Splashing Success!

300 water balloons launched from giant slingshots can't lie ~ the UTAH Reunion was a HIT! Or Bulls-eye, depending upon your physical location at the time. No one was complaining about getting wet since Saturday was the hottest day of the year at nearly 100 degrees. (AZ is laughing at you, by the way . . .)
Chairwoman Extraordinaire Cathy Street (LOD: Virginia Ivins, Almira Peel) and other reliable sources report a head-count of around 98 people for the big day. A pot luck feast of plenty in satisfying variety greeted hungry, hot Peels - and they actually counted the sloppy joe buns: 90.
Cathy's "Angel" committee worked feverishly providing site arrangements, shade awnings, tables & chairs, ice, more ice, punch, and an olympianesque array of fun games & prizes, including frisbies, soft pellet guns and a clearly intellectual challenge in the proverbial 'guess how many candies in the jar' competition. Treats were on hand for all the children.

Our illustrious leader Jim "Bud" Rose, Jr. brought tables, chairs, boxes of genealogical papers, the Peel History Books, vintage photos and the 100% custom watercolor illustrated Peel Family History card set. The brief adult meeting hosted a word from Berniece Peel to explain personally about the research and creation of their Peel book, and an introduction of the Foundation Board.
Many family members arrived having no clue beforehand how many kinsmen were living nearby. Cousins introduced are now happily aware of each other. Young mothers with children attended whose husbands had to work, and other family members offered their sincere regrets at not being able to attend this time.

Well done! A great time was had by all. The posterity of Virginia Ivins (LOD:Almira Peel) in particular has set the standard for a very quality, organized experience indeed! CALIFORNIA: YOU ARE NEXT ~ the challenge is ON!

UTAH Kudos Count-Down:
300 Water Balloons filled & transported without incident ~ brother Tony, Becky, Colton & Jessica Ivins
Site prep & Super Games Guy ~ brother Tony Ivins
90 Savory Sloppy Joes ~ mom Virginia Ivins & Cathy Street
Shade awnings, love & moral support ~ brother Jeff Ivins
Church arrangements, signs, games, chairs & tables ~ daughter Liz (Street) & Randy Parker & road crew (children) Chris, Missy, Abby, Grace and Sam
Containers for food table, punch-maker, transportation ~ sister Leslie (Ivins) Chapman
Ice Man, water, site prep ~ Bestest Hubby Stan Street
Event Photography ~ niece Sarah (Ivins) Sorenson

Utah On Deck!

This is IT! Our first Peel Reunion of 2008 is in Utah's court
THIS SATURDAY, August 23rd!

Correction on the address:

NOB HILL PARK
950 N. 60 E.
American Fork
3PM ~ 6PM

Menu: POT LUCK DELIGHT: Family Foundation provides plates, cups, utensils, napkins & drinks. You might want to bring lawn chairs or picnic blanket and your check book to purchase your super-dooper Peel History Books, copies of vintage family photos and your very own Peel History Illustrated Card Set!

Last minute questions and/or volunteer support > Please contact Cathy (Ivins) Street - cstreet@afconnect.com 801-756-4684 or Jim "Bud" Rose, Jr. - jimandnancyrose@gmail.com 801-423-2747

See you there!

Big Time Prize-Winner

Surprise! Cousin Desiree Hopkins (LOD: Laurie Dooley, LeRoy Peel, Leslie Peel) is officially the very 1st family member to register their current contact update through this family blog! She saw the "Address Collection" link, she inputted, she conquered. Sort of like Caesar, but different. Desiree and husband Ammon have son Gideon to cheer them on; mommy just graduated from the College of Southern Idaho with her RN, and daddy is pursuing a degree in social work.

Desiree's fabulous PRIZE is the 100% custom Illustrated Family History Card Set! Wow!

Eight stories from the lives of Benjamin and Nancy Peel and their son Benjamin F. Peel are represented on 8 different cards. One side features the watercolor illustration, the reverse a kid-friendly script explaining the story.

Teaching family history to your children and grandchildren was never so fun! It will be easy to relate to ancestors as real people. It will prompt further discussion from one of the newly available Peel Books. Talking about them will feel intimate instead of mysterious or boring to young ears. Framing a vintage photo you got at the reunion and hanging it on the wall will further demonstrate to your children that we belong to these people from long ago.

Hide cards under plates at Sunday dinner; read the stories in turn without showing the picture. Let everyone match story to picture. Play "Hot Potato" by passing the cards as quickly as possible around in a circle until the signal is given to stop: pantomime the picture, or use dramatic voices in character to hint at the story in hand . . .

Challenge family members to remember the story that accompanies each picture. This card set will prove useful and fun again and again.

You also have a chance to grab this treasure for your own family!

Look for these special card sets for sale at each of our up-coming Reunions, along with vintage photos for sale. While prices will be entirely nominal, donations or "tips" will not be refused. We need your support financially as well as physically and spiritually. Are you getting excited?!

If you are unable to attend one of the 3 Reunions scheduled so far, you may contact our Illustrious Leader Jim 'Bud' Rose, Jr. to register an order for items you are interested in. (See 'About Us' link for his contact info.)

Thank you to everyone who has donated by check or on-line through this blog, and for everyone who inputted their contact updates after Desiree. You are making a difference! Please spread the word and share this blog. We need more authors, photos, comments and links to other family websites. We are in this together!

Welker Family Roots

We've been in touch with our Welker Cousins! Their family organization has a private blog. If you would like to connect with them, send an email to LaRay Welker (lrwelker@cox.net) to be added to their private family blog. The Welker group has been a very active organization. They always have something going on - and are always glad to share resources. Please do e-mail our cousin LaRay and he will be more than happy to "sign you up"!

This is a family portrait of the Adam and Agnes Dock Welker family:

Back Row L-R:
Euphemia May Welker (Zundel) b.12 May 1878
Ida Luella Welker (Bingham) b.12 Aug. 1880
Adam David Welker b. 7 Oct. 1869
John Arthur Welker b. 21 Apr. 1876
Mary Almira Welker (PEEL) b. 5 Nov. 1871
Mariam Alvira Welker (Westover) b. 5 Nov. 1871

Middle Row L-R:
James Robert Welker b. 25 Jan. 1866
Adam Welker (Father) b. 19 Feb. 1841
Agnes (Dock) Welker (Mother) b. 28 Apr. 1847
Agnes Almeda Welker (Layton) b 19 Nov. 1867
William Bamsley Welker b. 6 Mar. 1874

Front Row L-R:
Charles Delbert Welker b. 6 Aug. 1887
Elmer Adolphus Welker b. 1 Dec 1884
Raymond Alexander Welker b. 19 Jun. 1882