We have completed the required software updates on the BFA web site. Thankfully, the maintenance downtime was not excessive. We apologize for any inconvenience in downtime while these activities were being completed.

While we’re all busy doing family history research (you do that as your main hobby or job, right?), it’s not too early to think about sharing with family members for the holidays, and the Bunker Family Association has a perfect way to do that this year.

Books and CDs are listed on our publications page, but this year we have some specials on our Devon and Bedford Bunkers Books in electronic form:

Books on Compact Disc
Send $25.00 check for one book on a CD
(10% discount on CDs to BFA members)

Books now available on USB flash drive
Send $25 check for one book on a USB flash drive
or $35 for both books on one USB flash drive.
All prices include postage – mail to:
Bette Bunker Richards, 1655 W. Ajo #399,
Tucson, AZ 85713-6632 <betterichs@live.com>.

® Indicate whether you want a CD or USB ®
® Indicate which book/s you want ®

Holiday Special

Two (2) Bunker Family History books, pub 1984
by Henry L. Bunker, III for $25.00, incl. postage.
Mail check to BFA Office
9 Sommerset Road
Turnersville, NJ 08012-2122

Bunker Family Centennial
June 13-19, 2013
Holiday Inn Boston, Somerville
30 Washington St., Somerville MA 02143
1-800-HOLIDAY
Ask for Bunker/Breed rate

We shall stay at the Holiday Inn, Somerville (AAA rates it three Red Diamonds), it’s a mere mile and a half from the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown. You may book a single or double at $129 and receive a complimentary buffet breakfast, free parking and free Wi-Fi internet in the meeting room & guestroom. There is a restaurant and full bar on the premise and the free large function room will accommodate all the Bunker/Breed cousins and displays.

June 14 – The Nantucket day-long trip should be a winner. The excursion will include a 90 minute bus tour of the island, and still leave about 4 ½ hours to visit the Historical Society, hopefully a few former Bunker homes, do lunch or just explore the island. Nantucket was home to many Bunker whaling captains and countless seamen,  however, this will be the first “official” visit by the BFA.

June 15 – We’ll get a late start the following day but allow time to visit the Dover graveyards, dedicate the Memorial Bench, explore the museum and have a early dinner at Newick’s on Dover Point. A good night’s sleep may be necessary before the big parade on Sunday (16^th) through Charlestown.

The outcome of the war between the Colonialists and the Redcoats was decided 237 years ago, but the battle between the Bunkers and Breeds will remain in limbo until next year. We need your helping hands on the “rope of recognition.”

More than anything else, the BFA needs an early commitment to attend our week-long 100th birthday party. BFA President Gil Bunker said, “Knowing the complete package may be too much for some, I would appreciate your loyalty if only for a few days. Please let me know your intent.”  Send an e-mail to Gil (gilbunker@snip.net).

The Bunker Banner is in the mail to members, and contains a survey regarding electronic distribution as well as information needed for planning the 2013  reunion.

The survey form is also available to members here.

The August edition of the Bunker Family Association’s quarterly newsletter was distributed electronically to more than 40 members of the BFA who initially responded to an effort to reduce expenses by opting to receive the newsletter via e-mail.

Printing and postage expenses are reduced when members receive their Banner’s electronically, and delivery is actually faster than waiting for the Banner to arrive in the mail. BFA President Gil Bunker produces the multipage newsletter meticulously each quarter and creates it using Adobe Pagemaker.  The file is then sent to the printed for production and mailing.  The Pagemaker file is easily converted to an Adobe PDF file, and can be attached to e-mail to the BFA’s new distribution list. Members only can opt to receive electronic copies, which are password protected, via the new software on the BFA web site.

If you are a BFA member, and want to take advantage of this, please send an e-mail to Gil (gilbunker@snip.net) or web master Doug Detling (doug.detling@gmail.com), and we’ll set you up.

In an effort to reduce expenses from mailing our multi-page quarterly newsletters (the Bunker Banner), we are making available to members options to receive the newsletter electronically via e-mail attachments and downloads.  The BFA officers are working on a proposal that members who elect to receive newsletters via electronic means (e-mailed directly) will qualify for discounted annual membership fees.

The newsletters will be password protected and accessible to members only.

Download a sample copy of the Bunker Banner (the February 2011 edition).  This file and other editions of the Banner, including the upcoming August edition, are posted on the Bunker Banner page.

If you are a Bunker Family Association member (membership will be verified) and wish to view this file electronically and receive future editions via e-mail, send an e-mail to the web site coordinator (doug.detling@gmail.com) requesting that.

The password to this sample will be sent in response, and we will add you to the separate e-mail list. Once added, you will receive future Banners beginning with the first issue after September 1 (the August Banner is scheduled for mailing shortly).

Please copy BFA President Gil Bunker (gilbunker@snip.net) on your e-mail to me, but we ask that you do not send a message to the Bunker list at Rootsweb.

Due to rising costs, the Bunker Family Association has had to raise the price of its CDs outlining the Devon and Bedford Bunker families.  Effective immediately the price of these CDs will be $25, including postage. Members of the Association, however, will receive a 10% discount on either or both discs, making the price to members $22.50.

Either or both CDs may be ordered by mailing a check or money order to Bette Richards, 1655 W. Ajo #399, Tucson, AZ 85713.   Please specify Devon CD or Bunker CD, or both. See our publications page for description of the contents.

Shirley Howell has passed along an updated program for this year’s Bunker Family Reunion to be held June 13-17 in Salt Lake City. BFA Members should note these details are different than those mailed earlier with the Bunker Banner.

Day 1: Wednesday June 13, Arrival
6+ p.m.  Sign in Host Room: orientation materials, auction items put on display
7:30 p.m. Optional: visit Tabernacle Choir rehearsal 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Day 2: Thursday, June 14 Breakfast on own
9 a.m. Bus Tour
Cruise Downtown
State St. North: City Center
State Capitol: Stop at Mormon Battalion Marker
South and turn on South Temple: Beehive, LDS
Temple Square
9:45 I-80 to Great Salt Lake turnoff near Saltair
Get acquainted on bus
10:15 Fifteen minute photo op with GSL in background
10:30 Leave for Kennecott Pit
DVD re Great Salt Lake
11:15 Kennecott Pit for 40 minutes
noon  Leave for Snowbird resort
1:15 Snowbird Lunch
Tram Ride
4:00 Reboard Bus, drive to Hotel
5:15 Return to Hotel
Dinner and evening on own
8:00-9:30 (optional) Tabernacle Choir Rehearsal

Day 3: Friday, June 15
9 a.m. Walk to Family History Library,
9:15 Family History Library Tour and Orientation
10:00 Tour Temple Square
12:30 Lunch: Lion House
1:30 Beehive House
2:30 Joseph Smith Building
6:30 Banquet
BFA Business, Auction
Speaker: Gaylen Bunker, “Edward Bunker and Pioneering the West.”

Day 4: Saturday, June 16
9:00 Board Vans
9:45 University of Utah/Rio-Tinto Kennecott Utah
Museum of Natural History
(spectacular new museum, with major dinosaur skeletal remains)
11:00 Board vans
11:15 Tour spectacular Red Butte Gardens
12:00 Board vans Board Bus
12:30 Return to Hotel
Afternoon on Own
Gateway
City Creek Center
Family History Library
LDS Church Museum
7:00 Celebrating Edward Bunker (Program)
___BFA Promotion of 2013 Boston Reunion
___Musical Number; Sharlene Wells Hawkes
___Powerpoint Presentation: Bill Hartley, “Edward Bunker’s Infantry Service in the Mexican War, Ft. Leavenworth to Santa Fe to San Diego”
address:  3051 South 2900 East Salt Lake City, Utah

Day 5: Sunday, June 17 On your own
9:30 to 10:00 Tabernacle Choir broadcast (be there at 9:00)

Reunion Registration   by  May 1st
Lodging: Salt Lake Plaza at Temple Square
122 W.  South Temple  1-801 521-0130
free shuttle   S. L Plaza Hotel ( call at Kiosk)
You must make your own hotel
reservations. Ask for rooms reserved at a
special  Bunker Family rate.
Room rate:  $82.  1-2 beds,   1-2 people
after May 1st , rooms  if space available

TRAX,  downtown train ,is free within downtown and runs
right past the hotel, New City Creek Mall, and The Genealogy Library.

Reunion Registration
Single Person $20
Couple $30 $______
Bus Tour June 14 $40 ea $______
Lion House Lunch $20 ea $______
BFA Banquet $50 ea $______
Van to Sites June 16 $20 ea $______
Total For Events $______

Make check payable to:
Bunker Family Assoc SLC

Send Registration to:
Shirley Howell
38 West 1600 South
Orem, Utah 84058

If you haven’t registered for RootsTech 2012 yet, you will want to do so by January 13th to take advantage of the special discount price of $149. The RootsTech 2012 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, is a dynamic, one-of-a-kind event.

It is designed to bring technologists together with genealogists of all skill levels, so they can learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today; hence the lineup of speakers this year from Google, Instructure, Ancestry.com, and FamilySearch!

Check out these exciting evening events:

Thursday, February 2: Exercise your Funny Bone with Comedian Ryan Hamilton
Friday, February 3: Late Night at the Family History Library

Of course, attending RootsTech 2012 is a great excuse to spend some productive research time at the Family History Library any time you want. The RootsTech 2012 Conference venue is practically adjacent to the conference venue in Salt Lake City! Come early, stay late, plan to satisfy your research needs.

Go to RootsTech 2012 to explore the full list of topics, sessions, speakers, and conference offerings.

Take advantage of the special registration rate now. We look forward to seeing you at RootsTech!

Don’t Miss the Final $149 Discount Rate for RootsTech 2012 in Salt Lake City!

A new family history and technology conference
    February 2-4, 2012
    Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
    The special discount ends January 13, 2012.

RootsTech is sponsored by Microsoft, Dell, FamilySearch, Oracle, the National Genealogical Society, brightsolid, Ancestry.com, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Archives.com, Brigham Young University, and the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Best wishes to all from the officers of the Bunker Family Association for a safe and prosperous new year in 2012.  We look forward to sharing more information about our heritage, and helping others trace their family trees.