---From a letter by Roger, dated May 1988.

My name is Roger Fontaine and I was born in Holyoke, MA and lived for many years in Chicopee Falls, MA. My father, Oscar and my grandfather, Emile were both born in Weedon, Quebec. Since 1981, I have been doing research on all of the FONTAINEs and plan on writing a book. I believe that this will be the first of its kind on all of the Fontaine families. I have so far found over four thousand names with dates and places of marriages. I am a descendant of the FONTAINE-BIENVENU family line. My first ancestor in North America was Pierre Fontaine and his nickname (nom de guerre) was Bienvenu which means Welcome.

However, there are so many FONTAINEs, it's incredible. Just in Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee phone book directory, there are one hundred and thirty-three FONTAINEs, thirty-five FOUNTAINs/ FOUNTAINEs, eighteen BIENVENUs/ BIENVENUEs and three WELCOMEs. In the Sherbrooke (Quebec Province, Canada) directory, there are more than three hundred and sixty FONTAINEs and four BIENVENUs/ BIENVENUEs. Which are related? No one knows. We should get organized!

Therefore, you are cordially invited to a family reunion-picnic of all the FONTAINEs held yearly. It is held on a Saturday in August at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Pavilion in the heart of Granby, MA. During the day, many games will be available for children of all ages. If you cannot attend all day, drop by for an hour or so. You are always welcome.

Besides the family reunion, I would like to inform you that I'm organizing an Association of all the FONTAINE families in North America. Its primary goal will be to link the different FONTAINE families and to help each other trace one's family tree. A yearly news letter will be sent to all of its members with information about the family reunion and a progress report on the FONTAINE book. Last year, I mailed out nearly four hundred letters to the FONTAINE families in the Sherbrooke, Quebec area and two hundred and fifty in my area. The results - 99 families are in the Association. This year, I plan on sending almost two thousand letters in the New England region and other parts of Quebec. In order for us to continue to increase our mailing list, the members of the Association suggested that a membership fee of five dollars per year, per family be donated. But this is just a suggestion. Anyone wanting to give more can do so or if anyone not able to afford so much can donate less and still belong to the Association.

If any funds are left over, those funds will go toward the printing cost of the FONTAINE book which hopefully will be printed by [20??] in commemoration of the three hundredth wedding anniversary of my first ancestor, Pierre Fontaine and [Marguerite Gentès (Pierre's second wife)].

And finally, do you have any suggestions of a name for the Association? At this year's picnic, all those present will decide on one and will elect a chairperson. Hope to see you there.

God bless you.
Sincerely,
Roger A. Fontaine
Acting chairperson of the Association of the Fontaines

*[my changes]