Food, family, and fun

Summer is time for family reunions as well as co-op annual meetings

One of my favorite summer activities is going to a family reunion. My mother would always buy my brothers and me a new pair of shoes with matching shorts and shirts. That was not my favorite part of the reunion, but I think it was her favorite part.

What makes for a good family reunion?

First, you need great food. There’s nothing better than fried chicken and grilled burgers. The spread of food fills up several picnic tables—everything from baked beans, potato salad, corn pudding, and all the fixings, concluding with a tremendous table of desserts. My dad made the best potato salad in the world. He said he had a special ingredient, and come to think of it, he still hasn’t told me what it is. I think it is cinnamon.

Second, you need to have family. This may seem obvious, but as time moves on and the family members you are fondest of can no longer make it to the reunion, there can be a sense of emptiness.

I remember my grandfather’s siblings coming from all over the country. There was my great-aunt from Pasadena, California. She was the funny one. Then my great-uncle and his family from Chicago would be there. He owned a pizza restaurant in Chicago. He would bring light blue pizza hats that read “Perry’s Pizza.” I loved that hat. These men and women would sit around and tell tall stories.

Finally, you need to have fun. As afternoon rolled around, the horseshoes and games would begin. Our reunions were always at the lake, and after the games we would fish a little. These are all wonderful memories that I cherish.

From May to July, the cooperatives across Kentucky conduct their annual meetings, and we have enjoyed meeting thousands of you. These meetings remind me of a family reunion. Every cooperative has food, friends, and fun.

I hope you attended this year’s co-op annual meeting. Your cooperative wants to hear from you and help you see that we are different. Your cooperative holds this meeting to conduct business, but also to reinforce the message of commitment to you and to have fun.