Starting the Reunion. The day of the reunion beginning is an important time to set the tone. Make sure that you have a place for people to register, pay remaining fees, get name tags and so forth. Have some activities planned as ice breakers and mixers. Help these family members get better acquainted or renew old friendships. Remember that some attendees will be first timers (spouses, new cousins, long lost family members) so make sure they feel welcome and appreciated. Make sure you have a sign in sheet for the attendees; this will help in making final financial allocations and will update your mailing list for the next reunion.
Record Memories. Make sure you are having lots of pictures taken. Digital pictures are fun since they can be posted to the web site later for participants to download after the reunion. Make sure you have someone who can annotate the pictures with the names of the people in them. Consider having someone make a video of the reunion, and have a "cameraman" and "reporter" assigned to do interviews with family members. You might also want to consider an audio recording of times when elderly family members speak or share stories from their lives. Some families have the head of each family unit update the whole reunion on their family's activities and status. This is also a good part of the reunion to record.
Give Awards. Consider bringing some preprinted award certificates or a laptop and printer to print awards for family members. These can be serious, humorous, or just tongue in cheek. But the award idea helps bring a little fun and cohesion to a reunion.
Family History and Genealogy. Some families are really tuned into their family's history and genealogy. If this is of interest to your family, take some time during the reunion to catch up. Have those with a genealogy hobby share their research and findings. Make copies of some of the genealogy for the participants. Consider having someone post a large family tree somewhere conspicuous during the reunion so people can connect themselves in the larger family.
After the Reunion
Send An Evaluation Form. Just like any major event, it's helpful after the fact to know what worked and what didn't. Consider e-mailing or snail mailing an evaluation form, or posting one on the web site with the pictures. Ask for feedback about the reunion in general and specifically, the food, the activities, the location, the cost and for recommendations for coming reunions. Tally the results and put them in your reunion file.Send Thank You Notes. Don't forget to thank those who helped with the planning and execution of the reunion. It is common courtesy, and the help of the volunteers is often the most important part of a reunion's success.
Rest and Recuperate. Treat yourself to a little break after the intensive planning efforts. Play a round or two of golf; drive to a lake or beach nearby and just sit. Whatever it is that you enjoy, enjoy it. You deserve it!
