Nauvoo is a Go!

     I was just thinking last night that I needed to find something to blog about on here, and then this morning I got a text from Karen (I’m assuming) about Nauvoo. The Karl G. Hutchinson reunion is on! Our dates have been confirmed next year (2010) as checking in on July 21st and checking out on the 25th.  I for one am excited about the reunion, although I’m not sure how much I will enjoy the long trip to get there with a 4 year old and a one year old. I’m not driving all that way for nothing.  I expect to see everyone there including cousins I haven’t seen in forever, and their children, many of whom I have never seen!  So I am curious, as of now, who is planning on attending?

Nauvoo reunion- attendance count

Email from Karen:

Hi, Everyone!
 
Would you please take a head count and let me know how many from your family are going to Nauvoo?
 
I’m going to send Brother Olerud (?) a note reminding him we should be top on the list and the number who will be attending.  If for some reason we don’t get the exact dates we want, we’re going to take the next closest weekend we can get sometime in June or July so that we can see the Nauvoo Pageant (or whatever it’s called).
 
If you don’t see someone’s email address on this who might want to be included in future emailings, please forward this to that person and have him/her email me back so that I can add him/her.
 
Thanks, Everyone!
 
Karen

Move place, date, or year?

Another email from Karen. I am hoping we can get some comments on here so we can all see what everyone’s opinions are, and why that is their preference.

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Hello, Everyone!
 
Angela is proposing that we keep the same dates we settled on and try to find a different location to stay.
 
Grandma and Grandpa propose that we keep the same time frame but change to 2010 and are first on the list.
 
Or, we can wait and see what weekend is available and still go this next summer.
 
I personally would vote for moving it to 2010.  I can see why the Greens need to have this scheduled around the 24th since they own their own business and it’s hard for them to get away.  For me personally, if we moved this reunion to 2010, that would give me one more year for my life to calm down and for me to get debt paid off and for my children to save to afford the trip.
 
BUT, that being said, I’m happy to do what the majority wants to do.  Please let me know your preference.
 
Thanks and have a great day!
 
Karen

Hopefully we can still get a good date!

From Karen:

Sad news, everyone!  The dates we have chosen will not be available (see below).  I’ll let you know what dates he does have available as soon as I hear.

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From: leeourth@frontiernet.net
To: kbjepp@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: KG HUTCHINSON FAMILY REUNION JULY 2009
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 15:53:46 -0500

Karen,

I did get the dates from the church by Oct 1 and I am working down the list to try and get a time for as many as I can.  I have one or more on the list that have asked for July 22nd and two or three days following so I know that date will not be available.  I will contact you as soon as see what dates would be available.

 

One of the sad things about my job is that I can’t meet everyone’s desired dates – and sometimes can’t find an alternate date that will work.

 

Lee Ourth

Yea Judy and Kids! Come on Sue and Mary!!

I’m guessing most everyone is getting these emails now either directly from Karen or indirectly through their parents but I figure it can’t hurt to post them just in case…

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Dear Family,

Just a quick update.  I heard from Judy today; and she is planning to come, as well as Doug, Kim & Family, and Tyson & Family.  She’s going to talk to her other three kids this week.  Hopefully, they’ll choose to join us.  (Let’s keep our fingers crossed!)  I heard Sue IS getting my emails, so here’s a shout-out to Sue!  We would love to have you and your kids join us, too.  (You, too, Mary!)  Our count is now 54 coming.  This is going to be very memorable!
 
I had the thought.  If you get this tomorrow — even if you don’t — let’s all pray that it comes together for us to stay at Camp Nauvoo.  With this many coming, it will be much more affordable staying at Camp Nauvoo.
 
Thanks to everyone!
 
Love, Karen

More reunion

Please everybody let’s get this thing going! I want to see everybody’s shiny happy faces next summer! Especially the ones who we don’t get to see very often or haven’t seen in a long time!

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Below is the email to the gentleman who reserves Camp Nauvoo.  Judy & Sue – Since I haven’t heard from you, I did not include you or any of your kids (or grandkids) in the reserved number.  Mary – Since you’re sitting on the fence, I also did not include you or your kids.  SISTERS, DEAR — WE LOVE YOU AND YOUR KIDS (AND GRANDKIDS)!  We would LOVE for you to join us at this historic family reunion.  Please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to be added to our reservation at Camp Nauvoo.
 
Everyone — Please let me know if your families will check in on the 22nd or the 23rd.  I hope they will allow flexibility.  If they do not, which day would your families prefer?

Thanks, Everyone!
 
Karen

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From: kbjepp@hotmail.com
To: leeourth@frontiernet.net
Subject: KG HUTCHINSON FAMILY REUNION JULY 2009
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:21:52 -0600

Dear Mr. Ourth:
 
I emailed you in July requesting information for a family reunion.  I greatly appreciated your prompt response and the information you gave me.  We would like to make a reservation for Camp Nauvoo.  We would like to reserve from July 22 to July 26, 2009, checking in on the 22nd and checking out on the 26th.  Mr. Ourth, I think we’re going to have some people who want to check in on the 22nd and others who want to check in on the 23rd.  Does our whole group have to commit to one day or the other?
 
Right now, we have 41 children and adults, as well as five babies in cribs, and would like to reserve cabins.  Do you charge $7/night for babies, too?  I have not heard from three siblings, and we have a potential of another 24 people.  Could we make a reservation for the people who have committed to coming as of now and then, before the end of October, add more people (because I really think some of my other siblings and their children will choose to come)?
 
I understand that as of October 1st, you can begin making reservations for groups other than your church groups.  I will wait to hear from you regarding our reservation.
 
Please let me know if you need additional information.  Thank you, Mr. Ourth, for your help!
 
Karen B. Jeppson

More Nauvoo info (again via Karen)

Here is another email from Karen by way of my mom.  I was looking around on the internet and found that Camp Nauvoo has a website http://www.campnauvoo.org/ . They have pricing info, some pictures, descriptions of the lodgings, and directions. And to put my two cents in, it looks like it would be a great place to have a big family reunion. Hopefully we can get as many people as possible there. And to get a little sappy, you never know when you it might be your last chance to see someone (Jake had two cousins killed in a car accident on the way home from a family reunion last summer and everyone was so grateful that they had had that time together). So please, lets everybody try and do this! I know it will be tons of fun!

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I asked Bill if he thought Camp Nauvoo would be a good place for the majority of the group to stay — those who wouldn’t mind sleeping on bunk beds with foam mattresses or tent camping.  (I think it’s $3 per person per night for tent camping; $7 per person per night for cabin camping.)  Anyway, Bill said yes, he thought it would be a good place to stay.  After all, since this is a reunion, part of the fun is staying together — being together.  Shirley’s email with activities was very informative.  Thanks! Thanks, also, to Kari for her input.  I agree that we need to decide about accommodations ASAP so that we don’t miss out.  After that, we should try to get some specifics figured out before the first of the year, such as the park Shirley talked about.  I think that sounds fun, and we should figure out when we would go there and reserve it.
 
The gentleman I emailed about the reunion said that after October 1st, he could sign up groups other than his church’s groups because they have their calendar finalized and reserved before then.  So, I think we should commit by THIS WEEKEND who wants to stay at Camp Nauvoo, indicating your preference of cabin camping or tent camping, email your responses to me.  I will make a tally and send an email to the Camp Nauvoo man so that we can get in line to hopefully get those dates.
 
This will be a fun event!  I hope you talk it up amongst your families and with cousins so that we can get as many people there as possible.  Staying at Camp Nauvoo is obviously the most affordable, which is a concern for all of us.  By the way Trish, I talked to Mom tonight, and she said she thought she would consider staying at Camp Nauvoo with everyone else.  Oh, good!  I just noticed Sue is on this email list.  (And Kurt, too!)  Look how big our family has become!  It’s just so neat!!
 
Enough for now.  Let me know before Sunday.  I’ll send an email Sunday.  I think a deposit of half the amount is due upon reserving it, but I can’t remember for sure.  Thanks, everyone!
 
Love, Karen

Nauvoo Reunion (via Karen)

Below is an email Karen sent out to everyone whose email address she had.  Angela and I figured it might be a good idea to post it here as well so that hopefully everyone gets it one way or the other.  Also, to anyone who might have any big events coming up in their lives, like being pregnant (you know who you are), feel free to post it on here as I am sure all of the cousins would like to know.

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Hello, Ya’ll!
 
I apologize that I haven’t emailed sooner.  I’ve been distracted for a few months; it’s been probably the worst summer of my life.  For those who don’t know, Bob and I are getting a divorce; it should be final within a month.  I now have to work full time; life is very challenging at the moment.  So, onward and upward!
 
Bill sent me an email about a month ago with some housing possibilities for Nauvoo.  I am attaching a link so you can look at what’s available.  http://nauvoovacation.com/.  I know Dad & Mom don’t have internet, so I’ve cut and pasted the page (below) so they can see the options.
 
Bill said he didn’t want to camp; and I realized that with my hip, I can’t camp, either.  Bill suggested that if some people wanted to stay at the camp I emailed you about before, we could probably feed everyone at one (or two) of the houses since it will have a full kitchen.
 
As far as dates for the reunion, I’m suggesting July 23-26, 2009.  Would this be okay?  I think we should decide by the end of September who is going and reserve housing.  We can decide activities and meals later.
 
If someone needs to know this information and isn’t listed above, please forward this email to them, especially your adult children.  (Terrie – Please send this to Angela right now before you forget.  Thanks!)  I have heard from some of you, saying you are planning to go.  I think others are planning to go, but I just haven’t heard from you.  Siblings – do you want to coordinate housing amongst your families, including married children, and just let us all know where you’re planning to stay?
 
Thanks for your kind support!  Thanks, Bill, for your help and suggestions!!  Love to you all!  Karen
 
PS  If I have a wrong email address for Mary, someone forward this to her — please.  Also, I don’t have Sue’s email address.  Someone please forward this to her.

Family Reunion in Nauvoo

I’m so excited that we’re going to have a family reunion in Nauvoo.  I’d be excited if we had one anywhere, but I’m glad that it’s kind of close to our family for a change.  We are going to Nauvoo in September on our way to visit Kari in Missouri and we plan to stay the night there and go throug a session in the Nauvoo Temple.  We can check around town and get some first hand knowelge of places to stay.  There are several individual houses that you can rent out that will hold many people.  They have kitchens and washers and dryers and so forth.  From what little research I’ve done on them, it looks like they cost approximately $30.00 a night per person.  This is more than the cost of the camp, but it might be good to have a place to go where we can cook for everyone and gather.  It would be nice to all stay in the same place, but Bill and I have decided that we’re too old to camp anymore, and we would like to stay in a more comfortable place.  There are also motels there, and we can check them out while we’re there in September too.  This blog is a perfect place to get everyone’s input on it, so join in and let your voice be heard!