The following is an excerpt from George G. Morgan's book, Your Family Reunion: How to Plan It, Organize It, and Enjoy It. (His book is this week's $10 Product Pick.) With the summer reunion season upon us, we are dedicating this newsletter to family reunions. In this excerpt George hopes that these tips will help family historians to expand upon their genealogy research at an upcoming family reunion.

Family reunions can be extremely exciting events, especially for a genealogist or family historian. Where else can you get a large group of relatives together and gather so much information at one time? That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that you can be overwhelmed with information too.

As always, the key to success is organization. Advance preparation is important. Start by gathering all the genealogical information and materials you have collected that are pertinent to the family units involved in the reunion and that you haven't yet completed. That means taking all those photocopies and notes, photographs and vital records, and that mess of sticky notes and going through them. Sort it all out by surname, evaluate it, and enter the appropriate information into your computer database.

Once the data is entered, print new pedigree charts for every branch of the family and every collateral line you think will be represented at the reunion. Prepare these charts for display at the reunion. Take a package of tape flags along so that you can tape the charts to a wall. (The tape flags are less likely to damage a wall than ordinary adhesive tape.) The pedigree charts will be a tremendous hit at the family reunion.

In addition to the pedigree charts, print a complete set of family group sheets for all the lines you think will be represented at the reunion. Most genealogical software programs will allow you to print custom reports. I urge you to include on your family group sheets every piece of information you have. That includes dates, notes, and all your source citations. If there is information of which you are unsure or that has yet to be verified or corroborated, you might want to make a notation to that effect so that other family members are aware.

Make several copies of each family group sheet. You might put one complete set in a binder as a master set. You can then write on this set as the reunion takes place and, most importantly, make notes of who told you what. The other sets you can take with you and distribute to key contact people. They can make copies for others in their family and can also update them and return them to you or the family historian.

You will find that people will flock around the family tree display to see what family information has been compiled. Don't get defensive if someone's feathers are ruffled because you have the wrong information. Just explain that the information is what you were told or given, and ask them to give you the correct information and tell you how or where you can find verification. You might want to have a supply of forms and writing utensils handy for people to provide this information on the spot, or you can ask them to mail it to you. A sample form titled Family Genealogy Correction is included here (opposite) as well as in Appendix B. [Editor's Note: George's book contains a copy of these forms.]

If you want to collect new information or make corrections to the information you already have, try to enlist one person from each branch of the family or collateral line to act as the coordinator of his or her line. Be prepared to give this person a copy of all the family group sheets for his or her line, as well as some blank copies for new generations or collateral lines. Ask him or her to add to the sheets, make changes or corrections, and return them to you. Encourage him or her to also provide you with photocopies of any documents they might have that could verify the information they are providing.

Whatever you do, encourage the return of information to you. Prepare self-addressed 9”x12” manila envelopes with plenty of stamps. Provide an envelope to each person who will be collecting information for you. Tell them that you will reimburse them for any postage and/or photocopies of the additional materials they send to you.

Be prepared to accept all types of information in a variety of formats from your family members. One thing you may want to collect is family recipes. At many family reunions, there are homemade pies, cakes, appetizers, main dishes, and other foods. Some of these recipes have been passed down through the generations. Take some index cards along and compliment the creator by asking him or her for that special recipe.

As for collecting information, I have known people to take laptop computers to their family reunions for the purpose of displaying information and updating their database onsite. While this seemed like a great idea, it actually glued them to the computer and prevented them from circulating, making contacts, asking questions, exchanging information, gathering new information, and otherwise having a great time.

There are four tools I suggest you use to gather information at a family reunion. These are in addition to the family members you enlist to help you update charts and family group sheets. Let's talk about each of the four tools:

Steno Pad -- Purchase several steno pads at the office supply store and carry several pens or pencils. As you talk with people and hear interesting stories, ask if you can take notes. Some people may be unnerved by this and refuse so don't press the point. However, listen carefully to what they say, and then jot notes as soon afterward as you can. Whenever you take notes, make sure you indicate who told you what. Like a good journalist, you can always contact the person again later for clarification or more details.

Tape Recorder -- A small handheld cassette tape recorder is an invaluable genealogical tool. I use one whenever I visit a cemetery to read and record the inscriptions on tombstones. If a photo doesn't develop clearly enough to allow me to read the inscription, I still have a record of it on audiotape. At a reunion, a tape recorder is terrific for quickly and accurately capturing information. Always ask permission to tape. Take a number of cassettes with you and label them as you use them. You can assign a number to each cassette and, as you record, make a note on your steno pad of the cassette number, the number of the conversation, and the name of the person you recorded. Be careful not to record over something. Nothing is worse than recording over a wonderful interview! Last but not least, don't forget extra batteries for the recorder.

Camera -- A reunion is an invaluable opportunity to take pictures. If you own a camera, make sure you are prepared for all contingencies with all-purpose, indoor/outdoor film. Disposable cameras are inexpensive and versatile, and you may want to take several along. These come in the indoor variety with a built-in flash, the outdoor variety, and in a terrific panorama model that is great for large, wide-angle group shots. Even if you don't use all the film, it is definitely worth the price to obtain those priceless shots.

If you are terrible at remembering names you may use a technique used by professional photographic journalists. They date and number every roll of film. (You can date and number each disposable camera.) They carry a small pad (like your steno pad) with a date and number at the top of each page corresponding to each of the rolls of film. They number the lines of each page to correspond to each of the pictures on the roll of film. As they take pictures, they make a note of the subjects' names (and location if appropriate). Later, when the film is developed, it is easier to identify the people and places in each shot--and the photographer can then correctly label the pictures as needed.

Please note that black-and-white photographs will endure far longer than color shots. You may want to consider taking a roll of black-and-white pictures in addition to color shots for posterity. Digital cameras are also terrific for capturing pictures as data. However, keep in mind that technology changes quickly, and you will need to continue converting your digital photographs to new technologies as they evolve so that the images are never lost to future generations. (Remember 8 mm movies and Beta videotapes?)

Video Recorder -- If you have a video camera, you may want to supplement your genealogical experience by making videotapes. Videos can capture motion pictures, voices, and sounds. They can become a wonderful part of your genealogical collection. Even if there is a professional videographer at your reunion, you may want to make your own videotapes. If you plan to video family members at the reunion, be sure they are not uncomfortable at the prospect. And be sure to ask permission before trying to interview someone on videotape. Take several blank videocassettes with you, and remember the batteries and/or a charger.

All of the above tools can be carried in a shoulder bag. It keeps all your information-gathering tools close at hand and keeps your arms and hands free for important things like hugs, handshakes, and eating all that wonderful food!

George's column "Along Those Lines..." appears on Fridays in the Ancestry Daily News and George is the author of Your Family Reunion: How to Plan It, Organize It, and Enjoy It. His new book, How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy, has recently been released by McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media. George is president and a proud member of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors (ISFHWE). Visit the ISFHWE website at http://www.rootsweb.com/~cgc/. Visit George's website at http://ahaseminars.com/atl for information about speaking engagements.

Copyright 2004, MyFamily.com.