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Every successful reunion requires good leadership. And it's best to not
do it solo. There is much evidence that one person can organize a reunion
alone. But is it fair? And does it generate the greatest possible commitment?
One person must be the leader, but if that person also delegates tasks
and inspires lots of volunteers, there will naturally be more interest
in and ownership of the reunion. Here are some ideas about reunion leadership
for your consideration and also to keep in mind when reunion leadership
must be passed on to the next leader.
In families with regular reunions, there are many forms of sharing the
load. When delegating, make sure each volunteer understands the purpose
of the task. If necessary, write instructions, read them together, then
ask questions to make sure the job is understood. Don't take on everyone
else's overload. Find others to help.
Each of the six families comprising the McGinty Family Reunion has a
representative on the Board. Within the extended family structure, family
talents come to light. As extended families come to know one another,
members learn to use the talents of others to mobilize resources. Members
learn to use knowledge, expertise and resources within their own families.
Organizing your reunion by yourself can be lonely and may not get the
results you want. Anyway, it's lots more fun when you share the planning,
work and worries. Involving others as early as possible means help ranging
from moral support (no small thing!) to taking charge of large and small
details. Early involvement should also include monetary contributions
to defray start-up phone, printing, and postage costs, and deposits soon
after.
Listen to all ideas. Of course, people who make suggestions should be
ready to help or assume responsibility to carry them through! Some aspects
of reunions — such as newsletters, parts of the program, decorations
or food — can be accomplished by enthusiastic, dedicated individuals
who often have special talents. Some of the computer-related stuff can
even be handled by younger family members.
Reunions are best when ruled by consensus — equality and ownership
are great group motivators. Every member owns a reunion equally. Every
member has a voice — those who choose not to use their voices choose
to enjoy what others plan.
Beth Gay of Moultrie, Georgia, starts with relatives who live nearby.
It can be just a committee of two or three to make basic decisions. 1)
Do you need officers? 2) Who will keep records? 3) Is a chaplain needed?
She suggests monthly family meetings. Yes, every month; Sunday afternoon
is her best time. Call everyone about the meetings. Better yet, send reminder
post cards. Everybody is busy — it's easy to forget. Remind everyone
every month.
During the meetings you can do lots of things together. Gay suggests
work on a quilt, scrapbook, cookbook or banners and signs. Then, mailings;
newsletters, fliers and invitations. "The greatest thing gained at
meetings," she says, "is that you become better acquainted and
all this work, planning and caring will show at your reunion."
Emma J. Wilson summarized the reunion of descendants of Mary Cage Givens
Gilmore in Nashville, Tennessee: Committee members in Arkansas, Texas
and Ohio planned the reunion at a meeting during the year-end holidays.
An agenda helped spark ideas and smooth details. They discussed activities,
mapped strategies, decided upon a site coordinator, treasurer, someone
to be in charge of correspondence, t-shirt selection and the family tree.
Each carried out assigned tasks from their homes and kept expenses reasonable.
Melenda Gatson Hunter of Lathrup Village, Michigan, writes "In retrospect,
I think it's really important for families to have reunions to teach children
about their heritage. Reunions are a lot of work but it's worth it to
see your family. You don't know if you will see some of them at the next
reunion."
For the Wills Family Reunion, Hunter broke a huge challenge into manageable
increments and assigned/cajoled talented family members to the right jobs:
chair, co-chair, treasurer, hospitality, registration, souvenirs and t-shirts
and tour. Hunter, a family historian with high-tech computer skills, took
on program planning. She created a display board and memory book; collected
for and assembled goodie bags and door prizes.
New people mean fresh ideas. People who work to implement reunion goals
will continue to support and improve it. Avoid burnout by sharing the
workload with everyone.
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