PICTURES POSTED!

Wynn sent me his photos and I've posted them tonight.  I don't know all the kids by heart so you will have to help me out so I can tag them correctly. 

Go to the pictures tab and enjoy all the great pictures!

SUCCESS!

I hope everyone had a great time at the reunion.  It was wonderful to see cousins, their kids and grandkids!  We had plenty of yummy food and treats to keep us munching at all times.  The kids appeared to have as good a time and the adults. 

Thanks to Bart for all his research in finding the old homestead and getting us permission to drive right up to the old house and barn area.  What a treasure to be able to see where Grandpa Orr originally came from.  I would love to see Bart write up some of the history he learned and share with us all, (my brain just doesn't retain things like it used to).  Perhaps in all your spare time you could do that Bart!!!  I am kidding of course, I know you don't have any spare time. 

Thanks to Bart's family for bringing the boat for water activities that filled the afternoon for those interested. 

After dinner we had a few fun filled moments bidding on auction items, the kids seemed to have as much fun as the adults.  Thanks to all who donated items. 

Thank you to Wynn for updating the information in the directory.  I have several copies that I printed for those that want a hard copy, or I can email you an electronic file if you don't want a hard copy.  Thanks also to Wynn for being our official photographer and taking some great pictures.

Also a big thanks for those that pitched in and helped out in the kitchen with preparation and cleanup.  It was greatly appreciated. 

If anyone has pictures they would like posted, email them to me and I will post them.  I know several of you are shutter bugs and I think there are many more great pictures that I would love to see and post. 

The only thing left to do it bask in the memories of a great weekend and look forward to the next one!  Anyone who is interested in hosting the next reunion, the where and when, let us know.

LAST MINUTE DETAILS

We are down to a couple of days before the fun begins!

• Just a couple of reminders and housekeeping.  Please go onto Ideal Beach Resort and read through the rules of the Resort. 
• They are basic, but I don't want anyone to be disappointed if they brought their pet with them.  The Resort has a no pets rule. 

http://www.idealbeachresort.com/FAQ

• If you want to bring your camp chairs with you that would be most helpful
• Bring your memories, pictures, family history, anything you might like to share during the reunion with you.  We will have tables set up for you.

 If you have questions please give me a call so I can answer your questions and hopefully eliminate any frustrations. My cell # is 801-830-5354.

DIRECTIONS TO IDEAL BEACH RESORT

Depending on what direction you are coming from getting to the Resort will be just a bit different.

The address for Ideal Beach Resort is 2176 S Bear Lake Blvd if you are mapquesting or using google.

If you are driving from Logan (SLC) and dropping down into Garden City:

• You will be on highway 89 as you drop into Garden City. 
• When you come to the stop sign where you have to turn left or right.  Turn right and stay on that road (Highway 30), it is just under 6 miles to Ideal Beach Resort and they will be on your left.

Take a minute and click on the link below to get a good idea of the Resort layout, where the Reunion Center is located, and how to get there from what direction you are coming.

http://www.idealbeachresort.com/Location


If you are driving from Salt Lake via Evanston:

• Take I-80 to Evanston, WY (end exit).
• Go north on Highway 89 to Sage Creek Junction. 
• Turn left (west) on Highway 89/30 past Laketown to Garden City.
• Ideal Beach Resort will be on your right. 

1. Once you reach the Resort check in at the office
2. Your name will be on a guest list and they will give you access through the gate 
3. Directions to the Reunion Center were posted earlier on the blog

If you get lost, call me on my cell, 801-830-5354 or text me.  I am hoping to have good cell service.


If this doesn't make sense, please call me, I don't want you to be frustrated trying to find the Resort.  We want this to be a great experience for everyone!

If you have questions about anything, please call me (801-830-5354) by Thursday as we are leaving very early Friday morning.

AUCTION ITEMS

Don't forget if there are any items you want to contribute to the auction, bring them with you.  We will hold this in the form of a silent auction.  From Friday night until Saturday afternoon people can have fun bidding against each other.  We will have the final bidding wars before dinner on Saturday and then people can pay for their purchases before dinner.

DISPLAY TABLES

We will have some tables set up for you to display anything that you would like to bring.  Family pictures, family history, anything that you want to share with us that would be fun for us to get to know your family better.  This is especially interesting to look at pictures and memorabilia for those of us that don't get to see each other often.  

We did this at my Dad's reunion a couple of years ago and people loved looking at what everyone brought.  I saw pictures of my cousin and I as little girls that I had forgotten about!

Don't be shy about sharing, it's always a walk down memory lane to see pictures from the past and also interesting to see up to date photos of your families. 

Changing Menus on Friday and Sunday

Due to the larger number of people coming Friday versus Sunday we are switching the menu Friday night to Cafe Rios Sweet Pork Salads.  That will be our Mexican food night.  Chicken Salad Croissants will be moved to Sunday for lunch.

Happy 4th of July!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July!  We have had a great day with family and now are enjoying watching fireworks from our front porch and thrilled we don't have to battle the traffic to get home really late.

Two more weeks and we will see you all in Bear Lake!

Liberty and The Old Homestead

Great news, Bart has found fascinating information about our ancestors.  Anyone who is interested there will be a tour to Liberty and the old homestead at 10a.m. Saturday morning.  There will be a short hike to get into the homestead so wear your walking shoes and bring your camera.

Saturday evening Bart has more exciting information about the ancestors to share with us after dinner.  I love the old stories about ancestors.  It brings to life the person in a photo that you didn't ever meet.

Memories of Grandma and Grandpa Orr

Wynn suggested that it would be great to hear people's memories of Grandma and Grandpa Orr while at the reunion. Those that lived close to them probably have many memories that we don't have.  Carmen and Charlene put your thinking caps on.  Anyone that has stories to share, have them ready!

Ideal Beach Resort Map

The map that is posted shows the layout of the resort. You enter by the gatehouse and will have to checkin at the office. Annette at Bear Lake Timeshare said she would leave a list of names of people that are coming to the reunion that they will let in.  Once you are cleared to come in the bar will lift up and you can drive into the resort area parking lot. You will turn to your right and follow the road around until you see the tennis court area to your right. You will park and walk to your right past the tennis court area to get to the reunion center.  On your left as you are walking is a swimming pool.

The reunion center is where you will check in, meals will be served, auction items will be set up.  You can display pictures, photo albums, anything you want to share at the reunion. Basically it will be home base for the reunion.

Once you get checked in, check out the resort, beach, lawn area for activities and games, play ground, mini golf (there is a small fee for this, I think we paid at the little store when we golfed), basketball, tennis,  2 pools, volleyball nets can be set up.

We will have canopies set up on the beach and on the grassy area with a reunion sign attached so you know it is there for your use.

If anyone loves to golf, bring your clubs, there are golf courses nearby.

Check out the meal tab to see meal times and other tabs for updated info.

There are changing rooms at the pools for your convenience whether using the pools or the beach. We have condos by the tennis courts which is right by the reunion center if  there is a need for their use.

Ideal Beach Resort Map

UPDATED FAMILY DIRECTORIES

We have gathered updated information for the directory and would be willing to print new ones if we know how many are needed.  There will be a minimal cost for this.  The other option would be to email the directory to whoever is interested in an updated version.

I have loved my directory and carry it with me when I travel so I have numbers when needed.  It's been a valuable resource to me since the last reunion.  Kudos for all the hard work to those who originally put it together. 

Anyone who is interested in a printed updated version, please let me know this week.  I will only print out what is needed.  If you are interested in an electronic copy, we can do that also. 

IDEAL BEACH RESORT - PET RULES

We wanted to get the word out to everyone before the reunion starts regarding the resort and their strict, no pets allowed rule.  We don't want anyone to be disappointed if they bring their pets with them to the reunion.  The resort doesn't allow pets on the premises. 

We are sorry for any inconvience this may cause. 

AUCTION ITEMS

The auction at the last reunion was so successful we have had requests for it again.  It is designed to help raise money for the reunion costs so be creative and bring some fun items to auction.  We will be doing this in the form of a silent auction this year so you can have bidding wars on paper.  We've done this with the Young Women to raise money for camp and it's great fun!

I've thought down to the kids level in things that they would like.  Put your creative thinking caps on and bring something fun to contribute to the auction!

Less Than 30 Days!

Hello family, the past few months have flown by and we have 25 days to the start of the reunion. We have much yet to do and I need everyone's help.

• Please contact me with your reunion assignments and let me know how they are going
• I need people to help with each meal, most of the work will already be done, but we still need helping hands for each meal, prep, cleanup, etc
• Watch the blog daily as I will be trying to update and post all information needed
• We will post directions to Ideal Beach Resort and how to get in, this is where the reunion will be held
• Directions to the reunion center will be posted once you get to Ideal Beach and go through the gates
• The reunion will start at 5pm on Friday and end Sunday evening after dinner.  We will have a light supper available for all that plan on attending Friday night
• Check in at the reunion center starting at 5 pm
• The reunion center will be set up and available from Friday until Sunday evening. We will leave tables and chairs set up for eating.
• There will also be an area for auction items to display, and hopefully a craft area.
• If anyone wants to bring photos and family items to display we would love to have you share this.
• It is important that I have a final count this week for numbers coming (broken down with kids and adults) and for what meals so we can plan how much food to prepare
• It has been brought up that everyone is coming for different times, days, meals. We want to be able to cover the costs of the food and reunion center but also want to make this affordable for those coming.
• We will need you to calculate what meals you are coming for, breaking it down with adults/kids being separate prices and calculate how much to donate for these costs. Babies don't count in numbers. Costs for adults/teenagers $5.00 per meal, younger kids $3.00 per meal. Tiny ones don't count.  Figure out how many meals you will be eating and pay accordingly at checkin.
• There will be dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Breakfast Saturday and Sunday with drinks and goodies throughout the reunion.
• Please send your money to Bart Christensen so it arrives at least one week in advance of the reunion or bring it with you and pay when you check in.
• If you have concerns about the cost for meals please talk to me and we will work it out, most important is that you come and it's affordable.

Check out the individual tabs on the blog for for detail in each area.

AUCTION ITEMS

There have been several people that mentioned how they loved the auction at the last reunion.  Due to popular demand the auction is back!  Anyone who wants to make auction items like they did for the last reunion, please do so and bring them with you. 

The only requirement will be to let me know what they will be ahead of time for we can make tags for each item.  We will be doing this in the form of a silent auction for a specific period of time on Saturday and the highest bidder will be the winner. We have done this before at other activities to raise money and it's great fun!  There has also been a suggestion that we have some items that are just sold outright at any given time.  I thought this was a great idea also.  We are also planning to have some items that might interest the younger kids.

If you have thoughts or suggestions on the auction you would like to share, please let me know.  I know we have many talented people in our family.  I can't wait to see what comes this year.  Carmen, I would love to see more of your aprons!

Happy March!

We have been enjoying record warm temperatures here and I have daffodils that are three inches out of the ground already.  I admit after being in Canada with the cold and snow the first week of December I didn't complain once about our weather all season.  I love Spring and look forward the green grass, flowers and awakening of everything that grows!

I need everyone's help.  We are trying to gather the updated information for the directory and I've been getting it in bits and pieces because I didn't think to get it all to begin with.  I was only thinking of addresses at that time.    We would like to have addresses, phones numbers, emails and children all updated so the directory is correct when printed.  If you haven't contacted me with all your updates please email them to me this week.  pamgebhardt@comcast.net 

We also still have assignments that would love to have a person be in charge of.  Please see the tab for this and see if there is something that would be interesting to you. 

Please contact me as quickly as possible so we can wrap up information for the directory and assignments.  Thanks!

Openings at the Resort

There are two more units that sleep 8 open through Bear Lake Timeshare.  Contact Annette at 435-946-3306 for reservations.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!  I hope you enjoy the day being with or thinking of those you love. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are well into our journey of the reunion for this July. We would love everyone that would like to be involved to have a part.  Some of the areas still needing people are listed on the blog on the committee tab.

You may also have great ideas that we hadn't thought of.  Please feel free to contact Pam with your ideas and what you would like to help with.  I look forward to hearing from you.

IT'S TIME TO BOOK YOUR LODGING!

The time has come to make sure you have your lodging booked if you plan on staying at the resort. 

You can call Annette anytime at Bear Lake Timeshare 1-435-946-3306 for units at the resort.  That is who we have our reservations through, Bear Lake Timeshare (they manage 1/2 the units at the Resort) Most of their units have been remodeled and are very nice.  You might want to mention that you are coming for the reunion that Pam Gebhardt is organizing, that way she will associate you with that reunion group. 

Starting Monday, January 21st at 9:00 am you can call Ideal Beach Resort at 1-435-946-3364 to book through them if you don't want to go through Bear Lake Timeshare.  That is the first day they are taking reservations for this summer season.  It is a mad house with people trying to get what they want for reservations that day, but if your times aren't flexible, that's what you do.   

We used to go through this each year when we would go to Moon Lake, so many families have their traditions of times and dates they want.

If you have questions or concerns, please give me a call or email me and I will help walk you through anything that might concern you.  801-224-3785 (home), 801-830-5354 (cell)  pamgebhardt@comcast.net 

We are so excited about this reunion!  We have our units booked for our family and everyone is looking forward to our time in Bear Lake.

If you are planning on camping or other accommodations besides the Resort please make sure to book them as quickly as you can.  This reunion is during prime time and everything fills up quickly.  If you need to talk through creative possibilities please call me.  We figured out many different ideas that would end up being very cost effective.

I am looking forward to hearing from you! 

PASSPORTS

Please remember if you are planning on coming to the reunion and crossing the US/Canadian border you will need valid passports.  I just got mine renewed and I'm good now for 10 years!