Aurora, Colo., woman wins $5,000, pre-planned family gathering

Rock Island, Ill. (June 30, 2003) – Cecilia Burns was one of nearly 847,000 entries registered for the Gatherings Sweepstakes to win a preplanned gathering worth up to $5,000.  Now www.gatherings.info will supply Burns and her family with the event location, a catered meal, decorations, personalized gifts, an activity coordinator and a commemorative photograph of the event.

“I didn’t believe it at first. But the more I talked to Modern Woodmen, the more excited I became,” said Burns. “I’ve got a terrific family who loves to spend time together. This is going to help out so much with our annual family gathering.”

Burns has chosen Pensacola, Fla., as the site of the family reunion in late July.  On the agenda is a catered meal by the beach at the Jubilee Restaurant and Entertainment Complex and taking a sunset cruise on the ocean the following night. The 30-35 members attending the reunion will stay on the beachfront and receive personalized beach bags to use in Pensacola and take home as a keepsake.

Unlike many families planning a gathering this summer, Burns has it easy.  Most of the work is being done for her as the winner of this year’s sweepstakes. Others can find help at www.gatherings.info, a site developed and sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal financial services organization. The site is designed to give people the tools to make bringing family and friends together simple and fun.  Site users can ease the stress of planning a gathering by navigating through the Gatherings Express Planner as well as tips, lists and ideas on how to organize a gathering. The site provides planning checklists, recipes, location and travel advice, themes and photography tips, and suggestions on how to research your family tree.

“When most of us think of gatherings, we tend to think about holiday get-togethers or reunions. But gatherings also include quick parties for family members or barbecues with friends,” said Sharon Snawerdt, public relations coordinator at Modern Woodmen.  “In fact, according to research conducted by Harris Interactive for Modern Woodmen in 2002, 77 percent of Americans have attended gatherings with extended family at least three times in the last year. It’s one of the most common ways people keep in contact with family.”

“I think it’s great that Modern Woodmen does this,” said Burns. “I heard about the contest from a friend and couldn’t think of one reason not to sign up. Family is so important, and this just makes getting together that much easier.”

When asked the benefit of winning the 2002 Gatherings Sweepstakes, last year’s winner, Carol Owen of Portland, Tenn., said, "This family gathering allowed me to have closer contact with our family than I normally would have."

Her husband, Lanny, added, “It is really hard to put into words.  This was something we will remember for a very, very long time.”

Owen family members traveled from Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky to attend their gathering.  However, according to the Harris Interactive study, American families are not as spread out as many believe.  “Two out of three Americans indicated the majority of their family, both immediate and extended, lives within the same state or closer,” said Snawerdt.