2000 Reunion at Waterton Lakes National Park (52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks 2025, Week 22 theme: "Reunion")

Attendees - Getting Everyone Posed was a Challenge!

It will be a quarter century in July since the Wescott-Edwards-Anderson Reunion at Waterton Lakes National Park marked the Millenium. In May of that year, we sent out an update about the reunion; it had been in the planning stages for some time. The following newsletter (with surnames and contact details redacted) outlined our plans. By that time, some 65 family members from various parts of Canada and the U.S.A. had indicated plans to attend. 

The Planning:

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    Newsletter May 2000 Update

Wescott-Edwards-Anderson Family Reunion

July 14-17, 2000.  Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

Plans for our 2000 reunion are well underway. We have enclosed a list of all those who have thus far indicated that they plan to attend.  The units at Crandell Lodge in Waterton Park have now all been spoken for.  Some people are camping in or outside the park, others staying in Cardston, Alberta, at either the Flamingo Motel or Trails’ End Motel.

Al and Marilyn have prepared a “Time Capsule”, to be opened at some future date (perhaps the next Family Reunion or one 10 or more years down the line?).  If you have an item that you would like included, please bring it along to the reunion.  Ideas you might consider: photographs, stories, schoolwork or artwork of a child, a favourite but outgrown small toy, a current magazine or newspaper (or article), packaging or advertising from something that’s “hot” in today’s market, coins or medallions, a letter to future family members describing something from your past or your predictions or hopes for the future – you get the idea.

Sue has volunteered to organize some activities for the young children in attendance. 

Suzanne has proposed a project dealing with family idiosyncrasies that promises to be a lot of fun and will no doubt generate a lot of good-natured discussion.

Helen has “volunteered” to sing an appropriate song for the family reunion.  (Those of you who have heard it previously will no doubt look forward to hearing about a family that is (fortunately) very unlike our own!)  Joanne will speak briefly about the history book that she and Bob have co-authored and that will be available for purchase at the reunion.  Elinor has suggested a “singalong” of old favourite songs and is trying to find songsheets.  She also plans to present the courtship story of our ancestors John Alden and Priscilla Mullins as told by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  We could also, however, still use more volunteers to speak or provide entertainment at our Saturday gathering.  Don’t be bashful!

Do you have any items of clothing that could be worn or displayed (e.g., colonial bonnet, military uniform, Norwegian or other traditional costume)?  We encourage anyone with the inkling to dress in period or other costume for Saturday’s dinner to please do so!  Rumour has it that at least one of our Pilgrim ancestors is planning to make an appearance.   (Any period will do – colonial North America or anytime before or after since we certainly had family members living through all periods of history.)  Bring along any medals or badges, documents, photographs, old quilts, anything that may be of historical interest to the group.

We might point out that if you enjoy world-class rodeo (or the excitement of a large midway with rides, displays, and all the usual hoopla assorted with a fair), you may want to attend the Calgary Stampede (July 7 to 16) before joining our reunion.  Everett Edwards competed there about 1920 as a saddle bronc rider.

 If you have not yet made plans to attend our reunion, we invite you to do so.  Please contact either: Bob (contact info); or Joanne (contact info)

 Have a safe and pleasant journey to Waterton.  It will be a memorable gathering.

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Reunion Time:

It certainly was a memorable gathering providing both group activities and quiet times for reflection or visiting. 

Gathering at the hotel

Sue G. had contacted CBC Radio's Bill Richardson and a couple of us had our letters read on-air during our drive to Waterton. Sue's was about their son (who has hemophilia) learning to skate; it was later published in Richardson's book Dear Sad Goat: A Roundup of Truly Canadian Tales and Letters. 

Karen enjoying a scenic walk (this was much calmer than our mad-dash trip to Calgary to deliver her to the airport barely on time to catch her flight home at the end of the reunion!)

Sue J. recalls how Graham was locked out of his room one night, creating quite a stir. Joanne is quite certain that Graham strapped his espresso machine into a seatbelt for the drive from Calgary to Waterton so as to have freshly made lattes over the weekend but no one has been able to confirm that. 

Elinor (in black and white dress) encouraged family to dress in costume; to that end she made several of  the outfits; some of us were more cooperative than others in her endeavour.

Helen provided her always-popular rendition of Tom Lehrer's "The Irish Ballad" about a maiden who did her whole family in - fortunately not part of our family! Michael sang "Barrett's Privateers". After later discovering a privateer in our family background, I have tried unsuccessfully (so far) to have him sing a revised version. 

Elinor reading Longfellow's "Courtship of Miles Standish" to the group after supper in Cardston

We enjoyed going for a boat cruise to the American side of the Lake in Glacier National Park. This service is still available in 2025 with two choices: the Canadian side only up to the international border running through the lake or the full cruise with a 30 minute stop on the American side (no passport required unless planning a longer stay).

Enjoying the cruise - iconic Prince of Wales Hotel in background

Scenic Cruise from Canada to the USA in the world's first International Peace Park

Aftermath: 

The time capsule prepared by Al and Marilyn was filled and sent home with the youngest family member in attendance. It has since reappeared in revised format at subsequent reunions but has been culled to contain a manageable number of "treasures"  for the next reunion.

For our most recent reunion, Peter and Colleen made "name tags" for each attendee. These generated much discussion and enabled everyone to know exactly how they belong to the family!

My "name tag" from our most recent reunion!

End Note: 

A fitting note to end our 2000 reunion at Waterton Lakes was news of the birth in British Columbia of our newest family member. 

Newest family member born July 2000