Reunion Research and Statistics

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Reunion expenditure survey
This is a summary of a 2004 survey of reunion planners in February and March 2005. The list of reunion planners are Reunions magazine readers all of whom were selected at random.

Ten percent of survey respondents (+ or – 3.7%) have had family reunions for 50 years or more: When evaluating percentile ranks, those in the ninety first percentile have held 50 reunions. That means that, in terms of number of reunions held by the family, the top ten percent of respondents have had 50 reunions or more. In fact, seven and one half percent of respondents have held family reunions for 75 years or more. And one percent of respondents have held family reunions for over one hundred years.

Thirteen percent of all reunion respondents hold large reunions (i.e. over 150 people). Large reunions spend big, too. As expected, size of reunion and average expenditures are related. And, in fact, many large reunions get by with less: spending less than fifty dollars per person. However, large reunions also appear just as likely to have high expenditures (i.e. over $400 per person) as small reunions. So, a large reunion is just as likely to have high expenditures as a small reunion. The level of significance is .04.

Thirty eight percent of respondents hold family reunions every year. Interestingly, these reunion planners appear to be wiser, as well. Because they also spend less: Sixty one percent of those holding family reunions every year spend less than one hundred dollars per person. For everything!

An additional 31% of respondents hold reunions every other year. As a result, nearly 70% of respondents hold a family reunion at least every 24 months.
Minority respondents spend more on their reunions than white respondents. Black, Hispanic and Asian family reunions have higher expenses per person than white family reunions. This result is statistically significant at the .01 level.

As reunion planners get older, they spend less on reunions: Utilizing a variety of tests, average expenditures are significantly lower among older respondents. (Or if you want to spin it the other way, expenditures are significantly higher among younger respondents.)
Based on survey respondents, a “typical small reunion” costs $100/person. It is held every 1.5 years. And about 50 people attend. That means that the “typical small reunion” is worth $50,000 in consumer expenditures over a fifteen year period.

In addition, 50% of those who hold a reunion every year also have over 150 attendees. Every year. That means a “typical large reunion” is worth $15,000 per year in consumer expenditures (based on $100/person). Every year. That’s over $225,000 over a fifteen year period.

 Finally, super reunions are a bonanza. Super reunions have over 1,000 attendees. Based on respondent data, we estimate that with an average expenditure of $100 per person, a super reunion of 1,000 people will generate $100,000 in consumer expenditures. We also estimate, based on survey data, that such a reunion will generate $1,500,000 in consumer expenditures over a fifteen year period.

©2005 Reunions magazine, Inc.

Survey finds structure and planning are keys to happy family reunions
by Laurence A. Basirico, PhD
  What could be better than spending a day with your closest family members a few times a year with nothing to do except relax and reminisce? Well, how about 4 days or more of planned activities with your extended family every 10 years or so? This survey sponsored by Reunions magazine and Elon University, Elon, North Carolina, found that family members are more satisfied when their reunions are structured, organized, well planned, larger, longer-lasting and less frequent. Of all these characteristics though, the real keys to success are structure, organization and planning.

How the research began
  The survey that yielded these conclusions is part of an ongoing research project about family reunions that I began about five years ago. My interest in family reunions is both personal and professional. I have attended and observed my own family’s reunions -– parents, siblings, spouses and children -– for nearly twenty years. My initial research was based on observations of and personal reflections about my family’s reunions, discussions with about 50 others about their family reunions, and my sociological knowledge about human interaction. Hoping to broaden my understanding, I developed a survey for Reunions magazine and sent it to a random sample of 2,000 reunion organizers/readers.

What the research is about  The main purpose of my research is to examine relationships at family reunions. Simply, how well do family members get along with each other and enjoy their reunions? In addition to answering basic questions about reunion facts (who, where, how often, how they are organized), respondents were asked how personally satisfied they were at the end of their last reunion, how satisfied they thought other family members were, how well family members got along with each other, and questions that comprised a “relationship index.” I developed the relationship index to get a better sense of how well relationships work at family reunions. The index included eight questions about things such as decision-making at the reunion, tolerance and acceptance of one another’s behaviors and lifestyles, and the extent to which any serious conflicts occurred. Besides exploring quality of relationships, I wanted to look at relationships that worked best and find out what happened at those reunions so we could learn from them.

How people felt about their most recent reunion
  The survey found that people are generally happy with how their reunions work out. Seventy-three percent said most family members were very satisfied at the end of the reunion, 69% said they were personally very satisfied, and 72% felt family members got along extremely well. That’s very encouraging news, but it still leaves about 30% of families who could learn a thing or two to have a better time with each other at their reunions.
  For the “relationship index,” respondents were asked to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with eight statements about the way people behaved toward one another. Each statement was framed as a positive relationship. These included statements such as “There was respect for one another’s rules for daily living,” “There was tolerance of each other’s views on controversial issues,” “People avoided engaging in objectionable or offensive behavior” and five others. While most respondents agreed with each of the statements in the index, only 17% to 37% strongly agreed with the eight statements. That leaves more than 60% of respondents indicating there is room for improvement. One respondent wrote, “I look forward to our reunion all year. We love each other dearly and everyone gets along great, but there are those occasional tense moments.”
  The evidence is clear. People generally have a good time at their reunions and get along well with each other. Yet the survey shows there is a substantial percentage who say things aren’t the best they could be. What, then, can be done to make your good time even better? What’s going on at the most successful reunions that make them work so well, and what can we learn from them so every reunion works as well?

What leads to the best relationships at family reunions?
  While the research is in its early stages, most of the results and interviews so far suggest that structure, organization and planning are keys to success at family reunions. Eighty-four percent of respondents who reported the highest levels of satisfaction for family members has reunions with a great deal of structure and organization. Only 53% who said there was practically none. Further, 86% of those families who did a great deal of planning reported high levels of satisfaction, whereas only 56% of those families who did very little planning experience high levels of satisfaction.

The highest levels of satisfaction were reported by families who have reunions:
– less often (82% of those who hold reunions every 10 year or more are most satisfied, compared with 67% of those who hold a reunion once a year or more);
– that are larger (86% of those with 100 people or more are most satisfied, compared with 47% of those with 30 or fewer people);
– that last longer (83% of those attending reunions that last four days or more are most satisfied, compared with 42% of those attending reunions that last less than a half day).
  In addition, 97% of those who attended a reunion of their extended family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) said family members got along extremely well as compared with 82% of those who attended reunions of their family of origin only (parents and siblings). It appears that people seem to fare better at the larger reunions rather than when they attend with the people to whom they may be the closest emotionally or with whom they have the most contact.
  But before you decide to hold infrequent, large, long-lasting reunions with your extended family, thinking that these things alone are the keys to success, consider this vitally important survey result: Reunions that are held less frequently, are larger, last longer, and are attended by extended families are the very ones that are more structured and well planned! In other words, if you take away the structure, organization and planning, the other characteristics have no real effect on the outcome. The reason those reunions work better is because they are more organized and planned.
  One respondent who boasted about good times at her reunion of over 100 cousins spanning three generations wrote, “We plan and plan and plan and plan. Then we plan some more. We only see each other every few years and I can’t imagine getting together with this many people without having some sort of schedule. But it’s worth it.”
  Furthermore, the survey found the greater the level of “clear and organized decision making” (certainly a by-product of good organization and planning) at the reunion, the higher the level of family member and respondent satisfaction, and the higher number reporting that family members got along well with each other. As one interviewee, whose family tends to have more informal reunions, told me, “No one can make up their mind about anything. What to do, when to eat ... what to eat. I wish someone would just take charge.” While no one is suggesting they want their reunion to resemble military boot camp, people like to know how things are being decided and that someone is taking responsibility.
  To some, the idea of a highly structured, organized and planned gathering might seem better suited for a business meeting or a summer camp than a family gathering. However, the survey respondents and people I interviewed who had the most successful relationships at their reunions said those reunions were the most planned and organized. And those who said that their reunions lacked any real planning or structure were the ones who spoke most frequently of tense moments and uncomfortable situations.
  Ironically, reunion success does not always have to do with how close a family is. “All you need is love” may be a good slogan for the long term, but as far as family reunions go, love is not enough. Structure, organization and planning are the key ingredients to successful reunion relationships among family members.

Who answered the survey?
568 (28% of those to whom it was sent) people from across the United States answered the survey. Here is a little bit about who they are:
• Race: white (73%), African American (24%), other races (4%)
• Gender: female (78%), male (23%)
• Marital status: married (74%), single (10%), divorced or separated (9%), widowed (7%)
• How often they have reunions: once a year or more (47%), every few years (28%), every 5 to 10 years (9%), every 10 years or more (15%)
Some facts about the respondents’ most recent reunions
• How many people attended: less than 30 (14%), 31 to 50 people (26%), 51 to 100 (40%), over 100 (21%)
• Who attended: family of origin only (5%), family of origin plus their siblings’ married families (17%), extended family (family of origin, siblings’ families, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins) (77%)
• Length of time since previous reunion: less than a year (14%), around a year (41%), a few years (23%), 5 to 10 years (9%), more than 10 years (13%)
• Where the reunion was held: home of a family member (18%), hotel (23%), park (20%), resort (5%), beach (3%), mountains (3%), camping (2%), various other places (town hall, country club, church, church camp, catering hall recreation center, community center, a ranch, a cruise) (26%)
• How long it lasted: a few hours (7%), half to a full day (34%), 2 to 3 days (48%), 4 to 7 days (10%), more than 7 days (1%)
• Main purpose: to celebrate a recurring family event such as a birthday or anniversary (3%), to celebrate a holiday (4%), to pay tribute to a unique family event such as a graduation, wedding, funeral (4%), to get reacquainted with one another (45%), to celebrate family roots and traditions (39%)
• How much planning took place before the reunion: a great deal (34%), a moderate amount (34%), very little (32%)
• How structured and organized (in terms of planned activities) the reunion was: a great deal of structure and organization (28%), some (51%), practically none (21%)

About the author
Larry Basirico is a sociology professor at Elon University, Elon, North Carolina. He has been doing research about relationships at family reunions for over five years. He has presented his work at national conferences and the National Social Science Review, and is currently working on a book.

Family Reunion Research Project:
Call for Participants
  Dr. Stephen Criswell, a folklorist and professor of English at Benedict College in Columbia, SC, is conducting a study of African American family reunions. This study, funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, will examine the origins, development, and significance of these family celebrations.
  Dr. Criswell is seeking individuals and families to participate in this study. Volunteers will be interviewed about their family reunions and should allow Dr. Criswell and his assistants to observe and document their reunions. In exchange for their participation, interviewees and their family members will have access to all documents (including videotapes, photograph, and interview tapes) regarding their family reunions.
  If you would like to participate in this project, please contact Dr. Criswell at 803-253-5221, e-mail secriswell@hotmail.com, or write to Department of English, Benedict College, 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, SC 29204.

Dr. Joel Goldblatt, CSEP at Temple University has studied the impact of reunions on the places where they meet. This is important data that can help reunion organizers make their point when they negotiate hotel prices and other considerations and for others to realize that reunions are a significant player in the hospitality industry.

His research was presented at the 16th Annual National Family Reunion Conference (March 2007): Measuring ROE: The Value of your Family Reunion Event

Reunions under the microscope
  Larry Basirico, PhD, a sociology professor at Elon University, Elon, North Carolina, has been researching relationships at family reunions for over five years. Dr. Basirico did a survey co-sponsored by Reunions magazine, that found family members are more satisfied when reunions are structured, organized, well planned, larger, longer-lasting and less frequent. Of all these characteristics, though, the real keys to success are structure, organization and planning.
  Two thousand randomly selected Reunions magazine readers received Dr. Basirico's questionnaire. An overwhelming 568 people (28%) from across the country returned not only surveys but lots of other reunion information.
  The survey found that people are generally happy with how their reunions work out. Seventy-three percent said most family members were very satisfied at the end of the reunion, 69% said they were personally very satisfied, and 72% felt family members got along extremely well. That's very encouraging news, but it still leaves about 30% of families who could learn a thing or two to have a better time with each other at their reunions.
  The main purpose for holding a reunion for 45% of respondents was to get reacquainted with one another followed closely by 39% who said they got together to celebrate family roots and traditions. Other reasons (11%) were to celebrate a recurring family event such as a birthday or anniversary or holiday or to to pay tribute to a unique family event such as a graduation, wedding, memorial service.
To some, the idea of a highly structured, organized and planned gathering might seem better suited for a business meeting or summer camp than a family gathering. However, survey respondents and people interviewed who had the most successful relationships at their reunions said those reunions were well planned and organized. And those who said their reunions lacked any real planning or structure were the ones who spoke most frequently of tense moments and uncomfortable situations.
  Ironically, reunion success does not always have to do with how close a family is. "All you need is love" may be a good slogan for the long term, but as far as family reunions go, love is not enough. Structure, organization and planning are the important ingredients to successful reunion relationships among family members.
  The evidence is clear. People generally have a good time at reunions and get along well with each other. Yet the survey shows there are some who say things aren't the best they could be. What, then, can be done to make your good time even better? What's going on at the most successful reunions that make them work so well? And what can we learn from them so every reunion works as well? These and many other questions are answered in Reunions magazine, at www.reunionsmag.com, including podcasts, streaming videos and a forum for sharing.

Learning about reunions
    We recently received the results of a family reunion survey conducted in association with the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Department at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. A random selection of Reunions magazine readers received and responded to questions, giving us some fascinating reunion facts, some of which simply confirm our observations. The survey focused on practical matters of organizing a reunion. Questions related to reasons for reuniting, factors in selecting a reunion site and primary events at a reunion. These are some of the findings.
    Families reunite to keep in touch and pass on family heritage to their children.
While many of those surveyed plan to have their next reunion at a relative’s home, 64% said they plan to use hotel, resort or similar accommodations for their next reunion. Cited as the most important factors in selecting a reunion site were reasonable travel time, reasonable cost and location. Accommodations and recreation were also mentioned as important.
    Most frequent events mentioned were entertainment and worship. Local attractions, sporting events and special family ceremonies also occupy reunions.
    Reunions are large. Seventy three percent (73%) have 50 or more attendees and 35% have over 100. Six percent of reunions have over 200 attendees.
    Most reunions last a few days: 74% (±7%) last two days or less. However, 19% last from three to five days and 7% of survey respondents said their reunion lasted six or more days. The average amount spent per-person is usually over $200 (54%). However, many reunions spend much more: 19% had per person expenditures of over $400.
    Where does your reunion fall in these figures? And do these findings seem typical to you? Is your reunion average or extraordinary?

First steps – getting started
Reunions magazine and the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Department of East Stroudsburg (PA) University held a joint study of family reunion organizers which resulted in a fascinating picture of their reunions. We'll cite results as we outline how to get your reunion started.

Why have a reunion?
 What the study says – The purpose for having reunions is varied. Fifty-seven percent (57%) said reunions help them keep in touch while over 28% wanted children to learn about family heritage. Other goals include getting everyone together before a family elder dies or to mark a special birthday, anniversary or holiday.

In the beginning
 Every reunion begins somewhere, somehow, sometime. Amy Barlow reports that her Mellenbruch Family Reunion started when her great-great-great grandfather, H. F. Mellenbruch, left a letter expressing a wish that his descendants would meet regularly. They celebrated their 100th reunion in July. Some people don't even remember or say they never even knew how their reunion started but remember attending them as children.
 Your reunion is not at all unusual if it started as an innocent comment at a funeral that you should start meeting under happier circumstances. Reunions can be compared to weddings and funerals except for one important fact – those events focus on the celebration or remembrance of just one person. Reunions celebrate everyone and the whole family.
  Sometimes individuals or the whole group may not be ready. If so, don't give up, just delay the idea for a while or continue with willing members.

Leadership
  What the study says – Seventy-six percent (76%) of respondents were women who ranged in age from 28 to 80. Over 32% organize each of their reunions; 22% plus rotate the leadership role; over 14% have a new volunteer for each reunion and over 12% of all reunions are organized by the person who thinks up the idea.
  Reunion sounds like and is a great idea! If you volunteer to be in charge, step forward with your whole heart and soul – there will be times when nothing less will do!
  It's best to not do it solo. Doing it by yourself can be lonely and may not get the results you want. Involving others as early as possible means help ranging from moral support (no small thing!) to taking charge of details large and small. Early involvement should also include a monetary contribution to defray start-up phone, printing and postage costs.
  It might look formidable if you're new to reunion organizing. Who will pay? When, where and how will everyone get there – on time and happy? What will they do when they get there? Lots of questions need answers. Enough time is crucial – to decide when and where, then on to all the myriad of details.

Who's family?
  Class and military reunions are easily defined with circumscribed members who are part of the group - or not. Family reunions are not always so exact or obvious. There is no definition of family for the purpose of reunion except a group of people with the desire to spend time together.
  Whom do you claim as family for this occasion? Is it thousands of progeny descended from a common ancestor who arrived in the US in 18-something? Is it the descendants of the brothers and sisters in a family? Is it all the cousins of a generation and their families? Is it the immediate three generations of grandma, grandpa, their children and grandchildren? Is it everyone with the same name?
  Or is it something in common like the same parents whether by birth, marriage or adoption? Some genealogists might differ with these loose definitions of family and want to be very specific about who is and is not related to make a family.

How long will the reunion last?
What the study says - Over 70% reported devoting two or more days at their reunion.
  Reunions aren't just picnics anymore. Typically reunions are lasting from Friday through Sunday though some families stay longer. One whole week is also not unusual.
  If members travel any distance, a longer stay makes the effort worthwhile with time to visit and relax before the return journey. Many family vacations are reunions or include reunions as part of their plans.

And how often should you meet?
 What the study says – Annual reunions are the norm for 46% of respondents, over 28% gather every other year, over 10% every five years.
  Reunion frequency is an individual decision. Reunions are not inexpensive so time to save is essential. Many families make the reunion an annual refresher requirement. Others choose two years apart but the ones who wait five years may increase frequency for special reasons like significant anniversaries or members being ill and unlikely to make the next reunion.
  Frequency is also a serious consideration for the reunion organizer. One year passes rapidly while two years can give you some extra breathing room.

Delegate and conquer
  Recruit all the help you can to lighten your load and strengthen "ownership" and commitment for the reunion. Ask members what they like to do and focus on it. This doesn't mean everyone must be in total agreement – growing a new idea takes time and patience.
  Consider committees. One can find your reunion location and accommodations, others to concentrate on program, fundraising, food, scholarships and cleanup.
 The art of delegation was important for Rosa Thomson. She identified special talents and skills of each family member. Showered with "yes" answers, Rosa completed projects on time and on budget.

When?
What does the study say? – A majority (85%) of all family reunions occur in June, July and August.
 Traditions flourish once your reunion is established. Set your first reunion date to draw as many people as possible. If reunion is a new idea, distant members need to save both time and money for the trip.
  Your reunion date might coincide with an important family event. You can choose a date arbitrarily. Or offer choices with a commitment to abide by the consensus of the group.
  Avoid a blanket request for dates. If you ask 50 people to suggest dates, you'll get 50 dates and still no consensus. If, on the other hand, you suggest a choice of say, Thanksgiving or Fourth of July weekend, you'll know your majority right away.
  Seasons matter – do you have skiers? campers? sun-seekers? school children? Plan accordingly.

Where?
  What does the study say? – Convenient location to get to is the most prominent factor (19%) followed closely (18%) by reasonable lodging cost, reasonable travel cost (16%) and available recreation activities (14%). Other responses included: same place every year, variety of accommodations and activities, shopping and destinations that match a theme.
  All families try to find special places ranging from their own backyard to historical family homesteads or even a dream locale. Many reunions are the family vacation or at least its highlight.
  Some reunions number hundreds of members. They meet more comfortably in hotels and resorts and even on cruise ships. The possibilities are infinite – smaller groups may be more comfortable at inns, ranches, condos, villas or campgrounds for tents and RVs or any mix.
  If you're considering a place you've not been before, contact the convention and visitors bureau for hot local information. Also check out Reunion Resources, a directory of reunion-friendly places, and patronize advertisers on this site.

Guiness Book of World Records says Busse Family Reunion is the largest! or Busses certified record breaker!
  According to Guinness Media, Inc, known for its World Records, the Busse Family Reunion has set a new record as the Largest Family Reunion. The reunion was of descendants of the six children of Friedrich and Johanna Busse who settled 150 years earlier in Lake County, Illinois. The 2,500 descendants were amply accommodated at the Lake County Fair Grounds in Grays Lake, Illinois, where registration tents were set up for each descendant family. Each branch had its own bright, colorful t-shirts and pictures were taken for the Guinness submission.
  The family began the day with a worship service in the fairgrounds amphitheater. An antique vehicle display, rides and games for the kids, food and a huge building chock full of family history and memorabilia gave the reunion an atmosphere of a county fair ... except everyone knew each other!
  The Busses were notified by Guinness that there are now so many records that not all are published in their books. New Guinness Museums include some of what the books can't and Busses hope their composite picture may be displayed.
  Rules and authentication to achieve a Guinness Record are not simple. George and Esther Busse, Mount Prospect, Illinois, worked hard at pulling together countless details and persisted in follow-up leading to their success. They are also to be congratulated for their efforts at encouraging a record setting number of family members to their reunion.

How about longest running reunions?
  Let's hear it for the families who have maintained their traditional reunions year after year. The Burton Family Reunion celebrated their 125th anniversary reunion this year near Mitchell, Indiana. Emalou Burton Garten, Indianapolis, Indiana, reported that descendants of the thirteen children of John Pleasant and Suzannah Stamper Burton gather to clean the family burial ground, have genealogy and family meetings and enjoy a banquet and picnic together. This long running, strong family reunion is governed by three directors elected at reunions for three year terms of office.
  How long has your reunion been running? We'd like to hear from you. Add to these extraordinary numbers to demonstrate your family's strength and your reunion's staying power.
E-mail us.

Participate in family reunion research!
  Reunions magazine editor is eager to hear your stories about what occurs during your family reunions. Here are some topics and themes we want to hear about: feel free to write about any or all of them.
  About how many people usually attend your reunion? Who are they? What are their ages? Where do they live? Where have reunions gone? How often do you see each other outside of the reunion?
  What are the first things that come to mind when you think about your reunion? What have you enjoyed most about your reunions? During your time together, how do you make decisions about meals, cleaning, events, arrival and departures?
  Often, parents and siblings have stories that become part of the family's history. Stories can be about family events, members or other relatives. Are these stories brought up during your reunions? What are they? Are there ways you act with your siblings only when you reunite with each other (special ways of talking or communicating with each other)?
  When we attend family reunions, most of us are part of two families: the one we grew up in and the new married family. To the family you grew up in, you are still a child (son or daughter) and a sibling (brother or sister). In your new family you are a spouse (husband or wife) and probably parent (mother or father). If you're not married, you are an adult. Describe your role during your family reunion? How do you feel about it?
  In general, how well do people get along during your reunion? Describe relationships. How do you feel at the end of your reunion? How do you think other participants feel? Let us know!

September 11th survey

  A survey was done after September 11, 2001 to determine what effect the event had on reunions. The outcome also says something about the importance of reunions and the tenacity of people planning them.

  In the issue of Reunions magazine after September 11, 2001, it was a whole different world from what now seems like a pretty innocent time. I never doubted for one moment that reunions were going to be even more important as the world changes so quickly. Amidst the confusion, doubt and concern, reunions are vibrant and growing stronger.

  We polled reunions planned for October and November and discovered they were going on with great resolve. We were inspired by a September 14th email to contact reunions. A reunion organizer received this from a niece who lives in Manhattan. "Please, please, please assure us that the reunion should and must take place. … cannot allow the terrorists to think for one minute that they have disrupted our lives. We stand tall. We love America. We want the reunion to happen. (I need the reunion to happen)."

  The nine Guy sisters let nothing delay their long planned reunion in New York City just as planes began flying again. They took Mayor Guiliani seriously when he encouraged them to come and spend money. It was a reunion they’ll treasure forever because of the time they spent there together.

The USS Castor AKS-1 8th national reunion met as scheduled the first weekend in October in Las Vegas. About 150 members attended the TAC Missillers reunion in Orlando. No cancellations were noted for the USS Bausell DD845 reunion in San Diego. The Cagle/Knowles Family Reunion displayed the flag at their October reunion in Dubach, Louisiana.

A newsletter after the September reunion of the 2nd Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group WWII, now known as the American Beagle Squadron Alumni, described their memorial service which included candlelight and a very moving rendition of Taps. When the lights were turned back on, all the other diners in the restaurant had joined their tribute so the trumpeter played The Star Spangled Banner and everyone sang.

Registrations for the Navy Fighter Squadron VF-54 reunion in Tucson, Arizona, indicated their largest reunion ever held. Security considerations cancelled tours of an out of service military aircraft storage facility and the airport tower.
HS-7, a Naval Squadron in Vietnam aboard the USS Saratoga, had some undecided individuals but was on as scheduled in Rhode Island. There were no USS Monssen DD798 member cancellations though a tour and military base visit were cancelled by the Navy who did provide a Memorial Service Color Guard at ceremonies during their farewell banquet.

St Michaels High School Reunion chairperson, Janet White, said they’d "waited 27 years and can't stop the future from happening! We are going on as planned in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, right across the river from Ground Zero." A few classmates from California declined to fly.

The only change to the USS Ozbourn Associations fifth reunion was to amend the memorial service for departed shipmates and add those killed September 11th. Association president, William D. Minter, Texarkana, Texas, wrote "I feel it very important that we let the events of September 11th effect our future activities as little as possible and I hope that we go home from this reunion with a plan for us as an organization or as individuals to make a significant contribution to our nation's efforts to stamp out terrorism."

The 19th Bombardment Associations reunion in Atlanta, Georgia, anticipated excellent attendance. "This is probably the safest time ever to travel by air with the heightened security." declared Jerry Michael, association president. "What happened September 11th is truly tragic, but it cannot hurt us today and we should show these idiot fanatics they will not intimidate us."

Security concerns cancelled a visit to Boulder Dam for USS Coral Sea CVA-43 Association 368 members registered for their Laughlin, Nevada, reunion. The USS Grand Canyon AD/AR28, USS Pocono AGC. ALL16 and USS Francis M. Robinson DE220 reunions went on but had naval base tours cancelled.

Cynthia Youngblood lives in Missouri and is a committee chair for Atlanta, Georgia’s Northside High School Reunion, Class of 1981. She wrote, "Many classmates expressed the desire to reconnect due to events of September 11th. Therefore, this reunion has a special purpose for many and deeper meaning to see each other again." They videotaped and photographed for memories and for those who cannot attend.
Richard Walton Whitworth, who lives in California, had plane tickets to his family reunion in Texas, and was only concerned about being at the airport three hours early with no carryon luggage. Yvonne Heyliger, Largo, Florida, drove to her family reunion in Georgia but said they might have had to rethink it if anyone was flying. Richard Furman, Winter Park, Florida, reported that the 527th Army AG Personnel Services Company planned no changes.

Stan Pollard LCDR USN Ret of the submarine USS Chivo (SS-341) reunion, was particularly passionate. He wrote, "Our reunion spans 1944 to 1971, so we represent an older generation that faced WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War. Submariners are all volunteers, and we did not stay at home because there was danger. Instead we put out to sea to face these challenges and keep our country free. It's no different now. If fact, I think recent acts of terrorism had much the opposite effect. There has been a huge exchange of e-mails and letters among our group encouraging patriotism and leadership. I think that the consensus is that it is our duty as veterans, and as the older generation who has already overcome great adversities and wars in the past, to demonstrate to the terrorists, to the world, and especially to our children, that America remains strong, confident in the future, and free. We fought hard for freedom and sacrificed much to preserve it. We are not about to surrender now."

Laurie Neuroth, Laytonville, California, reunion committee member of the Roselle, New Jersey, Girls Catholic High School Class of 1971 shared a letter from reunion chairperson Debi Yovanovich. "In the wake of the tragic events… something like this might seem frivolous at first — but then when you think about the connection we had in school and the "family" atmosphere our class had, it seems even more important that we get together and renew that bond." Another 30 year reunion right on schedule was Washington DC’s Burdick Vocational High School Class of 1971.

Several USS Holder Association members cancelled while others just "changed their mode of transportation from flying to riding the train or driving their cars."
Carrie Bodensteiner, webmaster for the Dreisbach Family Reunion wrote, "I'm sure many realize that, more than ever, ties of family and community are the strength of this nation and a source of support for all Americans. Our nation can embrace diversity at the same time it can show unity in the face of opposition. Our Dreisbach family is large and diverse, extending from coast to coast (even one German cousin will attend). Many emails have been exchanged in light of recent events and we have found solace and new strength in each other."

Scouting Force Association reunion chairperson Lt. Col. E. Richard Atkins, AAF/USAF Ret, wrote, "The reunion will be far more meaningful because we are all WWII vets who established our patriotic stance in 1941 and it has never left us."

Eugene Carroll said the USS Lake Champlain Association expected their reunion to hold special significance this year. "We believe that the United States must remain united in its effort to allow people to have freedom."

Sadly, this 25th was the last reunion of the 8th Gasco/9th Air Force because their numbers are dwindling too fast to continue. Hosts Bill and Mary Swanson wrote, "We've had a wonderful run at it over the years and have very fond memories to think back on as we wind down."

Though the events of September 11th will continue to have far-ranging effects on our world, for reunion groups they seem to have underscored our common need to draw together and stand united.