Lower portion of the Normanskill Creek as it flows into the Hudson River at "Castle Island" now the Port of Albany, ca. 1830
~~ ZOOM IS THE FUTURE BRADT FAMILY REUNION ~~
Dear Cousins,
After careful consideration, the Bradt leadership committee has decided not to hold an in person (BFR) reunion in 2024.
We had tepid response from our registered family members when we asked for their input on a 2024 Bradt Family Reunion (BFR). Of the 15% responding, barely 50% said they would attend. Taking the weak response from our members it was decided not to invest our time and money in a BFR that would most likely be poorly attended.
Other factors that were considered in our cancellation in 2024 were the rising costs in all areas for holding such a large-scale reunion. Transportation costs, rooms, rental spaces, cost of dinners, tour buses, tour venue fees, and of course taxes. We also had to consider dedicated volunteers in support of our reunions, which has also taken a toll. Our older and experienced local family members have passed, and our younger members have not yet come forward to take up the challenges of organizing and running a large event such as ours.
As you may be aware of, the Bradt Family Society (BFS) has, over the past 36 years, brought forth an immense volume of work related to our family in genealogy, DNA, and histories of many of our ancestors who have contributed, one way or another, to our rich and varied journey in the New World. I think that because of our work in support of finding our roots we have uncovered the fabric of our lives, of our society, and the who and what we are that helped to shape the New World. While doing this research and publishing our findings through the many books published by our members, Cynthia Brott Biasca, Laurie Grimes, Joan Woods, Peter Christoph, and the Bradt Family News (BFN), edited over the years by Ken & Thelma Bradt, Richard & Barb Bratt, Marie Emerson, we have flushed out the interesting tidbits that make life interesting and brings alive those past pioneers who struggled to find their place in the new world, and the new societies that developed over the generations since arriving at Fort Orange, New Netherlands on the spring day of 8 April 1637. Because of our work, the large Bradt Reunions are no longer relevant for many of our members, their curiosity about their place in the world has been answered.
That said, I know many members do enjoy these reunions and look forward to renewing the friendships they established over the course of our last seven (7) reunions, and this part of our society’s get-together will be missed.
But do not despair, your Bradt leadership committee has come up with a few ideas to keep those who still value personal relationships with their many “cousins” shall have that opportunity, we will be starting Zoom meetings. We held our first “practice” Zoom meeting in September and reviewed the viability of holding Zoom get-together for larger groups. We are still working through the details for our first Bradt Family Zoom (BFZ) and if any of our members out there would like to set up and run our BFZ please contact any of your BFS leaders, we would rather have a family member running our Zoom meetings then some outside entity.
One of the first things we need is your good email address so we can notify you of the time/date of our BFZ. Please send your current email address to nextbfr@gmail.com, they will be consolidated and used when we start posting for our Zoom meetings, probably early next year, 2024.
Our next idea is to provide information and when possible, personal guided tours, of the Albany & Schenectady, New York sites that were part of our family’s earliest history in America. Please text or email me about your plans to visit the Capital District of New York, and I will assist you in reaching those areas of interest that are important to you and your family.
Thank you again for your support and interest in the Bradt Family Society and don’t hesitate to contact me or any of your current officers/board members, please see our contact information in this publication.
Dan
Daniel Bradt
President, BFS
518.505.1479 (Call or Text)
After careful consideration, the Bradt leadership committee has decided not to hold an in person (BFR) reunion in 2024.
We had tepid response from our registered family members when we asked for their input on a 2024 Bradt Family Reunion (BFR). Of the 15% responding, barely 50% said they would attend. Taking the weak response from our members it was decided not to invest our time and money in a BFR that would most likely be poorly attended.
Other factors that were considered in our cancellation in 2024 were the rising costs in all areas for holding such a large-scale reunion. Transportation costs, rooms, rental spaces, cost of dinners, tour buses, tour venue fees, and of course taxes. We also had to consider dedicated volunteers in support of our reunions, which has also taken a toll. Our older and experienced local family members have passed, and our younger members have not yet come forward to take up the challenges of organizing and running a large event such as ours.
As you may be aware of, the Bradt Family Society (BFS) has, over the past 36 years, brought forth an immense volume of work related to our family in genealogy, DNA, and histories of many of our ancestors who have contributed, one way or another, to our rich and varied journey in the New World. I think that because of our work in support of finding our roots we have uncovered the fabric of our lives, of our society, and the who and what we are that helped to shape the New World. While doing this research and publishing our findings through the many books published by our members, Cynthia Brott Biasca, Laurie Grimes, Joan Woods, Peter Christoph, and the Bradt Family News (BFN), edited over the years by Ken & Thelma Bradt, Richard & Barb Bratt, Marie Emerson, we have flushed out the interesting tidbits that make life interesting and brings alive those past pioneers who struggled to find their place in the new world, and the new societies that developed over the generations since arriving at Fort Orange, New Netherlands on the spring day of 8 April 1637. Because of our work, the large Bradt Reunions are no longer relevant for many of our members, their curiosity about their place in the world has been answered.
That said, I know many members do enjoy these reunions and look forward to renewing the friendships they established over the course of our last seven (7) reunions, and this part of our society’s get-together will be missed.
But do not despair, your Bradt leadership committee has come up with a few ideas to keep those who still value personal relationships with their many “cousins” shall have that opportunity, we will be starting Zoom meetings. We held our first “practice” Zoom meeting in September and reviewed the viability of holding Zoom get-together for larger groups. We are still working through the details for our first Bradt Family Zoom (BFZ) and if any of our members out there would like to set up and run our BFZ please contact any of your BFS leaders, we would rather have a family member running our Zoom meetings then some outside entity.
One of the first things we need is your good email address so we can notify you of the time/date of our BFZ. Please send your current email address to nextbfr@gmail.com, they will be consolidated and used when we start posting for our Zoom meetings, probably early next year, 2024.
Our next idea is to provide information and when possible, personal guided tours, of the Albany & Schenectady, New York sites that were part of our family’s earliest history in America. Please text or email me about your plans to visit the Capital District of New York, and I will assist you in reaching those areas of interest that are important to you and your family.
Thank you again for your support and interest in the Bradt Family Society and don’t hesitate to contact me or any of your current officers/board members, please see our contact information in this publication.
Dan
Daniel Bradt
President, BFS
518.505.1479 (Call or Text)