HAINES FAMILY ASSOCIATION, INC. TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL FAMILY REUNION & MEETING
SATURDAY JULY 14, 2012
Dear Haines Family Association (HFA) members, this year we will be celebrating our 233rd year and 11 generations on the Mountaintop here in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of New York State at our annual reunion in Haines Falls at the South Lake Pavilion, NYS North-South Lake Campground. All are welcome for the entire day as we socialize, picnic, play games, have activities for the children, take our group photo, and conduct our annual meeting. Please bring sharing-table snacks, your own picnic lunch, your photo albums, family trees and/or genealogy research on your computers or albums to share, collections and anything else you think would be of interest. The Park opens at 8:00 a.m. There is a lot to see and do until lunch time and our annual meeting.
In our opening prayer this year we will be remembering Harry Poladian and Katherine Distin Krajick, who died since we last met.
In keeping with our mission statement “To undertake such other worthwhile projects and efforts that will contribute to the general public good,” in 2012 we are supporting the following national and local charities: $100 to the American Cancer Society, $50 each to the Tannersville Rescue Squad, Mountain Top Historical Society, Tannersville Area Health, Haines Falls Library, Haines Falls Fire Department, Hunter Fire Department, Tannersville Fire Department, Lanesville Fire Department, and $200 to pay off the long-past-due perpetual care on one more Haines plot in the Haines Falls Cemetery. Susan Haines is working on a scholarship for a Hunter-Tannersville School student, with the assistance of Bob Haines. Susan is bringing her computer to our reunion and will scan your genealogy/photos/documents for our records via CD or Zip drive and return the originals to you at the reunion.
Our HFA groundskeeping crew continues to maintain the Mountain Top Historical Society Campus at the Gateway to the Catskills at the top of the mountain in Haines Falls, which was owned by our ancestors at one time, and the historic Aaron Haines Cemetery adjoining it, for the 16th year. We can use more help if you are so inclined.
Ron Haines, Bob Van Dyke and yours truly conducted our first 2012 HFA Adopt a Highway pickup on our assigned section of Route 23A on May 24th.
Sandy Palmer, our Webmaster, is always looking for interesting additions to our HainesFamilyAssociation.org website. At our annual May Directors’ Meeting we approved HFA participation on FaceBook and a website blog. They are up and running. Check them out.
Our Reunion Committee will do their usual great job of setting up at the reunion, which is a big help to me. Stewarts Shops are donating three gallons of vanilla ice cream with all the fixings again this year. Be sure to say “Thanks” the next time you stop at the Haines Falls Stewart Shop.
Susan Haines and Gail Haines will be retiring as directors, after many years of faithful service to the HFA. If you think you have, or know someone you think has the qualifications to serve on our Board, please contact Harold Palmer or me. We’re looking for directors who will be active and supportive in reaching our goals.
In furtherance of our HFA Mission Statement goal of rediscovering, rescuing and restoring “so-called lost existing cemeteries and burying grounds,” Harold Palmer, Ron Haines, Joe McGowan, Art and Peg Fries and I held work parties on June 11
th and 18
thto rescue the Peter B. Haines cemetery, neglected for 50 years or so. We took out four dump truck loads of branches and fallen trees and about 50 cans and bags of leaves, uncovering many hidden monuments, the oldest of which was a burial in 1812, 200 years ago. Edward Haines and his wife, the founders of Haines Falls, are buried there. We will plan a future work party to inventory, sketch and re-erect many of the fallen monuments in this cemetery.
Work parties on the Layman Cemetery and the new Aaron Haines Cemetery ROW will be scheduled for this summer.
Check www.GreeneTourism.com for a place to stay.
As always, my thanks to our officers, directors, and to you, our faithful members, for your support over these past 26 years. I look forward to seeing you at our reunion on Saturday, July 14th.
My best regards,
Richard E. “Cousin Dick” Haines
President, HFA