A wonderful Family Gathering
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The 70th anniversary of the Jack and Mariah Summerall family reunion took place from Thursday, August 21, to Sunday, August 24, in Baxley.
The descendants of the family of Jack and Mariah Summerall have been gathering together annually to celebrate our bond and heritage since 1956. Hundreds of family members from the west to the east coast come to the town of Baxley for the three-day gathering that begins on the Thursday before the fourth Sunday of August and concludes after the Sunday service. The Gathering began on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Thankful New Jersey Missionary Baptist Church with a Welcome Home: Summerall 70th Meet and Greet Presented by Jacks “Men of Distinction.”
The first event of the Gathering, “Summerall Retreats: A Legacy Worth Remembering,” began at 10:30 a.m. Friday, at Thankful New Jersey Church.
After many meetings, discussions, and suggestions of how to erect a permanent structure in Baxley, the park was dedicated in 2012 on land previously purchased by the Summeralls.
At 1:30 on Friday, a public Dedication at the Jack and Mariah Summerall Memorial Park on Highway 144 was presented by the Jack Summerall Community Center, Inc. The event–like all the rest–was well-attended, opened with scripture from the Bible, and served as an act of remembrance.
The park consists of a pond surrounded by crepe myrtle trees and memorial boulders. Each stone represents a prominent family member or lineage, including those of Rosa Summerall McNeil, James (1868-1944) & Viola “Aunt Miss” McMillan (1888-1965), Emanuel “Manning” Williams, Annie Lois Thomas Williams, Doshie Gilmore, Thomas Sharpe, and Edward Sharpe Sr.
Two benches also honor the lives of ancestors like Isabelle Sharpe Gordon.
The Jack Summerall Community Corporation (JSCC) Memorial Brick campaign allows family members to leave a lasting mark to remember their loved ones or to pay tribute to living relatives with a memorial brick customized with a personal message and placed in Baxley soil at the Jack & Mariah Summerall Memorial Park.
All funds raised through the Memorial Brick campaign go directly to improving and beautifying the park and supporting the goals of the Corporation.
To cool down, the youth took to the Appling County Aquatic Center for a day of poolside activities. Women attended a book discussion facilitated by Dr. Casina Washington, and men met for a Health and life discussion.
The Jack Summerall Memorial Run/Walk/Run Motorcade began early Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m., traveling from Thankful New Jersey Church to Old Field Cemetery in remembrance of departed loved ones.
Summerall Youth Field Day was held from 11:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Appling County Agricultural Center.
The Summerall Family Gathering Banquet: “A Platinum Jubilee” was hosted there at 7:00 p.m. with vendors on site. Following the banquet, there was dancing and karaoke.
The Summerall Worship Service took place Sunday at 10:30 a.m, celebrating the longstanding tradition of praise with devotion led by the eldest members of the twelve Summerall family branches, inspiring music by the Jack Summerall Choir under the direction of the Director of Music, and a sermon from a chosen family member at the AG Building.
“We are filled with pride and honor to come together to celebrate the 70th Jack Summerall Family Gathering (JSFG),” said JSFG President Dr. Layla McCall Stafford. “Our family story is one of resistance, resilience, joy, and praise. We celebrate our ancestral parents, Jack and Mariah, their children, and the generations that have followed. Now more than ever before, connecting with family is crucial. There is power and joy in gathering.”
This year’s gathering featured a throwback bag challenge, in which attendees brought their souvenir tote bags from years past, with bonus points for wear and tear.
For more information about the Summerall family or the annual Summerall Family Gathering, visit jackandmariahsummerall.com
