Too often life pulls families in different directions. Work, responsibilities, and daily pressures make it easy to drift apart. For Michael Fountain Jr., family matters. When he saw that distance happening within his maternal family, he sought to arrest that trend. He conceived what he terms an “intentional pause” that he dubbed “Kempolympics” – an opportunity for descendants of his Andros, Kemp family to reconnect, laugh, compete, tell stories, and strengthen the bonds that hold their family together.
The competitive three-day “Kempolympics” was held for the second year over the Easter holiday weekend. Showing up were the elders, the children and grandchildren; cousins, nieces, nephews, and extended family who make the family what it is, and who are carrying the legacy forward for the Brown, Russell, Fountain, Carroll, Nicoll, and Cooper families.
While the event is technically a family reunion, Fountain said they don’t refer to it as such.
“‘Kempolympics’ reminds us that family is not something we say — we prove it by being there for each other. It’s all about having a good time and knowing what family is about, and bringing that bond back,” said Fountain.
The April 3-5 weekend was a competitive coming together that included an opening ceremony, relay races, silly challenges, team competitions, surprise games, and family showdowns.
They competed in games like box drop, drunken Easter egg hunt, roll your color race, pool scavenger hunt relay, water basketball, pass the water, sort it out, sing that word, water relay, pool pop and catch, box hole, and shot roulette.
The blue team, proved to be the best Kemp family this year to claim the win, but for Fountain, it was about his family members showing up, being present, and creating memories that would last beyond the weekend.
“If we’re being honest, the real win had nothing to do with scores,” said Fountain. “What made this special was the connection. Family members who hadn’t seen each other in years were able to catch up, share stories, and relive old memories. New relationships were formed, and for many of our kids, it was their first time truly meeting and engaging with the wider family. This wasn’t just a reunion, it was a full reconnection — the kind that reminds you who your people are and why it matters. That’s the real outcome,” he said.
“I lost my father [Michael Fountain, Sr.] last year, and there were so many things I wished I had said to him, and did with him. At one point, I hadn’t talked to him in a year, and then one day, he was dead, and that still bothers me.”
Fountain, who grew up on Grand Bahama with his cousins, said as they grew up, married, and had children, the drift began. He said that many of the cousins did not know each other’s children. He did not like that.
Fountain said they decided to get together so that the children could meet and know their family.
“Over the last four years, we’ve buried so many people, and the only time we got together was at the funeral,” he said.
“The older folks are now passed, and my mom, Shurin Brown, 71, is now the matriarch in the family. We wanted a reunion, but didn’t want an event that was drawn out and boring.”
The first “Kempolympics” was held in 2025 — about 70 people participated. This year, he said the turnout was over 100 people, which he was pleased with.
“I felt really good. We accomplished what we wanted. We had people come from the States and the other islands, including distant relatives.”
Even though the idea of “Kempolympics” originated with him, Fountain said they implemented a five-person committee after the first year.
“This year was just amazing — the comradery, meeting people I didn’t know was family, coming together and talking stories. We found out during the year of planning that people were related to us, and they showed up. And that was the amazing part.
“At its core, Kempolympics is more than just a weekend of games, food, and friendly competition. It is about connection. It is about bringing the Kemp family together — across generations, across households, and across distances — and reminding ourselves who we are and where we come from.”
Fountain said his family has scheduled “Kempolympics” as an annual event to be held every Easter weekend moving forward.
