For all you Kirkland researchers: KIRKLAND FAMILY REUNION The descendants of Richard and Hester Kirkland will gather once again for fun, fellowship and great food, to celebrate the history of this great family. **On Friday, October 27th, all family members are encouraged to attend an informal genealogy get-together. It will be held at the Waldroup Avenue Church of God Social Hall, in Douglas, from 5:00-9:00. Please feel free to bring any research that you would like to share. As stated, this will be an informal get-together with no planned speakers or particular discussion. Just good fellowship and swapping research, ideas, and questions. We'll even discuss the allied families such as the Lankfords, Tanners, Meeks, Pickrens, Thigpens, Millers and whomever or whatever ya'll want to discuss. We'll have homemade pound cake and coffee and soft drinks there, but anyone wishing to contribute cups, napkins, or plates or even some "finger-food" just let me know. **The Kirkland reunion will be held Saturday October 28th, from 11:00 until 5:00 at the C. E. Weir Center on East Bryan Street in Douglas. Following the traditions set by our grandparents and great-grandparents, there will be plenty of wonderful and delicious food including the traditional Kirkland Bar-B-Que. Please bring a basket lunch of your favorite foods along with either a gallon of tea or soft drinks. Plates, cups, napkins, and utensils will be furnished. **A genealogy table will be set up again this year at the reunion. Those that have any old family photos or memorabilia to share are invited to bring their treasures to show and share with others. Please be sure and bring our family group sheets either to the get-together or the reunion. There has been some interest and talk of doing an updated version of The Kirkland Book. We would like to include as many families as possible. There will also be blank group sheets available both days if you need any extras. **We also need some volunteers to watch over the genealogy table. Say in 30 minute or one hour blocks of time. We just don't want anyone finding our picture's and treasures irresistible. Everything went well last year, but I would sure hate to tell someone the picture of their dear old grandma walked away from the table while we weren't looking. Just e-mail me personally if you'd like to help. You don't have to know all about the Kirkland line or be "into" genealogy to volunteer. **The organizing committee for this year is: Jimmy Kirkland, Marshall Kirkland, Vaye Holton, Jean Varnadoe, Melody McCook, Nell Moore, Milton Kirkland, Richard Fred Kirkland, Reggie Kirkland, and James Carver. Most everyone has e-mail, but I'm not sure about Richard Fred, Jean, or Reggie. In fact, if you all would forward it to your own family members, I would appreciate it. I don't have everyone's e-mail yet. Also, we would like to come up with some fund-raising ideas for next year and the future years. we've talked about an update on the Kirkland book, t-shirts, family cookbook, and an auction. If you guys have any ideas, we'd love to hear them. Next, we've also thought we should mention those family members that have passed away in the year since the last reunion. I have a short list and I would certainly hate to leave anyone out. Please send me your names for this "roll-call". There has been mention of a family association and we would certainly have to discuss this. I do know that for large families they can be very successful. We also have a family cemetery to maintain. Not to mention numerous other gravesites around the Atkinson and Coffee area. I would like to see each grave identified and eventually marked, but I realize that may be an impossible task. Military grave markers or headstones are provided free from the government and I know there are some graves that need these. **We also need to try and get some kind of ball-park figure as to how many people will be attending the genealogy get-together and or the reunion. I realize that any figure we get will probably be way off, but we do need to do a little planning where the bar-b-que and plates and utensils and so forth are concerned. Please feel free to discuss anything in this message. We're all family here so don't be shy, We certainly can use all the help that we can get. And we do appreciate it so much!! That's about it for know. I hope to hear from some of you real soon! Take care, Melody mmccook@bellsouth.net