family farm? How do you celebrate your family’s ethnicity? Food, music, history, language? Has your family made trips to your family’s origins abroad? In the US?
How do include family history in your reunion program? Do you display a family tree? Tell family stories? Have workshops about family history? Do you visit cemeteries?
How do you entertain your reunion?
Do you plan a program for your reunion? What games do you play? What sports tournaments and competition do you plan? Do you go touring? Gaming? Shopping? Do you have awards and recognitions? A talent show? Fashion show? Do you picnic? What family history activities do you include in your program?
How do you entertain kids?
A goal for kids is to avoid anyone whining that they’re bored. What do you plan for kids? Do you choose your venue with kids in mind? Do kids participate in planning? How?
These are just some of the questions we would like to answer in Reunions magazine. What can you reunion offer?
