European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 27, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Family get Roget Hon Are part of America s culture. Good planning can create one Worth remembering. Planning and preparation make family reunion a relative Success by Jennifer Merin the associated press his year was Cherry Kellogg s first time to organize the annual Strong Kynerd family reunion and As 62 relatives aged 4 months to 82 years arrived in Atlanta from 10 states and embraced each other she beamed. Our family lives for reunions said Kellogg 52, a Legal technician from Dunwoody Ca. We keep track of each others Progress motivate each other and teach our children family values. Most of us Are professionals working in stressful situations being with each other Renews our vitality and refreshes us with a lot of love and  Kellogg began planning the reunion last year. Most family reunions require at least that much Lead time. Our family has golfers spa goers and shoppers so i had to find a place with Access to All activities they like. It also had to be someplace that has staff to handle reunions. I interviewed several hotels and finally settled on Holiday inn because they work a lot with reunions. After that everything fell into place. I just let the family know where when and How much and it worked out Fine. Next year another relative has the reunion near her Home in Cincinnati and five years from now Well have our reunion on a  it s probably too late to Call for a major clan gathering for this Holiday season but if you re yearning for renewed family ties you might Start planning for next year. You la have to use your organizational skills and resourcefulness just As Cherry Kellogg did. Her family shifts responsibility for reunion planning from one member to saturday nov mar 27,1993 another each year but some families find it easier to form a steering committee with each member responsible for one part of the project locating and contacting family members travel coordination working with travel agents on reservation site coordination working with hotel reunion planner budget and finance opening a reunion Bank account handling income and payment family archives collecting Memorabilia for family histories photography entertainment and activities decorations and other essentials. If you have a Large family tree with Many branches a subcommittee made reunion helpers Here Are some resources that can help in planning a reunion a 50-Page planning Book from Holiday inn includes advice about organizing and lists facilities at its hotels. Write Holiday inn worldwide reunions 3 Ravina drive 2000, Atlanta Ca. 30346-2149. Royal Caribbean cruise lines has special rates for reunions depending on group size. Call Eccl group sales at 1- 800 722-5476. Reunions Magazine . Box 11727, Milwaukee wis. 53211-0727, costs $24 a year or f 2 for Sample copies. Reunion research 3145 Geary blvd., san Francisco Calif. 94118, publishes family reunion handbook a How to for reunion planners. Cost is $14.95. The associated press up of one member from each Branch can track Down missing relatives and distribute information about the reunion. The More Kinfolk come the More fun and memories and the More leverage to negotiate discounted group rates for accommodations and activities. Sites might be on a cruise ship at rustic campsites luxury resorts destinations of historical or cultural significance or in grandma s Back Yard. Estimate How Many family members May attend and How find out How deep they re willing to dig into their pockets. You can charge minimal registration fees covering administrative costs or larger amounts including lodging meals and activities. Travel arrangements May be put in the hands of one capable agent but charges should go directly to individual participants. Open a reunion checking account to keep finances straight. As soon As possible select a site and dates. Choices Are limited Only by per person budget distances Kinfolk must travel  much time they can be away and availability of rooms. Several International hotel chains local resorts and cruise lines Cater to family reunions offering special. Packages that May include the services of a reunion planner. Most reunions Are set for three or four Day Holiday weekends hotel bookings Are usually heavy so these require lengthy Lead time or summer months when kids Are out of school and parents can take time off. But the Christmas and new year s holidays also Are popular for reunions. Although these dates tend to be hectic much of the activity is family oriented and a clan gathering adds warmth and cheer to the holidays. On the family my son is not athletically inclined. How can i a Parent help decide what skills my son should develop should t that Choice be left to him " Many parents feel they do not have the right to Force a Choice of this nature on their children. They sit Back in the Hopes that he will make it for himself. However most children Lack self discipline. It is always difficult to learn a new skill particularly during the initial stages. There is no fun to be derived from total failure which is the typical feeling in the beginning. Thus the child never learns those important skills which he will need so badly later on. I recommend that you his Parent make a careful assessment of his areas of strength. Then select a skill where you believe the greatest possibilities for Success lie. Once this selection is made see to it that he gets through the first stage. Reward him push him beg him bribe threaten him if necessary but make him learn it. If you discover later that you be made a mistake Back up and Start Over on something else. But Don t let inertia keep you from teaching something emotionally useful to your offspring. Does this form of coercion impinge upon the Freedom of the child to choose for himself perhaps but so does making him eat property keep himself clean and go to bed at a reasonable hour. It is As they say in the child s Best interest. Of do slow learners and mentally retarded children have the same needs for self esteem that others have sometimes i wish they did to but their needs Are no different. During a portion of my training at Lanterman state Hospital in Pomona Calif., i was impressed by the vast need for love shown by some of the most retarded patients. There were times when i would step into the door of a children s Ward and 40 or More severely retarded youngsters would Rush toward me screaming daddy daddy they would push and shove around my legs with their arms extended upward making it difficult to avoid falling their deep longings to be loved simply could t be satisfied in the group experiences of Hospital life despite the exceptionally High Quality of Lanterman. The need for esteem has led me to favor a current trend in education whereby borderline mentally retarded children Are Given special assistance in their regular classrooms without segregating them in special classes. The stigma of being a retard As they Call themselves is no less insulting for a 10-year old than it would be for you or me. O. James c. Cotton is president of focus on the Favry an organisation dedicated to preserving the Home. Correspondence should be sent to him at focus on the family. . Box 444, Colorado Springs. Colo. 80903. The stars and stripes 19