2007 Lauffer Family Reunion

Sunday, August 19

Greenburg, PA

This was a great gathering of the Lauffer Family

from many parts of the US.

The minutes from this year's reunion and photos will be posted on this page as soon as I slow down my travels.  I just returned to California from PA and am off to China and Japan.  When I return on September 15, I will catch a flight to Baltimore on the 16th. I will return from Baltimore on the 25th. After my body figures out where it is, I will update the 2007 reunion information and get back to work on the Second Edition of The Lauffer History book.

In the meantime, mark your calendar for the 2008 Lauffer Family Reunion to take place on August 17 at the same location as this year.

 

Reunion Location:  http://wcdpa.com/about/index.shtml

Area Lodging:

Motels within a ½ mile of the Conservancy.

 

 

Super 8

111 Sheraton Drive

Greensburg, PA 15601

724-838-8080

 

Four Points Sheraton

Route 30 East

Greensburg, PA 15601

724-836-6060

 

Hampton Inn

1000 Towne Square Drive

Greensburg, PA 15601

724-838-8800

 

Holiday Inn Express

Route 30 East

Greensburg, PA 15601

724-838-7070

 

Knights Inn (only in emergency)

1215 South Main Street

Greensburg, PA 15601

724-836-7100

 

May 22, 2007

 

 

Dear Lauffer Family Member:

 

                            It is time to again start thinking about the Lauffer Family Reunion.  This year is going to be momentous for a number of reasons.

 

                            In the past few years, we have had a great many new family members attend the Reunion from out of town – as far away as California and Arizona and quite a few from the east coast also.  If you attended the Reunion last year, you would have noticed that we were a little crowded.  Everyone took it in stride and the day went off wonderfully.  But we decided that it might be time to look for another place.  Plus, in the last couple of years, we had lost our third Sunday in August date and unfortunately, some of you with school age children could not attend later in August because of the school starting date.

 

                            Through the research and diligence of Shirley Lauffer Gosnell and John (Pete) Lauffer, her brother, they discovered that the original barn of Peter Lauffer, 1/16/1827 – 8/4/1886,  great grandson of Christian Lauffer (The Pioneer), had been dismantled and reassembled as the headquarters for the Westmoreland Conservation District.  Shirley and Pete went to visit and were treated like royalty.  Greg Philips, the director and Joanne , the receptionist were very excited to know that Shirley and Pete were descendents of  Peter Lauffer.  They exchanged much information and we were invited to have our Reunion there.  The Lauffer Reunion will be held this year AUGUST 19, 2007 at the Westmoreland Conservation District.  Another mailing and e-mail will follow with more details sometime around the 1st of August.   There is much more to tell and if you attend the Reunion you will see and hear this wonderful story.  If you are not able to attend, we will have information to mail to you so that you don’t miss out on what has happened there.

 

                            Earlier this winter, I went to visit the Westmoreland Conservation District and to talk to Mr. Philips about whether they could accommodate the number of people that would be attending our Reunion.  They assured me that we could get at least 100 people seated for dinner and still have an area to set up the food and displays.  This area is all on one level with a wheelchair ramp and both Men and Women bathrooms (with multiple stalls in each).  We will have available to us a tour guide to take everyone through the multilevel building and explain its importance to the community and the work they are doing in conservation.  They are very impressed with the research our FAMILY is doing and we are very impressed with their building and conservation efforts. 

 

                            While I was visiting, Greg and I talked about a historic plaque.  I asked if there were any plans to erect one and Greg said they had talked about it but that there just was not any money for it.  My reply was that we would ask for donations.  Therefore, I am letting you all know that you can make a donation to the Westmoreland Conservation District and mark it for the historic plaque.  You can also bring a donation to the reunion and we will give it to them then.  Either way is acceptable.  When you donate, you will receive a letter from the Conservation District telling you that you can take it as a deduction on your income tax return.

 

                            Even though we are not all directly related to Peter Lauffer, we are all Lauffers and should be proud that the Westmoreland Conversation District has chosen our family barn.  With an historic plaque standing outside the front door, everyone who visits the barn will learn about our historic family.

             

                            This is just another indication of how fortunate the LAUFFER family is to have so many so interested and so dedicated.

 

                            This brings us to another subject that I know you have all been waiting for.  Jim Lauffer is trying again (with the help of many of us) to get the new Lauffer History ready for publication.  It seems that Jim and I have daily communication from Lauffers who want to get their information into the book.  We must set a deadline if the book is to be published.  That deadline now is June 15.  Hopefully most of you have given us your information.  If you have not, you need to contact Jim at his email: jim@laufferhistory.com .   In the event that all your information cannot be in before the deadline, Jim intends to maintain the web site and update it regularly with new information that comes in.  You are all important to us and we want to make every endeavor to include as many as possible in the book.

 

                            For those of you who are out of town or out of state or even out of the country, we will have tours available before and after the Reunion to show you all the Lauffer places that we have found (or could still find).  If you have a particular request, please let me know and if I don’t know where it is I will do my best to find it so that we can share it with you. 

 

                            This is a very exciting year for all of us.  We would like to share all of this excitement with as many of you as possible.  I am asking that you respond as soon as you know whether you will attend in order that we are adequately prepared.  I am attaching a list of motels in the area for those of you who need them.  The Westmoreland Conservation District is located within one-half mile of all the motels listed and is close to the Westmoreland Mall and several restaurants of different price ranges.  If you need more information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either me or Jim. (Peggy can be contacted at Horsegranny@aol.com)

 

                            Here is hoping that this will be a great Reunion and that we will see all of you!

 

                                                                                                  Your Lauffer Cousins

 

 

 

                                                                                                  Peggy and Jim