July 6: Family Reunions 2-for-1's

A few months ago I met a woman who is planning a bi-annual family reunion for more than 450 relatives - a small city as far as this only child is concerned.  They certainly have what sounds like a government structure.  An executive branch is making policy decisions like where, when, and how the weekend will be organized.  Regional managers are handling the flow of people like paperwork pushers.  Program and site coordinators will keep everyone busy while they're here and make sure they are reasonably comfortable - the human services department, I suppose.  And, promotional materials are provided  by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau to help make the event fun and memorable. 

In addition to the meals and hotel ballroom activities, the group will spend a lot of daytime hours at the parks and beaches of Greater Fort Lauderdale, which offer space and activities that have intergenerational appeal for most families.  Their plans are typical of many families this summer.  However, what about some alternative low-cost and free choices in this culturally-diverse area? 

Family fun is offered, 2-for-1, for attractions such as Butterfly World, the Museum of Discovery & Science, and the International Game Fishing Hall of Fame; for tours of the Everglades offered by Billie Swamp Safari and sightseeing along the scenic banks of Fort Lauderdale's Millionaire's Row with Duck Tours; and for kayaking or snorkeling in a living coral reef and ship wreck.

For free, groups can visit the Old Dillard Museum or the African American Research Library and Cultural Center for an excursion into Black and Caribbean history with art displays and artifacts as well as occasional musical performances.

Also they can tour the traveling exhibition, "Women Collared for Work," an homage to American women across cultures who pioneered work and social change from 1898 to1998 in the U.S.  It runs through Aug 15 at the Coral Springs Museum of Art before heading to art centers in Frederick, MD., Wilmington, DE, and Philadelphia, PA through 2011.

-Kitty Oliver, Ph.D.
 Oral Historian