BRENDA BROWN: Family reunions

Published 9:49 am Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Years ago, Labor Day weekend signaled the attending of a family reunion that was dedicated to the relatives of Otto’s maternal grandmother. The gathering was held at the Kinchafoonee Sportsman Club in Webster County, where several family members held a lifelong membership. The club name comes from the nearby creek that begins near Buena Vista and flows over ninety miles, ending when it merges with the Flint River near Albany, Georgia. 

There was a calendar on the back wall of the building that was the official booking for reservations, and one of Otto’s uncles put the date on the calendar each year. It was the site of birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, family and class reunions, when the club was not reserved for hunting and camping gatherings. The site was perfect for all kinds of groups because it included indoor and outdoor space that could accommodate masses of people.

The holiday was near the birthday of Lorene Johnson Woody; therefore, it was hosted by her sons and daughters, Earl Woody, Irene Clay, Joe Woody, Myrtle Murray, Nadine Bridges and Mackey Woody. They prepared and provided the pork barbecue along with traditional Brunswick stew, and the other attendees contributed fresh vegetables, casseroles, assortments of salads and various side-dishes, and of course luscious cakes, pies and other sweet treats.

There was fried chicken, deviled eggs, pimento cheese sandwiches, potato salad and enough sweet tea to satisfy all those thirsty children. By the time the tables were prepared, the kids were dusty with dirty hands and a stomach that was ready to taste test all the delights that were on display.  If anyone left hungry, it was their fault because there was always enough food to feed an army of kinfolks.

The preparation began when the men gathered to cook the pork barbecue and ingredients for the Brunswick stew. Otto’s mom, Myrtle Woody Brown Murray, adored the family reunion and looked forward to it every year. She prepared food for days at her house and then put on an apron and worked for hours at the site to make sure everything was ready for the gathering. 

She chopped barbecue and assisted with the complicated recipe for the stew, set up tables, poured tea and helped clean up. It made her happy to spend quality time with the people she loved.

Every year I composed a newspaper article and submitted photographs that were published in the Stewart Webster Journal. There was a family scrapbook that was passed around that documented all the good times. Horseshoes was the outdoor game of choice but there were other events such as hayrides, relay races, and games of hide and go-seek. 

Sometime around noon there was a recognition of the oldest and youngest in attendance. During the blessing of the food, there was a touching remembrance for those who had passed away that year.

We endured the gnats and the heat and humidity of southwest Georgia because it was what we did to honor our relatives and celebrate Labor Day.