Waterloo and Elora

Jul 22-25, 2022
YYZ-YFC

My mother’s family has a tradition of large family reunions often built around wedding anniversaries. COVID caused us to miss a few milestones, but we decided to catch up when the opportunity presented itself. Having some spare time between roles, I helped to lead the planning, and was given a few days of vacation from my new employment to make sure the event went as planned.

Jul 22

For the Friday, we had an informal gathering at a hotel in St. Jacobs on the outskirts of Waterloo. We had a great turnout, but unfortunately some health and travel constraints meant that we had a few regrets.

Jul 23

During the day, we had no formal program, but I had fun exploring the St. Jacobs Farmers Market and returning to the University of Waterloo to see how much has changed since my last visit. In the evening, we had a catered dinner at the hotel with some speeches and a little bit of singing. We were also able to use Zoom to connect remotely with the relatives that couldn’t travel.

Jul 24

My mother’s family has roots in Southwestern Ontario in the nearby town of Elora. One of our ancestors was the founding minister at the Knox Presbyterian Church, and has a resemblance to my uncle. The current minister was a gracious host and allowed us to visit the church and her home.

After lunch near Elora, a number of family were able to stay behind for dinner near the hotel before everyone headed home.