MASTERPLAN

What could be cooler?

Kay Pinkney (center, holding tote bag) and members of the Pinkney, Farar and Rodney families enjoy some cold soft drinks provide by Visit Fairfax at the PinkFarRod Family Reunion in Springfield, Virginia, in July 2022. The group was the winner of the “What Could Be Cooler?” promotion sponsored by Visit Fairfax, Fairfax County, Virginia’s award-winning Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Dean Miller (far right), Visit Fairfax National Sales Manager, delivered a Coca-Cola cooler to the reunion, filled with soft drinks for everyone to enjoy on a warm summer weekend. At the conclusion of the reunion, Ms. Pinkney took the cooler home with her.

The families reunited at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Springfield, and were greeted by the hotel’s General Manager, Hai Nguyen (far left).

The younger members of the group enjoyed visiting several of the National Capital area’s many family-friendly attractions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The new National Museum of the United States Army in Fairfax County is a great place for families. Museum admission and parking are both free; timed tickets are available at www.thenmusa.org.

ANY-SIZED FAMILY. ANY-SIZED BUDGET.

WE ACCOMMODATE BOTH.

You have a big family. We have activities for everyone and every budget. From fine dining to family casual, from easy-going hotels to uptown luxury, we’ve got your budget covered. And with a world of fun for all ages and interests, Fairfax County is tailor-made for your reunion. Let us help you plan your family’s reunion. GoGo toto FXVA.com or call 703-790-0643

Holiday reunion ideas

In a recent issue of TeamWindham Tidbits, the Windham Family newsletter, planner Janice Maxine Jones listed some interesting ideas for activities at holiday reunions that may be useful this holiday season. Caroling, singalongs and cookie/candy making are very obvious starters and include all ages during the holidays. Take the caroling “on the road” and visit relatives who can’t get out while sharing goodies made by the group. Taking lots of pictures and intentionally including the usual photographer in some will last for generations as you look back on holiday celebrations. Put pictures in albums annually to take out at subsequent holiday celebrations. Plan games, tournaments or marathons with holiday themes for a game day or night. Poll members of all ages to determine their favorite games. Then, put holiday spins/themes/decorations on the choices with appropriate rewards and prizes. Or plan a scavenger or treasure hunt with holiday themed objectives and prizes. Not the time for an Easter egg hunt, so substitute candy canes or chocolate Santas. Hide them and send kids off to find them. Caution: remember where they were all hidden to rescue any that were not found during the hunt or face a sticky surprise later! How do you incorporate music other than singing? Are you able to include some dancing where members have a chance to show off special steps? Ask the youngsters to teach elders new dances and vice versa. Have a dance-off and turn it into a dance freeze where someone shouts “freeze” and whoever moves is out until the last person is standing. Everyone will be “rockin’ round the Christmas tree!” Budding artists in your family? Have paper, paints, crayons and markers at the ready to make holiday themed drawings. Let them make what they want or suggest themes: snowmen, reindeer, Christmas trees or decorations. Have a judging and prizes to encourage creativity. And there is always room for storytelling, particularly the kind that gets members talking. Start with the elders telling the stories of their holiday memories from way back At the Windham family holiday celebration they added some story telling with characters to illustrate! Double elfie selfie spouses, Terrance & Latasha Windham. when. Let all ages add their holiday recollections. This would be a perfect activity to get out the video camera and record the stories for viewing at subsequent holidays.

Cline Family Reunion

Our family reunion has been held every other year since 1988 (except 2020 due to the pandemic). We gather for three days over a weekend, and include an opening reception on Friday, five+ presentations, tours, catered meals, displays, a Cline Store with lots of souvenirs, and a special worship service on Sunday morning in the old historic 1850s church building. After canceling the 2020 reunion, we used that time to write a history book titled Family of Clines (202 pages, a 6-page index, 13 chapters). Shared by Metaleen

Cline Morgan Thomas, Wake Forest, North Carolina.

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ALAFFFA Rocks at 55th Reunion

By Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.

How do you celebrate 55 years of family reunions? For the ALAFFFA (an acronym for Abbott, Lizanov, Alzo, Figlar, Figlar, Figlar, Augenstein) family it was with a weekend bash held at the Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia. The venue is a favorite for our group—we held our 45th reunion there in 2012 and returned for our 50th in 2017. The previous weekend reunions at Oglebay had a bit more of a formal atmosphere. We enjoyed catered dinners at the Lodge followed by sharing memories through pre-planned presentations and tributes.

For our 55th reunion, we returned to a simpler celebration with everyone gathering in a central space on the grounds of two rented houses. The setting provided enough room for the 50+ attendees to visit with one another, have a picnic lunch and catered fare for dinner, and hold the “Pop’s Memorial” Cornhole tournament (played in memory of Mike “Pops” Figlar). There was a toast to 55 years with our traditional “Surf’s Up” where everyone gathers in a circle with a shot of their beverage of choice and toasts ALAFFFA in a wave to the song “Wipe Out!”

Our theme this year was “ALAFFFA Drives 55” a send-up to the 1984 song “I Can’t Drive 55” by Sammy Hagar. Many family members dressed either in full costume or wore T-shirts to showcase their favorite rock star or band. Several Journey and Bruce Springsteen T-shirts were spotted, along with those depicting

ALAFFFA keepsake plaque with a slimline vase holding silk flowers and photo of John and Veronica Straka Figlar. Photo board

Bono (U2) and the Beastie Boys. A few “Dead Heads” (Grateful

Dead fans) were even spotted in full tie-dye attire! Photo boards were dotted around the venue as a tribute. (Read more about scanning reunion photos in the June 2022,

V31N2 issue of Reunions magazine.) The night before the reunion, those who arrived early enough enjoyed gathering together to share pizza and participate in karaoke and to reminisce about memorable past karaoke performances from our “Hee Haw” and “Woodstock” themed reunions. No ALAFFFA reunion is complete without tributes. This year, individual wooden plaques, each with a slimline vase holding silk flowers next to a photo of John and Veronica Straka Figlar, were presented to first generation members, Gerry, Margie, and Laurel (in attendance) and Helen (unable to attend but joining in via FaceTime). The inscription on each keepsake reads: “Being a part of a family means something wonderful; it means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.” ALAFFFA 2022

Helen sent a message which was read by second-generation ALAFFFA-ITE, Luanne.

“To All ALAFFFA MEMBERS: I am very sad to miss our 55th reunion. I will miss seeing you all and especially the newest members of ALAFFFA. Someone once said our family is very special, and this is so true and I am so grateful I have all those special memories of the great times we had together. Unfortunately, health prevents me from making the trip. I wish you all good health and much happiness. With love and for the good times!” Always, Helen, AKA “Aunt Fun.”

We also remembered ALAFFFA Co-founder Mickey Abbott who passed away in March 2022 and another first-generation member, Nick Lizanov who passed away in 2019. We all gathered at the end of the day to watch a special video tribute set to the song “Bluebonnets in the Spring” created by second generation ALAFFFA-ite, John Figlar.

Plans for ALAFFFA July 2023 were announced and we will return to our usual venue, the 100 Acres House in South Park, Pennsylvania.

Involving participation from ALAFFFA 3G (third generation) is a priority moving forward and the ALAFFFA planning committee is looking at fun and informal ways to incorporate more family history into the reunions such as the ALAFFFA Jeopardy game (J-ALAFFFA-DY) we debuted at ALAFFFA2021, and other favorite activities from past reunions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa Alzo has been surrounded by family at their 50+ year running reunion and walks in her ancestor’s footsteps, literally and figuratively, as a genealogist, lecturer and writer. Author of 11 books and endless articles for newspapers and magazines, Lisa earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the highly acclaimed Creative Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh. She works as a writing coach and online educator through her website Research Write Connect www.researchwriteconnect.com.

The 2022 ALAFFFA Pops Memorial Cornhole trophy.

ALAFFFA 55 Photo board with a photo of ALAFFFA Man overlooking the festivities.

James Beatty Family Reunion

The James Beatty Family Reunion was originally planned to occur in 2021, but was delayed due to COVID concerns.

Planner Ann Gavin started locating family members three years before the event and found them through word-of-mouth, a Facebook Family Reunion page, and Premium White Pages. Katherine Patrick researched, selected, and created a myevent.com website for registration, collecting fees, and photo sharing. They used a dedicated gmail account to enter all the contacts and used it as their principal means of communicating. They also used Facebook heavily to communicate.

Ann recruited volunteers to help on the day of the reunion. They met three or four times on Zoom beginning three months before the reunion to iron out details.

An article about the reunion appeared on the front page of the Cook News Herald. The original James and Mary Lillian Brainerd Beatty family.

Reunion attendees were encouraged to book a local resort well in advance of the date, and the manager of the only hotel in town allowed them to set aside a block of rooms for reservations from family members.

They gathered in August in Cook, Minnesota, to celebrate their shared heritage and deep Minnesota roots. Attendees were descendants of James and Lillian Beatty who homesteaded there in 1906 and had nine children. Family members and their guests numbered around 100, coming from Puerto Rico, California, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Florida, Kansas, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Three members celebrating the occasion were over 90 years of age and two members were genealogy buffs.

Family members enjoyed touring the original family farmstead and the local cemetery where many ancestors are buried. The Beatty Town Hall was open for the event.

Reported by first cousins Ann Hawkinson Gavin, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Katherine Schmidt Patrick, Torrington, Wyoming

Bell Ransom Family Reunion

This report from the 2022 Bell Ransom Family Reunion is told in their voluminous materials shared at and after the reunion. The Occoneechee Neck Reunion Memorial program and subsequent amazing newsletter are just hinted at here and can be seen in full online. Featured here are the Bell-Ransom family calendar, Appreciation of Service and Special Thanks. Shared Jacqueline Bell Pyatt, Fort Washington, Maryland.

Powell Moody Family Reunion

The Powell Moody family gathered in person for the first time since 2018. Our virtual 2020 biennial reunion was a success and the family was excited to gather together in 2022.

We returned to Halifax County, North Carolina for three days in July where our theme was ”Family is a Link to our Past and a Bridge to the Future.”

We held a Meet and Greet on Friday evening in the meeting space at Hampton Inn Roanoke Rapids followed by bowling at Fairwood Lanes Bowling alley.

On Saturday, we toured Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck, North Carolina, followed by dinner in the Golden Leaf Room. Reported by Allison Bell, Evans, Georgia.

Sisters Cheryl Behnett-Ali and Jackie Barker-Dennis posing with the first family quilt from 1998 that travels and is put on display at every family reunion. Alfred Bell and his great-nephew Micah Gunn (age 5) enjoying the feeding station at Sylvan Heights Bird Park.

The collage contains photos of India (Moody) Powell and Fred Powell Jr. (center) surrounded by their children and grandchildren

Powell Moody family “bird whisperer, “ Alfred Bell surprised his family with how he interacted with birds at Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck, North Carolina.

Joseph Gilbert & Zelma Pryer Family Reunion

The Joseph Gilbert and Zelma Pryer Family Reunion was held in June at the Carl F. Grant Civic Center in Plaquemine, Louisiana. There were over 500 in attendance from California, Maryland, New York, Georgia, Texas and surrounding areas in Louisiana. The reunion was limited to one day (instead of three days) due to Covid.

The Gilbert/Pryer family history started in Vacherie, St. James Parish, Louisiana, where the ancestors faced the brutal hardships of slavery, received little to no education, lacked financial stability or basic human rights. Nevertheless, they built Vacherie and its plantations that are still preserved today.

In the late 1700s, God gave us Pauline and John Pryer, Sr. To this union, six children were born and the six had a total of 37 children. Their son, Joseph Gilbert, a sharecropper, married Zelma Pryer and had nine children, the first born in 1889, and 64 grandchildren.

In the 1990s Aaron Georgetown Jr, had the vision of bringing Joseph and Zelma Gilbert’s children and offspring together for a reunion because family members didn’t know family who lived in the North area (Maringouin, Rosedale and Grosse Tete, Louisiana). In 1996, Aaron’s vision came true when he hosted the first Gilbert/ Pryer Family Reunion. The Members enjoying the reunion second reunion was in 2003 with an attendance of over 700, third in 2005, fourth in 2018 and this one in 2022 with 517 in attendance. The Gilbert/Pryer reunion is one of the largest families in the state of Louisiana dating back to the early 19th century. This year’s program began with the traditional entrance of the family Banners which represent each year a reunion was held, carried by the then President. There was a lighting of candles in memory of those who have passed, followed by an introduction to this year’s honorees; Albert Lagarde, Odelia Lucille Pryer-Lewis (oldest living family member), Albert Gilbert, Rosalee Lockman, John Gilbert, and Florida Lockman. Information about the Gilbert/Pryer Family can be found in the Iberville Parish Library and Iberville Museum in Plaquemine, Louisiana. Shared by Melonie Pryer, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Gilbert/Pryer Family Reunion t-shirt

Jacques Family of Somerset Reunion 2022

The Jacques Family roots are in Somerset, Saint Thomas, Jamaica.

The British Parliament passed The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, formally ending slavery in Jamaica on August 1, 1834. The oldest member of the family for whom they have a written record of a direct connection is Lewis or Louis Thompson Jacques. It is likely he would have been born around 1834. There is no indication who his parents could be. There are a few enslaved persons named Jacques on the slave registers of three plantations in the parish of Saint Thomas, Jamaica. The plantations are Blue Mountain, Grange Hill, and Morant Estates.

More than 130 attendees spent a four-day weekend at the recent Jacques Family Reunion in Orlando, Florida. The reunion started with a meet and greet in the hotel lobby and moved to The Main Event for bowling and arcade games. On a gorgeous Saturday, dressed in the family t-shirt, they met at Bill Frederick’s Park for games and food. They enjoyed hamburgers, coconut water, jerk chicken, and escovitch fish. Saturday night, the kids had a mini pajama party. They joined their cousins to hear Jamaican children’s stories read by one of their aunts. On Sunday they held a small worship service in the hotel and were joined by many other hotel guests. It was very inspiring. People stayed in the hotel and played games like bingo and dominoes while the kids swam in the pool. Later that night they had an all-white party - everyone looked so elegant. They concluded on Monday with a family meeting and decisions for the new planning committee and a vote to have the 2024 reunion in Jamaica.

Note: See full thorough invitation letter for the Jacques Family reunion online.

Reported by LaKisha Moss, Hollywood, Florida.

Jacques Family of Somerset family tree

Family members were able to purchase a family narrative that included six generations of family members, dating back to the 1800’s. (left to right) Cameron Bell, April Bell, Tanya Moss and Taylor Bell at the All White banquet.

Fuller Family Reunion, Descendants of Thomas Edward Fuller

Editor’s note: Terry Davis, Fort Smith, Arkansas, Fuller Family Reunion planner, sends very detailed and complete messages before each reunion. He sends about 110 emails each time. I’m including two as excellent examples for your review. I hope he would be flattered to have his ideas copied! EW

June 1st

Fuller cousins, as the reunion draws nearer and nearer, we want to remind you of a few important details. First, please look through your photo collections and grab some of your old pictures to bring to the reunion. We’d love to see them! Also, if you live in the Batesville area, we are asking you to bring your favorite dessert dish, and help us with the drinks and ice. Fox Creek Barbeque will be providing the main course for the day, but we need your help on dessert. We know that you will come through just as you have for previous reunions. And don’t forget - we will have Fuller cookbooks on sale, along with our big raffle event Saturday afternoon! In addition to smaller items to raffle, we will have a painting by our own Kristi Fuller Gillihan and a handmade heirloom Fuller quilt donated by our cousin Joy Epperson! Raffle tickets are only $1 each, and you’ll want to purchase several to give you a better chance of winning! Our cookbook sales and the raffle are our major means of covering reunion expenses. In addition, we will have our “tip jar” available, and all donations are greatly appreciated! Remember the dates: Friday, June 17 - reunion set-up and decoration @1 p.m.; Saturday, June 18, 11 a.m. - Reunion Event! If you have any questions or comments, please reply to this email. See you in Batesville! TD June 10th

Cousins, Just a few reminders concerning next week’s reunion –On Friday, June 17th, beginning at 1 pm, we will be meeting at the reunion site, Ramsey Heights Baptist Church, to decorate and set up displays. If you can’t make it at 1 pm, come whenever you can! Everyone is invited to help! If you have pictures or anything else to display at the reunion, this is the perfect time to bring them. (Be sure to have your name on anything you bring so we can make sure nothing is misplaced.) The day before the actual reunion is always one of the highlights of reunion weekend, as everyone has more time to visit in addition to helping prepare for the Saturday event. And afterwards, we can all go out to eat together, if you wish. And remember, registration Saturday begins at 11 a.m. If you are bringing drinks, desserts, ice, ice chests, etc., feel free to come as early as 10 a.m. We will have several items that you may possibly win at the raffle, and since tickets are only $1 each, you’ll want to purchase several tickets to give you a better chance of winning. As always, the ultimate raffle prize is a handmade quilt donated by our cousin Joy Epperson. In addition to the raffle, we have quite a few Fuller cookbooks left over from our 2019 reunion. These make excellent birthday and Christmas gifts, so you’ll want to purchase several. And although our reunion is always free of charge, we hope you will want to donate to our “Tip Jar.” For those of you who are coming from out of state, and who may wish to visit the graves of your ancestors, and need assistance in locating a cemetery, just reply to this email and we’ll make sure that you get directions, or a personal guide from one of the local cousins. See you in a week!!!

Post Reunion Followup

Our numbers were smaller when compared to previous reunions, which was totally expected. Covid fears, some very serious health issues that several of our cousins are experiencing, and (of course) the high price of gas, all factored into having fewer cousins in attendance. However, those who were in attendance will, almost to a person, tell you that it was one of the best reunions, if not the best, we have ever had. We had our usual exhibits, the food was awesome (thanks for all of the great desserts!), and the best part was the time spent with each other! We were blessed to have cousins who made the long journeys to Batesville, Arkansas, from places like Florida, California, Washington State and Oregon. We can never thank those cousins enough for their sacrifices in getting to the reunion. I am always humbled when I think of the time given up, and the financial burdens these cousins face so they can be a part of our Fuller gatherings! We owe so much to them. And it’s not too early to go ahead and put the dates in your phone for our next Fuller reunion, June 14-15, 2024. That’s two years — plenty of time to plan a trip to Batesville. We are in the preliminary discussions about something new and exciting for the 2024 reunion. All I can say at present is to “stay tuned!” And finally, I want to thank all of those who helped decorate, set up displays, brought drinks and desserts, and manned the check-in tables. Special thanks goes out to Barbara Finley for another great job of decorating! Kudos to Mark Fuller for a beautiful memorial video honoring the memories of those cousins we have lost since the 2019 reunion. Thanks to Kristi Gillihan for securing our place for the reunion, in addition to making sure we had the electronic equipment that was necessary. Thanks to Ramsey Heights Baptist Church for allowing us to use their facilities. And a very special thank you to Fox Creek Barbecue for a great lunch. A final request - we may, or may not, have your current contact information on file. And even though you may believe that we do, it would be a great help if you could email your address and phone number, just to be on the safe side! Again, thank you for being a part of a special family! We look forward to seeing you in 2024! Your cousin, Terry

Handmade heirloom Fuller quilt donated by cousin Joy Epperson (right) shown here with the winner, Melanie Miller (left).

2022 Crawford Family Reunion - Alabama

HOSTS: ELLIS FAMILY

Our reunion was initially supposed to be in July 2020 and we were ready. Everything was planned, venues booked, t-shirts ordered ... we were working on some of the last-minute details when Covid-19 happened! We rescheduled the reunion for 2021 but Covid was still wreaking havoc in the world along with social and political issues such as Black Lives Matter and the Election. So little was known about Covid-19, this horrible illness ... so many people lost their lives and so many others were in hospitals fighting for theirs. Our doctors and nurses and other hospital staff were overwhelmed and exhausted and many of my family members were afraid ... so we rescheduled the reunion for July 2022.

In the meantime, I had been working on this theme of “family unity and the bonds that are created around the family table.” Although I have not been able to find a specific scripture to tie to the theme in my reading and research, I have found that in the Bible, we see that mealtime was a time for being together and enjoying each other, and it was also a time for teaching and imparting wisdom. From Sarah hosting the angels (Genesis 18) to Jesus changing water to wine for a wedding feast (John 2), we would have missed some of the Bible’s greatest moments without mealtime. Perhaps the most famous meal in the Bible is the Last Supper (Matthew 26). Found in all four Gospels, it’s clear this night made a huge impact on Jesus’ disciples, not only because it was the night before Christ’s crucifixion, but also because of the many truths Jesus packed into this one meal. From the importance of servant leadership to how to pray, Jesus taught so many important things to his disciples during this evening.

Gathering your family around the table means that your focus is on one another. In today’s time we are so distracted it’s dividing us. Even in our homes everyone has their meal in separate spaces and at different times, often on their phones, iPad, gaming systems or in front of the television. There is no conversation and no face-to-face time. If we do not take the time to gather as a family consistently, setting aside distractions, we miss the opportunity to invest in one another and in our relationships with those we love and care about. I hope that understanding the importance of family meals can help us make dinner around our tables a priority again. So, the focus was family time around the table and the importance of reimagining that time today. In planning the events of our Alabama reunion, I made sure that every day we spent together ended with a meal around the table enjoying face-to-face time, connection, conversation, laughter and making new memories. In addition, the image on the welcome bag was the foods of Alabama listed in the shape of the state and “So glad y’all stayed for supper.” Each family received a box filled with foods made in Alabama: Conecuh Sausage and one of their cookbooks, McEwen & Sons grits, honey straws from a local bee farmer, Too Chilled tea made by one of our family members and a letter that explained our intentions as hosts of this Alabama reunion!

THURSDAY, DAY 1

The first day together was the Meet and Greet and Table Talk. I recruited a few very knowledgeable family members to start conversations with the Crawford family about the importance of physical and mental health. We have lost so many family members at very young ages due to illnesses and diseases that are hereditary. I felt it was time to talk about that so our children and grandchildren were aware. Surviving Covid and witnessing George Floyd being killed on Crawford Family Reunion welcome bag national TV and the aftermath brought mental health issues to the forefront; it was time to talk about that. The epidemic of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and prescription meds abuse and how the world was using them to cope with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues ... it was time to talk about that. And so, we did. As we ate a delicious meal, Sharde’ Gray (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist), Raymond Gray (Drug Court Coordinator), Clora Johnson (Registered Nurse) and Cheryl Jolla (Certified

Reunion newspaper that served as itinerary and special information resource Crawford Family Reunion t-shirt

Back of the Crawford Family Reunion welcome bag continued on page 32

Explore back issues for more reunion planning ideas!

2017 Reunion Celebrations!

Arce Family Reunion

Newton Family Reunion

Morse High School Class of 1966 35th Anniversary of The Wall

Sowell Family Reunion VOL 27 NO 2 $3/USA

Evans Family Reunion

2018 Reunion Celebrations!

Marine Helicopter Squadron HMM 165

Hunter-Arnold Family Reunion

USS Eugene A. Greene DD/DDR-711

Dialysis Nurse) talked to us about some of the issues of the day as well as the illnesses that exist in our family. Questions were asked, family members engaged and conversations were had. It was an amazing night that ended with a Blue Bell Ice Cream Bar!

FRIDAY, DAY 2

We had an early start! At 6:00 am we boarded the bus of Covenant Elite Charters and headed to Montgomery, Alabama for our Civil Rights Tour with Jake Williams, our tour guide. Jake was a foot soldier during the Civil Rights era and his parents were involved in the movement. Our tour started in Selma where we learned so many interesting facts about the movement and visited Brown AME Chapel where many of the meetings were held with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. We retraced the trail of the March to Montgomery and on the way, we walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. We visited one of the homes where Dr. King lived when he pastored Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery which is where we chose to take our family picture! From there, we arrived for our reservation to tour the Legacy Museum and immediately following we visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. One of our family members found a memorial at the Lynching Memorial from Avoyelles Parish (Louisiana) which is where quite a few of us grew up. Before getting on the road for our two-and-a-half hour return ride, we stopped for dinner at Martha’s Place in Montgomery for some delicious soul food.

SATURDAY, DAY 3

Saturday morning, the family had free time to either explore our city of Loxley, Alabama and the surrounding area or sleep in. At 3:00 pm they boarded the bus and headed to the beach. I rented the Gulf State Park Pavilion for our family dinner on the beach! Naman’s catered and served our meal. Our cousin, DJ Michael Nichols, played beautiful music while we ate and after dinner we danced. Tracy and Stacy organized games and gave away prizes; some family members walked out to the beach while others relaxed and talked. Before we left, we gathered and had our family meeting. I presented the 2022 reunion budget and costs report and we discussed the details of the reunion and the current financial status of the account as well as the destination of the 2024 reunion. Cheryl Jolla from Moreno Valley, California, volunteered to host the 2024 reunion and her focus will be on the Crawford family children. She is considering a Disney Cruise or Las Vegas!

SUNDAY, DAY 4 - FINAL DAY

At 9:00 am the family gathered at the Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church, our church home, where my husband Wayne Ellis is pastor. We had a beautiful church service after which we enjoyed a delicious brunch, talked about the great time we had and said our good-byes to those who were headed home. Our job was done and it was a beautiful weekend that we will not soon forget!

Until we gather again ... peace and blessings! Shared by Wayne and Keisha Ellis, Loxley, Alabama.

Evans Family Reunion

The Evans Family continues its 54-year consecutive reunion streak. Undeterred by the Omnicron scare, the reunion had its third zoom meeting over the Memorial Day weekend. The reunion featured multiple music numbers by Tara Baker (Memphis, Tennessee) and its very popular theme song, Ain’t You Glad to be an Evans? and the popular chorus, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and ALL DAY SUNDAY. There was a scripture reading by Bryce Horton. Headlining the event was family member, Shaundel Spivey, MSEd, an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in the education industry and expert in Equity and Inclusion and Social Justice. He recently gave a TEDX talk at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Shared by Valerie Rose, Eagan, Minnesota

Evans Family Zoom Reunion

Taste of reunions!

Who doesn’t look forward to the wide array of wonderful smells and tastes of reunion potlucks, picnics and banquets? Do these pictures remind you of wonderful memories and make your mouth water? Add these to why you can’t wait for your next reunion!

Canty Family Virtual Reunion 2022

THEME: ROOTED IN LOVE

The biennial Canty Family Reunion, canceled in 2021, convened virtually in July 2022 with incredible excitement and surprising participation. The Canty Family National Leadership Team (*see next page), along with the reunion planning committee was concerned about delaying the next reunion until 2023 or 2024. Waiting four years to get together as a family held too many potentially negative possibilities. Becoming disconnected may have caused family members to lose interest and the loss (through illness and death) of older family members were two good reasons not to wait.

After conducting a brief survey of all members on the family roster, it was determined that a majority was not ready to return to an in-person 2022 reunion, so the organizers went to work. They first sent out the announcement of the virtual reunion which included tips about how to participate in a Zoom experience with instructions to practice before the reunion date. Some members who lived in the same locations gathered in groups which added to the sense of togetherness. Other members zoomed in from wherever they were—in cars with their kids, on personal outings, etc.

Organized and hosted by a technically savvy family member, Michael Mathis, of Norfolk, Virginia, and co-host, Annessa Wyman, of Elyria, Ohio, the reunion was a smashing success. The organizers prepared a 2-hour program that began with a creative video showing past family reunions and photos of past family gatherings. Family members were reminded of why we come together with a traditional reading of “What is a Family Reunion” (**see next page). A brief update about family history and past family reunions was presented. Instead of a business meeting, the Leadership Team gave a quick overview of business decisions that had been made since the last reunion and some insight into the anticipated goals for future reunions. We continued the tradition of recognizing family members who had reached the age of 90 years and over with a nominal monetary gift. During a live raffle, one high school graduate won the high school graduate of the year monetary award and one family member won a pre-paid registration fee for the next in-person reunion. We added a fun activity in the form of a live scavenger hunt with prizes. This was quite a hit for the more than 100 participants who signed on. The program ended with the usual video tribute to those family members we’ve lost since the last reunion.

One of our goals this year was to create excitement and anticipation for what we hope to be an in-person reunion in 2023 in Ohio. Submitted by Jessie Muse, Mitchellville, Maryland, President Emeritus/Acting President, Canty Family National Leadership Team

*Canty Family Reunion National Leadership Team

According to Jessie Muse “When our attendance grew to more than 300, we discussed the need for a more organized structure so we would remain strong and focused, our financial base would grow and family traditions would remain intact.” Each of the five family branches elected a representative to create a National Committee charged with developing bylaws to include guidelines for family reunions and a process to elect officers. At the 2007 reunion, they established the Canty Family National Organization and elected the first National Leadership Team — a president, three vice presidents, secretary and treasurer. The purpose of three vice presidents is to distribute project leadership responsibility among the younger generation and to enhance leadership skills and expertise. Two appointed representatives from the other two of the five family branches who attend the reunion make up the rest of the Leadership Team. This means each family branch is a part of the family leadership group. Bylaws and reunion

AFamily Reunion is a gathering of generations of family members who come together in unity to honor the past, celebrate the present, and prepare for the future. It is reconnecting with relatives and friends for the purpose of fun, food, fellowship, and the strengthening of ties that bind us one to another. Our unconditional love for one another is reason enough to celebrate; for this love and our blood unite us forever one with the other. A loving and joyous reunion allows us to renew friendships with family and friends whom we seldom see and some we may never see again. We come to honor the legacy of those ancestors who sacrificed so much for our benefit and who have finished their journey here on earth. We come to show gratitude and humility for our blessings and all that we have achieved and continue to enjoy; and we come to present our hopes and dreams for future generations so that our family legacy continues.

With unity of spirit we come to bond, seeking a future that has the potential for an abundant and enriched life. This is a guidelines were presented, discussed, revised and voted on. The Leadership Team provides general oversight responsibilities for family reunions and initiates programs to keep the family strong and reunions growing through passage of responsibilities from one generation to another.

The first National Leadership Team represented the family’s intergenerational transition (5th and 6th generations) and geographical areas (Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest). Jessie Muse declared that as the first president of the family organization, her goals were to keep the organization moving in a positive direction, set a progressive tone, establish a standard of quality and then relinquish her office to one of the sixthgeneration persons who holds office on the Leadership Team. As they improve their structure, perfect their organizing efforts, and design reunion activities, they expect to inspire each succeeding generation to continue the family legacy far into the future.

time to promote peace and harmony; restore broken relationships; engage in thoughtful and caring activities; express love, patience, compassion and understanding; seek wisdom and guidance; and give praise to the almighty God for the opportunity to share an experience with a common purpose.

It is also a time for rest and relaxation, learning and growing, worship and prayer, guiding the young and appreciating the aging. It is a time for using our talents, expressing our creativity, and encouraging others. It is about working together and finding solutions, meeting challenges and providing leadership, seeking forgiveness and healing our souls. It is about making a difference in the lives of others, strengthening families, providing role models and protecting our youth; taking time to visit and share family news, sharing our knowledge and being receptive to new ideas, caring for our sick and elders and keeping us together. But most of all, it is about thanking our God and our ancestors for the privilege of being here. ©JMuse 2007

**What is a Family Reunion?

by Jessie Muse

Johnson-Barnes Family Reunion

The 50th annual Johnson-Barnes Family Reunion was held in Memphis, Tennessee, in June after two years of cancellations due to the pandemic A handful of family members arrived on Thursday to get things set up in advance.

The three-day event started on Friday with a Meet and Greet and lots of food to get the weekend going. Every family received a special engraved glass with the 50th reunion logo, t-shirts and a gold border Souvenir Program. Everyone was so glad to see each other after the two-year absence. Rather than the usual 150, 180 attended this year.

Saturday was a full day. A tour of Memphis stopped by Aretha Franklin’s birth home, the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated, Stax Record Museum, and ended on famous Beale Street. Later that afternoon, the family picnic was held at a local forest preserve where the group photo was taken with a drone camera. The kids enjoyed a bounce house with a water slide, and plenty of down-home Southern food. The remainder of the evening was reserved to further enjoy the fruits of Beale Street.

Sunday evening was a Black Tie and Gown banquet which saw many family members dressed to kill. The DJ kept everyone entertained through the night. After dinner, the family historian presented a video of one of the founding uncles telling the story of the family history. There was a silent auction which included a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey with the Johnson-Barnes 50th Family Reunion engraved on it. The family photographer set up a 10-foot backdrop with the family logo and everyone enjoyed getting individual and group photos in front of the backdrop. Reported by Dwight J.J. Johnson, Waukegan, Illinois.

Silent auction prize bottle of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey with the Johnson-Barnes 50th Family Reunion engraved on it.

Kyla Johnson (5) on the bouncehouse.

The Bright family, Leslie, Landin, Lena and father, William Jr. aka LB. Johnson Barnes t-shirt history

Guys night out on Beale Street in Memphis