As Christmas comes to an end and we prepare to celebrate the beginning of a new year, I hope everyone has had some wonderful new memories with their loved ones and I want to put out a request for some brainstorming related to family that will carry on to the new year and years to come.

All of us have been touched in one way or another by the HRCJ Association and I want everyone to begin their new year considering how this strong loving group of cousins will continue to celebrate together in the years to come. From April 4th -6th, the executive committee will be meeting to begin planning the 2016 Convocation and we want to encourage everyone’s input for the planning. Please consider when, where and what you would like to incorporate as part of the 2016 Convocation by asking yourself these questions:

1. Where would be the best location (ease of access for everyone across the world, best location for the money spent, availability of family oriented activities for everyone’s unique likes and needs, etc.)?

2. Do we want to wait until 2016 or would we want to see if this could happen in 2015?

3. What time of year works best? (Usually we celebrate in July but would there be benefit to a different time of year?)

4. How can we make this the highest attended convocation ever? (I am referring to contacting lost or distant cousins and getting them excited about joining in on the fun we all know we have at the Convocation).

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

The executive committee is open to any and all ideas and hope we can meet in April with lists and lists of fresh new ideas to bring a level of excitement into the convocation that makes every cousin, near and far, want to be a part of the experience! The executive committee is excited to hear from each and everyone of you!

Happy New Year to my beloved cousins near and far and to those I have yet to meet!

-Holly (Harmes) Hill