2011
2011 “Footprints to New Amsterdam” Trip Information and registrations for the trip and gathering can be viewed and downloaded below. The Trip Info is a large file. I’m really excited!! The trip looks great!! Less than three months until we get together.
The newsletter about the 2011 gathering is also available to view or download.
The preliminary information letter:
WE HAVE A NEW DATE! Put it on your calendar now DEFINITELY to be in Harrodsburg Kentucky Friday September 30- Saturday Oct 1, 2011 for the FOURTH Dutch Cousins Gathering. On Sunday Oct 2 we will have services at Old Mud and following that we will have a memorial service for seven veterans (see below) Also we will have a business meeting and a speaker on Thursday evening Sept 29 also. Hope you can be there for all of it.
WE lost our benefactor and Low Dutch Cousin Ralph Anderson last year, so we may have to raise the registration rate to cover meeting place rental, but systems are GO for a great gathering. Our Prez, Rev. Claude Westerfield, feels we will find the money somewhere if we have enough faith. (So everyone keep the faith!)
EDUCATION: I want to be sure you all understand our event is intentionally very educational as well as fun for everyone. We want the public as well as our cousins to know the history and heritage of our Low Dutch Ancestors who eventually settled the Kentucky frontier and built the Old Mud Meetinghouse in 1800. Our Family Group coordinator Pam Ellingson of Lakewood Wisconsin (715-276-7129) plans to have a display with handouts for every Low Dutch Family name in our group, so that visitors may recognize if they have a connection to that family. She will be contacting family groups about that.
WEBPAGE: Pam Ellingson is also building a webpage for the Low Dutch so you will be able to find updates there as soon as she gets the page built and online. She hopes to find the website we paid for and get all that Old Mud info online too. I will be sending out a newsletter with registration blanks by the end of March and will have one up on the web for downloading too.
SPEAKERS AND BOOKSALES: I am working on a Thursday evening presentation, something special for Friday, dinner speakers Friday evening and Saturday, and of course our Sunday meeting at Old Mud and memorial service there also. If you have recommendations for speakers, send me an email — remembering that we offer the opportunity for speakers to sell their books and be a part of our group — but we don’t pay! All our money goes to restore Old Mud. I will keep you updated as plans progress on speakers and costs.
FOOD! Remember that great Kentucky food? The Family Fare Catering service has been alerted that we want some more. The building where we will meet has a full kitchen so we can do our Saturday morning coffee, have lunch and dinners there Friday and Saturday evening as we did two years ago.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We do need volunteers for huggers and greeters, help to set up tables and chairs, and others. Also if anyone has skills in newsletter design and layout, and would be willing to donate time to put our newsletter together this year, I would like to hear from them.
REV VETS: We have two new Veterans, one a Revolutionary Veteran Samuel BANTA, and one War of 1812 Peter VanHarlyn COZINE, to honor this year. We also have five Rev. Vets we had to start over on, so I have been working hard contacting the descendants and getting that info to Rev. Chilton in time to get the markers delivered before our gathering. The Five are: Samuel BRITTON, Simeon MOORE, John SMOCK, Jacob SARTORE/sortore, and Peter VANDERVEER. A new member Susan Nease is preparing a book with info on each of the 34 veterans we have honored since 2005 with markers at Old Mud.
NEW YORK: Our cousin Janice Cozine <lynmorris@windstream.net>, of Mt Washington KY, volunteered and is working on the itinerary for the New York trip, please contact her if you plan to go. She needs to have an idea how big a bus we will need. Janice will have information on cost very soon, now that we have our date carved in concrete! (sorry about the problem on the dates, Janice) If you have special requests about some place you would like to see, please email her at lynmorris@windstream.net or call her at cell: 502-718-9956.
SPECIAL FRIDAY PLANS: Remember last year — when Fort Harrod welcomed us with a sign and special presentation on frontier cooking? Barbara Whiteside and Diana Davis prepared a special Friday tour at Shaker Village for us and gave intriguing information on our Dutch connection to the Shakers (even though we had to outlast a downpour in the Shaker cemetery!). Joan Murray talked about her book “The Bantas of Pleasant Hill KY” on Friday night. The president of the Holland Dames society of New York gave a talk, Jay Fonkert, a certified genealogy speaker presented a program including his Low Dutch ancestor Ida Cozine, and … so much more. WELL … it is going to be even better this year.
SILENT AUCTION: Ruby Ingram is ready and excited about handling the silent auction again this year, Louise and Randy Ledger of Oklahoma City are resting up for registration duties.
DUTCH REPOSITORY: Amalie Preston will again be in charge of receiving Low Dutch materials for the Dutch Repository at the Harrodsburg Historical Society Library, so get your files ready to donate.
NEW TREASURER: Diana Davis is working on filing non-profit status for our group.
NEW VOLUNTEER: Rosalind Cummings, daughter of Joan Murray, came to our gathering in 2009 and is volunteering to help with the work this year. She is in California.
Again, my apologies for the confusion over the dates. I learned the room rates would be double anywhere around there if we met as originally planned on the same weekend as Centre College family weekend in Danville — in fact they say most of the hotel rooms in that 30 mile area are already full for that weekend.
There is more, of course! Lots more. And you won’t want to miss a minute of the event. I will be out of town on a cruise the next couple of weeks, so you won’t hear from me again till I get home. Just mark your calendar, make your reservations and get ready. I will check email whenever possible but … not sure that will happen.
