2010 Reunion Update

August 14, 2007 and the 2010 Reunion is drawing near. We are finally getting a tentative head count. If you haven't confirmed your attendance, please email me at gallagher.denise@comcast.net

For those who need directions to the Casini Family Campground please access the map at
http://www.casiniranch.com/maps.php

We will have games for kids & adults, great food, & really good conversations. We are all looking forward to seeing familiar and new faces this year. Please access the link at the left to see all "New Alger Photos" plus photos of past reunions.

Anyone interested in having their family photos added to the photoshows can email them to me. Don't forget to idenify the faces in the photos.

See you at the reunion!

2010 Family Reunion

Mark your calendars. August 14,2010 is the date and Casini Ranch Family Campgrounds located in Duncan Mills, California is the place. This is the same place we met for the 2008 Reunion. I hope to see you all!

This year is speeding by and the reunion will be here quickly. Please RSVP to my email and pass the date on to anyone not receiving notifications. I will keep you all informed on the progress.

2009 came to an end and Merrial celebrated his 80th birthday in good health. Merrial's children hosted a party attended by Merrial's lifetime friends Dudley, Jim Austin, & Kenny Oliver. A photoshow is available.

Merrial is looking forward to the 2010 reunion this year and we won't let him down.

Please contact me with any questions.

Family Connections

It has been almost a year since the 2008 Alger Reunion in Guerneville, Ca. We are all experiencing numerous life changes with the economy.

The Daniel (son of Merrial) & Lita Alger family recently gathered to celebrate their daughter Brooke Alger's marriage.

This year has also seen the David Dawson (son of Barbara Jose) family celebrating their daughter Michelle's marriage. They will be gathering again this summer for Dave Dawson's 70th birthday party.

My family, (the children of Quentin Alger) celebrated my son Jonathan Lewis' marriage to Lisa DeBrunner. Additionally, Craig Alger retired this year after a long haul in the Construction Trade.

After the last few years of Alger Reunions, the Merrial Alger children have planned a gathering of their immediate family for the end of August in Santa Barbara, Ca. And Lenore Forkas (daughter of Mina Alger) has her daughter Cathy, grandaughter Shelly and great grandchildren arriving today July 5th in Oregon to spend some time together.

In further Family News, I was recently contacted by a Ms Layna Nolan Bennett of San Marcos, CA. Layna is the grandaughter of Edgar (brother of James Alva) and Elna Jensen Alger. Her mother was Erma Lee Alger. Her mother Erma Lee and brother James Pace Alger were both raised by Merrill and Alda V Lambson Alger. I am hoping to hear quite a bit more from Layna Bennett. The grandchild of one of the younger siblings, she has numerous stories and photo's that many of us were never exposed to. I am hoping to have more news very soon.

Family Connections

Since our 2008 reunion, I have received numerous emails from Alger descendents. This is a young man named James Stokes, his wife Katie and their two children from Wisconsin.

James is the great grandson of Zella Alger. James Alvin Alger's younger sister, Zella was born in 1903. James Alvin would have been 14 years old at the time of her birth.

James' father is Elvin Ray Stokes and his grandfather is Ray Stokes both pictured in the "name your family" photo to the left. I threw this one in for fun.

The recent emails have been very interesting. James has provided a number of photos we are trying to identify.

Additional emails include Cathy Alger of Texas and Rachael Alger. Cathy's line goes back to Ohio and I've not made the connection yet. It probably leads back to England.

Rachael Alger's line leads back through her Dads' line. He was Drew Alvon Alger and her aunt is Evelyn Alger Bishop . They descended from Vernon Alger, Rodney Alger, Thaddeus Peet Alger, who was killed by lightning at the age of 27, and Nathan Alger. I am currently tracing these folks back to see where our lines meet up. It's been an interesting month.

I know Matthew Alger, our historian will be really intrigued!

Family Connections

Rick Dawson (son of David Dawson, grandson of Barbara Jose Alger) is the young man preparing the meat for the 2008 barbeque. Along with Joe Parmeter (his brother in law and Curtis Manning) these young men prepared a barbeque to be proud of. Thank you for all your hard work.

Lenore and Ilene Lyman kept looking at both Rick and David Dawson and calling them by their Dad's name. That was an easy mistake to make if you remember their Dad in the earlier years. These boys definitely bear a strong resemblance.

Michele Parmeter named the photo immediately after it was published. I'm not sure that counts! Michele played a big part in helping with the barbeque also.

Important Alger Family News

The family featured in the last "name your family" photo was Stephen Alger, his sister Sandra Alger Weiner, and his wife Louise Alger. I'm sure you all know that Stephen and Sandra are David Waldo Alger's children. Stephen and Louise reside in New Mexico. I think they enjoyed the 2008 Reunion.

Many traveled a great distance to attend the 2008 Reunion, however the current gas prices and economy made it very expensive. We all enjoyed ourselves yet there were mixed opinions on when and where the next reunion would be held. At this time, we are asking for anyone interested in volunteering for the next Reunion Committee to send an email to deealger@gmail.com

We would also like to know your reponse to the following questions:

1. Would you attend the next Reunion in 2009? In Utah or California?

2. Would you attend the next Reunion in 2010? In Utah or California?

Your answers to these questions will determine when and where the next reunion will be.

With that said, I want to thank the 2008 Reunion Committee (Colleen Alger, Matthew Alger, Ed Alger, Sandra Weiner, Sandra Haro, and Sharon Richmond) for their participation in the planning. The 2008 Reunion would not have been possible without Rick Dawson, Michelle Dawson Parmeter, Craig Alger, Sheri Alger Slaydon, Yvonne Alger Weiler, Corinne Alger, and my children Eric, Adam, Alan & Wendy Gallagher, and Jonathan & Joseph Lewis who always come through for me and help with any family event! Additionally, I want thank Merrial Alger and all of the Alger Descendents. Without all of you the Alger Family Reunions would not happen! Plus, we all know that the food at an Alger gathering can feed a small city for a week. And Oh what wonderful food it is! Thank you all for your participation, you are fantastic!

Sponsored Family

This is the Adam Kadir family from Ethiopia sponsored by the James & Harriet Alger Family. Together we helped one family this year. The sponsor's letter can be read at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddx3257h_12fdx2tffz and the details on the family are available at: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddx3257h_14g3bdvvc4

I was touched when I received the sponsorship letter addressed to the "James and Harriet Alger Family" and it belongs to all of us. They live on in our memories. They are thought of often and we share our memories with our children.

Dan Alger's preface in the book "Those Damn Algers" ended with the paragraph "Our Life is Not Our Own. We live in a world where we hear ‘do what you want, it’s your life’ and ‘if it doesn’t hurt someone else, it’s OK’. These are not the teachings of a loving Heavenly Father. These are the teachings of one who would drag you down to misery. The choices we make not only affect those who are or should be of most importance to us. The choices we make can build or destroy our lives and the consequences, good or bad, ripple through generations. We are responsible for our actions. This means that we cannot blame others for the decisions we make. It also means we are responsible for how our lives affect our families and future generations."

Dan is absolutely correct. We will live on in our families memories. Good, bad, or otherwise. On a good note, Cathy Durman appeared at the 2008 reunion with potatoe salad. Someone said "who brought Grandma Alger's potato salad?" Cathy was surprised and responded "my grandmother Mina Alger Lyman taught me to make potato salad". That's a good memory and everyone remembers Grandma's cooking and we know where to get the recipe.

This year, I will encourage the "Quentin & Odena Alger Family" to sponsor an ethiopian family. It's a great feeling to help another family but it was inspiring to receive the sponsorship letter in James & Harriet Alger's name. They continue to live on . . . in all of us. Please read the letter and let me know if it warms your heart. Sponsoring a family together may be a positive memory we can leave our children.

Next week, I will share the names of our family featured in the "Name your family" photo. I will give you a hint: Louise Alger (Steven's wife) was the first person to send in the names.