Happy Holidays!

Greetings to our Pitura / Petura Family Members,

It is indeed a privilege to write a few words of Welcome to our extended Family!

July 2010 would mark our sixth (6) year since our first Family Gathering in July 1995 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As you may recall, Carl was not a computer person and relied on rolls of paper to establish our early roots and Family Tree. However, since then we have created the “Pitura Family Gathering 2001 Recollections and Family Histories” that was first compiled by Ken and Barb Pitura Norton. It was a job well done!

New in 2007 was our website/blog/portal. The Pitura Portal is a separate, private, password protected site that will allow our family to stay in touch with each other and to build a lasting tribute to who we are and to honor the memory of those who came before us. For this we need to thank Alison Pitura Zulyniak and Valerie Pitura Harasym for their initiative and work on our family blog and a new means of communication. Again it was a job well done!

Take a moment to review past happenings:

1995 - First Pitura/Petura Family Gathering in Domain, Manitoba on the farm of Clara & Carl Pitura and Family.

1998 - Second Gathering in Okotokes, Alberta with our hosts Ed & Elizabeth Pitura and Family

2001 - Third Gathering in Cobble Hill, British Columbia and our hosts were Ken & Barb Pitura Norton and Family and Franklin & Evelyn Pitura of Winnipeg

2004 - Fourth Gathering in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and our hosts were the Descendants of Paul Vincent Petura – Carol Petura Maudie & Mary Maudie Dean and Families

2007 - Fifth Gathering in Winnipeg, Manitoba and our hosts were Carolynne Pitura and the Pitura Family Cousins

2010 - Sixth Gathering by website/blog/portal

What a journey! Full circle! A Great Blessing!

Also in February 1995, Clara and Carl were invited to a Family Gathering at Priscilla & Wilbur Ahrens, family of Frank & Bess Pitura, to get acquainted and do some promotional work re: the upcoming Family Gathering in Winnipeg that July. Other members of the family are Dorothy & Happy Berry, Audrey & Ken MacMillan and Mary & Al Edwards. Priscilla set a dinner table for 25 family members and more were added. Just a great visit!

In summary, Clara and Carl are happy to have been a small part of the first idea to generate a Family Gathering. Brother Walter, who helped with seed money, thought the odds were against us in bringing people together. However, he did wish us well in our efforts. During the First Family Gathering we were very thoughtful of the support of our family members who encouraged each other and worked diligently before and during the event.

And really - all of the other Pitura/Petura Clan Families who contributed and hosted Family Gatherings in their respective provinces or states over the years have done an amazing job. Without your support and enthusiasm we would not have had the success we did.

We are very proud of our Polish Heritage and look forward to our family histories and continuing to discover our “roots” into the next generation!

Till we meet again... Season Greetings and Best Wishes and May God Bless!

Sincerely,
Carl and Clara