Speed Plan Your July Family Reunion in 20 Minutes

All around the world family reunions will be celebrated from May to September. Family reunions are a haven for nurturing children, mothers seeking mutual support, fathers seeking camaraderie, teens seeking identity and genealogist and family historians. 

While family reunions are vital to the survival of this basic unit of society many career minded people and domestic workers just can't seem to find the time to pull it off.  Do not despair.  I've been there! And what have I learned? The fact is you can plan a successful and memorable family reunion just 6 to 8 weeks in advance. Here are a few tips to make your reunion event a most memorable one.

Speed Plan Your July Family Reunion in just 20 minutes.

What You'll Need.

1. A Mobile Phone (with texting capability and a stopwatch app.)
2. A Note Taking App
3. Family reunion planning checklist (like Fimark's Family Reunion Planner.)
4. A family contact with a large backyard (call them and establish best date and time) or... 
5. An all you can eat banquet restaurant (with a private room)
6. Family History Video/ Slideshow (Consult the family genealogist for content of history video or show pictures or video of all special events provided by each family.)
7. Some no cost entertainment ideas  (see Fimark's Family Reunion Planner.)

Now create a group text message to be forwarded to all family contacts.
"We're speed planning a family reunion this summer
Date - Location - Time." 

If your holding the event in the back yard include the following message. "Bring a dish and drinks to share and also a chair"

Make sure the person on the grill supplies charcoal, foil, meat, bread and condiments. Bring extra drinks early.

Entertainment and Activity Ideas

Create your own outside entertainment with games and perhaps a talent show. (See Fimark's Family Reunion Planner for inspiring ideas.)

Read Set Go!

Synchronize your stopwatch app and hit the start button
Make the phone calls and send a group text message. Those who reply within the next 5 minutes with doable ideas will be considered.

Put the suggested date, location and activities, down in your notes. Ask the family to vote on their favorites within the next 5 minutes.
The first three or four to respond can be considered as members of the family reunion committee. The date, location and activities most favored are written in stone. Now send out the invitation

Calculate the Cost

A wise man once said, "Who would build a tower without first sitting down and calculating the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?" If your reunion is at a restaurant consider how much to charge each family member.  Consider an all-you-can-eat food bar to cut down on menu and ordering complications. Within the next 5 minutes send them a menu complete with costs and have them bring the funds to the restaurant to keep things simple.

Want more practical money saving reunion planning tips? Get Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app complete with checklists, themes, survey taker, activity ideas, itinerary and more. Everything you need to plan a memorable family reunion.

Seize The Summer Vacation Planning List

Have you been wondering what to do with the kids this spring and summer? Seize the summer by by making summer vacation activity plans now. Gather the family around the dinner table and start brainstorming favorite activity ideas. Need a little inspiration? Check out the summer vacation activity ideas list below and then start using the summer vacation planning list for great activity ideas and planning tips

Summer Vacation Activity Ideas List

1. Have a pool party
2. Tour A city, historic town or country village
3. Book a show
4. Visit the Aquarium
5. Camp out, fish, bird watch and take a nature hike
6. Have a blockbuster movie bing weekend
7. Have a homestead family reunion
8. Book a family reunion cruise
9. Throw a Bubble Show
Got preteens? There's nothing more fun for adults and children alike than a fantastic Bubble Show! https://www.facebook.com/kidsbubbleshow/

Summer Vacation Planning List

1. Choose two or more activities from the Summer Vacation Activity Ideas List
2. If traveling lookup contact information online for available locations 
3. Compare costs from a number of venues and locations
4. Review amenities and associated costs and discounts
5. Consider nearness of restaurants, stores, malls, theaters and hospitals.
6. Discuss dates with family members and choose most desired location
7. Consider how you will pack based on location and activities
8. Make use of the detailed family reunion vacation planner with local and cruise planning tips, complete packing list, budget planner and more provided by Fimark's Family Reunion Planner guide book or Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app at https://www.facebook.com/familyreunionplanner

What Family Means To Me

What family means to me. The people in your life who know how to make you laugh the hardest, cry the ugliest and whose endearment, experiences and wisdom always seem to touch the deepest core of your being. - Mark Angelo Askew

Mark and Brenda Askew are the founders of the Family Reunion Planning Group. This group was founded in 2005. The mission is to inspire young families to adopt the tradition of family reunion planning in order to help them connect to the past, establish an identity, build a sense of responsibility in their children and become strong stabilizing pillars of the community. Based on our readership activity and use of tools and event planning services request we believe we have successfully inspired over 3000 families so far with an even greater reach exponentially.

Looking for some fun activity ideas for your next family gathering? A little inspiration for your next family reunion... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=artttVA-Jxg

Family Reunion Planning Inspiration

Want to plan a family reunion gathering late summer or early fall? Considering the idea of having a family reunion with all the traditional amenities like the family reunion keepsake memory book, the award ceremony, genealogy presentations and a visit to the old homestead of town tour. The big family feast and outdoor games make it all enjoyable. But getting those ideas out of the head, on the page and off the ground is quite another thing. I understand. Getting our first family reunion plans underway was a major challenge. But as we continued to plan each event year to year we learned volumes and documented each and every move.

The key to making your reunion ideas a reality is in two simple words - inspiration and guidance. That's all you need and that's where Fimark comes in. Fimark's event planning tutorials mission is to provide the event planning steps to help as many families around the world to unite, empower and adopt strong family values. To aspire to inspire you to envision a family reunion event that will never be forgotten and forge unbreakable bonds. The good news is, it's not too late to start planning your next family reunion this summer season. Just follow the steps in the timeline checklist planner. 

Written by Family Reunion Planners group director Mark Askew and co-Author/Editor Brenda Askew, Fimark's family reunion planning guides comes in a variety of packages. Fimark's Family Reunion Planning book found at Google Shopping and Amazon.com. The Family Reunion Planner book and ebook also found on Amazon.com and Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. 

Angie Hawkins, a long-time family reunion planner says. "Hi Mark, I just want to say thank you so much.  The Reunion Planner is awesome.  I know it has been 7 years and it's still a wonderful package.  Sincerely, Angie Hawkins"

We aspire to inspire. Find out the possibilities for your next family reunion event.

Mark Angelo and Brenda Marie Askew

Access Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app here.

Top Reunion Planning Tools and Apps

So what's up next? Graduation party, anniversary party, retirement party, engagement party, baby shower or family reunion? Planning, organizing and managing your upcoming family event or any other event can be a challenge especially when it comes to streamlining needed tools and apps so that everything you need to is at your fingertips. This list will help you get better organized by adding the top event planning tools and apps to your devices reunion planning page.

Reunion Fees Payment Apps

Getting the word out about fees can be a challenge. Collecting the fees can be even more challenging. But it doesn't have to be. After listing activities mention fees according to household and ages. Make it easy for members to forward fees by setting up ticket payments on your family reunion website.

Donation Payment App

It's never too early or too late to mention the donation arrangement and set up a donation
submission form on your family reunion website

Registration App

All households making up the clan should register for a number of reasons. First and foremost to make sure no one is overlooked. Third, to document all contact information and get the facts as to the total number of family members per household.

Invitation and Event Details App

Sending invitations and keeping up with responses can be a tedious task. Information regarding the details of the event can motivate greater participate and build anticipation. But how do you get all that out to invitees? Make use of online invitation apps. Apps that allow you to provide details of the event are essential. This will also enable family members to do better planning and pack exactly what will be needed to enjoy the occasion.

All communications including invitations should include contact us information. This provisional link should be easily accessed when sending emails or add the url on post mail. When designing a family reunion website put the contact us link in a prominent location on the side panel or across the running head of the page.

Message Boards

Message boards have been a prominent online feature for decades. Millions of professionals are still using them to relay information to specialized groups. Family reunion members find them an invaluable tool to keep all progressively informed from one stage to the next.

Making a message board available from your family reunion website can be a great way of bringing family back together. It's an effective forum for discussing event planning issues, making periodic announcements, keeping folks up-to-date and documenting event activity ideas and details.

Guest Book

Guest books or registration books and forms should be provided on location. Online guestbooks featured on the family reunion website give members an opportunity to post a greeting on behalf of the household and make a statement.

Family Directory

A family directory is a great way to list contact information along with any special service, business or profession that would be of value to the family community.

FAQ Feature

Take the time to answer questions family members have about the event and post it so all can benefit from the answers. This can be featured on the family reunion website as well.

Family Photo Albums

Everyone likes looking at photos. Every loves looking at family photos. It's a great way to watch the family grow and fondly look back at good times. Reserve a space for photos in your newsletter, the family reunion keepsake memory booklet and as a permanent feature on the family website. Folks will keep coming back for more.

News Feeds

New feeds provide a meaning of posting the latest news about special events as they happen.
Post news clips in the family newsletter. Provide news feed on the family reunion website.

Calendars

Calendars are a perfect way to post upcoming events such as wedding, engagement parties, showers, graduation parties and more.

In Memoriam Pages

This feature can be provided in newsletters, the family reunion keepsake memory book and be a permanent fixture on the family reunion website.

Family Survey App

Use the survey feature  to keep track of preferences regarding the dates, locations and activities of the reunion event. Use the family reunion event planning app to post surveys via your social network page. Remember to provide a survey module on your reunion website.

Family Poll App

Family polls are both fun to take and very informative to committee event planners. Take polls to determine favorite activities, locations and events. Review poll results at committee meetings before making final decisions. Post more interesting poll results in the family newsletter and on the family reunion website.
.

Business Page

Feature family businesses and empower the financial stability of the family. Reserve a space in the family newsletter, family reunion keepsake booklet and the family reunion website.

Online Auction App

Hold online auctions to raise ,money for causes related to the family and the reunion event.

A great way to access templates and apps for all your family event planning needs is Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app. It has everything you need including the apps and tools mentioned above to plan, organize and manage a memorable family reunion.

How To Stop The Madness!

Have you've ever gotten so bogged down with work that you seemed trapped in an occupational maze? Slaving for the man and unforeseen occurrences can easily result in early burnout.  Often family bonds go neglected. Getting back on track may be difficult and even when you put forth some effort to get closer to sons and daughters, mom and dad a perfunctory routine may not do much to keep family bonds strong and meaningful.

Just stop the madness. Get out of the rat race. The days are getting longer and warmer. The sky is bluer. The air is fresher. The birds are chirping and the flowers are in bloom. It's time to think about sharing in some cool activities for spring.

This season plan to get out of the house and do something fun with your family. Steer in the direction of rediscovering and celebrating good old reliable family values. Start by gathering the family at the dinner table. Fix and serve their favorite healthy meal. Now sit down and chow down.  Ask them to brain storm some exciting activities they would like to do this spring and summer. Make definite plans to make it happen. Before you know it they will be back in your arms again.

- - - - -

Family reunions are not just a one time event experience. the planning process involves planning several events that often engage the family for months at a time and that's the genius behind reunions.
Why not plan your next family reunion now.  To get inspired check out my family reunion planning app. You'll be amazed at the possibilities.

We Aspire To Inspire

As we have said so many times, we aspire to inspire you. We appreciate hearing the many positive reviews from satisfied family reunion planner web app users like Angie Hawkins.

"Hi Mark,

 

I just want to say thank you so much.  The Reunion Planner is awesome.  I know it has been 7 years and it's still a wonderful package.  Sincerely, Angie Hawkins"

Thank you Angie. We hope you continue to get the most out of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner web app, ebook and paperback book for years to come.

Thanks to you we will continue to aspire to inspire you to plan the most memorable family reunion planner ever.

Mark Angelo and Brenda Marie Askew

Access the family reunion planner web app here.