August is What Will Be Your Legacy Month. Tracing your family roots, building your family tree, and documenting your family history are all part of building your family legacy. It’s interesting how eloquently families record the richness of family members lives—what they’ve accomplished and the impact they’ve had on others—in an obituary, but rarely tell the story out loud in a family setting where folks can communicate, learn from and encourage one another. 

It is good to be remembered and known for any contributions you have made individually or as a family to make your reunion, hometown or community a better place. Having family members write out their individual accomplishments is a good way to begin identifying your family’s legacy for future generations. Use this month to make note of your ancestors’ legacy as well as your own. And don’t forget to document and communicate information or evidence that serves as a record of the history and/or research that family members have conducted.

If we communicate with family members more, and work to encourage, inspire, and reassure every generation and the talents every family member possesses, who knows how many more generations our reunions will last and what our legacy will end up being.

As this year’s reunions draw to a close it’s time to evaluate what worked and what needs improvement.

Take note of all the things that worked. Consider what can be repeated or become a traditional activity.

Identify what didn’t work or could have been better. Are there ways to improve? Were family members not interested? Was more planning needed? Did the weather spoil the fun? Pin down the reason(s) and either regroup and try again or try something new. 

Talk with the no shows. Sometimes unexpected things happen. Give them a call to find out why, and if there’s something the planning team can do to make the no show a for sure at the next reunion. 

The Honorable Barack Obama, former President of the United States, celebrates his birthday this month on  August 4th, and we're sure he's still basking in the excitement of the Barack Obama Presidential Center opening.

The Barack Obama Presidential Center redefines a presidential legacy by shifting focus from a traditional archive of paper documents to a living, community-driven civic campus on Chicago's South Side. It reflects Obama's roots as a community organizer, emphasizes grassroots participation over a personal shrine, and frames his presidency as part of an ongoing American journey.

The Barack Obama Presidential Center is a vibrant public space including a museum, public library bramch, and education project in Chicago, commemorating the presidency of our 44th president of the United States. The Center includes athletic facilities, community and conference facilities and houses the nonprofit Obama Foundation. It’s a place for gathering, learning, creativity, community, music, sports, workshops, talks, exhibits, tours, gardening, and art. Programs and events invite visitors of all ages to explore the ideas and values that shape our democracy, and to discover how they can help bring change home.

Barack Obama Presidential Center—

https://www.obama.org/

Grand Opening Ceremony—

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A87ohdXcJtY

Inside the Center—

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR9esGX75-Y

HAPPINESS HAPPENS MONTH

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. - Tom Bodett

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. - Mahatma Gandhi 

Happiness is an inside job. - William Arthur Ward

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. – Denis Waitley

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. – Oscar Wilde

Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you. – Mary Lou Retton

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.  

- Mahatma Gandhi