WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RINGWOOD?
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RINGWOOD?
A couple of years ago, I received an email from someone (cannot remember the details) but it was a fun list of comments under the heading … YOU KNOW YOU ARE FROM AUBURN, NY IF … Of course there were references to the prison and Wall Street, the BIG store, William Seward, Harriet Tubman, the Genesee Beer sign, Holland Stadium, Owasco Lake dances, Hunters Dinerant and more. One line stated something like this … You know you are from Auburn, NY if you were in school with a Ringwood, Hogan, Lattimore, Doyle, Delehanty … (You get the point.)
Auburn was filled with many big families but it really only seemed worth noting if the number of siblings was in the double figure range. All those families with 5, 6, 7, kids - well, that was average - normal. I grew up in an exceptional family. I was proud to be a Ringwood, proud of my parents, my brothers and sisters and even our beautiful home on Owasco Street. Teresa, well she was a skinny, happy, well-mannered, average girl that like to bake cookies, play kickball, swim in Foster’s pool and watch TV with Bernie - but Teresa Ringwood was part of an exceptional family. It’s true, both then and even now.
So, what does it mean to be Ringwood might be a theme that is examined in this website. Family members may try to define it through stories and photos. There will be shared and disputed thoughts that outline family folklore. Stories will be repeated, some will be resurrected and others will take on a new life. We may dabble in a bit of genealogy. It will be fun; but the really interesting piece to this project will be the take-away thoughts. Just think, 10 siblings, 10 partners, 35 children/cousins, 7 spouses, 12 little ones (as of 1.27.18) and there is no end. That, I suspect, will more broadly answer the question … What does it mean to be Ringwood?
THE RINGWOOD FAMILY TREE WEBSITE - January 2018
I have never done anything like this … a website, The Ringwood Family Tree website! But here I am, daily thinking about the organizational structure of this site, a recipient’s immediate reaction and navigation and most importantly CONTENT! And so the journey begins. As I approach 60 years, I anticipate lovely moments of reflection along with the temporary blunders and frustrations as I learn Squarespace and my Chromebook. I have named her Faith (yup, my Chrome has a name) and she exists as Faith to me because out of Faith (I believe) comes Hope. We all need a bit (and maybe a lot) of HOPE in this world!
How It Started …
“Someone needs to start a website!” ‘The contact sheet, those baby photographs, that newspaper clipping, that wedding website link, the caravaning couple, that piece of art, that music… they should be on a website so everyone could enjoy. ‘ “When is someone going to develop a Ringwood website?” I suppose those sentiments echoed within Andrew and Kevin Hoercher because this year they surprised me with the purchase of a website domain named RINGWOOD FAMILY TREE. Surprise ...that someone would be me! Andrew laughed, knowing that his Mom loves projects - especially at the start of a new year and Kevin calmly said that he would help me along the way. Andrew continues to smile as Kevin has been on the background of this template since before I even knew the likes of squarespace, the cloud, google drive and my drive. He has been my mentor and partner on this journey. Thank you Andrew and Kevin.
The Ringwood Family Tree Website Vision (or at least the START)
Over the course of this year (2018) my goal is to have some fun developing this website. A foundation will be built and I am open to ideas and suggestions. Certainly I will call upon my Ringwood family for contributions, help and ideas. A Blog, Sibling Spotlight, StoryCorp, Calendar & Contact, Ringwood Reviews, Awards, Music and Video are some starting features.
The Journey Begins ...
To my five siblings ahead of me (Nancy, Mike, Patty, Tom and Jack) and to my four siblings below me (Paul, David, Peter and Bob) thank for your being my best friends; with you I have never been alone or felt alone and because of you I am a very happy me - Sister Teresa (ha!)
Let’s have fun with this ride. Just think, perhaps along our journey someone with the last name Ringwood will stumble upon our website and think ... I know what it means to be Ringwood too.
Teresa - January 2018