- April 18, 2024
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Alice Williams, Barbara Crady, Shirley Schwisow, Bob Crady, Howard Schwisow and Denny Williams
Rotary Club of Sarasota President Ben Bates welcomes guests to the 44th annual Pioneer Picnic at Robarts Arena.
Volunteer Cay Kauffman helps fill boxed lunches with barbecue, coleslaw, black-eyed peas and swamp cabbage.
Sarasota High School class of 1946 classmates Chuck Rice and Sue Blue.
Geneva Cason and Juanita Bryan
Glossie Atkins was recognized as the oldest in the room at age 98.
Irvin Slabach and Jim Henry
Martin Alden, Janet Carr and Mattie Alday
An estimated 600 guests were in attendance for the 44th annual Pioneer Picnic hosted by the Rotary Club of Sarasota.
Volunteers helped to serve the 600 guests with boxed lunches that included the pioneer staple of swamp cabbage.
Pamela Richelieu and Katherine Johnson-Schultz
Sara Daniels Best and Penny Hancock Stanton have been friends since they were classmates in first grade at Fruitville Elementary School.
Rotarian Sean Skinner helps to sell raffle tickets
Shelia Atkins and Glossie Atkins
The pioneer staple of swam cabbage is one of the main attractions for the picnic.
Tom Williams, Aaron and Dona Harmes with Bud Swilley
Vernon Bass and Jim Harney
Friends Sara Daniels Best and Penny Hancock Stanton have been attending the picnic for more than 20 years. They’ve known each other even longer. They met as classmates in first grade at Fruitville Elementary School.
“We make sure to come every year,” Best said.
The Rotary Club of Sarasota 44th annual Pioneer Picnic serves as an unofficial reunion for friends like Best and Stanton along with countless families.
This year the group served more than 600 Rotarians and residents. In order to be eligible to attend someone in the party needs to have been a resident in Sarasota for a minimum of 50 years.
