View source for Mailing List:2002-08-15 09, Re: Next reunion, by Lyn Legere

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From: Lyn Legere &lt;{{emailaddress|bu.edu|lynleg}}&gt;
Subject: Re: [WHITNEY-L] Next reunion
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 22:05:49 -0400
References: &lt;20020815151950.57209.qmail@web14902.mail.yahoo.com&gt; &lt;001401c244bf$693ccdb0$aaaa3a41@yourfulkl1oh2q&gt;

Hello all,

Glad to see the discussion starting so soon for a followup reunion.  As an
organizer of this past one, I can tell you that it was this spirit of free
discussion and consensus that made the last one such a success.

I'd like to share some preliminary thoughts about this past reunion.  It took
about 1 1/2 years to pull the last one together and I think to try to pull one
together quicker than this would be very difficult.  It's a lot of work,
especially as everyone who helps to bring the next one together will be a
volunteer with limited time.  Also, to make sure that no volunteer carries any
personal liability, some arrangements are a bit more cumbersome and time
consuming.  For example, this year we arranged with the hotel to get free use of
the ballroom space if we provided pre-paid food payments.  However, neither
Carolyn nor I wanted to handle money, so everyone had to get a money order and
send it to Carolyn who then sent them together to the hotel.  While a bit of a
pain, it meant that neither Carolyn nor I had to sign any contracts or such
things which is really beyond what we should be asking our volunteers on this.

Two people are really not enough to do this big of a project.  When it became
apparent that it really was just going to be myself and Carolyn, we both
wondered what we had gotten into.  We chose, nonetheless to keep going with it,
something that I don't regret and I expect that Carolyn doesn't either.  Still,
more hands would have been so much better and I would encourage as many people
to take on a small piece of any upcoming 2nd reunion.

The time of year and place was chosen by concensus.  I would suggest that a
different place and different time be chosen for the next reunion to allow
others to be able to come - people who can't get away in August or travel so
far.  Where and when is a great topic for discussion as we did last time.

One suggestion I would make for organizers is that I learned eventually to put
time limits on responses to things that we put out to vote by the group.  I
also, whenever possible, added in votes that came in after the deadline, but
having the deadline tended to get people to think and respond.  Before doing
that, things could just go on forever.

We ran into hassles at the hotel, but this had little to do with all the
arrangements Carolyn worked long and hard to arrange prior to the weekend.
Unfortunatley, the particular hotel has a contract with Hanscomb Air Force base
that basically reads that if Hanscomb calls upon them to serve, the hotel has to
find a way to accommodate.  In this instance, the interviews for new security
personnel at Hanscomb &amp; Logan resulting from September 11 th required them to do
major shifting.  We could not have anticipated this.  However, I think it would
be helpful to have a person in the town where the hotel is (or nearby) to do
more on-site arrangements.  It's also important to note that the hotel did try
to make up for some of the difficulties by giving us the hospitality suite,
champagne and bluberry pancakes.  I'd say overall we did well, especially at a
price much lower than most hotels in the area.  Here, too, having more people on
the committee would be helpful.  It would have been less tiring working out the
kinks if there had been more of us to deal with it.

All in all, I think the reunion was a great success and I think any follow-up
one will be even better.  I think we learned some things to pass on, and we also
had some wonderful times.  It turns out, I learned, that both librarians donated
their time - that's pretty moving !!  People who  have, for the most part, never
met each other, came together with humor, respect, kindness &amp; consideration.
Pretty damned good !!

LYN

Pat and Chuck Elkins wrote:

&gt; Hi all,
&gt;
&gt; I would love to attend the next reunion.  I wish it were possible for me to
&gt; attend last weekends, but I definitely will be at the next one...even if I
&gt; have to walk!!  My vote would be for next year or 2004.
&gt;
&gt; When things get going for the next one, keep me in mind.  I would be more
&gt; than happy to do anything I can to be of  help.  I have been lurking in the
&gt; background for the past few months and have received help from Jeanne Muse
&gt; and Robert Ward [thank you both...you're terrific].  This is such a great
&gt; group and so helpful too!!  I feel very fortunate to be a 'cousin' and am
&gt; looking forward to meeting everyone.
&gt;
&gt; Thank you for allowing us to see the pictures of the group at the reunion.
&gt; It is great putting faces with the names.  Are there any old Whitney family
&gt; pictures available?  I just received pictures of my gg-grandparents, William
&gt; &amp; Susannah Rankins - his mother was Patty Whitney, daughter of William
&gt; Whitney.  What a thrill!!
&gt;
&gt; Pat Elkins
&gt; California
&gt;
&gt; ----- Original Message -----
&gt; From: &quot;Janet Duffield&quot; &lt;{{emailaddress|yahoo.com|janetduffield}}&gt;
&gt; To: &lt;{{emailaddress|rootsweb.com|WHITNEY-L}}&gt;
&gt; Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 8:19 AM
&gt; Subject: [WHITNEY-L] Next reunion
&gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; Who is interested in another reunion?  When do you think it should be, 1
&gt; year, 2 years, 3 years?  Any ideas?
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; Those that were at this reunion thought that two years was good, but what
&gt; does everyone else think?
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; Janet Whitney Duffield
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; ---------------------------------
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&gt; &gt;
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