Before any big event, calls for sending out invitations. When it comes to a big family reunion, family reunion welcome letters are in order!
But what are you supposed to put in a family reunion welcome letter? The answer is, basically all of the information that you would include in a regular invitation, but with a nice message and some good fluff!
How to Write a Family Reunion Welcome Letter
There are many ways that you can go about writing a letter, so I am going to give you a general outline to follow that will assist you, and also provide a short example welcome letter.
Outline:
Salutation,
Paragraph 1:
- Capture attention.
- Who is putting together the reunion?
- How many years? Is it annual?
- Statement of excitement and amazement!
- List a goal you have for this reunion and a good memory from the last one.
Paragraph 2:
- Announce reunion
- Why have a reunion?
- Why is it important for everyone to show up?
Paragraph 3:
- Info about event: Time, date, location.
- Lodging info for those out of town.
- Backup plan for bad weather (if applicable).
Paragraph 4:
- Information about any money that will be required:
- Donations.
- T-shirt costs or other family reunion paraphernalia.
- Entry fees.
Paragraph 5:
- Getting family involved in helping with the reunion:
- Bringing food.
- Running a table or booth
- Gathering info for other family members.
- Giving pictures or stories for a slideshow.
- Suggestions or requests for the reunion and where to direct them.
Paragraph 6:
- End the letter with a closing statement and contact information for the organizer(s).
Example Family Reunion Welcome Letter
Now that you have read the outline, I am going to close this off with an example welcome letter. Thanks for reading!
Greetings Family!
Well, the Watson family is at it again, this time we are making it bigger and better than ever before! With 26 years under our belts and two new babies in the family, the tree just keeps on growing! What a year it has been here as I’m sure you can all say the same. I really hope to see all of your smiling faces together!
As you’re aware, this will be our 26th annual family reunion, and you can’t have a family reunion without the entire family! So I hope this is enough notice for you all to plan accordingly, and I’m willing to help you make it here should the need arise!
This year’s reunion will be held at beautiful, sunny Miami Beach in FL on July 1st, 2014. The festivities will begin at 11:00am so bring your bathing suits, towels, sunblock, and whatever games you have for some beach fun in the sun! Should you require lodging, we have reserved a block of rooms at a great rate at the Miami Beach Marriott Hotel.
Although we are expecting clear, sunny skies, mother nature is in complete control; in the event of adverse weather conditions, the event will be moved indoors to the Schuster Recreational Center, located at 123 Miami Blvd, Miami Beach, FL.
The event is completely free; however, we are accepting donations to help with the costs. We are having t-shirts made for everyone which will be $5.00 each.
Should you wish to volunteer to help with the event, please contact Mary at 555-272-6679 for information. We are also collecting pictures to make a giant collage for the event, so please email any pictures that you wish to include to [email protected]; you may direct special requests to this email address as well.
As always, thank you for being a part of this family and I cannot wait to see you all there!
Sincerely,
Mary Watson
555-272-6679
[email protected]
