#FamilyFunFellowshipDay – Family Reunion 2014 – Planning Stages

Hello all!!

It’s that time of year again!

Seven years ago I hosted our first ever Family Fun Fellowship Day in Shively Park (Louisville, KY). All sides of a very large family came together for the first time and for some were able to catch up with folks they hadn’t seen in many years. I thank God for that vision and being able to see it come to pass when it did. 2013’s FFFD was a major success, despite some issues with the shelter and we saw well over 50 family members in attendance. Well, it’s not the summer time yet, but FFFD 2014 is right around the corner and the most crucial part of this whole vision is the planning.

2007

2013

I will do my best to cover my process of planning my annual family reunion with you all. Hopefully this will inspire you to do the same or similar ways to incorporate bringing your family together for some fun & fellowship.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”…

First Step(s):

1. DATES:

• I’ve selected several dates, keeping in mind that summer months = HEAT and trying to adjust accordingly. It’s also a good idea to have a few dates in mind as you are searching for venues, this will give you some flexibility with their scheduling as well.
• 3 Options:
  • Saturday, May 24^th
  • Saturday, August 23^rd
  • Saturday, September 6^th

   

2. VENUE:

• Research is key! What kind of atmosphere do you want to have for your family reunion? Last year we were on the river (with an occasional breeze), there was plenty of parking, clean (I use that term lightly, it is a public bathroom) restrooms, playground(s) and a SPLASH PARK. This was a big hit with all ages so I am looking to have something similar this year, including reserving the shelter(s).
  • My research for park venues looks a little like this:
    • Central Park – 1340 S 4^th Street, 40208
      • Arbor, Pergola, Picnic tables, Playground, Restrooms, Sprayground, Tennis, Volleyball
      • Cherokee Park – 745 Cochran Hill Road, 40206
        • Ballfield, Basketball, Biking, Dog Run, Fishing Lake, Hiking, Horseshoe, Shelters, Picnic tables, Playgrounds, Restrooms, Spray pool, Tennis, Walking Path
  • Based on amenities I’d like to have, I have a list of 10 venues. Next steps will include driving by any parks I am not familiar with to do a visual and then checking with Metro Parks in regards to scheduling, deposits, etc.

   

3. COLOR SCHEME/THEME:

• Colors/Theme dictate my entire brainstorming process. Before I can begin putting out any type of correspondence, I need to select a color scheme/theme for this year. I have already purchased some things for this upcoming year so I believe I’ll be going with those colors – teal/aqua, yellow, white. We shall see how that translates into the logo and more. For me, this is where I start before thinking about inviting or telling people about the upcoming event – it IS important.
  • Proposed Color Scheme: Aqua/Teal, Yellow, White

2013’s Logo

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”…

This is what I have so far…

What do you think? How do you go about planning your family functions?