Dear Reunion 2000! Attendees,

After five years, the dream finally became a reality!  Reunion 2000!  250 Years of Harpers in America was held on the 2^nd weekend in August in Pendleton County, West Virginia.  It was awesome, wasn't it?!  Did we have fun or what?!!

The Reunion was attended by 125 Harper Cousins from all over the country.  From 2-year-old Madeline Jory of Huntsville, Alabama, to 92-year-old Albert Harper of Dryfork, West Virginia, a good time was had by all.

During the bus tour on Saturday, there was talk of setting up a Pioneer Perpetual Care Fund to pay for the maintenance on the cemeteries we visited.  The Nicholas and Leonard Harper cemeteries were in obvious need of care.  I propose that we use the proceeds from Reunion 2000! and from the sale of the CDs and VHS tapes to help set up this fund.  You can also make direct contributions to the Harper Cemetery Association--specify that your check should be used for this.

Eddie Jory, father of Madeline, has graciously agreed to put all our photos from the Reunion on a CD so everyone can have a copy.  So, take your duplicate photos (or get them made) and mail them to me using the mailing label that's included in this letter.  The due date is September 15th (same day as IRS Estimated Quarterly Taxes are due).   Do not email me any photos.  When I get an incoming email message that is over 50k, my Internet connection shuts down and I can't get any email for  days.

Eddie has also said he will compile a videotape of the weekend if everyone will send him their unedited versions.  You can put the video and photos in the same package. 

In addition, Eddie has also started an Internet Bulletin Board for us--the link is already on the website.

If anyone wants a copy of my speech from Friday night's Banquet, the text is in the Reunion 2000! Section of the Harper website at:       www.fred.net/mfuller

Our peasant pioneers would have been amazed to see the Harper Royalty present at Friday night's Banquet.  Whoever started the "Table Decorations As Queens' Crowns" craze,

deserves a round of applause.  (If memory serves...Faye Roy was the ringleader.)  By the end of the evening, everyone had gotten into the act.  Even at Sunday's picnic, there were several sightings of Harper Queens for A Day.

I just wanted to mention that the bus drivers and the women who made the food said over and over again that they had never dealt with such nice people!  Harpers are really nice people...in addition to coming from hearty pioneer stock and being able to do anything! 

Several of you suggested that we do this again in 5 years.  I think that's a great idea!  I've put a space on the Order Form for people to sign up for Reunion 2005! Committee and to be Reunion Coordinator.  (Don't even think about asking me to be the Reunion Coordinator again.  I'm done!)

Does anyone know the address for Shel Harper and Sue Bosley?  They were at the Banquet on Friday night, but didn't leave any contact information.

If everyone could send me your line of direct descent from Philip Harper the Pioneer to you, it would allow me to put people in contact with each other, plus help keep me straight.

Did anyone accidentally pick up a black Expresso brand pen with a fine point felt-tip marker?  I need it back--it's an art pen.  Thanks!

For those of you who were able to participate in the Jacob C. Harper homeplace tour on Sunday, had this great Closing Ceremony all planned out...but didn't have the heart to interrupt all those wonderful conversations to have the clos