By Vickie Rhodehamel
Arcanum News
It’s that time of year when most families plan to attend or host their family reunion. Last weekend we attended my late husband’s family reunion, and I was asked, “So will this make the Arcanum News?” I wasn’t sure if that meant they wanted it to be in the column or not! But it did get me to thinking about how and why these annual events come about, who was responsible for starting this type of event? Do all families have reunions? Is it something that most of us look forward to attending or would we rather miss the annual event? I had lots of questions, followed by some research and found some ideas on how to plan such an event and make it fun, entertaining, and enjoyable by all in attendance.
One of the best ways to get the family together is through a potluck meal. Every family provides one or more food items, and all the items are shared between the families. To get a balanced meal smorgasbord, you can assign each family a specific category of food – main dish, vegetable, salad, dessert, drinks, etcetera, so that you don’t end up with just fifty bags of chips! When deciding on the activities for the family reunion, kindly remember that the main reason for a reunion is to spend time with as many family members as is humanly possible, both mentally and physically. Try to select activities where many people can participate at the same time so that you can avoid splintering out into small groups of close-knit friends. Here are a few suggestions: Get-acquainted games, storytelling, keeping the kiddies busy (coloring books, kiddie pools, sidewalk chalk, craft table), family memorabilia (old pictures, family trees or other genealogy records, old Bibles, etc.), take a group photo of those in attendance to share or make a family reunion video, make a family map by noting the residence of all attendees), host a family talent show or have family skits, create a time capsule by having each family bring something, make family reunion quilt with each family bringing a quilt block, host a puppet show, and of course the old-time favorite hold a pie-eating contest.
Family reunion t-shirts have been around for a while now, but family reunion websites are the newest big thing complete with music, hundreds of pictures from prior years posted in galleries, blogs by family and/or committee members allowing family members to keep in touch during the year. While all these suggestions sound wonderful, I was content to just sit and visit with family members just like my parents and grandparents did when I was a child. Hopefully you will have a wonderful time at your family reunion this summer visiting with family members that you only get to see once a year.
Our local community is the best because of volunteerism. We have multiple organizations that support our students in the local school system, as well as in our community with the Arcanum Garden Club, the Lion’s Club and so on. It is fantastic to see members of the community volunteer for a good cause.
Recently, the Arcanum Athletic Boosters reorganized for the upcoming school year and elected officers. New officers are President-Mandy Troutwine, Co-Vice-Presidents-Ashley Frazee and Ashley Rose, Co-Secretaries-Casey Frazee and Emily Wagner, Co-Treasurers-Antonia Baker and Christie Rader, and Concession Maintenance-Shaun Hoskins. Thank you to all these wonderful volunteers!
If you or your local organization/church has anything you would like to submit to this column, please feel free to reach out to me via email at [email protected] or by phone 937-423-3763. Thank you!
This July 4th week remember to wave the flag in honor of the men and women who have fallen, the men and women who currently serve our country, and thank you to those who are still fighting. THANK YOU, AMERICAN HEROES! GOD BLESS AMERICA!
