Invitation

STOESZ FAMILY REUNION

JULY 7-8, 2007

ALTONA PARK, ALTONA MANITOBA

AN INVITATION TO ALL DESCENDENTS OF CORNELIUS AND ELIZABETH STOESZ

The time is fast approaching for the reunion we proposed to you last year about this time. We have booked the Altona Park for the weekend of July 7-8. We have the use of the Altona community center for activities, and in case of rain. We have also talked with the Gretna Golf Course. Please come! Bring your kids and your grandkids too if you're lucky enough to have some.

Several of you have volunteered to help out with the events, and we will be in touch with you shortly. It's not too late to volunteer now! We are going to need help with

• organizing and preparing the food

• accommodation – billeting

• planning and running different activities — recreation, music, informal Sunday morning worship, family history activities, etc. — and others you may think of

• displays of arts and crafts that we may wish to share with each other

• poster-size family tree for people to see where they are in this large family

• maps of the areas where the original brothers and sisters settled on farms in the area so that any who wish to tour the area can see where their families started

Here’s how we see the weekend developing.

On Friday evening some of us may arrive at the Park; there is a campground available for campers and motel units nearby. Golf is available both Saturday and Sunday morning.

Saturday around noon, the reunion really gets started. We will set up a host desk to welcome people and provide information. We suggest a potluck lunch for those who come early followed by . . .

• Baseball game(s)

• Craft table for the kids

• Tours of the old family farmsteads

• Evening barbecue

• Storytelling, singing, visiting, getting to know each other, etc.

• Pickup choir practice for Sunday morning

A Sunday morning pancake or continental breakfast could be followed by a short informal worship service with a volunteer choir. We could then have lunch together and stay for more fun and visiting until ready to disperse.

Please send your comments and pictures for the blog. Joanne is the administrator of the blog and she can help you with any postings you wish to make. Her email address is: Joanne.Kusiak@gmail.com

Some of you may be wondering about cost. We are hoping to cover the costs of the event through donations. A list of all expenses will be provided at the event. If everyone gives something, the costs could be quite minimal. Any surplus will be donated to a charity such as the MCC.

We are open to all of your suggestions and look forward to your offers of volunteering. We wish you a very healthy and happy Christmas with your families, and look forward to seeing many of you in July 7/8 2007.

Helen Stoesz (519) 251-9625; hwstoesz@cogeco.ca
Ruth Penner (nee Heinrichs) (204) 477-4237; ruth@penners.net
Joanne Kusiak (nee Stoesz) (204) 786-4866;Joanne.Kusiak@ gmail.com
Janice Rock (nee Heinrichs) (204) 669-5530;Janice_rock@ hotmail.com

P.S. We know that for a few of you this time will not work into your plans and we regret that not everyone’s schedules could be accommodated.