This is where all the hard work pays off…the reunion itself. If you have prepared well, the reunion can be one of the most rewarding things you’ve ever done – as is the case with every reunion it helps to plan it out.  If not, it can be very frustrating.

Getting Folks Signed In?

It's always a wise idea to have families sign in as they arrive, especially if you are expecting a lot of attendees.   Just set up a table at the entrance where they can sign in.  If you have a ton of family coming, set up a couple of tables and divide them alphabetically (surnames starting with A-M or N-Z).  Here are some things you can do at his registration table...

• Welcome the family... Howdy, howdy, howdy

• Tell guests where things are (bathrooms, food, the family member they're trying to avoid).

• Give them their name tags, or have blank name tags for them to fill out and stick on themselves.

• Give them any handouts.  This can include the schedule for the reunion, and any other important information they may need.

• Have them fill out a registration form.  This is a form which asks for family information which can be used by future reunion committees or to create a family directory.  It works best if you have the form already filled out with the information you know about the family, so that they just have to change or add anything new. 

• If someone in the family is keeping track of the genealogy, you may want to have blank family group sheets for the families to fill out.   At future reunions, you can have filled out family group sheets for them to verify and update.

Making the Reunion Run Smoothly in Tahoe

There are a number of things that are required to make sure your reunion goes right. 

Like the Boy Scout motto says, "Be Prepared."  Expect the unexpected.  "Hope for the best but prepare for the worst."  Make sure you have backup plans.  There’s always got to be a Plan B.  A contingency.  For example:

• If your reunion is an outdoor affair, make sure you have plans in case it rains (even if those plans are to stay outside and play around in the mud).

• Make sure you have extra everything (food, plates, silverware, game accessories, et cetera). It is almost a given that someone will forget something.

Have plenty of help. There is no reason why you should have to do everything yourself.  In fact, we recommend doing nothing yourself – have everyone else do it.  You’ve done all the planning beforehand, why bother yourself with the other things? You have just as much right to visit or participate in the activities as anyone else in the family, probably more so.  Don’t wait until the reunion starts to ask for help.  Make sure you contact family members and ask them if they can help out beforehand.  That’s the polite way.

Make sure you have a cleanup crew.  Again, ask them before the South Lake Tahoe family reunion, otherwise you might be stuck doing all the cleanup yourself if people decide to leave early.  We advise that as a bad idea, because as a reunion Doctor, we know that you may not want anymore reunions if you have to clean it all up yourself.   And if everybody stopped having reunions, we would be out of a job pretty fast.

But the most important thing to remember is not to expect everything to go exactly as planned.  It never, ever works that way.  Be flexible to the inevitable changes in the reunion plan.  Otherwise, not only will you stress out and get a brain short when things veer from the expected, but you may miss some of the hilarious spontaneous events that family reunions are notorious for.

Having Fun at the Reunion in South Lake Tahoe

And finally, we want to make sure you enjoy yourself!!!  You’ve worked way too hard to put on this reunion, no matter what others might say.  If you don’t deserve to have fun, you might as well shut the reunion down – if you don’t have fun, nobody does.  Period.

Most importantly, make sure you (or someone you assign) take a lot of pictures. Maybe even hire a professional photographer.  You will have a lot of memories of your well-planned family reunion, and pictures will make sure that those memories stay fresh and remembered.  Scan them into your computer and send them out with the next newsletter.  Once again, we must mention that spectacular four or five generation picture.

Finding accommodations in South Lake Tahoe

If you decide to have a large family reunion in South Lake Tahoe, it is a good idea to book your vacation home many months in advance. South Lake Tahoe has lots of 2-3 bedroom homes but not so many larger 7-8 bedroom homes.