Hi Kim,
Please don't get yourself bogged down over the uninterested family members. Concentrate on the ones who are enthusiastic. Yes, we all try to encourage the uninterested ones to attend, and we at least should try, but once you know that you've made the effort, then leave it in their hands. Over time, as more and more people talk about the good times they've had, some of the uninterested ones will start to get interested.

Honestly, we all have family members who just are not interested in their family. They may have had bad experiences with a parent, cousin, aunt, etc., and they tend to take it out on the entire family and have no interest in connecting. That's just life, unfortunately.

Several years ago, we had a certain group of family members in a certain city who complained, complained, complained about the costs. They were used to paying $15.00 per person in other reunions they attended. I decided not to worry about them. They are still on the mailing list, but I can not make them attend. Well, our reunions have been huge successes, and we've even made a few articles in newspapers. They've seen it, and realize that THE SHOW WILL GO ON WITHOUT THEM!

So, continue to concentrate on the excited and interested family members. From time to time, continue to encourage, but don't get yourself down over the ones who aren't interested. You will win some over, and some, you will not. Honestly, you may find out that it was best that some of the uninterested ones stayed at home! Hey, I am just trying to be honest. Some folk are really hard to deal with and may try to sabotage things. For real!

Also...if you can find me a family where everyone paid their reunion fees BEFORE the deadline, I'll give you a million dollars! (if I had it.) LOL! I think that is just something that comes with the territory of reunion planning. It can be irritating and inconvenient at times, but we can't force folk to abide by the deadline.

Keep up the great work! Put your reunion in God's hands, keep planning a reunion for the interested ones, and everything will turn out just fine.

Melvin