Family Reunions, Groups & Retreats
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"This is our 6th year here at Roddy Tree. Our annual Hill Country Vacation is a family tradition that started back in the 40's...memories we make here will last a lifetime."
The Brandt & Borski Families
General Tips for Family & Friend Reunions and Anniversary Celebrations
In 2000 Keith and I planned a surprise 50th anniversary party for my parents, Jim and Helen Gambrell. Not only did we pull off the surprise and have one of the best times of our lives, it was the closest we had ever come to having a family reunion, as our family is notoriously spread out across the world. Family and friends were able to make it from all parts of the world. Those memories are priceless, as most family reunions are. I love having family reunions here at the Ranch more than anything (well they are right up there with weddings). It is such a special time and I enjoy seeing all the families coming together with their warm, poignant stories and funny quirks. . Here at Roddy Tree Ranch we can accommodate small to mid size family reunions 80-100 people. Whether you are planning a large reunion or a smaller family party at the ranch, there are some important things to consider. These suggestions will help keep everything running as smooth and effortlessly as possible. Every family reunion will have its own unique and distinct flavor. No two families are exactly alike; just like snowflakes every family is different. However, here are some tips that all families can follow to ensure a successful reunion:
Early Planning
We have many families that have been having small and large family reunions here every year; some are coming up on their 7th year. Let me share some of the things with you that I have learned from them. Planning is the key to success of a family reunion. As simple as this may seem, it's really important. The more planning that goes in to the reunion, the more smoothly the reunion will come to pass. Too many family reunions start too late. I recommend starting a year ahead of time, but 6 months ahead will do in some cases (smaller families). Of course the most obvious reason is that the location must be scouted out and reserved, summer is always the busiest season so if you are flexible on your times, dates and seasons that will help. Another reason is that many people have to save money to travel to the reunion and some have to reserve vacation time at work. And this follows from the basic premise of all reunions and that is: "Everyone has the right to attend their own reunion."
Are you the one who's been the leader in making the reunion a reality? Along with the pleasure of bringing family members together come possible stress-inducing issues. Delegate! Start enlisting volunteers from the start. Not only will you ease the burden on yourself, but you'll also allow other family members to feel needed and involved. The more involvement a family member has the more ownership they will have of the reunion. Try to match the right person to each job (e.g., an accountant as treasurer; a good cook to plan menus). Volunteer jobs include: Mailings, money management, site coordination, ordering T-shirts or other souvenirs, buying decorations, soliciting and collating family surveys, organizing menus and making potluck assignments, planning games/activities for adults and kids, handling registration, organizing presentations (family history, awards, etc.), performing as master of ceremonies, setting up and cleaning up. The list is endless and there is plenty for everyone to do.
Here at Roddy Tree Ranch, although we are not in charge of your family reunion, we are very committed to helping out with the coordination of your celebration in any way possible; we want you to have many wonderful memories to take home with you. From the time you come check out our place and book, decide on cabins for certain families, to the time you leave we will work with you. Feel free to take advantage of the many years of experience we have had working with the many families that come here year after year.
Show the kids a good time
"Continuation" is the essence of all families -- that's the reason they exist. For the most part, older people are the most enthusiastic about family reunions and are the ones doing the planning. But it's obvious to everyone that the kids are the continuation of the family, and are the ones who will be planning the reunion in 40 years and retelling the stories. So the older people want the kids to have a good time. And, of course, every kid always wants to have a good time, too.
Remember: for a kid, it's not a reunion -- it's a party. So take some extra effort and show the kids a good time. Sell the reunion and the destination to your kids. Build excitement before the reunion. If your children are old enough, encourage them to help plan. Read about the family and the reunion place. Check out Roddy Tree on the website. Remember, kids are the people who, if they're not having a good time, can spoil it for everyone. But that's just the immediate consequence of not regarding kids seriously or thinking that just being at the reunion is enough to keep them happy. Great and serious thought must go into making sure kids will have a good time and not whine that they're bored (not that this ever happens to kids at Roddy Tree Ranch) and ask "when can we go home?" At Roddy Tree Ranch many activities can be planned for the children, teenagers and adults. Just use your imagination. They can be structured at certain times or they can just be there for whoever wants to take advantage of them. They can enjoy washer pitching, volleyball and basketball courts. They can visit the animals by the stable, feed the ducks with Dodo, take a dip in one of the pools or take the canoes or paddleboats for a cruise down the Guadalupe River. The pavilion is a popular meeting place for family reunions with the picnic tables, basketball court, jukebox and enclosed playground right across the road. There is also a second pool area with an enclosed playground for activities as well. There are some extra charges and certain things will depend on whether you have the whole facility rented out. Make sure and talk to Keith about exclusive use of the pavilion, karaoke night, use of the kitchen facilities, the campfire area and the stage.
Setting up "team activities" for the group can make or break a reunion. Many of our groups plan group activities for everyone to help people get to know each other and get folks active and outside. A great example of this was at Keith's Barnes family reunion a few years ago in Owasso Oklahoma. The planners had everyone bring baby pictures that they put up on a huge bulletin board. A contest was held and the person that guessed the most correct number of who the babies had grown up to be would receive a silver photo album with Pa and Grandma Barnes. Well I am proud to say that my sons Jake and Cody got busy; they concocted a strategy where they were able to trade their grandmother Dodo's baby picture identity for the identities of most of the pictures and they won by a landslide! They were 9 and 7 years old and didn't know a soul when they got there, but everyone knew them when they left. They still talk about that reunion with fond memories.
Tell the family story
What's really happening at a family reunion is that the family story is being told in various ways. And this is the most important element of a family reunion. You can help this process along with memorabilia, home movies, a collage, scrapbooks, old photos, ethnic food and dress, ethnic music and decorations, family trees, and stories around the campfire. At the beginning of this article I spoke about a very special party we threw for my parents Jim and Helen on their 50th anniversary. I gathered many of the old family and friend photos, scrap booking supplies from one of our guests Becky Warren, and started several pages. Over the course of the weekend many people stopped by the house and put together a page or two. We would sit around talking about the photos, old times, relatives (long gone but not forgotten) while we cut, pasted and created a fabulous gift to my parents. It was a spontaneous effort of family and friends that we will always cherish and it tells their story. Priceless.
Let's have a retreat at Roddy Tree Ranch! Top of page
" Dear Roddy Tree, Thank you for this very nice place to stay for our church retreat. This Is about the 10th time I have been here...I think of this place as a little peace(sic) of heaven in Texas!"
Colin, 13 years old, University United Methodist Church, Austin
... I have been deployed in Iraq but finally got the chance to come to our church retreat at Roddy Tree for the first time...now I know what all the talk is about, you have a beautiful place and I will be back.
Captain Donald, U.S.Air Force Oak Hill Church, San Antonio
Planning is everything! We think you will find Roddy Tree Ranch to be a unique and memorable place to have your retreat. As you plan for your retreat, there are many things to keep in mind. You'll find helpful input from your conference camp and retreat ministry leaders - don't hesitate to ask them for ideas that have worked well in the past. We feel very fortunate here at Roddy Tree to be able to share our many years of planning, coordinating and hosting Church retreats with you. As a former Director of Children and Family Ministries, Gretchen Asbury knows how much work goes into planning a retreat and is committed to helping you in anyway possible to make sure you have a great experience.
A Christian retreat is an intentional time apart to experience a new awareness of the presence of God. It is an opportunity to get some distance and see things in perspective. It requires a pace that is unhurried and conducive to rest and relaxation in order to come back with a renewed sense of living as Disciples of Christ.
Church retreats are very special here at the Ranch. We have hosted many church retreats over the years. Logistically, the ranch offers a rustic campground setting close to major cities, with comfortable beds and many amenities; an affordable church retreat without the bunkhouse and crummy mattresses. Financially we offer a standard 20% discount to all church groups and depending on the length of the stay we may offer more. We will also work with you on different payment options to make your church retreat as smooth as possible. Spiritually, there are many places around the ranch to commune with nature and experience your own spiritual renewal, alone or with your group. Just ask the many church groups that have come here over the years and continue to do so.
A retreat is a chance for encounter with self, with God, with other people, with creation, with issues. A retreat is, literally, a "strategic withdrawal." When we retreat, it is not for the purpose of just getting away and staying away. Everything involved in getting away, and all that is done while away, involves coming back. We go to the mountains not to see mountains, but to see the valleys in new perspective.
On a retreat we hope to deepen our relationship with God, to look at our lives by deliberately focusing on issues and questions through reflection and meditation. Discussion and dialogue with others is needed in order to come back with a renewed sense of direction for living. Jesus modeled this pattern of engagement and withdrawal and it is instructive for contemporary disciples as well.
Retreats deepen the fellowship of a community through shared experiences and can helpfully focus the energy of a group, whether your purpose is to do planning, problem solving, team building, or to tackle a topic of interest or concern. Retreats at Roddy Tree are great, particularly for family and children ministries to allow fellowship outside of the church.
Remember, people attend what they help to plan, so if you're looking to reach a larger audience than just your established group- invite and involve others to assist in planning for the retreat as well. Don't just invite them once all the planning is done!
When can we go? Make sure to check school calendars for concerts, big games, tests, etc., that would affect the attendance of your particular audience. Look also at times when in-service days or other days off might allow for a possible new pattern - like a Saturday evening through Monday, for instance, or a Monday through a Thursday. Some adult groups have found that creating an alternative of interest to some people while others are involved in a major cultural event (the Super Bowl, Prom night, a big tourist event in your town), is a worthwhile and much appreciated ministry.
Let us share our many years of experience with you on planning church retreats.
Keith and Gretchen Asbury
Helen & Jim Gambrell
Owners/Roddy Tree Ranch
