By Joy Neighbors
 |
| Weber - Wagner Family Reunion |
Summer
is the perfect time for a family reunion, which may be why July is designated
as Family Reunion Month. French Lick Resort has been hosting family reunions,
large and small, for years thanks, in part, to a perfectly centralized location
for the Midwest.
According
to Tracey Galloway of Resort Group Sales, people hear about the resort in a
variety of ways. “They may email or call to inquire. Then there’s word-of-
mouth from others who have stayed. And of course, repeat business, which we
have a lot of. And once they come for a site visit, they’re in love with the
resort.” Galloway said that the resort can handle small gatherings to a
sold-out hotel. “It just depends on what the family wants,” she said.
 |
| Family Golf |
The
list of activities available on-site is amazing and can include golf, swimming,
utilizing the spas, bowling alley, bike rentals, horseback riding, tennis,
basketball and foot golf. There are also carriage rides, plenty of shopping,
historical tours, the casino and fifteen restaurants with shuttle service
available between two hotels and plenty of parking including handicap
accessible.
 |
| Historical Tour |
If
you’ve been putting off holding a family reunion because no one wants to handle
the planning, the resort is definitely your answer. When asked if it is easier
to work with a group that has an idea of what they want or one that has no
clue, Galloway said that either is great. “Once we’ve blocked their rooms, a
reunion planner will be assigned to work with them. These are the people who
will assist family members in deciding on meals and menus, what activities the
group want; it can be anything from horseback riding to scavenger hunts to
historical tours, a casino splurge or a spa-golf package. We help them be as
active or inactive as they want.” And themed reunions are also an option. “Our
planners can take a group’s ideas and make them come alive! We’ve had disco
nights, ethnic dinners, family game nights –just tell us what you’re thinking,”
Galloway said. “We’ve planned a Family Feud game, a bowling tourney, a family
golf outing and some great family banquets; we can make it happen!”
 |
| West Baden Atrium |
And
all of you procrastinators can relax. According to Galloway, there’s really no
time limit as to how far in advance you need to prepare for a family reunion at
the resort. “Earlier always give us time to plan more, but if you call and want
to hold a reunion next weekend, we can do it. We’re here to make your stay
memorable – we will make it happen,” Galloway said.
 |
| Family |
It’s
obvious that Galloway loves her job. When asked what the best part of the job
is for her, she replied, “Helping people create the kind of memories they
wanted. Family reunions are all about making memories, and I love to see the
family leave with awesome memories of their time here.”
