After a “brief” 45 minute cell phone call to the reunion location, I can file the following report.
The 25 of July, 2004, the date of the 15th Barry County Boniface Reunion since the war, turned out to be a great day for a reunion. The weather was sunny, with a light breeze, and a temperature of around 72 degrees F. People agreed that the Hope Township Park was a decent little park for a reunion. There was a pavilion built on part of what used to be a tennis court, and there was a small sandy beach/boat launch. The only thing lacking was a noise barrier between the park and M-43. The Bonifaces basically had the park to themselves. The few other trucks parked there belonged to fishermen who had launched their boats and were out in the lake, fishing.
After lunch, a few of the Boniface clan were in the water, too, but not fishing. Despite the breeze and cooler temperatures, several of the younger generation were playing at the water’s edge, or had braved the water itself. What will keep the 3 to 12 year old set out of a sandy swimming area? Luckily, parents had brought plenty of towels, and changes of clothing.
No one spoke of a lack of food. Barbecue, scalloped potatoes, Green bean casserole, meatballs, chicken wings, chips and cheese, “great” bread, cookies, pie, sugarless peach pie, and coffee cake were a few of the delicacies mentioned. Lyle thought that his wife should possibly have made a bigger bowl of potato salad, but as everyone had a taste of it, and there was lots else to eat, who could complain?
The visible head count from the person first holding the telephone was 32. A sign up sheet was sent around, though it hadn’t finished it’s way around the group at the time of our phone call. I spoke with ten people, so had a pretty good report of what was going on. Joan Boniface handed out the Newsletter that I had sent down, and handed around the binder of information gathered in Buffalo for all to peruse at their leisure. By the time I hung up, many of the people had gravitated to the lake shore to converse. I surely missed being there with them today (As my Dad reminded me “All the kids are here I guess, except for you.”), but was glad to have the chance to chat with some of them. I was especially glad that a place had been found, and that the reunion carried on.
The following day, I heard the final tally of cousins to attend the reunion. 44 descendants of Francis and Sarah Ann Boniface showed up at different times, representing only two of their children, David and William. Although cameras were reportedly taken to the event, no one muscled everyone together for a group shot. Some of the cousins were gathering in Lansing, for a baby shower, and another group gathered in Arlington, Virginia over the weekend, so you could say we had an extended reunion! We look forward to next year.