June Family Reunion Reminders Checklist

And Handy Reunion Planning Checklists

Whether you're the family reunion planner, member of an event planning committee, the family genealogist or historian... The fact is you're running out of time, and you needed to wrap up this summer's family reunion event plans yesterday. Here are some vital, quick and easy reunion planning reminders you don't want to forget.

Important tasks you may need to complete before the event. 

Things you may need to complete those tasks. How To Speed Plan A July Family

Don't forget the family reunion keepsake memory booklet. One per household may suffice. Create a well-arranged memory book quick and easy using these suggestions and templates. How To Make A Keepsake Reunion Booklet

It's not too late to save hundreds using these event planning freebies and tips. Family Reunion Planning Freebies

Materials and supplies to remember days before your outdoor potluck family reunion picnic. 9 Last Minute Pot Luck Reunion Do Not Forgets

Happy family reunion planning!

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Fimark's Family Reunion Planner web app. Everything you need to throw a meaningful and enjoyable family reunion event. Download the award winning web app here.

Family Reunion Planning Video

Happy Family Reunion Planning 

The harvest season is here. It's a time to reminisce of fond memories. To explore your roots, history and talents. To plan a celebration of family at your next family reunion. Fimark Home Online wishes you a happy family reunion planning month.  

Get ready to get inspired. Watch the "I Love Family Reunions" video and see how you can make the most of Family Reunion Planning Month.

Find out how to plan a memorable family reunion. Get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner web app and download everything you need to plan, organize and manage your next family reunion event. Includes:

Poems

Dinner Program Template

Itinerary Template

Keepsake Memory Booklet Maker Template

Family Activity Ideas List

Family Reunion Songs List

Family Tree

Genealogy Pedigree

Genealogy Research Forms

Hotels Review Forms

Budget Estimator and List

Post Event Questionnaire

Survey Letter

Welcome Letter

and more...

"We wrote the book on family reunion planning."

Explore the family reunion planning web app and guide book. Follow the link on the blogs page.

5 Fun DIY Family Reunion Activity Ideas

Looking at our most resent family reunion keepsake booklet it is commendable that we've enjoyed over 40 years of fun and inspiring family reunion events. I would have to say that commitment to strong family values is the key.

If you're like me you want each family reunion occasion to be the most memorable for everyone involved. Whether your reunion is just around the corner or several weeks away there are ways you can put an indelible mark on the memory of your next family reunion event.  Here are 5 fun DIY family reunion activity ideas that won't break the bank.

This Months Events: So you've planned some activities but still need last minute activity ideas.Something that the children will consider outstanding, fun and memorable. Nothing comes close to  these three exciting activities.

1.  Dodge Ball - Water Balloon Slam

2.  Bubble Show - Performing Arts with Giant SUV Size Soap Bubbles!

3.  A Fun Relay Race 

4. An Outdoor Music Concert featuring a family members garage band

5.  A Food Fest featuring the families favorite recipes

For more details on these activities consult your family reunion planner web app.

Future Events:  If your event is months away consider planning a family talent show right now. Talent shows rank high on the most popular family reunion activities list and certainly the most entertaining. The fun part of planning a talent show is the auditions. Take video of each audition and make it a feature of the show. The laughs and awe are unending.  Select clean comedy, well rehearsed music recitals, good singing, cute clown or gymnastics acts, professional puppet shows and other engaging performances.   

Tip: Most families have at least one performing arts professional. Include them. Call the talent show something like, "The Smiths Got Talent!"

Past Events: We suggest sending attendees a newsletter sharing the highlights of your event. The newsletter maker is readily available along with the keepsake reunion booklet maker, genealogy presentation worksheets, a welcome package and so much more using Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. Quick planner access provided at the bottom of the page.

Making Your Family Reunion Booklet

If you've wrapped up your t-shirt orders as mentioned in the previous article this would be a good time to complete your genealogy presentation for your family reunion keepsake booklet. One of our earlier reunion preparation reminders involved collecting photos, stories, genealogy research and starting on your genealogy presentation. These will go in your family reunion keepsake booklet. 

1. Photos
2. Family History
3. Attendee Contact Info
4. Family Business
5. In Memoriam

Working With Family Photos

Ideal photos for the keepsake booklet are group photos taken from the previous reunion even. Others may include vintage pics, new born pics, wedding pics, retirement and anniversary pics, a well as photos taken at graduation and other honorary events including the elders of the tribe.

You will want to do one of two things with your photos.
1. Scan old photos into your computer
2. Take a picture of the photo and import them to your computer.

Now that your photos are on your computer use your photo editing tools to crop (cut-around) the images into a perfect square.

Family History 

Next, from your family history files put together two paragraphs of information about your ancestry from the earliest records available. 

Include full first names, middle and surnames of both father and mother, marriage dates, education, trades and employment, residents, migration and births leading up to the eldest living family member.
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family_reunion_booklet.html 

Attendee Registration Roster/Database

The Family Reunion Planner Social web app includes the Attendee Registration Roster, a part of the family reunion spreadsheet. This Roster is a database for keeping attendee information such as contact information, returned survey data and t-shirt orders by person and household. You can share the database with multiple family members for real-time editing and updating. Allowing others access to the database helps improve the accuracy and expedite updates in a more timely manner much like a wiki-project. 

Family Business 

As you put together your attendee registration database include information regarding the various businesses owned by family members including those who sell Cosmetic products, Insurance, Real Estate, Clothing, Cars, Travel Discounts, Arts and Crafts, Event Venues and such. Family members may wish to purchase a space or whole page in the booklet to provide more details regarding the business. Proceeds go to the event or committee treasury. Use the blank page found in the booklet template for adding additional business pages.

In Memoriam

The In Memoriam section can include information from the obituary of recently deceased elders and other family members. Some like to add excerpts from a bio as well as a poem or two in this section.
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family_reunion_poems.html

Putting together your family reunion keepsake booklet can be one of the most rewarding projects associated with the event, so remember to get the family involved.

Happy Family Reunion Planning!

Don't have the latest version of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner?
Get your copy of the award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app now. Just follow the link in the profile below.

Family Reunion Booklet

Have you started your family tree yet? This is a good day to begin.
Before family dinner put together the family tree according to the
information you already have.

Next invite family members at the table to fill in the missing pieces. Showing
the kids the family tree and the stories behind the history can be fascinating,
eye opening and even improve self-esteem. Seeing how their family history
connects to secular history learned in school can shed a whole new light on
school work. Add the family tree to your Family Reunion Keepsake Booklet

Family Reunion Keepsake Booklet.
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family_reunion_booklet.html

Family Tree Photos
Why not start with photos. Gather all your photos together and start naming all
family members on the back of them. Now create a hand written or typed lineage
chart. Crop and add the photos to the chart.

You can even print it out and insert it in the Family Reunion
Keepsake Booklet.
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family_reunion_booklet.html

Present your family tree project and family reunion booklet at your family
dinner and the completed version at your next family reunion.

A great place to start building your family tree is at MyEvent.com. Currently
they offer a free Family Reunion Website that includes access to a family tree
application. Check it out at http://www.celebrate.myevent.com/?affID=31409


Happy family reunion planning!

Mark & Brenda

Free Family Reunion Planner
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/step1.html

Last Minute Reunion Planning Tasks

It's time to take care of last minute reunion planning tasks. Many times our reunion planners forget all the many features in Fimark's Family Reunion Planner and end up scouring the Internet for help. No need. It's In There!

If you're looking for tour services, shows, restaurants and vendors in the location of your reunion just go to the LOOKUP panel in your Family Reunion Planner interface.

If you're looking for award certificates it's included in your Family Reunion Planner package. Just click the "Get Theme Printables Here" link on the blue bar of your Family Reunion Planner Interface. Don't have the Fimark's Family Reunion Planner yet? Download the certificate at... http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/spectacular-events-planner.html

If you're looking for family reunion gifts like family reunion caps or aprons go to http://www.zazzle.com/zzibcnet*/

If you're looking for bargain discounts on supplies for your family reunion just go to http://astore.amazon.com/family-reunion-20

If you're looking for meaningful inspiring family reunion poems it's included in your Family Reunion Planner package. Just click the "Get Themed Printables Here" link on the blue bar. Don't have the Fimark's Family Reunion Planner yet? Download these beautiful poems individually at...
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family_reunion_poems.html

If you need to create a family reunion keepsake memory booklet it's included in Fimark's Family Reunion Planner package or you can download it at...
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family_reunion_booklet.html

Remember, it's in there!

Did you know the author of the poem "Finding Our Way Back Home" and "We Rise To Tell The Story" is also the author of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Guide Book and Keepsake?

Now there is a summer special going on - Fimark's Complete Family Reunion Planner package which includes the Family Reunion Guide Book, CD and Instant software download. Was $99 - Now $69 for a limited time.
Get it now before these great summer prices are gone. Go to
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/


Happy family reunion planning!

More Family Reunion Booklet Making Tips

Adding Pages To Fimark's Familiy Reunion Keepsake Booklet

To create additional pages for your Family History section you can
copy, insert and paste the "blank" page provided in your Booklet
Maker. (Instructions using Microsoft Word or compatible program)

Here are the steps involved:


1. Go to the second to the last page of the series of pages. Note
the page reads, "This is your blank page insert template."

2. Click on both the background image and the foreground text box
holding down the shift key.

3. Select "Copy".

4. Move to the page under the family history page and click above
the background image. A blinking curser marker should appear.

5. Go to the menu and select Insert. Scroll down to Break (page
break) and click. A new page will appear.

6. Place your curser at the top of the new page and click. Your
blinking curser marker will appear.

7. Now paste the copied contents onto the page.
To create more pages simply follow steps 5 thru 7.
Remember to save your work once you have completed this task.

Download The Family Reunion Keepsake Booklet Maker...
http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/reunion-booklet-templates.html

The Family Reunion Keepsake Booklet includes pages to add a contact list or address directory. Use your Attendee database spreadsheet found in the Family Reunion Planner 3.0 application to add contact information to your Family Reunion Booklet contact list/address directory.

Don't have Fimark's Family Reunion Planner?

Download the online version at http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/

Making Your Family Reunion Booklet

Today we will begin discussing how to make a Family Reunion Booklet. You will need the following:

If you're using the Family Reunion Planner to plan your next reunion you'll notice that the "Family Reunion Timeline Checklist" is prompting you to collect photos, stories, genealogy research. These will go in your family reunion keepsake booklet.

Adding Photos
The family reunion booklet template is part of the at Family Reunion Planner package. The photo pages allow you to display photos of family members, special occasions such as births, weddings, graduations, retirment parties and past reunion events.

Preparing your photos for inclusion in the booklet.
Scan them into your computer or take a picture of the photo using your digital camera, camera phone or cell phone and transfer them to your computer. Next use your photo editing tools to crop (cut-around) the images into perfect squares. Once this is done your photos are ready to add to your reunion booklet.

Next we'll talk about the contact and business lists.
Fimark's Family Reunion Planner http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/family-reunion-planner.html

Preserving Memories With Old Greeting Cards

Making, preserving, and perusing memories is what family is all
about. In addition to running the Family Reunion Planner resource and
website I also operate a greeting card website. One page is devoted
to the question "What to do with old greeting cards?" Here are 9
creative and fun ways to turn your old greeting cards into useful
tangible art form.

Scrapbook Art: Cut out parts of the greeting card face. Not also the hand written words on the inside cover to add that personal touch and meaning to your photo scrapbook.

Photo Frame/Matting: Cut out a rectangle in center of greeting card
to fit photos. Tape photo inside frame/matting.

Frame Art: Buy small cute frames that feature designs and colors
that match the art and theme of a card you love. Matted frames work
well too. You preserve the card and it's meaning.

Baby Room Mobile: Using baby shower greeting cards cut cards to a smaller size and tie to mobile frame. Hang from ceiling. Cut out
alphabets spelling the child's name or initials. Cut out animal, toy
and solar system shapes. Hang from mobile frame.

DVD Cover Insert:
Use a card that has special meaning to you. Cut front face of card to fit DVD cover. Ad text to Card and insert card
in DVD cover sleeve. Perfect for family reunion, wedding and annivesary events.

For more ideas visit Fimark Home Onlines Greeting Card Crafts page.