Go to the courthouse to look up public documents, like birth, marriage and death certificates. Many resources are also available to help you along. She drives to Alabama four times a year to visit them, but this year she helped organize a four-generation family reunion in Gatlinburg, Tenn., an equal distance for everyone to drive. For three days they stayed in five log cabins, isolated from the rest of the world, and got to know each other a little better. By treating the reunion as a vacation, and planning ahead, Rebecca made sure everyone was able to come.
Spontaneity is the secret to a successful family reunion.
Avoid scheduling too many activities. Instead, let everyone come and go as they please, and allow for plenty of time just to sit around and talk. Go with the flow. The rest met for dinner. And the kids hit the town to play miniature golf and arcade games.