Mark your calenders for August 4th, 2001 when we all converge on Cincinnati Ohio for a picnic to end all picnics!
You can look forward to future newsletters containing activity schedules, maps, park passes for the picnic, competition guidelines, and more. Need more information on something, then contact one of us so we can include it in the next newsletter.
What's your idea of a vacation trip to a family reunion? Do you enjoy relaxing, getting up late, talking to old friends, finding a way to keep the kids busy? Do you like to go for all the fun that you can cram into one weekend? We're here to take your suggestions and feedback.
Our goal is to have a fun and safe reunion. If you think of features that will bring us together in a comfortable way send it back to us for the next newsletter.
Contact Info:
Fran Passerotti
franpasserotti@hotmail.com, (936) 568-9474
1110 Burt Drive
Nacogdoches, TX 75961
Mike Passerotti
mikepasserotti@hotmail.com, (513) 688-7865
172 Cardinal Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45244
Additional information on the Hamilton County Parks can be found online at
http://www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/.
Additional information on the Ohio State Parks can be found online at
http://www.ohioparks.net/.
Frisbee Golf
Join a foursome for an early morning golf round at the picnic grounds. All materials supplied (frisbees, score cards, etc.) - no cost to picnic attendees. The frisbee golf is played on a golf course. The parks set up this course and its much like regular golf. The 'hole' is a basket. To make it a little easier, the basket has chains on it to absorb some energy from the frisbee and guide it into the basket. There are fisbees made for various situations like a putter, a driver for distance and various 'irons' made for intermidiate distances. More info: http://www.somewherecool.com/ching.htm
http://www.playdiscgolf.com
Water Park Fun
The Woodland Mound Park will have a water fun park opening May this year. It promises to get you wet. Unknown if there is a cost to the water park area.
Nature Trail
The Woodland Mound Park has a nature trail where you can study the local plants, animals and bugs. A fitting conclusion to the nature trail would be a stop at the Woodland Mound Nature Center. They also have a gift shop. No cost for the trail.
Whiffle Ball
Join a team and have a ball. Great family fun and no softball experience required.
Whiffle balls and bats allow for a larger age group to participate in a much smaller area.
The picnic area has a great field to play in. All materials supplied (bats, balls, etc.)
- no cost to picnic attendees.
Frisbee Fun
Open spaces beacon a good toss of the disk. Disks provided - the normal throwing disks (not golf disks).
Story Time
Book readings for small tots and children.
Magic Show
Prepare to be amazed.
Catch
Open spaces beacon a good toss of anything. Baseball, football, softball, playground balls, and more. Some equipement provided and others you can bring your own.
Chess Matches
Relax in the shade and test your skill against family and friends. Bring your own chess board or play on ones provided. Two chess boards will be provided but no time clocks provided.
General Game Time
Relax in the shade and play your favorite game against whomever you can recruit. Send feeback on your favorite game and it will be mentioned in the newsletter. The following will be provided: decks of cards, Upwords (Scrabble with a stacking twist), checkers, backgammon, Scrabble, Boggle, Sequence, Rummikub, Trivial Pursuit, score tablets, pens/pencils and more. You might have to bring along your favorite game if it isn't listed in the newsletter.
Music
Jam sessions are entirely possible if you bring your instrument. One fun opportunity will be percussion jam for anyone. Percussion instruments provided. Another thought is to invite some of my musician friends to the picnic to play for us. Tell us what you think. I might be able to connect with bluegrass, jazz or Irish musicians. Other possibilities are country, dixiland jazz, hymns, and spirituals.
Wet Sponge Toss
Dip a sponge in a bucket of water and try to hit the target on a painted board. But to make things interesting, the target board has a hole in it for your favorite face to aim at. Who's next?
Small Children Play Area
A small child play area will be set up next to the adults. There will be a slide, wagon rides, teeter totter, blankets, swing, tent for naps, safe toys, and maybe more.
First Aid
We'll set up a general first aid station and pray nothing happens. If you have special allergies, diabetic considerations, or other special emergency needs, consider adding to the first aid station your particular needs. There will be yellow jacket traps on the perimeter to draw stinging insects away from the crowd. As you well know, there are no guarentees. Sun block will be provided just in case you forgot to bring some.
Water Tag
Similar to Laser Tag. Water guns replace lasers, paper vests show off
water tags instead of laser sensors and more fun outdoors. Water pistols will be
supplied to make an even playing field. All materials supplied - no cost to picnic
attendees.
Water Fight
Buy or make you own best water gun to soak each other to a point of bliss on a
hot August day. Everyone wins that has fun. Towels provided, bring a change of clothes.
Little Miami River Park and Trail
Loveland has a bicycle/rollerblade rental center on the trail. We could go for a ride through some scenic woodlands next to the river and through small town USA. The rental center has a tandem bicycle, child add on bike, and two seater trailers for tots. They also cary a large assortment of roller blade sizes, pads, helmets and more. Reasonable rates.
Little Miami River
Loveland has canoe rentals for scenic trips on the river. Good rates. They drive you up river and drop you off for you to canoe back to down river to the rental center.
Cincinnati Museum Center
Three pay museums (Cincinnati History, Childrens, and Natural History), IMAX and a free train museum. They have a great science store. Group discounts may be possible.
Cincinnati Art Museum
Group discounts may be possible.
Newport Aquarium
I hear its a wonderful place to visit. Group discounts may be possible.
King's Island
Jammin' place where things are happenin'. Group discounts may be possible.
Coney Island
Mild mannered and a fun place. Group discounts may be possible.
Swiming
The East Fork State Park has a sand beach area for fun in the sun.
Fishing
Bring your own tackle. The East Fork State Park has a great stocked fishing lake.
Boating
There are boating opportunites at various lakes around town.
McDonald's Playland
McDonald's has an indoor playland near Eastfork Lake camping grounds. Fun for kids and a place to talk for adults.
Passerotti's House Gathering
Rainy days are no problem under our roof. Games, toys, talking and more fun than thunderstorms.
Coffee house invasion
There is a Starbucks coffee house nearby with living room furnature for our late night gab sessions.
Water Rocket Flying
Launch pad and materials to construct rockets will be provided. Build rockets and fly them to over 200 ft in the air. Dependent on wind conditions.
Air Plane Flying
Styrofoam airplanes, paper airplanes, balsa airplanes and laminated paper airplanes. All depends on your likes and dislikes. Dependent on wind conditions.
Prayer Breakfast
Gather together to pray for the family.
More Options
Visit http://www.cincinnati.com for more ideas on what to do around town while you visit.
Photography
Submit your photo to be judged at the picnic. All photos will be returned but their likeness will be used to publish the results to this newsletter list. One possibility is
that the subject matter will be published in a future newsletter and submission deadline will be the Friday before judging. Another possibility is to submit any photo. We'll wait on feedback to decide. You need not be present to win.
Chess
Do you have what it takes to be a family grand master?
Prizes
Some prizes may be won through the competitions. Once the competitions are decided upon, the prizes will be announced.
Check out this exciting list of confirmed attendees:
John and Fran Passerotti
Clint Passerotti
Liz Passerotti
Michael, Gini, Andew and Jolynn Blackwell
George, Susi, Marieann, Emma and Genelle Stone
Mike, Sharon, Alicia, Elijah and Joshua Passerotti
Kenneth and Minerva Hughes
Anthony Skipper & Kathleen Leahy, Jennafer, Jerikah and Monica
Ed and Julie Shaffer (maybe)
Steve and Edie Toth and family
Ron and Sandy Yafanaro
Lori Passerotti, Amanda and Tommy Kennerly and VO
Linda Hudnall
Virginia Dobbins
John and Betty Passerotti (maybe)
Dave and Kim Briggs and family
Raymond and Audrey Flickinger
Jeff Passerotti
Ron and Jane Neville
Derek and Melissa Passerotti
John and Nancy Shaffer
Ann Wilhite
Tina Young and Bryan
Chris Shaffer, Edie and Annie
Blake, Terri, Kelley and Molly McBride (Kelley will be there.)
We hope no one is over looked. If you have additions or subtractions to the hopeful list
we can run the corrected list in the next newsletter. As you and your family are confirmed,
you will get a next to your name. If you are confirmed not attending you will have a next to your name.
John and Fran Passerotti
Wedding date and to whom if applicable. 12/12/70
Where do you live now? Out in the country near Nacogdoches, TX
Who is your immediate family? Children, parents, brothers, sisters.
Fran's Children: Gini Blackwell, Susi Stone, Kathleen Leahy
John's Children: Lori Passerotti, Mike Passerotti
Their Children: Clint and Liz Passerotti
Fran's Brother: John Shaffer, Sister-in-Law Nancy Shaffer, Longview, TX
Fran's Sister: Virginia Paul, Brother-in-Law Harvey Paul, Biddeford, ME
John's Sister: Jane Neville, Brother-in-Law Ron Neville, Dewey, AZ
John's Brother: Jeff Passerotti, Eugene Oregon
John's Brother: Derek Passerotti, Sister-in-Law Melissa, Ventura, CA
Fran's Parents: Eugene & Jewell Shaffer, Both Deceased
John's Parents: John & Betty Passerotti, Dewey, AZ
What is your connection to the reunion attendees?
Big Daddy and Big Mama
Chris Shaffer, Edie and Annie
Where do you live now?
Chicago, Illinois.
Who is your immediate family? Children, parents, brothers, sisters.
Edie Bell (partner)
Anara Gesserit (daughter)
John Shaffer (father)
Lee Marks (mother)
Ed Shaffer (brother)
Terri McBride (sister)
What is your connection to the reunion attendees?
I was born into the family.
Where and when did you have a connection to the people at the reunion?
This "related" thing kind of covers the family connection.
Do you have a short story or annecdote to tell?
Some of my fondest memories are playing games with the Passerotti clan.
Anything more you can tell?
We're really sad that we're missing the reunion!
Michael and Gini Blackwell
Married 3/14/94
Two children - Andrew (13) and Jolynn (2)
Currently living in the Pleasant Hill (the Bog) community approximately 15 miles north of
Nacogdoches.
We own six doberman pinschers (quite by accident) - Count, Countess (Dad and Mom),
Lillian, Philip, Bud and Gigi (children that we couldn't/wouldn't sell).
I am the oldest of John and Fran Passerotti's children.
I have 5 sisters and 2 brothers. In birth order they are Lori, Susi, Mike, Kathleen, Rhonda, Clint and Liz.
I am currently working at Greater East Texas Community Action Program (GETCAP) as a
Payroll/Benefits Administrator and Grant Writer (and anything else they see fit to
saddle me with).
Michael owns his own lawncare business (Four Seasons Landscape and Lawncare)
which is doing very well.
I will say growing up in this family was a pleasure and an adventure. I don't think
many other families like each other as much as we seem to. I'm looking forward to
everyone being in one place. It is been a very long time - hasn't it?
Elizabeth Passerotti AKA Liz, Aunt Liz
Wedding date and to whom if applicable. not yet, but let me know if and when!
3230 Pearl Street #4, Nacogdoches, TX 75961
Who is your immediate family? Children: 2 Cats, Maggie & Hank
parents: John & Fran brothers, sisters: you know....
What is your connection to the reunion attendees? I am the youngest child of
John & Fran
I am now a full time employee/staff of Stephen F. Austin State University,
University Center Bookstore. Clint and I are roomates and we are both still
surviving (so far). I am still, or should I say again?, single. I enjoy the
company of my friends and family and if anything else comes along, he has to get
along with both groups and I really don't think that exists! :o) I have been
sober for one year this month and the worst thing I do lately is drive 3 mph
over the speed limit (at the most) . Times change, don't they? Life is good
and I am very much looking forward to seeing all of us together to celebrate our
families.
Love to you all
Michael and Sharon Passerotti
Married Sept. 27 1986
172 Cardinal Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244
3 Children: Alicia 11 yo, Elijah 5 yo, and Joshua 2 yo. One tabby cat named Cherry.
What is your connection to the reunion attendees? I've been grafted in by my dad's
second marriage. After some struggle, I've adopted Fran as my second mom, and adopted
my step sisters, half sister, half brother, cousins, aunts, uncles as blood. There are
advantages to having two moms, such as all of you.
Sharon is the daughter of missionaries to Jews who have both gone home to be with the Lord.
She has a sister Janelle and a brother Kevin, both in Washington state. Sharon's always
making things with her hands such as cross stitch, embroidery, quilting, crocheting
and sewing. Sharon's gift is a unique ability to give of the heart such wonderful things.
Mike was trained in the tile business with some experience in all manner of flooring. After
6 1/2 years in the Navy as electronic repair specialist, college had the most to offer for
training as electronics engineer. However, a calculated crossover in software programming,
a few brakes, and now Mike is a software enginner working on cutting medical costs for
hospital, clinics and laboratories. Mike has too many hobbies to number and beware of
conversations about creation science, water rockets, hydrogen engines, and energy
efficiency.
Reunions like this are a great time to reinforce the great memories we've had, and
to make some new memories. We look forward to getting to know you as you are now.
Wrap Up
If you have a comment or suggestion for this newsletter you can contact Fran Passerotti
or Mike Passerotti as given in the Contact Info above.
Email notifications go out to those who have email. If you didn't receive email notification and you do have email, please send your updated information to Mike Passerotti.