My memories of the 2002 Bollschweiler meeting are great ones. First let me give a little background information. After returning home from the first meeting in the summer of 2000, I began taking a web page development class. I decided that my final project would be a web site about the Bollschweiler family. My experience in Germany was such a wonderful one that I wanted the information about our wonderful family to be available to each and every member of the family. One of the most important things I wanted to make available was information about the 2002 meeting. I felt that if the information could be more easily accessed it would help promote the meeting and enable us to share in the excitement for the family started at the meeting in Germany.
Through my experience hosting and maintaining the web site, I have had the opportunity to meet and become better acquainted with many of my Bollschweiler relatives. It is my contact with many of them that made the 2002 meeting so exciting. I have learned so much about the family's history and gained such an appreciation for the great people in the family. Here are some of my experiences from the 2002 meeting. Please feel free to email me and add your own experiences as well. It is through the help of all of you that this web site is made possible.

Friday, May 24 - Welcome Reception at Westcoast Hotel

I arrived at the Hotel running a little late (typical for me) and went into the gathering room to find the meeting starting. Kent Bollschweiler introduced the meeting agenda and then the time was given to the family to become better acquainted. It was so neat to meet many of the people I have been in communication with over the last two years via the web site. I was trilled to see the family gather and interact in this manner. I was also incredibly excited to see Hanno and Brigitte Trurnit, Horst and Lily Bollschweiler and Alice Bauert whom I'd met at the first meeting in Germany. It was fun to get to know each of them and discover what wonderful people they are. Also, in speaking with them it was neat to learn more about Bollschweiler family history. Hanno's knowledge of the family is incredible. It was Hanno who organized the first meeting and wrote the book about the Bollschweiler family. His knowledge of each branch of the family is extensive and he truly is at the heart of bringing the family together. The rest of my evening was spend visiting with family member and looking at the various displays.

Saturday, May 25

9:30 AM - 3:00 PM Field Trip to Family History Center
This was a very exciting event. Another one of our family historians, Steve Parkes, made a very interesting presentation about the family's history and recent discoveries made about the family. I would like to get a more thorough account of the information he presented and post it on the site, but for now here are my recollections.
Steve spoke chiefly about the Jacob Friedrich Bollschweiler line (who is the ancestor of the American Bollschweiler's) and answered many questions about his family, the circumstances around the marriage and birth of Jacob and Emilie's first child. It was interesting to learn about his brothers and sisters, some of which also joined the LDS church and/or immigrated to the United States. It was fascinating information and I will try to get a more accurate record of the history presented in the near future.

1:30 PM - The Testaments Film
(Information taken from Big Movie Zone.com)

This biblical-era film tells the story of a fictional character who is at the appearance of Jesus Christ in ancient America circa 33 A.D. The LDS church's "Book of Mormon" is the source for the plot.
"The Testaments" depicts events from the Book of Mormon that church members believe took place in the Americas during Christ's time. They parallel biblical events, including Christ's crucifixion which Mormons believe brought earthquakes, storms and days of darkness on the other side of the world from Jersusalem.
Filming was done on the island of Kauai, crews recreated the center of the ancient Book of Mormon city of Zarahemla in an area 450 by 300 feet in a field outside of Kilauea town.

Release date: 1999
Run time: 40 minutes
http://www.bigmoviezone.com/filmsearch/movies/?uniq=337

4:00 PM - Chuckwagon Dinner at Wheeler Farm
This event was the reunions most successful. There were members from many branches of the Jacob Friedrich Bollschweiler line represented. Family member's ate dinner and enjoyed the whistling and other performances by family members.

After dinner, a family picture was taken. I have been told that they have turned out very well and I will be posting more information about ordering a photo in the near future.

Sunday, May 26

9:15 AM - Mormon Tabernacle Choir Broadcast, Tour Temple Square, Tour Conference Center

I was not able to attend this event, so if any of you have recollections or memories you would like to share, please email me as soon as possible.

Monday, May 27

9:30 AM Heber Valley Railroad
For this activity the family traveled to Heber City Utah to ride the historic Heber Valley Railroad. The railroad dates back to 1899 and served the pioneer population that settled in the area. Two 1907 Baldwin Steam locomotives and three vintage diesel electric locomotives service the railroad today. This was a really fun activity for family members of all ages. It was fun to tour the train and talk to family members. After riding the train, family members had the opportunity to tour Park City, Utah.

5:00 PM Goodbye Dinner
This event was held in the same room as the opening get-together of the meeting. Though there was a slightly smaller turnout, this was a very special gathering. Pictures were taken of each family group representing the children of Jacob Friedrich and Emile Bollschweiler. It was fun to see each family's descendants represented. At this time Hanno also agreed to host another meeting in Germany in 4 years, which is very exciting.

The Second International Bollschweiler Meeting was a great success and a lot of fun. The information that can be shared through the gathering of the family is incredible and I hope that we will not let the opportunity pass us by. If you have family histories, pictures, etc., PLEASE send them to me. If you don't have them in an electronic form I would be more than willing to type them up if they were mailed to me. Any information about any branch of the family would be greatly appreciated.

Also on behalf of the Second International Bollschweiler Meeting Committee, we would like to thank all those who attended and so generously supported the meeting. The memories and family connections made will not soon be forgotten and would make our ancestors very happy I'm sure. We hope all those who attended any portion of the Meeting had a good experience and wish to know more about their Bollschweiler heritage. Thanks again and we hope to see you in 2004!!!