Dinga Family Reunion
Celebrating Family, Faith, and Slovak Heritage
Submitted by Yvonne Dinga Horner, Branch 200 Member
When three generations of siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, kids, and grandkids pack up from Tennessee, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio to meet in an off-the beaten path Ohio state park, you know something special is happening. This wasn’t going to be just a regular vacation. It was the grand Dinga Dynasty Family Reunion! These reunions are our way of celebrating our Slovak roots and the deep connections that keep our family strong across the miles.
We’ve been holding family reunions for decades, beginning back in the 1990s when our parents, aunts, and uncles organized family gatherings near their hometown of Ford City, PA. We have fond memories of these casual reunions, which typically included an abundance of Slovak dishes, a bottle or two of Slivovitz, as well as a cassette player or boombox playing lively polka music. As that generation passed on, we evolved the tradition into multi-day events that are both family vacations and reunions. We now choose scenic state parks with cabin rentals and picnic facilities, making it easier to relax, reconnect, and reminisce.
Our father affectionately dubbed us “The Dinga Dynasty,” a playful twist on the names of historic Chinese dynasties. Our surname, Dinga, traces back to the Považská Bystrica district of Slovakia. Our grandfather, Tomas Dinga, came to the United States in the early 1900s, married a Slovak girl named Johanna, and together they had seven children, six of whom lived on to have children and grandchildren of their own. Our grandfather was active in the Slovak community in their Pennsylvania town and was even an officer of the local Slovak Club, as well as a band member. Our dad was proud of his Slovak heritage and extended family, and we carry that pride with us today. At each reunion, we wear custom-made “Dinga Dynasty” t-shirts designed by one of our nieces, and we are all proud to be part of this ever-growing “dynasty.”
With most attendees arriving on Saturday, we officially kicked off our four-day event on Sunday morning with a special 9am Mass at a small-town Catholic parish about thirty minutes from our lodge. I contacted the parish eight months earlier to arrange for the Mass to be offered for both the living and deceased members of our family. The warm welcome from the priest and deacon (and a surprising personal connection) made it feel especially meaningful.
After Mass, we returned to the lodge for lunch with pre-ordered subs, snack trays, and lots of hugs as everyone began reconnecting. We displayed photos from past reunions and handed out welcome baskets filled with helpful information, a reunion schedule, Ohio-based goodies, and small family-themed keepsakes.
Throughout the week, the cabins and surrounding park were buzzing with activity. In addition to planned group events, there were smaller, spontaneous gatherings – wine tastings, morning stretches, walks, kayaking, jet ski rides, and evening dinners hosted at different cabins. The park also offered hiking trails, swimming pools, fishing, and more.
Our main group activities included the welcome lunch, the big reunion day event, a happy hour/cookout between neighboring cabins, and even a Goetta (Ohio/German food) tasting. Even when plans and logistics changed from what we were expecting, we adapted with gratitude and some quick decision-making. It was just one more chance to work together and make memories.
Tuesday was our big reunion day, and it almost didn’t go as planned. Months in advance we had rented two pavilions at a public beach for a cookout with live polka music. The day before the event we learned that the public restrooms were closed for renovation, and a heat wave was expected with temperatures climbing into the mid-90s. With more than 60 people attending, a heat wave, and no running water, we decided to look for a last-minute alternative.
Thankfully, a helpful manager found us a large indoor space at the lodge just in time. They filled the room with dining tables, and added buffet tables along the walls. We found room in the corner for the Polka band, which was a husband and wife duo. Our niece quickly ordered fried chicken to replace our grilling plans, and everyone pitched in with homemade sides, salads, and desserts. One culinary highlight was an authentic pot of Slovak goulash made by our nephew. That one dish reminded us how food connects us to our heritage and to one another.
After eating our fill, we pushed a few tables aside, and a dance floor emerged. The accordion player gave a quick polka lesson, and soon parents, grandparents, and kids were triple-stepping to “Roll Out the Barrel,” “Pennsylvania Polka,” and “In Heaven There Is No Beer.” The classic Chicken Dance packed the compressed dance floor, and even the shyest dancers joined in. Later, the band switched to DJ mode, playing favorites from the ’70s and ’80s and even leading some line dances.
One of our reunion highlights is “Dinga Jeopardy,” a custom trivia game featuring questions about our family history. Categories included family history, Slovak culture, classic Dad jokes, hometown memories, occupations and hobbies. It took lots of emails and collaboration to create enough questions to fill the game board, but our niece was determined to get it done! This year, we used an online Jeopardy platform with buzzers accessed through a smartphone app and automatic score keeping, adding a modern twist to our tradition. What was most touching was seeing younger family members comb through our family history books between rounds—eager to win, yes, but even more eager to learn where they came from.
We spent over seven hours together in that small room on our main reunion day, and yet there were still people who wanted to stay. Cousins and extended families, and members from all age groups lingered at tables, enjoying conversation, laughter, and stories. The sentiments left in our guestbook said it all: “Family is everything.” “We’re so thankful to be part of this amazing dynasty.” “Thank you for this labor of love.”
As Pope Francis beautifully put it, “Like the Holy Family of Nazareth, every family is part of the history of a people; it cannot exist without the generations who have gone before it.”
Our reunion honored those generations, and created joyful new memories to carry us forward. We left filled with gratitude and love, and proud to be part of a family whose love spans both miles and generations.