Just a quick note to let you know that I've started a BLOG to help us organize a family reunion in 2010. Kurt Swihart and I were talking last week about the cousins not having many opportunities to visit and keep up with one anothers lives and we considered trying to get my sons and his brothers together sometime in August for a visit. Since it's now August and schedules are busy for the short time left, we rethought the situation and agreed that we don't have time this year. Further discussion led to the obvious solution ... it's time for another family reunion to be held next summer.
Since Sammy will be celebrating his 79th birthday on June 20, 2010, we wanted to shoot for that date, but Linnae Swihart Wintersteen's son, Nikk, is getting married in June, and Kurt's daughter, Ashley, is getting married the first week of August, and of course, the July 4 holiday is out, so this is going to take some planning.
We are considering the best location and obvious ideas came to mind--Champaign--although only John and Harriett Swihart and my sons live there now, and most of the younger family members don't even know where it's located. Las Vegas pops to mind too, but everyone would have to travel to get there and it's so darn hot. Missouri comes to mind in terms of numbers and travel. Kurt is checking locations, hotels, etc. He has one prospect that sounds good in terms of accommodation, cost, location, etc. Rachel, his eldest daughter, manages the Oasis Inn and Convention Center in Springfield, MO. She thinks she can get rates for us as low as $48 per night. Very upscale retro hotel with a pool and meeting rooms. There are lots of restaurants in Springfield, four lakes, a Bass Pro Shop, and nearby is Branson (which has three major golf courses, various kinds of entertrainment, and lots of night life) all within 30 miles. I was concerned about the traffic in Branson, but new exressways there make it much easier to get around.
The goal is for everyone who is interested in participating being able to do so. If you have any good ideas, you may post them on this blog, or send me a note and I'll post them so everyone can participate in getting this organized and underway.
There are so many new Swihart descendants, through marriages and births, that I'm losing track of them--many of whom I've never seen. I also want to see family members who I love dearly but seldom have an opportunity to see. Family is so important ... it saddens me that I'm missing knowing my relatives in this short life.
Several folks have been trying to get a reunion together for years, so I think we can count on Jenny Albee, Linnae Wintersteen, Deb Jobe, Terry McGonagle and others to be helpful in this process. Don't be intimidated by the technology ... it's very simple once you learn how to use it. It is the way of the future, so this is a good time to learn to use it.
You can contact me via email at
We will need everyone's participation to make this really successful. Let's do it!
Love and hugs,
Barbara ... or for purposes of this BLOG, I'm Babs.
Awsom, I like the Las Vegas ideal real well and Im sure Sam will too. We have Alegint Air from Sprfld for $89.00 one way. July 4th might work if planing is done swiftly. Every thing here other than the Oasis is going to be busy and expensive. Kurt
ReplyDeleteYou're right ... Allegiant Air from Springfield sounds like a great price if you do it soon. But bringing kids along, even at that price, can get pretty expensive. July 4 will be a Sunday which means a long weekend and that means it would be really crowded in Vegas and the room prices will be jacked up higher, but we can check.
ReplyDeleteHow many rooms does the Oasis have? Can we get a confirmed price?
Babs
We need a volunteer to check the Vegas hotels. They're hurting now, so perhaps we could get a pretty good deal for next summer. Any takers?
ReplyDeleteI have talked to Rachel, she said that we would need a confirmed amount of rooms to offer a fixed price. The Oasis has over 250 rooms. Keeping the family together in Vegas sounds very difficult, unless we meet at the craps table at 2:00 am. That is where Sam and I will be.... The responce or lack of from everyone else is less than inspiring. Kurt
ReplyDeleteHowdy All. I don't really care where...just tell me when. I'm not so sure about July 4 though. If it works for everyone else, i'll make it happen. I'm excited to see everyone and introduce you all to Aidan.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteI am on board as long as it is not June 19th. Also, I vote for Vegas, cause you can always get inexpensive accomodations, or if you taste is a little more refined, something a bit more elaborate. For those with babes in arms there are places that specifically cater to kids.
And 2:00 would find me at the black jack table, next to Kevin and Uncle Sam, hopefully up a few bucks. Have to admit I am kinda fond of the Golden Nugget--always had good luck there, or the Four Queens, across the street.
As to the response, or lack of, well I would hope that those of us that are interested would forge ahead and put something together. None of us are promised tomorrow, and we have put this off way too long. To give you an idea, when we got together in Champaign, Nikk was in diapers. He is now 31 yrs old. And hey I MISS YOU GUYS!!!
Check out HomeAway.com for interesting homes to rent to large groups. There are some gorgeous properties to choose from.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone,
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted to receive your comments. I'll update you on what I've learbed since my last post. Sammy pointed out that if we go to Vegas, it will significantly cut down on our time to spend together, and I have to agree with that. I would be delighted to make a "gambling triip" with anyone interested at another time.
If we meet in Missouri, Kurt's daughter, Rachel, can provide accommodations at a very reasonable price if we decide on a date and number of rooms needed soon. I'm thinking sometime in July--not the July 4 weekend! Deb Jobe has a nice location
that she's willing to reserve for us. Her note said: "It's a clubhouse with a kitchen, tv, small weightroom, bathroom, sauna and pool right outside. The clubhouse would be all ours, but we would have to share the pool with the other residents." That sounds perfect to me. If we could arrive on Friday, have the reunion main event at the clubhouse reserved for Saturday, and Sunday could be open for whatever everyone wanted to do--together or in smaller groups. Departure would depend on individual preference.
Please let me know what you think about this. I encourage everyone to use the blog. It really is easy once you get it set up.
Love you all,
B.
Hi there!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you won't be surprised by this, but everyone doesn't feel comfortable using the blog, so I'll translate here and remind folks by way of email how they can see the blog. Only Linnae Wintersteen, Matthew Kucera, and Kurt Swihart have responded verbally. I have six "followers" though so I know others are out there. I've spoken in person or by phone with several others.
The latest information that I have is this ... the consensus seems to be that having the reunion in Missouri makes the most sense. The largest number of people live there, only John Swihart (who doesn't have a computer) and my sons still live in Champaign and there isn't really much to do there for a crowd. Vegas has too many distractions. If we only have a couple of days and we're going to a family reunion, most people would prefer to visit with the family, renew or mend relationships, see all the new little "Swiharts," eat, drink and be merry.
If you have an alternative solution, let's hear it.
Otherwise, here's what we have thus far:
Springfield, Missouri - July 16-18, 2010, with Saturday, July 17 being the full day event.
Housing would be at the Oasis Hotel which has 250+ rooms and we can get a set price if we have enough confirmed rooms reserved. I suggest that we all try to stay there--that would allow a central location with the added benefit of a discounted price if enough people reserve rooms.
Deb Jobe has a nice clubhouse location that she could reserve for Saturday for the day long event (for details read posting immediately above). Bring your swimming suit and sunblock.
I've spoken with Marilyn DiCola (who was without her computer while the Geek Squad was fixing it) and John Swihart. Both are excited about the reunion and will do everything they can to encourage their families to participate. My sons and grandsons all plan to attend, as do I, of course.
The contact folks that seem logical to me for the rest of the groups are listed below; however, if you are interested and I don't have you listed PLEASE let me know and then help get your family organized and scheduled to attend.
Confirm the dates and number of people who will attend so we can make hotel reservations.
The Swihart Siblings and Helpful Descendants MARILYN- She and Linnae (DiCola, Wintersteen, Coladonato and Garcia)
BILL - Terry and Jenny (Swihart, McGonagle, and Albee)
SAMMY - Kurt and ?Need a volunteer or two more here since this is such a large group (Swihart, Jobe, Rowden, Scaramuzzo, Braucher, Zanaboni, Scott and Cantrell)
JOHN - John and Harriet (Swihart, Corente, Haynes, Sabers, Cooper)
BEV - Anita Barone (Barone, Glave, Welch, and Alzein)
BARBARA - Kucera
(TOM)
Sam and Agnes, along with Tom and Bill will be there in spirit, with all of the other loved ones we've lost too soon.
It would be nice if someone would take on the responsibility of collecting info and preparing a "Memory Book" of our deceased family members. If it was done online, we would all have access to it, or would be able to print it out as desired. Do we have a volunteer?
Please send me your information (a list of who in your family will attend) in an email at:
bakuce2@uky.edu
I'm going to set a deadline of Thanksgiving to hear from everyone. If there isn't enough interest, this won't fly. So don't delay, send me your information confirming the date and listing who will attend. This information is critical to reserving the hotel and clubhouse.
I'm really looking forward to seeing all of you again. I can hardly believe that the young kids at the kid's table at Bev and Sam's 50th Wedding Anniversary are in their late teens and early 20's now! I think there is a possibility of a contest here--naming every person present or something like that. ;-)
Please talk with your family members, and give this some thought. Hope to hear from you soon.
Love and hugs,
Babs
The reunion will be on July 16-18, in Springfield, Missouri. We have a discounted price and many of us are staying at the Ramada Oasis Hotel. Make your reservation now if you haven't already.
ReplyDeleteThe phone number to the Oasis is 417-866-5253 (front desk) or our reservation coordinator is Sarah Bakerink at 417-522-7727. You must ask for the Swihart Family Reunion block to receive the quoted price.
Be there or be square!
Barbara