The CK Old Timers Reunion made good use of the newly opened Thelma McCain Cook Pavilion at 19th annual gathering of old time Cedar Key Families on Saturday March 10. The idea that the Old Timers should get together for a something other than funerals was the reason Mack and Thelma McCain and John Andrews started the Old Timers Reunion. But, it is the camaraderie, love, fun and food that has kept people attending. There are always over 100 in attendance with as many as 180 attending some years.
Gayle Locke said it was tradition to have fried mullet and swamp cabbage. It was my first look at swamp cabbage. The cabbage Locke was cooking was sort of sweet. Locke said that some people add sausage or bacon when they cook the swamp cabbage. James McCain, John Summers and Louie Locke sacrificed hours out fishing for the mullet to feed the group. James and Kathy McCain and John Summers made good use of the shed frying the fish and hushpuppies.
The names of Old Timers who passed away last year were read. The names listed included: Courtney Alchery, Robert Bostick, Bill Cook, Wesley Fine, John Gilbert McCain, Todd Wilder, Vernon Castell, David Crutchfield, James Freddie Crutchfield, Neal Booth, Dave Miller Fennell, Juanel Miller Ethcot, Reba Jeanette Jordan, Larry Watson, Priscilla Roland, Ronald Sessel, Ronald Summers, Todd Wilder, Mary Watson and Mary Oakes. A moment of silence was observed in memory of the Old Timers who died last year.
All were encouraged to mark the date of next year’s reunion, March 9. How fitting that the first use of the Thelma McCain Cook Pavilion was to continue a tradition that Thelma introduced.
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