May 19, 2021
Sue Colson has decided to retire from the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association Board. Her Aquaculture Association and industry fellows made certain that she knew, though officially retired, she was not finished with them.
They made certain of that when, at their May 19 Cedar Key Aquaculture Association Annual Meeting at the Cedar Key City Park pavilion, they celebrated Colson for her constant dedication and lengthy service.
At approximately 6:20 pm, Rosie Cantwell welcomed the group to the meeting, noting that the normal formalities will give way to fellowship and celebration, instead. Indeed, the outdoor setting, the balmy 80-degree weather, the food, and drink reinforced the collegial tone.
With his arm upon Sue Colson’s shoulder, Heath Davis reminded the group of their fellow waterwoman Harriet Smith. Some time ago, Harriet had come upon hard ties, as had many watermen then, but Harriet needed a boat to survive, as hers had been recently irreparably damaged. The resilient, frugal, collaborative solution tendered by her fellow watermen was to build her a boat…and that they did. Looking to Colson, Davis noted that Harriet was highly valuable to the Cedar Key community, “…as are you, Sue.”
Davis said that the Harriet situation reminded him of Sue Colson today. As they did with Harriet, all here banded together to provide Sue with her favorite means of transportation, both for her pleasure and her continue support of the aq1uaculture industry.
Many who come to town, often including legislators, state, and county officials, conservationists, etc., will often take a golf cart ride with Sue. Sue’s well-practiced, informative repertoire educates them about Cedar Key’s clam and oyster industry, its water sensitivity, its resiliency, and more. Davis said that some golf cart travelers with Sue have remarked that “twenty minutes with Sue on a golf cart is like two days with anyone else.”
And speaking of g of carts….the group proudly presented Colson with a new golf cart. The shiny slick black cart is replete with bells and whistles: it is street legal, has cameras in the rear-view mirrors, is equipped with seat belts, and contains a built-in battery recharger. The CKAA, the aquaculture industry, and friends, and fellows presented the cart.
Colson said, “This is beautiful; I’ve never had a new one!” After some oogling time had passed, Emily Colson quipped, “Just take the damned cart!” and move on with business. That Colson did.
Some of the attendees were: Peter Stefani, Lesli Sturmer, Mike and Beth Davis, Linda Seyfert, Chrs Reynolds, Mike Allen, Joey Cannon, Dave Malinowski, Rose Malinowski, Rosie Cantwell, Russ Colson, Emily Colson, Heath Davis, Mike Roach, Trish Thurman, Dan Solano, Sara Solano, and the elder Solano, Isabel, Gretchen Stone, Bobby Witt, and others unnamed.
The celebration was consummated with pizza, drinks, and fellowship.
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