Howdy,
Our annual family gathering is getting closer, and the excitement is building. As a review it will be held June 16, & 17 2011 (Thursday & Friday). David & Deanna, Cheryl & Ron, & Cindy please make sure all your kids & grandkids are informed of this and are encouraged to attend.
On Thursday nite, those that can will meet at the Mt. Timp. Temple close to 6pm. I have made an appointment with the sealing office at 6:30 pm to do some family sealing’s. One group of 8 will be sealing Sophie’s siblings to their parents, and another sealing of Grandpa Tim to his folks Marion & Sophie. This will take only about 20 minutes once it gets started. Those who want to participate will need to dress in the Temple ceremonial clothing, with the robe on the right shoulder, & be seated in the room by 6:30pm on the 3rd floor. (Check with the sealing office, it is just beyond the marriage waiting room, for the room assignment). If you do not want to participate, but want to watch, wear Sunday dress & they will let you in the sealing room. After this event those who want, can leave, or do a session, or do some initiatory, or go to the lower floor and eat.
On Friday, lets all plan to start eating dinner at the stake center (about 500 n. & 500 w. Orem, by Cliff’s house) at 6:00 pm. Please arrive sometime before then with your food assignment (check with Amanda). We will pray, eat, and play a few games, clean up, and go home with happy memories. So far we will have....1.) Elle & Drew under parental supervision, in charge of the water balloon event, ....2.)Matthew & Jen will oversee a fishing pond & a digging for treasure event,........... 3.)Cheryl & Ron doing a few more games,.......4.) Amanda organizing food assignments..... 5.)I will set things up at the church.
Everyone is invited who falls under the umbrella of the Tim & Rona Otis Family. Hopefully this annual event will grow and become better each year. Elle turns 12 this year, with Victoria having been there and done that. Maybe next year, we might put together a lot of family names and do the baptism and confirmation for them at this reunion event, which would include Elle & Victoria as participants.
If your contact info has changed in the last 2 years or so; Please send that info to me before June 5th & I’ll distribute it. Forget that assignment in the last group email. Also, if anyone would like to do a game or fun activity please let me know. I do not like to make assignments, and solicit help and ideas to make this 2 day event enjoyable to all.
Matthew has taken the great big ‘Otis family in America’ book, compiled and arranged by William A. Otis, 1924, close to 700 pages; and organized the names in a systematic way of identifying, and searching these ancestors, for the purpose of doing their temple work. Please contact him, to help, & to get trained on how his system is set up. There might be a better way, but if we all play on the same team & work together, great progress will be made. Between the 4 children of Tim & Rona there are at least 35 Adults who could help. If 10 adults pulled 50 names each by next reunion time (that is about 1 a week or about 4 a month), we would have 500 names ready to be cleared or done next summer for our get-together.
One last note, this all costs money. If any of you would like to make a donation to this year’s event, and or, next year’s get together, please let me know. I will set up an account at a local bank under the name of ‘Otis Family Gathering’, two signatures checks, and will use the funds to cover costs.
Thank you,..... if you cannot come this year please plan on next year. Cliff
Monday, May 23, 2011
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Hi,
I hope this finds you all well and happy.
I counseled with some of you, and have decided to move the reunion (or ‘The Gathering’) to Monday Aug. 23rd, 2010; 5:30pm, at the same Stake Ctr as last year. It will not be held the first of July this year.
For ‘The Gathering’, Amanda will be in charge of the meal (making assignments & organizing, ), & Cheryl will be in charge of the games (collecting ideas and organizing). Please let me know if you’d like to help in another area. The web site will be activated, http://otisfamilyhappenings.blogspot.com/ .
I would encourage everyone to still go to the Temple during that week of July. If some of you feel a bit spunky, you could spray roundup on your front yards with the message: “Otis”.
David, Deana, & hopefully most of their family, will be in town then for a short visit, bringing some of their kids to BYU (........ not asked to be in the Big 12). Maybe we could persuade Elder KC to give a short presentation on what really went on during in his mission. Answering 4 important questions; a.) What really is under those towels on their heads? B.) How many cows are there in India? c.) Do elephants shave?, &, d.) Are they all mostly car mechanics with those dark spots on the forehead?
As many of you have heard, Trish has been diagnosed with a mean cancer. She will probably be operated on June 28th; then go through about 6 months of chemo and radiation treatments. There are 5 doctors involved so far, lots of tests, and still a lot of unknowns. We are positive and are hoping for the best. Your faith and prayers in her behalf are greatly appreciated & needed.
Take Care Cliff
I hope this finds you all well and happy.
I counseled with some of you, and have decided to move the reunion (or ‘The Gathering’) to Monday Aug. 23rd, 2010; 5:30pm, at the same Stake Ctr as last year. It will not be held the first of July this year.
For ‘The Gathering’, Amanda will be in charge of the meal (making assignments & organizing, ), & Cheryl will be in charge of the games (collecting ideas and organizing). Please let me know if you’d like to help in another area. The web site will be activated, http://otisfamilyhappenings.blogspot.com/ .
I would encourage everyone to still go to the Temple during that week of July. If some of you feel a bit spunky, you could spray roundup on your front yards with the message: “Otis”.
David, Deana, & hopefully most of their family, will be in town then for a short visit, bringing some of their kids to BYU (........ not asked to be in the Big 12). Maybe we could persuade Elder KC to give a short presentation on what really went on during in his mission. Answering 4 important questions; a.) What really is under those towels on their heads? B.) How many cows are there in India? c.) Do elephants shave?, &, d.) Are they all mostly car mechanics with those dark spots on the forehead?
As many of you have heard, Trish has been diagnosed with a mean cancer. She will probably be operated on June 28th; then go through about 6 months of chemo and radiation treatments. There are 5 doctors involved so far, lots of tests, and still a lot of unknowns. We are positive and are hoping for the best. Your faith and prayers in her behalf are greatly appreciated & needed.
Take Care Cliff
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Gathering Program!!!!
***Program info for the first..... “Tim & Rona Otis Gathering”.
July 2nd, 2009 /Thursday/; Arrive at the Temple, early, about 5:30 pm, then be dressed and up stairs in the chapel by 6:10 pm. The rooms load approx at 6:20. The session is about 1 & ½ hours, putting us out about 8 to 8:30 pm. Sessions run every half hour, so make sure you are on the 6:30 session and not the 6 etc.
After about 6 pm the Temple gets a lot more busy (ie. the Provo and West Jordon Temples are closed, making the American Fork Temple even more busy than usual), so please arrive early. Due to the high potential of being caught and going into overflow, or having to wait, we will put off the picture taking sessions until the dinner on Friday. Trish & I work on Tuesday nites. On last Tuesdays shift, the wait for endowment sessions started to run into overflow with about a 45 minute wait around the 7:00 session for the rest of the nite. Another problem with the high activity is being able to find a locker and rent clothes with the high number of people going through........ So plan to arrive early!!!
July 3rd, 2009 /Friday/; Please be at the stake ctr. (about 500 N 500W, Orem, the one in Cliff’s stake) before 6:00 pm. The back door on the north east side will be open. The cultural hall is on the left, Kitchen is further down the hall.
Take a seat in the cultural hall. The goal is to have every one seated and ready by 6: 10 pm.
The program will consist of an opening song, prayer & blessing on the food, and presentations while we eat. The opening songs (Pop-Corn Popping & I am a child of God), under the direction of Heather & Jared. Each family will be given a packet with the following items in it:
a.) Short life sketch on Marion & Sohpie prepared by Cheryl & Ron.
b.) Short life sketch on Clarence, Elmer, & Eva prepared by Trish.
c.) Written Reports on Tim & Rona prepared by Tim & Rona.
d.) Contact info, goals, and a brief summary of family doings.
e.) A family organizational sheet prepared by Erica & Scott.
During the eating time, Tim & Rona will field and answer questions about their lives, what is was like, and what advice they feel impressed to pass on to their posterity. During this special time, hopefully parents who have noisy kids, or loud and obnoxious mates, will greatly encourage them to be reverent and listen. In the cultural hall sound carries and some of us have big time hearing problems, and would like to hear. Across the hall is the baptismal room where executions will be conducted on offenders.
After about 20 to 30 minutes, we will sing two more songs under the direction of Heather & Jared (I Love to See the Temple & Families Can Be Together Forever); have a closing prayer and a blessing on the games.
The time will then be turned over to Michael & Amanda for games: These games may include:
Inside Games:
Red Rover (Good name recognition game)
Police Lineup: divide into 2 teams. The team to "Line Up" first, wins!
Line up by: height, tallest to smallest hair color, light to dark birthdays, Jan to Dec Alphabetically by first name How many books read in the last 2 months size of favorite animal, smallest to largest etc.
Guess the Voice: Kids back to back with parents. Give parent a phrase to read and kids must guess if it's their parent.Then kid reads phrase and parent has to guess if it's their kid.
Family Hunt: "Find someone who..." has green eyes, has lived outside the US, has lived in California, served a mission, etc....first person to fill out all the questions gets a prize.
Outdoor Games:
Water Balloon toss
Sponge Relay: 2 buckets, one filled with water, one empty. Using a sponge, take water from one bucket and squeeze the water into the other bucket. First to fill it wins.
A table will be set up at the beginning for writing notes to our missionaries, under the direction of Kallie & Mackay. The intent is for everyone to make their mark. These will them be mailed to Andy & K.C.
Around 7:30 or so, we are all invited to help in clean-up and putting the church back in order.
I hope everyone will come and participate, this year and every year after. I will mail one of these packets to those who have conflicts, with hopes you will attend next years activities. This will be a yearly event, about the same time each year.
One thing we might discuss & vote on next year is a Family motto. The theme for this years’ get together is best illustrated with a plaque that Matthew & Jen gave us this past year with the words written on it:
“OTHER THINGS MAY CHANGE US,
BUT WE START & END WITH FAMILY.”
July 2nd, 2009 /Thursday/; Arrive at the Temple, early, about 5:30 pm, then be dressed and up stairs in the chapel by 6:10 pm. The rooms load approx at 6:20. The session is about 1 & ½ hours, putting us out about 8 to 8:30 pm. Sessions run every half hour, so make sure you are on the 6:30 session and not the 6 etc.
After about 6 pm the Temple gets a lot more busy (ie. the Provo and West Jordon Temples are closed, making the American Fork Temple even more busy than usual), so please arrive early. Due to the high potential of being caught and going into overflow, or having to wait, we will put off the picture taking sessions until the dinner on Friday. Trish & I work on Tuesday nites. On last Tuesdays shift, the wait for endowment sessions started to run into overflow with about a 45 minute wait around the 7:00 session for the rest of the nite. Another problem with the high activity is being able to find a locker and rent clothes with the high number of people going through........ So plan to arrive early!!!
July 3rd, 2009 /Friday/; Please be at the stake ctr. (about 500 N 500W, Orem, the one in Cliff’s stake) before 6:00 pm. The back door on the north east side will be open. The cultural hall is on the left, Kitchen is further down the hall.
Take a seat in the cultural hall. The goal is to have every one seated and ready by 6: 10 pm.
The program will consist of an opening song, prayer & blessing on the food, and presentations while we eat. The opening songs (Pop-Corn Popping & I am a child of God), under the direction of Heather & Jared. Each family will be given a packet with the following items in it:
a.) Short life sketch on Marion & Sohpie prepared by Cheryl & Ron.
b.) Short life sketch on Clarence, Elmer, & Eva prepared by Trish.
c.) Written Reports on Tim & Rona prepared by Tim & Rona.
d.) Contact info, goals, and a brief summary of family doings.
e.) A family organizational sheet prepared by Erica & Scott.
During the eating time, Tim & Rona will field and answer questions about their lives, what is was like, and what advice they feel impressed to pass on to their posterity. During this special time, hopefully parents who have noisy kids, or loud and obnoxious mates, will greatly encourage them to be reverent and listen. In the cultural hall sound carries and some of us have big time hearing problems, and would like to hear. Across the hall is the baptismal room where executions will be conducted on offenders.
After about 20 to 30 minutes, we will sing two more songs under the direction of Heather & Jared (I Love to See the Temple & Families Can Be Together Forever); have a closing prayer and a blessing on the games.
The time will then be turned over to Michael & Amanda for games: These games may include:
Inside Games:
Red Rover (Good name recognition game)
Police Lineup: divide into 2 teams. The team to "Line Up" first, wins!
Line up by: height, tallest to smallest hair color, light to dark birthdays, Jan to Dec Alphabetically by first name How many books read in the last 2 months size of favorite animal, smallest to largest etc.
Guess the Voice: Kids back to back with parents. Give parent a phrase to read and kids must guess if it's their parent.Then kid reads phrase and parent has to guess if it's their kid.
Family Hunt: "Find someone who..." has green eyes, has lived outside the US, has lived in California, served a mission, etc....first person to fill out all the questions gets a prize.
Outdoor Games:
Water Balloon toss
Sponge Relay: 2 buckets, one filled with water, one empty. Using a sponge, take water from one bucket and squeeze the water into the other bucket. First to fill it wins.
A table will be set up at the beginning for writing notes to our missionaries, under the direction of Kallie & Mackay. The intent is for everyone to make their mark. These will them be mailed to Andy & K.C.
Around 7:30 or so, we are all invited to help in clean-up and putting the church back in order.
I hope everyone will come and participate, this year and every year after. I will mail one of these packets to those who have conflicts, with hopes you will attend next years activities. This will be a yearly event, about the same time each year.
One thing we might discuss & vote on next year is a Family motto. The theme for this years’ get together is best illustrated with a plaque that Matthew & Jen gave us this past year with the words written on it:
“OTHER THINGS MAY CHANGE US,
BUT WE START & END WITH FAMILY.”
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Eats
Hello everyone, I was informed that we are moving the BBQ to the great Stake Center at (Dad's) church... I am in charge of food assignments. This will change things a bit since we can't cook in the church, instead of bringing meat to cook we will need to bring our own dinner and a salad to share, Cliffs kids i.e. Mike and Amanda, Matt and Jen, and Rob and I-- will bring dessert. There should be about 40ish people there, Sound Good?? Fill free to bring chips, dip, or any other snack with your salad. Thanks! I will get the paper plates, cups, and napkins. Let me know if there are any concerns thanks!
Crystal
p.s.for example- Rob and I are bringing a pizza or sandwiches for our family for dinner-- you cannot cook at the church but you can warm something up
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Update May 28, 2009
1.) **Update and minor change for the Temple on Thursday, July 2, 2009;
It has come to my attention that it would be easier for more to attend the Temple for our family reunion event, if we moved the time to early evening. So, let’s plan on getting into the 6:30 pm session @ the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork. Arrive at the Temple about 5:30 pm for a few quick pictures, then be dressed and up stairs in the chapel by 6:15 pm. The session is about 1& ½ hours, putting us out 8 to 8:30 pm. They load the room about 10 minutes before the session begins. After about 6 pm the Temple gets a lot busier. ........Looking forward to seeing everyone there.
2.)**Another Request
Could everyone (single, or married, young or old) email me a few items:
A.) Your Home & Business addresses.
B) Your email, any Web sites, Blogs, Facebook, (etc.) addresses for you or members of your family. If you are single, or married, or young or old,... this includes you.
C.) The Names of your Kids & their dates of births.
D.) And a 50 word summary of what you are doing;
E.) & 3 goals you want to set for your self for the next 3 years. (for example..... one of my goals is to not die. Another is to trim 3 to 4 inches off my belly by then. Another goal is for me to either shake hands or kiss my wife once a week & to say something nice to her. (I don’t want to send her to the psychiatric unit or emergency room). Another goal would be to take 10 ancestors to the Temple.) Please have everyone do this, & make them true but interesting & maybe bizarre. Hopely you will have other goals for yourself, just make public 3, & send them to me.
Please send (email) all this stuff to me before June 13, 2009. I’ll cut and paste and make a copy for everyone to pass out at the dinner / program on Friday eve July 3rd 2009.
3.) **Another Request
Those of you who will not be able to attend;.....could you please put together a message to share with the family, & send (email) it too, by Friday the 13th to me. I already have one from one of our missionaries, ‘Elder KC Otis’. These I’ll either make a copy of, or post to our Web site > “Otis Family Happenings” < that Crystal has put up (thank-you Crystal).
Thanks,
Cliff
CliffOtis@yahoo.com
It has come to my attention that it would be easier for more to attend the Temple for our family reunion event, if we moved the time to early evening. So, let’s plan on getting into the 6:30 pm session @ the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork. Arrive at the Temple about 5:30 pm for a few quick pictures, then be dressed and up stairs in the chapel by 6:15 pm. The session is about 1& ½ hours, putting us out 8 to 8:30 pm. They load the room about 10 minutes before the session begins. After about 6 pm the Temple gets a lot busier. ........Looking forward to seeing everyone there.
2.)**Another Request
Could everyone (single, or married, young or old) email me a few items:
A.) Your Home & Business addresses.
B) Your email, any Web sites, Blogs, Facebook, (etc.) addresses for you or members of your family. If you are single, or married, or young or old,... this includes you.
C.) The Names of your Kids & their dates of births.
D.) And a 50 word summary of what you are doing;
E.) & 3 goals you want to set for your self for the next 3 years. (for example..... one of my goals is to not die. Another is to trim 3 to 4 inches off my belly by then. Another goal is for me to either shake hands or kiss my wife once a week & to say something nice to her. (I don’t want to send her to the psychiatric unit or emergency room). Another goal would be to take 10 ancestors to the Temple.) Please have everyone do this, & make them true but interesting & maybe bizarre. Hopely you will have other goals for yourself, just make public 3, & send them to me.
Please send (email) all this stuff to me before June 13, 2009. I’ll cut and paste and make a copy for everyone to pass out at the dinner / program on Friday eve July 3rd 2009.
3.) **Another Request
Those of you who will not be able to attend;.....could you please put together a message to share with the family, & send (email) it too, by Friday the 13th to me. I already have one from one of our missionaries, ‘Elder KC Otis’. These I’ll either make a copy of, or post to our Web site > “Otis Family Happenings” < that Crystal has put up (thank-you Crystal).
Thanks,
Cliff
CliffOtis@yahoo.com
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Family Reunion Time!!!
The Tim Otis Family reunion will be July 2 and 3rd
Mt Timp Temple on Thursday July 2nd at 5:30 pm for a couple of pictures, then go in and do the 6 session. They usually load the room about 7 to 10 minutes before the 6:00 mark so the session will begin real close to 6:00This means we all have to be dressed and be up in the chapel before 5:40pm. The session will be over approx 8pm.
Then On Friday July 3rd 6:00 Meet at Cliffs Stake Center for Pot Luck
Then On Friday July 3rd 6:00 Meet at Cliffs Stake Center for Pot Luck
Second Reminder from Cliff
Hi,
It is now the end of April 2009 and July 2009 is just around the corner. I know that many wonderful..., and hard..., and dramatic things have happen in just the last few months to all of us.
I hope things are opening up & working out, for every ones participation in this first adventure of "The Gathering'. This is just an attempt for all of us to get together and enjoy each others company for a couple of days and pay honor to Tim & Rona Otis and our forebears.
A copy of the original letter (Aug of 2008) with a few corrections is attached. Please open it up and review your assignments and let me know within the week, 1.) if you will be able to come, and 2.) if you'll be able to fullfill you assignments (or if you have delegated it.)
I've talked to several of you over the last few months and thought that a reminder and a narrowing down of times and places was in order:
For those that can, let's plan on meeting (out front of the main entrance) of the Mt Timp Temple on Thursday July 2nd at 12:30 pm for a couple of pictures, then go in and do the 1:30 session. They usually load the room about 7 to 10 minutes before the 1:30 mark so the session will begin real close to 1:30pm This means we all have to be dressed and be up in the chapel before 1:20pm. The session will be over approx 3:15pm.
Then On Friday July 3rd,
1.) Matthew & Jen will lets us know on the place;
2) Crystal & Rob will let us know about the food:
& 3.) Michael & Amanda will let us know about Games, etc.
I would think that an evening gathering in the shade would be advisable.
Please note above to whom I've sent this to, and let me know if I've missed anybody. Please feel free to pass on this info to anyone I've missed.
Thanks for considering this & I hope everyone will be able to make it and add to everyone's enjoyment.
(KC & Andy are excused because of mission service) awesome!!!.
Take care & please let me know as soon as you can. It is like everything depends on everything else.
Cliff
It is now the end of April 2009 and July 2009 is just around the corner. I know that many wonderful..., and hard..., and dramatic things have happen in just the last few months to all of us.
I hope things are opening up & working out, for every ones participation in this first adventure of "The Gathering'. This is just an attempt for all of us to get together and enjoy each others company for a couple of days and pay honor to Tim & Rona Otis and our forebears.
A copy of the original letter (Aug of 2008) with a few corrections is attached. Please open it up and review your assignments and let me know within the week, 1.) if you will be able to come, and 2.) if you'll be able to fullfill you assignments (or if you have delegated it.)
I've talked to several of you over the last few months and thought that a reminder and a narrowing down of times and places was in order:
For those that can, let's plan on meeting (out front of the main entrance) of the Mt Timp Temple on Thursday July 2nd at 12:30 pm for a couple of pictures, then go in and do the 1:30 session. They usually load the room about 7 to 10 minutes before the 1:30 mark so the session will begin real close to 1:30pm This means we all have to be dressed and be up in the chapel before 1:20pm. The session will be over approx 3:15pm.
Then On Friday July 3rd,
1.) Matthew & Jen will lets us know on the place;
2) Crystal & Rob will let us know about the food:
& 3.) Michael & Amanda will let us know about Games, etc.
I would think that an evening gathering in the shade would be advisable.
Please note above to whom I've sent this to, and let me know if I've missed anybody. Please feel free to pass on this info to anyone I've missed.
Thanks for considering this & I hope everyone will be able to make it and add to everyone's enjoyment.
(KC & Andy are excused because of mission service) awesome!!!.
Take care & please let me know as soon as you can. It is like everything depends on everything else.
Cliff
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