 HISTORY of the CANNELL REUNION:
Beginning in the late 1980s, on the FIRST SUNDAY IN AUGUST, Ruthie and Dick Burgoine hosted a reunion of the Cannells
-of-Simi Clan at the farm on which Ruthie grew up. The
farm, Spring Glade Acres, was the home of her parents, Robert Ford and Susan Cannell Ford.
Spring Glade Acres
12610 NW Ford Road
Gaston, OR 97119
Many of us remember fondly visits to the farm during our growing up years. All the wonders of the place... including the barn which smelled deliciously of cows and hay.
Everyone would bring a bit of food for a big potluck and generally the eating began around 2pm. Visiting began as early as folks can make it!
Folks would bring family pictures and enjoy sharing them.
 After eating, the more industrious folks would be led on a walk around some portion of the farm by Ruthie.
We would then enjoy teatime and too soon it would be time to head home.
In the 1990s we began to have a dinner, an evening or two before the picnic, for the first cousins... the 16 offspring of the six Cannells from Simi... Sheila and Peter hosted the dinner for several years and then Ruthie and Dick hosted it for several more.
In 2008 the first cousins gathered for the last picnic held at Spring Glade. The house happened to be vacant before new renters moved in and everyone enjoyed a chance to be indoors and reminisce about many happy gatherings and meals in Aunt Susan and Uncle Robert's home.
We had the cousin dinner but canceled the picnic in 2009 due to very hot weather and in 2010 held the Sunday picnic at Cook Park for the first time.
A change to the REUNION: In 2011 we had no reunion because so few people were going to be able to attend. It was informally decided that we would make a couple of changes, in hopes that more people would be able to attend future reunions:
1. The reunion will be every other year, 2012, 2014, etc.
2. The cousin dinner will be at a restaurant in Portland. It will be held the Friday night before the first Sunday in August.
3. The Sunday, all-age picnic will be held at Cook Park in Tigard, Oregon. Eating will begin with snacks at 12 and main meal at 1p.m. But people are encouraged to come early to visit!
We do hope all of you with family ties to the Cannells-of-Simi will be able to come to the next reunion: Friday night dinner August 3rd for first cousins, and all-age picnic the FIRST SUNDAY, AUGUST 5th, 2012.
Directions & Map to Cook Park >
Cook Park is located south of Durham Road at the end of 92nd Avenue near Tigard High School (17005 SW 92nd Avenue) |
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