- April 18, 2024
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Mary Hamner and Art Engelhard
Aaron Bokelmann and John Anderson during the presentation of the colors.
Michelle Crabtree, Norma Martin and Dylan Stone
Rotary Club of Sarasota President Vicente Medina greets one of the oldest pioneers Norma Martin.
BJ Sanders and David Verizzo
Goodwill Foundation Vice President Veronica Brandon Miller performs the national anthem to start the picnic.
Rotary Club of Sarasota President Vicente Medina
The oldest "pioneer" at the picnic Bob Parker is 101 and a half.
Dan Blair and Jean Wheeler
Dorothy Stockbridge takes in the photographs from over the years.
Jay Riggs
Jim Guess with Mickey Little and his sister Betty Jane Little Prince.
Kimberly Ellison and Madelyn Gillis hand out bowls of swamp cabbage.
Lois and Ken Keihl
Marilyn Gaines shows off her Florida license plate purse.
Mary Burns Scheb and Vivian Faulkner Browning
Nancy Von Lazar and Linda Meeks
Richard Bridgman and his sister Patty Bridgman Guess
Rotary badges waiting to be picked up by members.
The Sarasota High School class of 1963 sat together at the Pioneer Picnic.
Rotarians prepare boxes with hush puppies, barbecue pork, coleslaw and black-eyed peas.
The traditional swamp cabbage is ready and the picnic begins.
Tom Faessler and Susan Wood
Virginia and Welch Whitesell
Virginia Hoffman, Bob and Dylan Stone
The picnic began with the national anthem performed by Goodwill Foundation Vice President Veronica Brandon Miller. Then Rotary Club of Sarasota President Vicente Medina welcomed guests beginning with a spotlight for the longest living pioneers in attendance, Bob Parker, 101, and Norma Martin 100.
The minimum number of years as a resident of Sarasota required to attend is 50 years. Many of the attendees have families that have called Sarasota home for generations like brother and sister Richard and Patty Bridgman who's ancestors settled in Englewood in 1894.
The also picnic serves as an unofficial reunion for the Sarasota High School class of 1965.
This year the tradition of swamp cabbage or hearts of palm was continued and served separately from the prepared meal. This allowed swamp cabbage fanatics to indulge in the rare delicacy without any being wasted.
