Upon arrival at the hall, it was evident that the setup crew had had an early start, and they had all the tables and chairs ready to go. The display tables were also set up with photo albums, framed pictures, and lots of other items related to our heritage and reunions past. Thank you to all involved, whoever you are, for doing that (again). It is very much appreciated.

As the parking lot began to fill up, the doors on the stoves in the kitchen and the outlets in the kitchen began to get a serious workout. Casserole dishes, pans, foil trays, etc, were flying in and out of the ovens, heating up the plethora of culinary delights that would be our lunch. Crock pots, Instapots, and other such electrical devices were being plugged in and out, adding to the fine assortment we were about to enjoy.

When all was ready (including an equally fine display of salads, breads, and desserts), Phil Schuyler said grace and asked for blessings on our day. Promptly after his "Amen", two very orderly lines formed. Cutlery, plates and spatulas started clanging, and the feast was on.

Before the clatter and chatter of eating and visiting began to decline, the unmistakable sounds of sinks being filled, plates banging against metal, and cutlery being dropped in water, could be heard from the kitchen. The early rounds of cleanup were underway. Partway through the process of doing the dishes, an urgent announcement was made by Ashley, advising that there was an issue with the supply of water to kitchen and washrooms. Something had apparently happened to the pump system in the hall. It was requested that, even though the dishwater in the kitchen sinks might seem rather grungy, everyone was asked not to pull the plugs, just in case. The hall custodian had already been called and advised of the situation. They showed up a bit later, and set about determining what the issue was. To the best of my knowledge, they were able to correct the problem. In either case, the "volunteer cleanup crew" were able to get everything cleaned and put away. A huge thanks to everyone who wielded a dishcloth, a sponge, a tea towel, or a paper towel as a contribution to getting the dishes done and put away. Each and every one of you did a fine job.

After lunch, we took the opportunity to do a Nicholls Family Trivia "refresher". This was made possible by the hard work that Lori did for last year's reunion, preparing a list of 18 multiple-choice questions. Questions ranged from how old Grandpa Nicholls was when he came to Canada, to which cousins share the same birthday. Last year, teams were given sheets and answered the questions as a group, then submitted their sheet. This year, it was just a "shout out the answer if you know it" approach, with the "Original Family Member" team getting the point if they answered correctly. Before I share the results, I want you to know that I'm not as poor at math as it might seem. Although I indicated earlier that there were 18 questions, there were 26 points awarded. This was because, in some cases, multiple families answered the question at the same time, and all were awarded a point. At the end of it all, the results were as follows ...

• Team Aunt Ruth - 12
• Team Uncle Russell - 05 (Well done, Sherry)
• Team Uncle Ross - 05
• Team Uncle Glenn - 04

I trust that no one is going to call KPMG to request an audit of the above results. We did the best we could. Apologies to any families if there were points that we failed to record. Many thanks to all for participating. It was a great exercise. A special mention to Shirley, who as a result of some research done over the past year, was able to show that Grandpa Nicholls (Albert) was actually 18 when he arrived in Canada, not 17 as we had previously believed. The proof was in the hand-written "Canadian Passenger List" from Ancestory.ca that she managed to find. Thank you Shirley. Just FYI, points were awarded for both answers, 17 and 18, during the trivia quiz this year. The members of the winning team were given the opportunity to choose a very expensive gift from our selection of prizes. Gifts available were "Snack Size" chips or "Snack Size" chocolate bars. How convenient that Halloween is just around the corner.

A collection was taken to top up the funds for the family / family reunion expenses account. Ashley advised that the total collected was $380. Thank you all for your contributions.

The attendance this year was 42, which included Aunt Ruth. It was wonderful to see her. She set a very good example for all of us, behaving herself all day long. Unfortunately, Aunt Jean was unable to attend this year. We miss you Aunt Jean.

The breakdown by families was ...

• Uncle Glenn - 12
• Aunt Ruth - 11
• Aunt Jean - 09
• Uncle Ross - 07
• Aunt Marjorie - 02 (see note below)
• Uncle Russell - 01

Elaborate gifts (yep, same as above) were made available to the members of the winning team.

As you may recall, a Zoom call was scheduled for 2:30 p.m (Eastern). Unfortunately, we were unable to connect with anyone at that time. However, Charles Gare reached out via video call later that evening, as he, Lynda, and their daughter Lesley were driving home from North Dakota. Technically, this probably qualifies to raise Aunt Marjorie's number to 05 instead of 02. I guess we can leave that to KPMG if they somehow get involved. Thanks Charles for calling. It was great to see the three of you during your very long drive. It was an added bonus that you got to see Sherry and Colleen on the call, not just me.

Finally, we set about determining who had traveled the furthest to attend this year. The winners were Lyle, Dorene and Taylor, as well as Sherry, all from Huntsville. Prizes (same) were once again offered. Thanks to all for attending, but especially you four, for making the longest trek this year.

It was mentioned that we have our Family Tree hosted on MyHeritage.com. Everyone was reminded that when there are new additions, marriages, etc within your family, you are encouraged to contact someone with credentials for MyHeritage.com within your family or let us know by sending an email to nchlls@rogers.com. We will be sure to get the Family Tree updated as soon as possible. Please note that we may reach out to you if any clarification is required before the updates are made. Thanks in advance for helping us keep it up-to-date.

It was also mentioned that if you or anyone in your family has a new email address or changes their current one, we would like someone to let us know so the address book can be updated. That way, we can reach as many members of the family as possible when we send out emails. To provide an updated email address, please send the info via email to nchlls@rogers.com. Again, thanks in advance.

As the afternoon moved along, folks began to pack up and head out. As tables and chairs were vacated, a very helpful group began the process of taking down the tables and carrying or carting the chairs to the storage room. Brooms from the furnace room were soon flying about the hall (no, not like at Halloween), and in no time, the whole place was spic-and-span. Thanks to everyone who participated in this part of the operation as well. It really is appreciated, and proves once again that, "many hands make light work".

I noticed there were quite a few pictures being taken throughout the day. If you were one who managed to capture some images, it would be appreciated if you could send them to us so we can share them with the family at large, on Facebook and/or on our website (http://nchlls.com). I’m sure those who were unable to attend would like to see some pics. As well, those of us who were there might like to see some of the things we missed. You can send your pictures via email to nchlls@rogers.com or reach out to me. I can give you my WhatsApp id and you can share vast quantities of pictures much easier through that. Thanks in advance.

Before wrapping up, a huge "Thank You" goes out to Steve (Lock), for once again providing a microphone and speaker combination for us to use. As always, it made it a lot easier for everyone to hear what is being said.

Finally, "Thank You" to Ashley for once again looking after the hall booking, ensuring that we had a place to meet, and that there were no hiccups. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

That about wraps up the summary of the 61st Nicholls Family Reunion. All in all, it was (as always) a great day. We look forward to having another great reunion next year, with even larger numbers.

One more thought ... If you have any ideas of how we can make our 65th reunion (coming up in 4 years, 2028) extra special, please reach out. Your ideas will be shared. We have plenty of time to plan, so don’t hesitate to be creative. Thanks, and have a great year!

Doug (for Nicholls On The Web )

If any information provided above is inaccurate or if anything is missing, please contact us by sending an email to nchlls@rogers.com. The updates will be posted ASAP.