I have helped organize and run large events, reunions, parties, and fund raising for numerous organizations. Boys and Girls Clubs, Jaycees, Junior Achievement, Fair Associations, National Hot Rod Association, Ducks Unlimited and many others. While events all cost money, they don't necessarily have to cost the participants. Fund raising is an entirely different topic and my point is mixing the "reunion" with these aspects does not get the best result for either party. I totally understand the aspects of both. Fund raising and generating some sort of revenue should be all year long as Germanna Foundation is a worthy cause and needs much more then what reunion participants can pull from pockets over a weekend. In my opinion, fund raising should help sponsor and bring more "families" to the reunion. I suspect we all know someone, a family member or "cousin", that would like to attend but couldn't afford it this year, or last, or next year. Knowing that there are thousands of family members that are out there and many simply don't even know about Germanna is what drives me. I have been a Rector for 44 years, and known about Germanna for only 4 years. I have met a dozen people just this last year that are Germanna decedents and didn't know about it either. The worthy mention from Barb was growing membership. Would you rather see a single dollar admission come in from 10,000 various family members participating then or the $500 or so that might come in from the couple hundred (less then 200) that attend the current annual event? I would. Hint - you earn the same amount with both efforts but I guarantee that the end results to be much different from attracting the larger mass. My math is a illustration example - you can work the actuals. With proper planning all the costs can of running an event such as this and feeding people can be covered. Every dime and then some. Heck, for about 6 years in a row I helped feed a several hundred homeless people at Thanksgiving as a member of the Jaycees. Parallel we raised money for the shelter but the participants were not the target donors. Fund raising was separate. I am confident that the organization could feed and cover costs for the "reunion" aspect if we had 10,000 members. :) And it wouldn't be from charging $30 a plate. Plan - Work - Sustain. The first step to success is "planning". I will give the floor back to the rootsweb team and genealogy aspects they discuss. I "read' posts here daily, most of the time from my Blackberry wireless device during the day, and do not participate in responses as I don't have much to offer to those topics. I felt compelled to respond to this topic. Jay Rector Rally the Rectors! ----- Original Message ----- From: <RockCatt@aol.com> To: <germanna_colonies@rootsweb.com>; <jay@4046603282.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 9:11 PM Subject: Re: [GERMANNA] Suggestions for the Reunion > John B, Jay and Michael-- > > You have all captured what the Foundation calls "the Reunion." I recall > your suggestion, Michael, that we change the name of this annual event > and I > agree, as do many others. > > John B, you bring up something that I have sorely missed over the last > couple of years--the gathering of cousins. I remember 2 years ago that > Bill and > Susan Holtzclaw organized an incredibly wonderful Holtzclaw Reunion. > There > were about 20-30 of us, all Holtzclaw descendants, sharing stories at > Napoleon's restaurant over a delicious dinner prepared by the German > chef. We had > already been out to the little cemetery at Ashland/Ashlawn together, a > very > emotional experience to be sure. It was emotional even though the > Holtzclaws in > that cemetery are not my ancestors! This is something that we need to > keep > doing. Skip Poole, a Clore descendant, has a get together every year in > conjunction with the Reunion. > > Jay, your suggestions about the watermelon eating contest and the sack > races > is something that we, both the Foundation and the Association, have been > considering adding to the schedule, perhaps even a family picnic. If > you've > ever read the accounts of the history of the Germanna Foundation, you've > probably seen the photographs of BC Holtzclaw leaning on a podium, outside > at the > annual picnic, with the families gathered around. With the heat at this > time > of the year, tents might be a good option as there aren't enough trees, > but > don't be surprised if you see this as an option. I might add, too, that > both > the Foundation and the Association appreciate suggestions and comments. > Those > can be directed to: _office@germanna.org_ (mailto:office@germanna.org) > Perhaps in the near future we will have email capability to all of the > Trustees, > Association Board members and the various committees--but, that costs > money, > too! > > Michael, thank you so much for the reminder of the responsibility that the > Germanna Foundation has in it's hands in relation to the various > properties > that we own, which we take very seriously. At the present, we are > responsible > for the care and maintenance of Salubria, an 18th century Georgian mansion > and > the Visitors Center and surrounding property. All of these properties > require funds in order to maintain them properly. We also have an office > staff > at the Visitors Center and we're responsible for their salaries. We > couldn't > operate without them. Thus, we have to raise money! > > Not only does the Foundation have to maintain the above and pay salaries > in > order to keep the Visitors Center open, but we also have to pay for the > publishing of publications and the newsletter that is sent out to our > members. > > I would argue with you, Jay, that the Reunion itself is a fund raiser, as > the main way that we raise funds is through our membership, which needs > to > grow and grow! The Reunion does not raise money, it costs money!! I > view the > Reunion as just that, a reunion of people with a commonality that goes > back > hundreds of years and just a few years. I look forward to the Reunion > because > I know that I will see some of my cousins, I will see fellow travelers to > Germany and I will meet new people. The difference between the Germanna > Reunion > and a traditional reunion is that we are gathering people from more than > 50 > families, not just one or two, so the focus is on their shared > experience. > > Just my two cents.....Barb Price > > > > > > > In a message dated 8/5/2008 07:36:54 Pacific Daylight Time, > oddlaw@pacbell.net writes: > > I take a slightly different position in that I believe that Germanna is > different from other "family reunions." Few "family reunions" own a > large tract of property and even fewer have a stewardship over a > significant part of American history that reaches beyond mere family > members. The goals of most "family reunions" would be fellowship, fun > and refreshing family ties. Germanna is charged with a more expansive > duty owing to the unique history of the "Germanna family." I do agree > that a name change is appropriate and my suggestion is "The Germanna > Historical Conference and Annual Reunion." This more accurately > reflects the heritage and actual operation of the annual Germanna event. > > As for the fund raising element, it is simply necessary to sustain the > many obligations of Germanna, which unlike most "family reunions" must > sustain expenses on a year-round basis with the operation of the > visitor's center and website. Personally, I find Germanna's fund > raising activities to be very benign. Vendors selling items of interest > to those who attend and the auctions are for many people are attractive > elements of the Germanna annual event. > > As for the genealogy, it is my impression that it ties in neatly with > the essential mission of Germanna and is an important part of the "soul > of Germanna." Anyone who attended this year's conference and heard John > Blankenbaker's fascinating account of Urban Tanner, or Katherine Brown's > superb presentation on the women of Germanna, or Barb Price's insightful > unveiling of the history of Ashlawn (Ashland) could not help but be > impressed by the rich offerings of the Germanna experience. I say this > as one who has no known relation to Urban Tanner, am not a woman (though > I confess to soft spot in my heart for women), and who has no family > ties to the Ashlawn (Ashland) property or families. These were just > exceptional presentations that enhanced one's appreciation for the > context of one's own family history. > > Also, anyone who heard Marc Wheat's discussion of Germanna and the > exciting plans for the future of Germanna could not help but be inspired > by being a part of such a worthy enterprise. Fund raising will be an > important part of fulfilling the many opportunities that Germanna > possesses. > > The Sunday morning experience with Dr. William Kelso of Jamestown also > provided a marvelous look at the context of how our ancestors were able > to come to this country and how the path was cut. > > Germanna is more than just a family reunion and we should all celebrate > that fact. Of course, that's not to say we can't have some sack races > and watermelon eating contests as part of the festivities! > > Best wishes to all, Michael L. Oddenino > > Jay Rector wrote: >> Germanna is the first "reunion" I have ever attend where the primary >> focus > is fund raising. Very sad. >> >> While fund raising is a necessary activity for the organization the > reunion of familes, in my opinion, should be at minimal costs, and > "family" > oriented. Otherwise it isn't a family reunion at all. It is currently > what it is > - an annual fundraiser. >> >> Another issue with the manner of this Germanna Reunion is that the >> events > and activities seem to be focused on genealogy. While many of you are > "genealogy" oriented, most of the family decendents are not. We are > "family > members" with a common heritage. Where is the sack race and watermellon > eating > contest! Who has a story of family member success that can be shared > with > other family member and "Germanna cousins". Who graduated High School, > College > or has a new job, or maybe needs one? These are things that my family > reunions have on their agenda. >> >> These aspects of fund raising and genealogy need to take a back seat at >> a > family reunion, or rename the event. >> >> Sigh... >> >> Plan - Work - Sustain. >> >> >> Jay Rector - 4046603282.com >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: john.blankenbaker@comcast.net >> >> Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:32:41 >> To: <germanna_colonies@rootsweb.com> >> Subject: [GERMANNA] Suggestions for the Reunion >> >> >> >> To Michael's excellent suggestions, let me add one. >> >> Reunions mean more when a good sized contingent of people from one >> family > attend. I, for one, would volunteer to help provide a special event > program > outside of the usual activities. In particular, I am thinking of the year > that > 19 Ambergers came early. We met before the commencement of formal > activities > and they listened to a discussion by me before we went out to visit the > two > land patents that Conrad Amberger had. Then we went to Hebron and the > town of > Madison. We concluded the day with a dinner in Madison. In total we spent > about five hours on the activities. I think the group had a good time that > was > informative. >> >> This was before the time that we had Friday tours. Still, having >> something > tailored to one's own family is especially interesting. It would remain > to > be seen how we could merge all of the activities but the aim would be to > have > something special for the family. >> >> How do get the ball rolling? Principally it would depend on a person > within the family who would organize the family and promote the idea. At > the > moment, I would volunteer to help if the group could trust that the creek > doesn't > rise too high. So contact the Foundation or me if your family is > interested. >> -- >> John.Blankenbaker@comcast.net >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message >> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message >> >> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus > signature database 3328 (20080805) __________ >> >> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. >> >> http://www.eset.com >> >> >> >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message > > > > > > **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your > budget? > Read reviews on AOL Autos. > (http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000017 > ) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >