Gillenkirk’s and Friends,

Sunday, August 22, 2010, we had our 12th Annual Gillenkirk Family Reunion at Munson Park as many people have mentioned it’s a great park as it has a playground, skate park, tennis courts and the pavilion has electricity, new picnic tables and attached bathrooms.

For those of you who could not attend, we wish you all the best wishes and hope you can make it next year to the 13th Annual Gillenkirk Reunion.

Sue P. did the cooking of hotdogs, hamburgers and Italian sausage provided by Cory, Steve and Vince Gillenkirk.

The weather was really nice for it being really cloudy, I’ve kept an eye out over the week to make sure it wasn’t going to rain and it didn’t. The reunion pictures for the 11th Annual Gillenkirk Reunion have been archived and the 12th Annual Gillenkirk Reunion has been uploaded, click on Gallery.

Lenny did the 50/50 again this year’ as he’s been doing it for several years’ collecting – This year we did something different, we chosen the youngest to choose the winning ticket and the total raised was $137 and the payout was $68.50 – The winner is Vincent Gillenkirk (“Grandpa”) and as usual he donated $38.00 of that money back to the reunion. Congrats! And Thank You! – The youngest name is Marina Love.

We didn’t have any specific raffle drawing for an items…usually it’s a blanket or something…with the way things are going people might be interested in buying electronics. So…If I can over the next year’ I’m going to either attempt to find an electronic device or build a decent computer to raffle off to help raise money for reunion.

I brought back the guessing jar! This time we had different candy and a different number so it was harder to guess. Crystal Love had won the candy, her guess was 480 and the actual amount was 484. Great Guess!
Since the beginning of the reunion we have purchased gift cards for the youngest and oldest of who is present. This year the following won a $10 Meijer Gift Card.

Youngest: Mariana Love (Age: 4)
Oldest: Pansy Gillenkirk (Age: 87?)

Lynette Gillenkirk did the Kids Games this year and she did a great job by picking out the prizes and planning of games and carrying them out for the kids to do.

I’ve redone the Gillenkirk Surveys and renamed them as ‘Gillenkirk Registration and Survey’ so nobody can question, “We have to do this again?” Yes. It’s the registration; it replaces the note book and keeps everything organized. Besides this year I’ve got a lot of returned mail and granted things do change over a year, but all our records need to be up to date as sending mail costs a lot of money, Average’s $1 per Invitation.

As I’ve stated, I redone the registration form with new questions which include basically the meeting as I don’t like talking in front of real people, Family or Not. I asked people the following questions:

What would you like to see at our family reunion?

• How convenient was the LOCATION for you?
  • Not at all – 0
  • Okay – 1
  • Very convenient – 6

• How convenient was the DATE for you?
  • Not at all – 0
  • Okay – 2
  • Very convenient – 5

• What meal options would you prefer?
  • Potluck (Cookout) – 6
  • Catered – 0
  • Other – 1 with nothing alternative.

Financial Consideration

• What would be a reasonable cost per family?
  • Free – 2
  • $5 – 2
  • $10 – 2
  • $20 – 1

• Would you pay to be in a Tournament?
  • Yes – 3
  • No, bring gift cards back – 1
  • If yes, How much? – $5

• Would you be willing to help organize the ‘Gillenkirk Family’ photo book?
  • Yes – 4
  • No – 6

• Would you be willing to help organize the ‘Gillenkirk Recipe’ book?
  • Yes – 4
  • No – 6

• Would you buy the ‘Gillenkirk Family’ photo book and/or ‘Recipe’ book?
  • Gillenkirk Book – 7
  • Recipe Book – 7

• Would you be willing to buy a ‘Gillenkirk T-Shirt’
  • Yes – 7
  • No – 0

• Would you like to have a ‘Bake Sale’ next year?
  • Yes – 5
  • No – 1

• If yes, would donate baked goods for the Bake Sale?
  • Yes – 5
  • No – 1

Website

• Have you visited the www.gillenkirk.com website?
  • Yes – 3
  • No – 2
  • No, Computer and/or Internet – 2

One of the questions from that asked would you re-elect the party of this years’ reunion for next years’ reunion. It was unanimous that we have been re-elected for the 13th Annual Gillenkirk Reunion.

This year we raised a total amount of $250.00 between the 50/50; few auction items that were practical given away and free will donation(s). Better than last year (Raised $170 for 11th) Thus also including a $50 donation from Mike Gillenkirk the one who couldn’t make it and sent flowers.

Over the last year I’ve been in contact with another Gillenkirk named Michael, He lives in Michigan and we’ve been trying to make a connection on how we’re related.

He mentioned he had lived in Monroe, Michigan at one point and Gillenkirk is very common by unique last name and of all the Gillenkirk’s we’re somehow related.

Mike Gilllenkirk was planning on coming to the 12th Annual Gillenkirk Reunion, but something had come up and couldn’t make it. In that regard he decided to donate $50.00 for next year’s reunion, not only that he sent me or “The Gillenkirk’s” rather, flowers. As well as sending a letter to make a connection too our family.

[Letter from: Mike Gillenkirk]

Hello Cory,

It was great talking with you a little and being aware is all of this real? There is so much into making a connection. I think, I’ve been thing that I should let you know a bit about who we are and see how all this connects.

My grandparents, Matthew and Elizabeth Gillenkirk lived at 825 Smith Street until both had died…Matthew when he was 65, nearing 66. He retired on his 65th birthday and just decided life was totally over, So Matt, Grandpa, just sat in his chair until he died. Betty lived for another 12 years or so, moving around some, living in an apartment across from Saint Michael’s and then in the following Grandma’s death, when I was an junior at Catholic Central.

My grandparents had four children, the oldest, my father Bernie, two sisters, who married Jim Marcheese, They had two daughters, Bobbie and Betty, and both married and had several children. June who married Varnum Johnson, they had three children, a son, Richard and two daughters, I think and the youngest son, Kenny who went into the Navy Air Force as a career and retired from his final position as an official as an official representative of his branch of the military. He never married, was the best physically fit member of the family, loved to smoke and go about shirtless during the summer in the sun and heat. No-one has no idea how many children Ken fathered in his life…he died in Grand Rapids at the veteran’s home and is buried over there as well.

[End of Letter]

The flowers we received from Mike Gillenkirk were for ‘The Gillenkirk’s’ since I knew they were not going to last that long I’ve taken a picture to show them off.

If anyone is visiting this site, Even though the reunion is over; you can still donate at any time online and send it through the mail. Otherwise next year Munson Park will be out of the question. (Have to go somewhere within budget) Munson cost $65 to rent, that leaves $100 for Kids prizes, stamps, envelopes and printing.

Thank you all for coming and for the ones who could not we hope you could make it next year for the 13th Annual Gillenkirk Reunion.

Thanks,
Cory