Family Reunion Friday - Cayemberg Family 1946

The Cayemberg Family Reunion was only in its infancy when this little snippet was published in a Wisconsin newspaper.  It was only the 9th reunion, but 94 family members were in attendance.  They took pictures.  They played games.  They.  Had.  FUN!!!

When reunions begin sure there's lots of enthusiasm.  That's to be expected.  People think keeping the enthusiasm is hard, but why is that?  Do you have an annual water balloon toss?  Baking contest? A family reunion baseball or football game that everyone loved playing in?  A tug-of-war? Why did you stop having them?  Was it because Uncle Bill was getting too old to play?  What about Billy Jr?  Maybe Uncle Bill can't play anymore, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't enjoy cheering on his branch of the family.  That he wouldn't enjoy watching his cousins, children and grandchildren make the same memories he had made in reunions past!

Focusing on what the aging portion of a reunion can and cannot do and basing your itinerary on that is a sure-fire way to bore the heck out of the younger crowd.  Heck...you're probably boring the heck out of the older crowd too!  Make sure you incorporate fun into the day so that the enthusiasm that was at the 9th reunion is still there for the 79th, 89th or 99th reunion!

"Cayemberg Family Has 9th Reunion

('Handwritten 1946')

Pamperin Park was the meeting place for the ninth family reunion of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Eli Cayemberg.

There were 94 members of the family at the dinner Sunday, including great-grandchildren.  The reunion was an all day affair at which the family pictures were taken and those present signed the record book.

Games were played with winner being:  Adelbert Guillette, Tonet; Marie Cayemberg, Ensign, Mich.; Nancy Cayemberg, Manitowos; Gladys Carrie Cayemberg, Green Bay, race winners; Mrs Wallace Guillette, Tonet, door prize; Mrs. Thersia Massert, Rosin and Byron Gregor, Rio Creek, guessing games.

Mrs. Edward Van Ben Den and Mrs Jerry Tilkens were the co-chairmen for the reunion.  Mrs. Florence Cayemberg received a gift from the family.

Next year the family will hold their tenth reunion at Pamperin Park again.  Mrs. Russell Anderson and Mrs. Harvey Moureau have been named as 1947 chairman.  Only one son, Wilfred, Manitowoc, was unable to attend."

The clipping was taken from a scrapbook handed down to me by my mother in law.  No newspaper name was given, but other reunion articles were from the Green Bay Press Gazette.

Family Reunion Friday - Cayemberg Family 1945

As promised I'm continuing my Family Reunion Friday series this week.  The descendants of Eli and Florence Cayemberg nee Villers have been having reunions for about 77 years now and I have many clippings documenting them in an old scrapbook.  This one from 1945 is the earliest I have although I have a mind to go back through old newspapers this winter and see if I can find them all!

Remember that if you're going through the trouble of having a family reunion you should see about getting it into the local newspaper.  If you're having a reunion then you apparently care about your family's history.  Getting it into a newspaper will be a record for generations to come.  Have one person each year in charge of the sign in sheet and doing the write up for the paper.

I'm a Scout leader and one thing they teach us about recruiting new volunteers is to give them something small and easy to accomplish.  If they can see how easy helping out can be they may be more likely to take on other tasks that need to be done.  You can do this with more than just newspaper article submissions.  Remember that "many hands make light work!"  You don't have to do it all yourself!

Finally, if you're having a special reunion (the 25th, 50th, 75th, etc) contact the newspaper before and let them know about it.  They might just send someone out to take pictures and report on it!

"Cayemberg Family Has Large Reunion

(Handwritten '1945')

Pamperin park lodge was the setting for the eighth reunion of the family of Mrs. Eli Cayemberg, Pulaski, Sunday when 73 members gathered for dinner and supper.

As 'mother' of the group, Mrs. Cayemberg was presented with a corsage and prayerbook by the chairman, Mrs. Patrick Cayemberg, during the dinner.  Mrs. Cyril Blohowiak, Tonet, co-chairman, was unable to attend.  M.J. Cayemberg took charge of the pop stand.

Youngest member present was Merten James, two-weeks-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Cayemberg, Pulaski, who was christened that morning in Flintville.

Mrs. Henry Cayemberg, Manitowoc, won the gift given by the elder Mrs. Cayemberg.

The family will again get together next June in Pamperin park with Mmes. Jerry Tilken and Edward VanBenden as chairmen and Jerome Tilkens in charge of the refreshment stand."

The clipping was taken from a scrapbook handed down to me by my mother in law.  No newspaper name was given, but other reunion articles were from the Green Bay Press Gazette.