Spooner Lake Island Oasis · Northwest Wisconsin
One private island. Seven nights. Every generation of the family in the same place, at the same time, for the first time in years.
July 1–8, 2027
Spooner Lake, Wisconsin
Every branch of the family
Lodging, meals and activities
Welcome
For one week in July, generations of the Rivard family will gather on the shores of Spooner Lake to reconnect, celebrate where we come from, and make something new together.
Stay all seven nights or join us for a single afternoon — we want every member of the family to feel included. Our time together will hold shared meals, lake afternoons, lawn games, family stories, slow mornings, late-night conversations, and plenty of room to simply enjoy one another.
This site will keep growing as plans firm up. Register your household, then check back for schedule, meal and travel updates.
We cannot wait to see you on the lake.
“The best inheritance a family can give is the memory of belonging.”
The Property
Spooner Lake Island Oasis — a three-acre private island reached by a short bridge, with 1,000 feet of western-facing shoreline and two hundred red pines overhead.
13,000 square feet · 21 bedrooms · sleeps our whole family
Room and bed assignments are coordinated after registrations are collected. Completing the RSVP does not reserve a specific room, but every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate accessibility needs, family groupings, children, couples and length of stay.
July 4 · The signature event
One day. Every generation. A full slate of mystery challenges that nobody has seen before — and nobody gets to see early. Teams are drawn before the reunion, flags are raised at 10:30 AM, and the scoreboard doesn't stop until the trophy is handed over.
The No Spectators Rule
No one sits on the sidelines. Every Rivard — young or old, athletic or not — will have opportunities to contribute. Some challenges require speed. Others require strategy, creativity, memory, communication, or teamwork. Everyone plays. Everyone matters.
Games day schedule
Opening Ceremonies
Team introductions · Team flags · Team photos · The Official Rivard Games Oath · Rules & scoring
The Rivard Games Begin
First block of mystery challenges.
Lunch Break
Refuel, regroup, plot your comeback.
Afternoon Competition
The second half. Point values change.
Awards Ceremony
Medals, bragging rights and the trophy.
Immediately following the Games, we roll straight into our July 4th festivities — cookout, bonfire and fireworks.
Classified
We aren't telling you what the competitions are. What we will tell you is that they are wildly different from one another. Every team competes across a run of mystery challenges, and each one rewards something else:
Nobody will be good at everything.
Everyone will be valuable somewhere.
What to expect
The categories, not the events. That's all you get.
Athletic Challenges
Speed, hustle, questionable form.
Puzzle & Logic
Somebody on your team is about to be a hero.
Creative Challenges
Make something. Make it fast.
Teamwork
You cannot do this one alone.
Accuracy & Precision
Steady hands earn points.
Ridiculous Challenges
Dignity is not scored.
Luck
Sometimes the universe just picks a team.
July 4th Fun
Red, white and blue nonsense.
Team format
Every family member is assigned to a team ahead of the reunion. Kids and adults compete together — the slate is built so that every age group, from the youngest cousins to the grandparents, has events where they can win points for their team.
Winning won't come down to being the fastest or the strongest. The champion will be the most well-rounded team.
Awards
Medals. Bragging rights that last until 2028. And a permanent Rivard Games trophy engraved with the winning team — the first name on it stays there forever.
Team Captain
One Rivard to rally everyone (and argue the scoring).
Team Name
Revealed at Opening Ceremonies.
Team Color
Wear it. Loudly.
Team Flag
Designed and raised before the first event.
Team Chant
Yes, you will have to perform it.
Team Scoreboard
Updated live all day long.
Live scoreboard
Scores appear here on July 4.
Scores go live the morning of the Games.
You have absolutely no idea what's about to happen. That's the point.
Tentative
A rhythm, not a rulebook. Everything here is tentative and will be refined as plans are confirmed.
Arrivals and room check-in
Welcome snacks and property orientation
Casual welcome cookout
Opening family gathering
Kids’ welcome scavenger hunt
Cousins meet each other while finding landmarks around the property.
Story hour by the fire for the youngest cousins
Campfire and s’mores
The schedule is intentionally flexible. Final activity times will be shared closer to the reunion.
Meals
Most meals are prepared and eaten together. Every menu below is built to be inexpensive per head, easy to prep in bulk with a couple of volunteers, and forgiving if people eat in shifts.
Every menu is built to land between $4 and $20 per person, prep in bulk with two or three volunteers, and hold well so nobody is cooking while everyone else is at the lake.
Dinner
$7–9 per personWelcome Cookout
Burgers, brats and hot dogs off the grill, black-bean burgers, baked beans, pasta salad, watermelon and cookies
Bulk prep · Patties portioned and stacked ahead, buns and toppings on a single line. Grill in waves so late arrivals still eat hot. Leftover patties reheat for Friday lunch.
Breakfast
$4–5 per personSheet-Pan Breakfast
Egg and hash-brown casserole, sausage links, yogurt, fruit bowls, coffee and juice
Bulk prep · Casseroles assembled the night before and baked in two large pans. Holds warm for two hours; squares reheat perfectly the next morning.
Lunch
$5–7 per personSandwich Bar
Deli turkey, ham and roast beef, cheeses, hoagie and gluten-free rolls, lettuce, tomato, pickles, spreads, chips and a big garden salad
Bulk prep · Zero cooking. Trays laid out once, grazed all afternoon, and everything left over becomes cooler food for lake day.
Dinner
$6–8 per personFoil-Wrapped Taco Night
Seasoned ground beef and shredded chicken tacos wrapped individually in foil, plus a full taco bar with beans, cilantro-lime rice, corn and flour tortillas, chips, salsa and toppings
Bulk prep · Meat cooked in two stockpots, tacos rolled in foil so kids and late swimmers can grab one whenever they come up from the dock. Foil packs hold heat for over an hour in a warming cooler.
Breakfast
$3–5 per personPancake Line
Pancakes off two griddles, sausage, scrambled eggs and fruit
Bulk prep · One big batter bucket, griddles running in shifts. Extra pancakes stack in foil and reheat as an afternoon kid snack.
Lunch
$5–7 per personPulled Pork Sandwich Bar
Slow-cooked pulled pork and pulled chicken, slider buns, coleslaw, pickles, two sauces, chips and fruit
Bulk prep · Shoulders go in slow cookers overnight and hold on warm all day. One of the cheapest ways to feed a crowd; leftovers become nachos or quesadillas.
Dinner
$4–6 per personBig Pot Spaghetti
Spaghetti and meatballs, marinara, a butter-Alfredo pot for picky eaters, Caesar salad, garlic bread and brownies
Bulk prep · Sauce simmers all afternoon in one stockpot, pasta cooked in two batches. Cheapest dinner of the week and reheats beautifully for Sunday lunch plates.
Breakfast
$4–5 per personBiscuits and Gravy
Biscuits, sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes and fruit
Bulk prep · Gravy in one large pot, biscuits baked on sheet pans in rotation. Feeds a big crowd cheaply and holds in a warming tray.
Lunch
$5–7 per personPicnic Grazing Table
Hot dogs and brats, grilled chicken, watermelon, chips, potato salad and cut vegetables
Bulk prep · Grill once, serve out of foil pans on the patio so people eat whenever they come off the water.
Dinner
$9–12 per personFourth of July Barbecue
Smoked chicken and pork, baked macaroni and cheese, baked beans, corn on the cob, salad and sheet-pan dessert
Bulk prep · The one splurge meal of the week. Meats smoke all afternoon; sides bake in disposable pans that go straight to the table.
Breakfast
$4–5 per personBreakfast Burrito Bar
Scrambled eggs, potatoes, sausage, peppers, cheese, salsa and tortillas
Bulk prep · Fillings cooked in three pans, burritos rolled in foil. Extras freeze or sit in the fridge for anyone who sleeps in.
Lunch
$4–6 per personBaked Potato Bar
Baked russet potatoes with chili, broccoli, cheese, bacon, sour cream, butter and green onion, plus a side salad
Bulk prep · Potatoes bake in the oven by the dozen and hold in a cooler for hours. Toppings are all make-ahead and let every dietary need build their own plate.
Dinner
$5–7 per personChicken and Rice Bake
Chicken and rice casserole, roasted vegetables, rolls and dessert
Bulk prep · Four large pans assembled in the afternoon and baked together. Portions cleanly and reheats for lunch.
Breakfast
$3–5 per personFrench Toast Casserole
Baked French-toast casserole, sausage, fruit and yogurt
Bulk prep · Soaked overnight, baked in the morning in two pans. Very low effort for a large group.
Lunch
$4–5 per personWalking Tacos
Individual corn-chip bags with taco meat, beans, cheese, lettuce and salsa
Bulk prep · No plates, no cleanup, portable to the dock. Reuses Friday's taco meat method and scales infinitely.
Dinner
$4–6 per personChili and Cornbread
Beef chili, white chicken chili, cornbread, baked potatoes and a toppings bar
Bulk prep · Two stockpots, made ahead and better the second day. Doubles as late-night food after the talent show.
Breakfast
$4–6 per personLake Morning Breakfast
Eggs, bacon, hash browns, oatmeal bar and fruit
Bulk prep · Sheet-pan bacon and hash browns in the oven rather than the stovetop so one person can run the whole service.
Lunch
$0–3 per personClean-Out-the-Fridge Buffet
Leftovers from the week, sandwich fixings, soup and fruit
Bulk prep · Deliberately planned so nothing bought earlier in the week is wasted.
Dinner
$8–10 per personRivard Family Farewell Dinner
Grilled chicken and pasta with two sauces, big salads, garlic bread and a dessert table of family recipes
Bulk prep · Cooked mostly in advance so organizers can sit down with everyone else. Dessert is potluck from the households.
Breakfast
$3–4 per personContinental Send-Off
Pastries, bagels, yogurt, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice
Bulk prep · Nothing cooked on checkout morning. Set out on one counter and packed down in ten minutes.
Final menu items may change based on attendance, allergies, kitchen logistics, food costs and volunteer availability. A meal is never labelled “allergy safe” unless an organizer has manually verified it.
Please disclose every allergy and dietary requirement during registration. Preferences are considered, but serious allergies must be clearly identified so organizers can follow up directly.
Activities
Plan as much or as little as you like. Some activities are confirmed, others are still being scoped.
Open lake swimming from the shoreline and dock area.
Shoreline and dock fishing. Bring your own tackle if you can.
Paddle the quiet bays in the early morning calm.
Stand-up paddleboards available at the waterfront.
Pickup games on the sport court.
Casual round-robin play throughout the week.
Lawn boards set up near the fire pit.
Mixed-age teams, silly events, one champion household.
Property-wide hunt for younger cousins and their teams.
Rivard history, lake facts, and questionable memories.
Indoor game tables in the great room.
Evening euchre, cribbage and whatever else starts.
Theater room or outdoor screen, weather permitting.
Open-mic night for anyone brave enough.
Supervised craft table during quiet afternoon hours.
One full-family portrait on the lawn. Everyone, please.
Nightly fire at the shoreline pit.
Supplies provided each evening while they last.
Recorded family stories and history collection.
Coffee, a chair, and the water. Nothing scheduled.
Optional trips into Spooner and nearby attractions.
A supervised block each morning so parents get an hour: crafts, games and a snack, run by rotating volunteer adults.
Dock fishing contest with prizes for biggest, smallest and weirdest catch. Loaner rods available.
Afternoon free-for-all on the lawn. Bring a change of clothes.
Shoreline building contest plus painted lake rocks that get hidden around the property.
Plain shirts and dye buckets on the grass. Shirts dry overnight and go home with you.
Guided loop around the property with a printed card of things to spot: loons, eagles, frogs, pinecones.
Kid-scaled events inside the Family Olympics: sack race, egg toss, three-legged race and a relay.
Little helpers build their own pizzas, walking tacos or dessert cups before dinner service.
After-dark games on the lawn with glow sticks, once the sun finally goes down.
Early campfire slot for the youngest cousins with books, songs and s’mores before bedtime.
Kids interview grandparents and glue together a reunion scrapbook page that stays with the family.
Game room reserved for teens after the little ones go down: cards, console games, snacks.
Opening set of the talent show reserved for anyone under 13 who wants the stage.
Backup plan when the weather turns: craft bins, board games and a kids’ movie in the theater.
Children must be supervised by a responsible adult around the lake, docks, pool, hot tubs, boats, lofts, recreation equipment and outdoor areas. The reunion organizers are not providing professional childcare or lifeguard services.
Travel
The exact property address and arrival instructions will be shared privately with registered households before the reunion.
Approximate reunion area — Spooner Lake, Wisconsin. The pin is approximate — the exact address and gate instructions are sent privately to registered households.
Open the area map in a new tabMost households will want a vehicle on the island. We encourage nearby relatives to coordinate carpools.
Submit flight details through the RSVP form if you may need help getting from the airport.
Pickup is not guaranteed. Organizers will try to coordinate rides based on volunteer availability.
Everything below is within a short drive of the property. Distances are approximate — please confirm hours before you count on a place being open.
Grocery
Full-size supermarket on Highway 63 — the main stop for bulk groceries, ice and produce runs.
About 10–15 min from the property
Grocery & general goods
Best option for a big-box restock: paper goods, coolers, air mattresses, cheap bulk food.
About 45 min south
Quick stop
Snacks, milk, bags of ice, charcoal, sunscreen and last-minute forgotten items.
About 10–15 min
Pharmacy
Prescription fills and over-the-counter medicine. Bring your insurance card and call ahead for transfers.
About 15 min
Urgent care
Walk-in care for stitches, swimmer's ear, sprains and the usual reunion mishaps.
About 15 min
Hospital & emergency
24-hour emergency department. For any emergency call 911 first — responders will direct you.
About 15 min
Fuel
Several stations in and around Spooner, including options with diesel and propane exchange.
About 10–15 min
Restaurants
Good escape valve for a night off from group meals. Larger parties should call ahead.
About 15 min
Bait & outdoors
Live bait, licenses, tackle and honest advice on what the fish are hitting.
About 15 min
Attractions
Scenic train excursions, tubing and paddling outfitters — good rainy-day or half-day outings.
15–30 min
Kids & rainy day
Playgrounds, splash areas and a quiet indoor option when the little ones need a reset.
About 15 min
Laundry & services
Useful mid-week for towels, swimsuits and anything that breaks on a property this size.
About 15 min
Reunion crew
Every job on the island is claimable — kitchen, boats, campfire, kids, photos, garbage runs, the works. Browse what's open here, then claim your spot in step 8 of the RSVP form.
Before you go
A final packing list will be emailed to registered households closer to the reunion.
Questions
Organizer contact details will be published here once confirmed.
One registration per household
Two days or the whole week — we want to know you're coming, so we can plan beds, meals, shirts, activities and rides.
Add the reunion week to your calendar
Questions? Reunion planning committee