For Immediate Release Media Contact: Pam Jones or Marjorie Beenders
January 6, 2010 Phone: 573-636-8282 « Email: pam@tbmg.net
Find All Your Reunion Requirements
at Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. – Every year, Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks hosts hundreds of reunions—family, class, club, military, neighbors, business. That’s because the Lake area offers everything a successful reunion requires, including a wide array of lodging, dining, activities and attractions for any group--and budget. Its central location makes it easily accessible by car – in fact, the Lake of the Ozarks is within a day’s drive for millions of people. And the Lake area’s natural beauty makes it the perfect setting for any gathering.
Full-Service Fun
Reunion groups have a wide selection of lodging options at the Lake of the Ozarks. The area offers approximately 7,000 accommodation units, including vacation home and condo rentals (with up to 4 or more bedrooms and fully equipped kitchens) and 1,500 campground spaces, plus B&B’s and houseboat rentals. Properties range from basic to luxurious; many are located on golf courses, and many offer special rates, amenities and meeting areas just for reunion groups.
In addition, several properties have designated staff who work closely with reunion groups, like Michele Burrows, director of sales at The Resort at Port Arrowhead in Lake Ozark. “Our resort is so family friendly, with a lot of fun and affordability built in. So it’s really a natural for family reunions,” she says. The resort hosts more than 50 reunions each year; groups reserve 10 to 50 to even 100-plus rooms. “The big thing here is the pool area,” Burrows says. “In the summertime our activities director arranges lots of fun events for kids, and families love our poolside Dive-In Movies.”
All groups who stay at The Resort at Port Arrowhead receive a designated welcome area, name badges and packets with area information, Burrows says. In addition, resort staff frequently help reunion groups plan special events complete with a meeting room, DJ and photographer. “Reunion groups also appreciate that kids age 19 and under stay for free, and those 12 and under dine for free at the resort’s award-winning Portside Restaurant (when accompanied by an adult),” Burrows says. “A lot of guests bring their pets, too.”
One family that can vouch for reuniting at The Resort at Port Arrowhead is the Barnard family of Missouri. This group of 20-plus adults and kids, now representing four generations, has held family reunions at the Lake of the Ozarks for 14 years—seven of those at The Resort.
““It’s been great. The resort is so kid-friendly. The grandkids love to play in the pool and enjoy the contests like biggest splash,” says “patriarch” Gary Barnard. “The restaurant is excellent and the staff are all fun and friendly.“
Barnard says the group mostly stays at the resort. “We love it that we don’t have to leave the premises to have a good time. Everybody does what they want to do. Some of the kids rent a boat and go water skiing and some rent jet skis. The adults hang out at the pool and the little ones enjoy the free mini-golf,” he says. “But we do venture out to the Osage Beach Premium Outlets and the Bagnell Dam Strip. The Resort is conveniently located to all of these activities.”
Another full-service resort that’s a popular reunion spot is Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club, Marina & Indoor Waterpark in Osage Beach, which typically hosts about 30 reunions a year, from small groups to 100 or more, says Director of Sales Ann Walters. “Our Timber Falls indoor waterpark has been a great attraction for reunion groups, as well as our on-site mini-golf, bowling alley, horseback riding, arcade and marina,” Walters says. Reunion groups also receive a complimentary registration area at check-in and a hospitality area.
Walters says a lot of reunion groups present talent shows or plan a themed event. “One huge family of about 200 people had an Arabian Nights evening. Everyone dressed up and the whole room was decorated. They even had a special menu and a belly dancer,” Walters says. “I love it when I see people wearing their family reunion t-shirts around the property.”
Tan-Tar-A’s reputation as a reunion site attracted Charles Grojean of Jacksonville, Ill., who arranged a reunion of about 40 people—age 3 to 85—at the resort over the 4th of July weekend. “We were looking for a place with a central location, driving distance from Texas, Colorado and Missouri,” Grojean says. “Tan-Tar-A put all of our rooms in the same location and set up a meeting facility for us at no charge, where we had all our meals and evening events.” He adds, “Everyone would meet at the pool and then do whatever they wanted, like go to the waterpark or rent a pontoon boat or wave runners. For three nights and four days we never left the property. Tan-Tar-A was perfect for us.”
Cozy & Comfortable
Many reunion groups prefer the coziness of a smaller, family-owned resort, like Dogwood Acres Resort in Sunrise Beach. This small, family-owned, pet-friendly resort hosts several family and golf-group reunions every year, says owner Lindy Steinmann. Reunion groups enjoy the resort’s Lakeside housekeeping cottages, fireplaces, indoor pool and hot tub and a marina with boat rentals. The spacious picnic area with a huge grill is a popular meeting spot for reunion groups.
One reunion that returns to Dogwood Acres annually is the self-titled “Safari Group,” which originated in 1974. Chris Woods, group “leader,” says the name is believed to be an acronym for Sun and Fun And Relaxation. The group of 30-50 men, age 20 to 70-plus, now includes the sons, grandsons and friends of the original organizers, who mainly resided in the Des Moines area. “Now we have guys from all over Iowa, plus Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois and even a couple from Florida and Colorado,” Woods says. They take over Dogwood Acres for five days. “It’s simply a bunch of guys hanging out,” Woods says. “Some play golf, most fish, and everyone plays cards. But mostly we look forward to the bull sessions on the fishing dock after dinner.” The group keeps coming back to Dogwood Acres “because the Steinmanns always make us feel at home and never like we’re being a hassle even when we know we are,” adds Woods. He even brings his own family to the Lake most summers “and we always stay at Dogwood Acres,” he says.
In addition, a family of 30 people, mainly from Illinois, has been holding reunions at Dogwood Acres in mid-July “for at least 25 years,” Steinmann says. “The guys in the family also come here to fish in the spring. In fact, one of them bought a house across the cove but he still comes here and rents a cottage for the reunions.”
The family-run Lone Oak Point Resort in Sunrise Beach also hosts several reunions every year. The resort has a multi-purpose room that holds up to 40, and a large sheltered area where groups eat, play games and visit, says owner Terri Humphrey. Guests also enjoy the indoor and outdoor pools, tennis and volleyball, fitness room and playground.
Humphrey says one family group of 60 people has been meeting at Lone Oak Point on the 4th of July for 15 years. “They come from Georgia, Kansas and Missouri primarily,” she says. “They have tennis tournaments and bring along their own minister who holds services for everyone who happens to be at the resort.” Another group that has met at Lone Oak Point for about 30 years comes from Bowen, Illinois. “It’s more than a family reunion, it’s like the whole town picks up and comes here,” Humphrey says. “They’re a fun group and they always show up with a lot of boats and wave runners.”
Humphrey notes, most reunions take place in summer, but it seems like more are occurring later in the year. Quite a few groups come for Thanksgiving,” she says. “They prepare their turkeys right here in our condos and just relax together.”
What to Do
The Lake of the Ozarks offers everyone from great grandpa to toddlers a wide array of opportunities for fun and relaxation--including indoor and outdoor water parks, go-karts, show caves, excursion boats, a live Opry show, arcades, museums, shrines, spas and state parks. And don’t forget water activities and championship golf—plus outstanding shopping, including antique and specialty stores, the historic Bagnell Dam Strip, and the 110-store Osage Beach Premium Outlets. Delectable dining ranges from hot dogs to haute cuisine, with more than 40 Lakefront restaurants.
For more information about holding your reunion at the Lake, as well as lodging, dining, shopping, festivals and events, please contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at (800) FUN-LAKE or visit www.funlake.com.
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