Every year on Labor Day Weekend, my family holds a reunion in a small town in Indiana. Usually all living siblings of my dad’s father attend, along with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. This celebration of family has been taking place for the past 40 years making memories, filled with fun activities for all ages and unconditional love and acception, it never disappoints.

Forty years ago, my great grandfather decided to hold a family reunion for his desendents at his home, in Putnam County, Indiana. This property sits on a hill, in the ever so flat Indiana, giving the reunion the name of “Hill Day”. Considering all eight of his children were gone from home, and quickly spreading country wide, he wanted at least one weekend a year to come together and be one as a family. Since this decision, Hill Day has grown to be an important part of almost all of his desendent’s lives. The memories made at Hill Day are ones that aren’t forgotten.

Hill Day is filled with fun activities, for adults, children, both, and every age in between. The first organized activity of the weekend takes place Saturday and it is the penny scramble. The penny scramble consists of kids under the age of ten, digging through saw dust to find coins to put into their paper sacks. On Sunday we have a piñata for young kids. Each year a branch of the family is assigned the job of making the piñata. Sunday night we have an auction, filled with crafts made by my family, to raise money towards sustaining the Hill. Afterwards, we have an award ceremony where all parents of children and young adults, stand up and brag about their kid’s accomplishments. Also we brag on the people that aren’t able to make it to the reunion. Each child receives an award, a ribbon or trophy.

Every year my family comes together after not seeing each other for months, acting like we just saw each other yesterday. There’s never a quite moment at the Hill. Every minute contains, a laugh, a song, a fall, a squeal, or the noise of my uncles starting up the tractors for our hay rides. In everyone’s eyes, there is love and care. The kind of love that will never fade or be questioned. While we have our drama just like everyone else, we truly do enjoy each other.

Hill Day is a time of year that has been very dear to my heart for as long as I can remember. I know that most families don’t even know their third or fourth cousins, let alone feel close to them. Between all the memories, activities, and mushy moments we all feel that same special feeling every time we arrive at the Hill. It’s very hard to feel alone when with such an amazing family that you know loves you.