We have been making plans for the 2009 reunion weekend (June 26-28) in North NJ/NYC! We’re thrilled to have found a reasonably-priced hotel in the metro-NYC area and we’re finalizing our agreement with the hotel in Secaucus, NJ. Stay tuned for more details via this website, email and snail mail.

Cheri, Marvin and the NJ/NY Crew

If there is anyone still reading the reunion blog, I have a help request. I’ve started a family tree online, and I need help filling out the branches. It’s private, and the only way I can invite you is to add you to the tree. Well, I’m sad to admit, I don’t know where everyone falls on the tree. So if you send me your tree info starting from the Cepha, Cornelia, Loretta level and down, I can add you and then you can add the rest with all the details. Either reply in the comments or send me an email. I think this will be fun.

As of June 25, 2007 the following golfers have signed up for the Rouge Golf challenge:

Culpepper,Doug
Fletcher,Doug
Henderson,Connie
Lasenby,Kyle
Lewis,Steve
Lewis,Phillip
Neason,Cheryl
Rollins,Tim
Williams,Lance
Williams,Austin
Williams,Eddie
Williams,Jo-Joe
Williams,Johnny
Williams,John

See you on 6/29/07 in the hotel lobby to leave for the golf course at 7:30 am.

Looking for something to do while in town. Cheryl recommends:

The Diamond Jack River tour will take you on a two hour cruise on the Detroit River. This may be of interest for family members who are coming a day early or staying after the family reunion. More details are available at the website. Visit www.diamondjack.com

Recommended directions to the Holiday Inn located in Troy, MI

• From Detroit Metro Airport:

Exit out of the airport onto I-94 West (“to Chicago”)

Take I-94 west to I-275 north (app. 2 miles)

Take I-275 north to I-696 east (app. 8 miles)

Take I-696 east to I-75 north (app. 15 miles)

Take I-75 north to Rochester Rd. Exit 67 (app. 4 miles)

Turn left off the exit and turn right on Rochester Rd.

Turn right on Rochester Court into Holiday Inn.

• From Ohio Border: Traveling on I-75 north

Take I-75 north to I-275 north

Take I-275 north to I-696 east (app. 8 miles)

Take I-696 east to I-75 north (app. 15 miles)

Take I-75 north to Rochester Rd. Exit 67 (app. 4 miles)

Turn left off the exit and turn right on Rochester Rd.

Turn right on Rochester Court into Holiday Inn.

The 2007 Lawson-Gore Reunion is just around the corner, 11 days away. For a more updated countdown, click HERE.

If you haven’t registered yet, you’d better get on the ball. Download the attachment for the forms or click on Register above.

Registration Info

The Represent! competition is heating up. If you haven’t represented yet, get on over to the Represent page and give your props for your branch of the family. So far we have the family for Cepha, Cornelia, Loretta and Dennie Lawson representing. Also we have Jerry “Jit” and W.W. Lawson represented. These are some great stories. Keep them coming. My favorite so far is the story from Eddie Williams telling about Aunt Lo telling off the bus driver for not picking up her kids. Great story.

I’ve added a new song on the blog. “Have Love Will Travel” by Rosey Jones; from his album by the same name. I chose this one because it has an old Motown sound to it. You can check out more of Rosey’s music at his Sonific page.

I am back to represent alright; represent the memory of my PHENOMENAL grandmother, Mrs. Cornelia Lawson Smoot, who passed away on May 22, 2007 at the age of 94. Heaven was missing an angel who is now resting comfortably in the arms of our Lord. May she and all others who have gone on to glory rest in peace!!

Feel free to post your messages below.

Cheryl and I are in the process of securing bus transportation for our museum excursion on Saturday, June 30, 2007. We need your registration forms to secure your spot on the bus. We can only hold the buses for so long before we must make a final commitment. Those who miss the bus will have to drive to the museum. The museum has limited parking and unfortunately most of our major highways are under construction.

PLEASE SECURE YOUR SEAT.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Love,
Benita

UPDATE:

The following family members have paid reunion fees(reserved) their seats on the bus as of 5/7/07:

Burgess,Arthera
Burgess,Joseph
Crain,Rita
Crain,Alvin
Eggleton,Paula
Eggleton,Ed
Eggleton,Eddie
Eggleton,Destanie
Eggleton,Diamond
Eggleton,Dynastie
Ford,Ernestine
Henderson,Connie
Henderson,Vivian
Henry,Marvin
Jasinski,Todd
Law,Brian
Lewis,Steven
Lewis,Terry
Lewis,Marva
Lewis,Della
Lewis,Willie
Morris,Valerie
Morris,Rafael
Neason,Cheryl
Smoot,Larry
Smoot,Otis
Smoot,Doris
Smott,Lenora
Williams,John
Williams,Karen
Williams,Janelle
Williams,Jocelyn
Williams,Johnny D.
Williams,Sandra
Williams,Joseph
Williams,Shirley

Cheryl Neason
May 8th, 2007

Okay, you’ve all heard that before right? Well, it’s time for a new contest. I’ve got to mix it up a bit since Valerie keeps answering all the trivia questions. She is by far our hands down winner for trivia. Go Valerie! Now I’m not sure if she’s the only reader of this blog (I hope not) or if she is just quicker than the rest. This new contest will give others a better chance to be heard.

So here’s the contest:

It’s called “Represent!” So let’s represent ya! All you have to do is represent your branch of the tree by posting a short memory of someone in your branch of the family tree. Begin your remembrance with “I remember…” Be sure to mention what branch you are representing because some of us don’t have a clue aren’t up on our roots. I’m guilty of that. I spent the whole time last reunion asking mom who everyone was. Shame on me. Anyway, the branch with the most people representing WINS!

See how easy that is. You can post as many memories as you want, but you only count once in the contest. To get started: Click the Represent! tab on the green bar above. You can do it. It’s easy. So call your family, email them, tell them to come on over to the blog and post their memories.

The winner wins bragging rights for a year! I’ve already got my predictions about who’s going to win this one.

So what’s going on with the family?  You all have been quiet except for the news from NJ about Cheri’s appointment. Be sure to read that. You can post messages on any page on this blog (website) if you have news. Feel free to drop us a note. I’ll be sure to pass it on to the girls in Detroit or post it to the site. Remember, it’s our site!

Oh, I almost forgot. Detroit Trivia is back. Check out the Detroit page to see if you can answer the next question.

*Update: We have a countdown!

Time until Friday, June 29, 2007 at 7:00:00 AM (Detroit time)

I thought we could enjoy some good news.

Our cousin Cheri Lawson was recently appointed Director of Equal Opportunities Programs for Princeton University, one of our nation’s most prestigious institutions. This is a very important position and requires skills that only someone like Cheri possesses. Please see the two links below.

Just as the Diverse Magazine was hitting the news shelves, she also received a Letter of Congratulations directly from Fordham School of Law.

We can all be very proud and thankful that Cheri’s talent, fortitude and direction (and bloodline!) has been recognized and utilized in this position!

Sincerely,

Steven P. Lewis

http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pwb/07/0305/2b.shtml

http://www.diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_7247.shtml