Reunion2000

NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 8 June 2000

The hotel will try to accommodate all reservations requested after the cut-off date of June 28, but cannot guarantee sleeping rooms at the special rate for reservations made after this date. The regular rate is substantially higher.

All reservations will be made directly through the Atlanta Reservations Department. Please request the group rate for Patterson-Smith Family. To make reservations you may call

404-261-9250 (outside Atlanta, 1-800-241-8260) during the hours of 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday. If you run into any problems while trying to make your reservations, ask for Tonya Wright. She is our Group Room Coordinator and will be glad to handle your problems.

Since the hotel has a limitation of four persons per room, please do not volunteer to them a higher number.

IMPORTANT! Check-in time is 3:00pm (not before) and check-out is 12:00 noon (not later, unless you are willing to pay for another day, of course).

The room rate is $74.00 regardless of room size (single, double, etc.). This rate is exclusive of state and local taxes which currently total 14%. Applicable tax rates at the time of the reunion must be charged.

We appreciate those of you who held fish fries, bake sales, car washes, etc., to raise the money to get here. We have to give special praise to you. Your family loyalty has to be recognized!!!!!

Thank you very much to those of you who met our deadline. Also, thanks to those who could not meet our deadline but called to let us know that you are coming but would be late in sending in your payment.

We appreciate this because it enables us to meet our initial obligations to our caterers/vendors/suppliers.

As always, we are looking forward to seeing you and cannot wait.

To repeat, the fees are the following:

--$75.00 per adult

--$30.00 per child ages 3 to 11

--Children under 3 are free

By now, you should have sent in your complete fee. Full payment was due by May 31. If you are one of those who has not sent in your payment, please make your payment right away by check or money order and keep your cancelled check or money order receipt. DO NOT SEND CASH!!!! Your payment should be sent to Atlanta Patterson-Smith Family, P O Box 44063, Atlanta GA, 30336-1063.

If you do not plan to attend, but would like a T-Shirt, that T-Shirt will cost $10.00.

Each of the Atlanta reunion organizers took the time to call those of you who had not gotten your T-Shirt numbers and sizes to us, to get your T-Shirt information. By now if you have not gotten this information to us, you very well might be left out. Keep in mind that there is a cut-off date for this information in order to get our shirts done on time.

Many are still not sure about whether or not they can make it and want to show up without giving

advanced warning. While we discourage this, you will not be turned away. We will bend over backwards to accomodate you. It is just that we need to give our caterers advanced notice on the number of people to prepare for.

If at all possible, pretty, pretty please give us at least one week advanced notice to give them time to make adjustments, and the day(s) you will attend. Otherwise, you will not be turned away.

Some of you feel that when you don't get a 'live' voice when you call us, there is a problem. Please

go ahead and leave your message and we will take the necessary action or we will return your call if that is what you wish.

If you decide to cancel your registration after having paid, you the have option of donating your registration fee or requesting a refund. Refunds will not be given until after our reunion.

As you are aware, each month we ask you for ideas for the family website and we, also, remind you to visit it. We are showing that you are not taking this seriously. Only a few of you have visited it so far.

John Fisher, the family webmaster, has been carving out time from his busy schedule to create and maintain our site. Additionally, we are paying for photos, etc., and the site itself.

This is a place you can go to, to reference information such as the weekend schedule, important deadlines, our registration information, our registration fees, and hotel information.

Changes have been made and, as always, this continues to be a work-in-progress endeavor. We would like to know what you want to see there. E-mail or toll-free call us to let us know.

RETRACTION!!!! In last month’s issue, we mentioned that Anita Johnson is expecting a baby girl in July. We found out that we were totally in error and wish very, very much to apologize. According to her husband, Allen(a real delight), the baby is due in November and the sex of the baby is unknown. Congratulations are still in order and, again, we apologize for reporting incorrect information.

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Sharon Burton had surgery on May 03 and will not be able to attend the family reunion. Sharon continues to be on the mend. We hope you can give her your support.

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Elizabeth Cheeks is getting married in Greenville, SC, on June 17 to Terrance Davis. We congratulate them.

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Edith Donaldson will have surgery on June 27 due to thyroid problems and, therefore, will not be able to attend the reunion. Thelma Donaldson will not be able to attend the reunion either due to Edith's surgery.

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Congratulations to Joe Alice Jackson Ruff. She retired on May 20 from Wilson Art International, the number one manufacturer of decorative paneling in the world. She is quite happy and we are happy for her.

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We are sorry to report that Cleveland Gardner died on March 8. At the beginning of the year, he was in a very bad auto accident requiring reconstructive surgery. He was later diagnosed with long cancer.

His son, DeWayne, moved from out of state to help care for him. We hope that time will ease the sorrow of this family's loss.

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Linda Ferguson's mom, who lives in Seattle, has been 'under the weather'. If her mom is able to visit her

in South Carolina, they might be able to run down to the reunion for a day. Linda would like for us to

keep her mom in our prayers and to hope she does well.

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Artie Jones has improved some. She was brought home from an extended care facility not too long ago. It is hoped that she will continue to improve.

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Sandy Allen continues to slowly but surely improve. Hang in there, Sandy!!

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Happy Birthday to the following who have birthdays this month: Natasha Suette Jones, Paulette Walker, Catherine L Bens, Pearlene Walker, Chaz Dominique Jones, Tarence Beard, Craig Jonell Blue Bens, and Mary E Vinson.

These are the only ones we have current birthday information on. If your birthday is this month, Happy Birthday to you, too.

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Happy Anniversary to the following who are celebrating wedding anniversaries this month: Denise D. Robinson and her husband, and Sharon Denise and Bernard Underwood. If your anniversary is this month, Happy Anniversary to you, too.

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Word has it that Thomas Jones, Sr. and his wife, Edna, are just back from a trip around the world. Surely hope you had a good time!!!!

We have come up with the following fees for those of you who want to attend the reunion but won't be able to spend the entire weekend with us:

• Friday and Saturday $35.00 per adult/$15.00 per child
• Saturday only $35.00 per adult/$15.00 per child
• Sunday only $35.00 per adult/$15.00 per child

(The above does not include T-Shirt which is $10.00 extra)

• Saturday and Sunday full price and includes T-Shirt

Wanted – Volunteers to sing in a family choir being organized for our Praise & Worship Service on Sunday, July 30. If you sing in a choir or in the shower, please call or email us!!!

Calling all Golfers! Stone Mountain has two beautiful and challenging golf courses. We would like to organize a foursome or two to play on Saturday but we need players. If you golf, please call or email us!

We need chaperones!!! We have organized activities planned for our little ones and our not so little ones. We need volunteers who are willing to help out. Please call us or email us and specify the age group you would like to work with. Choices:

• Ages 3-11
• Ages 11&up

Call or email your response (see contact information).

• View the Schedule of Events
• Check & see if we have your family registered for the Reunion
• Look at pictures of the hotel where we will be staying
• Link to the Sheraton Hotel Website
• Link to the National Black Arts Festival Website
• Link to the Stone Mountain Park Website

• Check Your Hotel Status
• View Our Family History
• Check the Happenings in Atlanta
• View our Kid’s Page
• Family Stories & Dedications

Special thanks to our Webmaster – John Fisher!!!