August 2010 – Family Reunion Season Slowing Down; But Reunion Planning Is In Full Swing
Branson, MO (PRWEB) August 28, 2010 — Family reunion season is fast winding down as school activities begin and summer activities end. However many travel planners state that late summer is probably the best time to begin planning family reunions for next year. Wanda Nicol, a groups coordinator for a Branson, Missouri resort has several tips for prospective reunion planners.
First, create a family reunion checklist. It may seem cliché, but there are multiple reasons for starting with a clear list of items to take care of. Creating a checklist makes sure that nothing is forgotten–any time you think of something that needs to be done, add it to the list. According to Wanda, “[it] also offers a small but important benefit, for many people checking off items on the list will bring a sense of accomplishment and proof that they’re not just spinning their wheels in planning the next reunion!”
Next, pick a date. This is probably one of the most crucial areas in planning a reunion and one which is often overlooked until the last minute. As Wanda says, “Last minute date changes are one of the most common causes of poorly attended family reunions. Let the family know well ahead of time what dates they need to reserve on their calendar.” This is also important when picking the location for a family reunion–whether renting the shelter down at the park or booking a cruise for the whole family most reunion venues will fill up months in advance for the prime summer reunion season. This is also among the reasons why Wanda advises her clients to begin planning in the fall even though family reunion season seems far away on the calendar.
Of course, family reunions in the 21st century wouldn’t be complete without a high tech angle and this is something Wanda encourages, especially for her larger reunions. “Create a Reunion Website, get an email list, set up a Facebook page or Twitter account–don’t be afraid of the new technologies. It encourages the always important younger generation to get involved as well which is something all reunion planners have struggled with.” With the number of free or inexpensive web services and social networking available Wanda says there’s really no reason not to have at least a small online presence. And most online tools come with tutorials or examples that make them easy to set up with very little computer experience necessary. Of course the sooner these tools get set up, the more time the family has to use them-again a good reason for planners to start laying the groundwork this fall.
With these tips in mind Wanda expects to hear from many of her 2011 Branson reunions soon. Even though some planners hesitate to even think about the reunion until next spring, Wanda has found the best reunions were planned months and sometimes years in advance. “Advance planning makes it more of an event, a special occasion, and you’re more likely to see the family members coming in from far away.” Wanda’s final advice to planners is, “A family reunion may last a weekend, butfamily reunion planning pays off all year long!”
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