SECOND UPDATE INSIDE
1 Equipment Needed
2 Hotels and Motels
3 Proposed Schedule
4 Churches
4 Send Money Now
The Reunion Update
Confirmations Slow
We really thank those of you who have responded to our first mailing, but there are many that we have not heard from. Please let us know your plans. We do understand if you say “Yes” now and then have to cancel, but at least it will help us to make reservations if need be and to allocate space.
Also, if you are planning to stay in a hotel or motel it is a good idea to reserve your space. There are a few RV spaces at the Fairgrounds, but probably not enough for everyone to have hook-ups. Last time we had some just park in the grassy area without a hook-up and they were fine.
Needed Equipment:
We selected the Fairgrounds for their proximity to Rupert and their willingness to work with us and allow camping and use of all their facilities. But, the drawback is that they do not have a kitchen. We will impose on those people using the RV camping facilities to let us use their kitchens, refrigerators or whatever. But in addition, it will be helpful if you have tubs, ice chests, an old refrigerator that will help keep food cold that we could borrow for the weekend. You get the picture, we need portable kitchen items so we can feed a bunch of people, keep food cold and enjoy our weekend to the utmost. The following list will help you decide what to bring. It may be hard to bring in the items if you’re flying in, but if you live close by and can put it in the bed of your truck or trunk of your car, bring it on down. For example, we will need:
Portable Ovens
BBQ Pits/Coleman Stoves
Grills/Griddles
Lounge/folding chairs (outdoor use)
Folding tables
Large Steam Pans
Crock Pots
Hot Plates
Microwave
Refrigerators
Ice Chests
So far we have responses from eight states. But we know that members of the Velasquez family are coming from all across the US! We hope to have you counted among those attending!! Important!!!
Mark these dates: July 16,17 & 18
This is Friday, Saturday and Sunday.!
Rupert is Ready!!
The town of Rupert is gearing up for the Velasquez get-together which will take place in July. For example, tours are available of the Minidoka Wildlife Refuge where you can also do a little fishing. We are looking into other types of recreation as well, such as golf courses, the city of rocks, etc. What’s your pleasure? Let us know, so we can plan the activities to lure you to this occasion. If any of you are not restricted to the weekend only, we can plan a Velasquez family golf or fishing tournament on Monday, or if you get in early on Friday there may be enough to go on to those types of activities. To help you plan your trips call the South Central Idaho Travel Committee on 1-800-255-8946 and they will gladly send you a package. Volunteers Needed!
We have had several people tell us what they would like to see happen, but remember, just because we are setting it up doesn’t mean we can do all the work. It is YOUR reunion, and we need your help. Food Committees - What can you contribute? Eggs, Bacon, Pancake mix, Sandwich makings, bread, lettuce, condiments, melons, hamburger, chicken? We need someone to coordinate who brings what and at what times. Think about this and let us know. Games and Prizes - In the past we have had different competitions, such as balloon toss, egg toss, 3-legged races, etc. Some prizes that were given out were tee shirts, visors, etc. Good at Games? Volunteer to head up the Saturday or Sunday Afternoon Activities. If you have children that need to be entertained, and need to have some way to get to know their cousins or other relations, give us some ideas of what would go well in this area. We need:
Volleyball and/or Badminton nets and equipment
Baseballs, mitts, bases, & players
Croquet Sets, horse shoes, bags for sack races
Quilt Committee - Send in your 12 X 12 quilt block that represents your family. We will put them into a quilt top to quilt at the reunion and raffle it off to the highest bidder. Scrapbooking
New Ways to Treasure
Old Keepsakes!
You may have some old pictures in a box or album that would be something that someone else has not seen. Bring them along and maybe a newspaper clipping, a special saying already written up, new baby pictures, or last family reunion pictures. Dedee Yocum will conduct a workshop to show you how to save and treasure these memories. There is a $3 fee for supplies to be used at the session. Motel & Hotel List
Reserve your space early. As far as we know there are not a lot of other activities in the area at this time but because it is Summer, they may fill up fast. We have had good reports on the first three Motels. They are near each other at Exit # 208 off of Hwy 84.
Budget Motel $38 - 48
900 Overland Ave. Burley, Idaho
208-678-2000 +
Best Western $49 - 72
800 North Overland Ave Burley, Idaho
208-678-3501
The Super 8 Motel $55 - 73
(Near Connors Cafe) Burley, Idaho
1-800-800-8000
Marsh Creek Inn $40 - 50
Albion, Idaho
“ 208-673-6259
“ Mountain Manor B&B $ 40 - 50
Albion, Idaho +
208-673-6642
Acupuncture
Dawn Mosby Margowski has completed her Masters degree and is now practicing her art of Asian medicine, which includes Acupuncture. She will be giving a demonstration and explanation at this reunion. CAMPGROUND
There is a campground at the Fairgrounds.
We have reserved all the spaces for our use, so let me know if you need a space with water and electric for about $10 per night. If you don’t need hook-ups you are welcome to come in and camp with us. Tents are welcome. Music, Music, Music
One of the highlights of the last reunion was the music. So, those of you who play and instrument please bring it. We hope to have a sound system there. If anyone in the area has a sound system that can be borrowed or know of one we can rent, please let me know. Family Tree!
Be sure to send in your family tree information. We hope to have updates at the reunion, and get the corrections at that time.
Proposed Schedule of Events
There are several suggestions of things to do, this is a tentative plan and schedule.
Friday Night: We anticipate people will be coming in from all directions, so we have permission from the Fairgrounds to set up and come in on Friday. Therefore, if you plan to camp at the fairgrounds either in tents or RVs, come directly there. Even if you are not camping, but get into town, check into your motel, or wherever and come on out to visit and welcome the others as they arrive. Bring potluck items, snacks, sandwich stuff, etc. available. So help us out, and have dinner with family. Because we just don’t know how many there will be if everyone brings something, a melon, cold cuts, bread, etc. it will work out. Registration; Put the quilt on the frame; Quilting; Music and visiting are on the agenda. Saturday Morning: A memorial service hosted by Sisters Barbara and Esther at the cemetery to honor our parents/grandparents and other loved ones who are no longer with us. Saturday Lunch: Sandwiches, snacks, nothing too fancy, or eat on your own. Saturday Afternoon:
Contest time, Volleyball, Holey Boards, sack races, or whatever. Saturday Evening: Dinner, will be catered to us at the Fairgrounds. $ 8 per adult, $4 per child. We need to know if you will be there, so we can give the restaurant an accurate count. Last time we had 129 for Saturday dinner. We will have an introduction of each of the family groups. We will get pictures of each group. Following dinner music will be on tape or CD. Also, if you play an instrument, bring it along, there could be some get-together time for making music. Sunday Morning:
Someone will be in charge of providing pancakes or a Continental breakfast, e.g. juice, coffee, rolls, etc. The events will start about 10:30 with the meeting about Noon. Sunday Lunch: We will provide charcoal for the fires (if someone remembers to bring barbecue pits). So, lunch is potluck, and hot dogs, or bring your own meat to barbecue. Let us know if you can bring hot dogs, buns, condiments, cakes, melons, or etc. We need someone to coordinate what to bring, or what is needed. Sunday at the meeting: Craft Auction, bring your crafts or goodies to sell, the money raised will be used for the next family reunion. A look at our past through pictures, videos of former reunions, and some “how-to” items that perhaps the younger set does not know what our parents did or how they did it. We have some interesting things planned, but if you have ideas that will help this theme, please let us know. Committees:
Sign up for the committee you want to either head up, or work on with someone else. Food - Grace Velasquez and Theressa Henscheid will coordinate and organize who brings what. This can be broken down by meals. Perhaps your family would like to cook the hotdogs on Sunday, or Fix the coffee for the group on Sunday, maybe provide snacks on Friday night, or whatever. You get the picture, if everyone takes a little piece of what has to be done then no one is overworked and we all enjoy it. Games - keep these folks entertained. Prizes - Bring some fun things to award to the participants. Crafts - Tonia Belasquez and Juanita Schaefer head up this committee with Connie Eborn helping. Do you have a momento to share? A special picture, Grandpa’s pipe, or Grandma’s apron, or something of your own parents that you think we might like to see or hear the history?. Last time Uncle John Velasquez’ daughters did a wonderful board of pictures to honor their parents. This may be a good way to honor your lost loved one. We were so pleased they chose to share it with us. Where are your quilt blocks? 12” X 12”
So far we only have one, but I hear of several in progress. Remember, we want to quilt this quilt at the reunion. So, get them to Theressa Henscheid by the end of May. 1223 No. A. Street, Rupert, Idaho 83350
Church Locations!
St. Nicholas Catholic Church - 802 F St. Rupert.
208-436-3781.
Church of the Little Flower- 1601 Oakley, Burley.
208-678-5453
Latter Day Saints 36 S. 100 W. - Rupert,
208-436-4113
First Presbyterian Church 2100 Burton Ave., Burley.
208-678-5131
Trinity Lutheran Church 8th and I Streets, Rupert
208-436-3413.
Christian Center Assembly of God 4th & H St, Rupert
208-436-6907
Zion Lutheran Church - 24th and Miller Ave.Burley.
208-678-9621
United Methodist Church 450 E. 27 , Burley
208-678-2184
United Methodist Church 605 H St. Rupert
208-436-3354
Pentecostal 335 W, 13 Burley.
208-678-3199
Episcopal Church 902 6th and I Rupert, Idaho
208-436-4904
Episcopal Church 2000 Oakley Burley, Idaho.
208-678-5871
Remember Use Your Family Color
Dress so we can help determine where we all fit on the family tree.
1 Jess Velasquez - Purple
2 Joe Velasquez - Light Blue
3 John Velasquez - Turquoise
4 Duby Gonzales - Green
5 Marian Pena - Yellow
6 Delphino Velasquez. - Orange
7 Annie Belasquez - Dark Blue
8 Max Velasquez - Gold
9 Viola Van Wey - Red
Please Send Money Now
So Far we have been paying the postage, copies and telephone charges from the proceeds of the Craft Sale from last reunion, but those funds are about depleted, so we need to ask for fees. As we did last time, we do not want to charge a fee for the children, so the amounts listed are for adults only: Adults are 18 years of Age or older. Please send $5 per adult, or if you can donate more, we’ll accept it to help defray costs of some who may not be able to pay. Some of the charges that we know about now are the fees for the use of the Fairgrounds, and the hall, $200, supplies, some food, etc.
The last page of this letter is a form to return with payment.
If you plan to camp in your RV at the Fairgrounds, we’re asking for $10 per night per rig. This may not be a full hook-up but I think we can have electricity. So come with your holding tanks empty and your fresh water tanks full. Organization, mailing, copies, and deposit fees will be taken out of the up-front charges. The initial fee does not pay for Saturday Dinner Please send $8 per adult, and $4 per child over the age of 6
Recipes, Recipes, Send More!
We are still working on the family cookbook and have a lot of good recipes, but we still need more to make it more interesting and useful for each of us. We need more recipes in the following categories:
Appetizers
Soup
Salads
Desserts
Crock Pot Specials
Make-Ahead Meals
Kids Can Cook
Casseroles
Low Fat, No Fat
Or anything else you may think of.
Recipes can be included in the same envelope as your fees for the reunion, but please send them. The Next Update:
The next newsletter will be at the door when you arrive: Maps of Rupert and the area
Specifics of who to contact for which items
Schedule of Reunion activities
IMPORTANT!
We need to know if you are coming to provide an accurate count for Saturday Night dinner. We have to give them a count by June 15th. So even if you can’t send the money now, be sure to let us know as accurately as you can, how many to plan on.
RESPOND to Geneva Irwin:
By the end of May:
3848 Quinlan Lane, San Jose, Calif. 95118. 408-266-5535
By the end of June to:
P.O. Box 374, Island Park, Idaho 83429, 208-558-7890
Adult (18 or older) Registration Fee:
Number of Adults Attending___ ____
Price per Adult $5
Amount Enclosed $ ________
TOTAL Registration $________
Saturday Night Dinner
$8 per adult, $4 per child.
Number over 10 Yrs. Old _____ X $8 = __________
Children 5 - 10 Yrs. _____ X $4 = __________
TOTAL __________
Total amount enclosed, Registration and Dinner $ ________
List the Names of those paid for:
Registration:
Dinner:____________________________________________________
Check Here if you need a hook-up in the campground.____
Signed: ___________________________
If mailed before May 31, 1999 If mailed after May 31, 1999:
Geneva Irwin Geneva Irwin
3848 Quinlan Lane P. O. Box 374
San Jose, Calif. 95118 Island Park, Idaho 83429
On the back, list the items you will bring, e.g., games, kitchen equipment, food, prizes, etc.
