Why are we having a family reunion? The family reunion is to renew, extend and strengthen personal bonds among all family members.
How will the family reunion achieve this goal? The success of the reunion will depend on the participation and cooperation of family members individually and in groups.
Where will the reunion be held? The overwhelming feedback from each branch of the family was to have the reunion within one day's drive and / or close to a major airport. This feedback made the Cleveland, OH area the logical choice. The Embassy Suites in Beechwood, Ohio has been selected as the base location, but the contract is not expected to be signed until early September when the final details are settled.
What's are the dates? Thursday, July 10, 2008 through Sunday, July 13. The reunion will officially begin with arrival on Thursday evening and departure around mid-day Sunday. This will provide three evenings, two full days and a final half-day dedicated to reunion activities. Participants are welcome to come earlier and stay later at their choice.
Who will come to the reunion? Based on the feedback from the survey, everyone in the family would like to come, although the level of interest covers a wide range from "only death would prevent" to "last minute job requirements could get in the way." The reunion participants include the seven "clan elders", the direct descendants of Marshall and Lydia Bruce and their spouses; twenty "cousins" and "couples" - their direct offspring; and dozens of "kids." Most of the kids will be under 11 and half of them will be pre-school age.
What activities will be included? The activities will include open time for informal gatherings every day. The preliminary activity plans include an informal arrival evening, an opening family meeting with organized "mingling," entertainment, family meals and local events. The final activities will be developed as family members engage in the plans and preparations. Special attention will be given to the large number of young family members attending.
How will the planning and preparation be managed? The work to make the reunion a success will depend on volunteers, cooperation, communication and hard work. The feedback from the first survey provided the input to select the location and the time frame. The elders have set the dates, the central location and will propose an initial schedule. Many cousins have already volunteered to help with the reunion. The elders will suggest ideas to various cousins to plan, manage and produce activities, meals and the entire day on Saturday. The final outcome of the reunion plans is very dependent on the participation and leadership among the cousins. The elders have all offered services as advisers in addition to the duties they have accepted.
What duties have the elders accepted so far? As a group, they met together for three days and agreed on the goals, general location, dates and initial program. They accepted responsibilities to put the initial plans into action. John researched many venues and has proposed the Embassy Suites; Dick volunteered to consolidate the primary information about the participants; Charlie set up the blog and will post the initial program outline; Kathy will prepare the welcome packets; Kay and Dick visited the potential venues and collected planning material; Beverly and Linda agreed to oversee the finances; Kay also volunteered to work on genealogy.
What will the reunion cost?
No final budget target has been set. The cost of the reunion was one of the highest concerns mentioned in the survey, so close attention to costs is a priority.
The room costs at the Embassy suites is $149/night for a suite with kitchenette, king size bed and pull out couch; $169 for two double beds vs. the king size. A full breakfast is included in the cost.
Additional costs will include: large meeting rooms; other meals have not been finalized or priced; park pavilion(s) may be included; local events and transportation is not yet decided; travel costs will vary by individual and family; materials, supplies and reunion memorabilia has not been finally specified. The distribution of costs will be shared by all, with a variety of cost distribution expected within each elder's family.
What facilities are available at the Embassy Suites? Check their web site for more info: http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=CLEBHES
Who is authorized to post entries to the log? The elders and cousins have been invited as guest authors. Anyone can read the blogs at http://www.clanbruce.blogspot.com/.
Other authors will be considered upon request to chuck@kcbruce.com.
