MCJ 2016 Dayton Reunion Recap

Metcalf-Collins-Johnson Family Reunion

September 2 – 4, 2016

Dayton, Ohio

Hosted by The Robert Collins Family

Drury Inn

The MCJ 2016 family reunion was held in Dayton, Ohio, at the Drury Inn. Meeting was opened with prayer by Pastor Larry Steib.

Ernest thanked everyone for being here and thanked the Collins family of Dayton, Ohio for hosting us this year. He gave an outline of the weekend’s festivities.

Everyone was encouraged to get their tee-shirts in support of our scholarship fund. Brian & Tamika Collins gave a donation of $300.00 toward the scholarship fund.

Ernest announced a new scholarship in honor of his son Caleb for St. Augustine High school in New Orleans, LA., and if anyone wanted to participate it would be appreciated.

We thanked Fran for all her work on our website. It was announced that we will get some professional help to revamp the MCJ website. We are forming a committee to work on the site once it is complete. The committee will be a member from each branch of the family. Fran from the Collins, Latany from the Johnsons, Doris from the Metcalfs and we need someone from OV Johnson’s family.

It was suggested that we continue the facebook page that the Dayton Family started; it was very helpful and informative.

Brenda announced that we are above water with the finances. She asks that anyone that has not taken care of their dues, please do so.

That brought us to the point of reviewing our dues and discussing if we should consider a change.

Currently, dues are set at the following rates:

Seniors – 65 & over - $50.00

Adults - 18 – 64 - $65.00

Children – 13-17 - $40.00 6-12 - $20.00

College students - $50.00

The host committee in Mississippi announced that they did well with the dues as they are. Jane from AZ suggested that it would be helpful to have a deadline for receiving dues. Hosts need to make timely arrangements that require funds.

Sheila from Indiana/ Arizona suggested that we raise the dues to supplement the seed money being requested from the various regions and collected by the area captains. It was suggested that we not make the seed money mandatory but it should be voluntary for each state.

The states that contributed the extra funds this year were:

Milwaukee - Chicago – Virginia all paid $200.00.

It was stated that if we set a dead line that it should not deter anyone from coming. If you plan to pay when you get there, let the host know your intentions. It was stated that the seed money was very helpful when it came. Tiffany made a motion for the deadline, that February for seed money and July for dues. Sheila 2nd. Motion passed on a unanimous vote.

It was announced that our family member Bill Corbitt had a fitness center in Tulsa Oklahoma named in his honor. The college where Bill worked at for many years and retired from accorded him this honor.

The floor was yielded to our 2017 host, Will Simond of Milwaukee. Previously, Calvin Metcalf was the host for Milwaukee but he passed earlier this year. Will was willing to step up in place of Calvin but really wanted to offer a new experience to the reunion. Will’s suggestion was that the MCJ 2017 Reunion be held on a (3) Day cruise to Nassau, Bahamas aboard the Carnival Victory leaving from Miami, Florida on Friday Sept. 1st and returning on Monday Sept. 3rd.

He then shared a brochure with the prices per cabin and for individuals. Each person would need $100.00 deposit and the balance should be paid by July. A question was asked concerning the accommodations for seniors, and he stated that would not be a problem in that many seniors cruise and the ship is very handicapped accessible.

Also, a question was asked will there be a backup plan in the event of bad weather and/or if we vote not to do a cruise. After discussion, the consensus was this cruise faced minimal risk of disruption and no backup plan was offered. So the motion was made and seconded that we have our 2017 reunion on a cruise to the Bahamas. After lengthy discussion and two votes taken, there was a clear majority in favor of the cruise.

The next discussion was for future reunion sites and the agreed destinations are as follows: 2017 Cruise to the Bahamas - 2018 reunion was accepted by New Orleans, however, due to weather issues it may not be in New Orleans. New Orleans took the host responsibility on the understanding that if they elected to have the reunion at an alternative site other than New Orleans that would be okay.

2019 reunion was accepted by Virginia Beach – Debbie Croskey ( Metcalf)

2020 reunion was accepted by Kansas City

Myzella Dowell accepted to be our bereavement person.

Ernest then asked all first timers to stand and introduce themselves.

Dorothy Ann Owens paid her dues of $65.00 hoping to be the first; however, Bennie had already paid his $50.00 to the secretary at the start of the meeting. Dues money was turned over to Will.

Harlem Renaissance/Roaring Twenties Dinner Dance

Gifts were given out to the oldest family member – Uncle Ernest

Youngest family member - Tamona – Tyrell’s daughter

The member that traveled the farthest – Barbara from California

First family member to pay dues – Bennie Metcalf

50/50 Raffle made $482.00, Tamika Caldwell - winner, took home $241.00.

Cities challenge:

New Orleans $300.00

Kankakee $100.00

Atlanta, GA $30.00

Milwaukee Donated $100.00 in honor of Calvin Metcalf

Kansas $302.00

Memphis, TN $250.00

Chicago $415.00

Arizona $200.00

Dayton $563.00

For a total of $2260.00

Auction items raised $1525.00

Next blog update will have a report on the scholarship awards given out and show expenditures from the funds raised as well as how the net funds were dispensed. This report shows that after disbursements for scholarships, bereavement , and website we had $617.00 left that was turned over to Will, next year’s host.