The Collett/McKay Picnic, an event that has been repeated, without much interruption, for 128 years, came again the second Saturday in August. Four Colletts and four McKays intermarried before the Civil War. Then in 1866, when their children began having children, the picnic was started to give the widening families a chance to get together at least once a year. It was such a good idea that now people come from all over the country, to "fluff-up their roots" at the 4-acre permanent picnic ground on Gurneyville Road in Chester Township.

Wallace Collett and Wilbur McKay, the picnic elders, clapped their hands for attention, reviewed the history that all the attendees share, listed some new artifacts on display, and closed with the inevitable reminder that it costs a few hundred dollars to maintain the site, and contributions are cheerfully received.

Eugene Collett led the prayer for grace, and shortly after noon the eating began at the 158 feet of walnut tables, holding over 400 dishes of food.

"Ernestine Moore, 90 years old" is how she signed the massive register book mounted on the old maple tree. She wasn't the only one present over the 90 mark. Esther Doster and Helen Feike are also up there.

Ruth Pidgeon missed her first picnic in 1913. But she was only 2 days old, and she hasn't missed one since. The year before that Alice Lockmiller attended her first picnic at age 2. She remembers this doggerel: "Ohio, pride of the Western plain; Where fruit and grain abound; Columbus is thy capital; and fertile is thy ground."

It was my unpleasant task to inform Elizabeth Hahn, through her mother, that she was simply too old to receive the coveted "youngest attendee" award. Lila Ann Wengler, born June 29, 1994, had beaten her by four months.

A popular topic of conversation is always: "How to improve on the picnic." Although none of these suggestions has ever been fully implemented, the people keep coming, and the 289 count this year is the highest since 1946.

Suggestions included: Valet parking to get cars out of the way; pony rides for the tots; central hot coffee, this was an old tradition that died with Hiram Poor; colored T-shirts, armbands, badges to identify family branches; a hand painted family tree on the large wall of the restroom building, so people could find their branch; and early reminders to encourage bringing of genealogical memorabilia.

Earl and Dorothy Holtgrefe, from the McCune branch, supplied their 26 close relatives with red T-shirts, making an impressive splash of continuity in the otherwise varicolored crowd.

Another popular topic of conversation was: "Surgical procedures I have endured." Bypass, aneurysm, transplant... medical terms that would have mystified our ancestors... are commonly accepted in picnic conversation. Even the vasectomy, though a somewhat more delicate topic, was heard among the younger married set.

Most recently married were Damian Snyder and Kim Howe. They have attended many picnics before (as relatives by marriage not blood), but this was their first picnic as a couple. Their thick wedding picture books were admired by cousins from New York to California.

Perhaps the most innovative and useful addition to the ceremonies came as an extension to the picnic. Attendees were invited on a driving tour, mapped and guided by Howard Doster, of family landmarks in the area including ancient homesites and gravesites of Moses McKay, Daniel Collett, and many others. Eighty-one people took the tour and were richly rewarded with a first hand look at the land of their ancestors in and around Chester Township.

Ninety-eight people came from outside Ohio, double the number that have come from out-of-state in any of the past 5 years, they were Marjorie and Saundra Ames and Ben Cline of Arcadia, Fla.; Eric Bogan of Las Vegas, Nev.; Stephen Bun of Ontario, Canada; Eugene, Evelyn and Samuel Collett of Escondido, Calif.; Carol and Sue Collett of Manhattan Beach, Calif.; Jonathan and Stephen Collett of New York City, N.Y.; Stella and Wallace Collett of Rosemont, Pa.; Arlene, Christine, David and William Cossum of Ellenton, Fla.; Barbara and Jack Deppner of Indialantic, Fla.; Barbara and Howard Doster of West Lafayette, Ind.; Clifford Doster of Louisiana; Adam, Ashlee, Cynthia, David and Drew Doster of Novi, Mich.; and Susan Doster of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Also, Bart, Chad, Charles, Karen and Robin Fabian of Des Plains, Ill.; Alexander and Helen Fray of Pasadena, Calif.; Patricia Giesting of Palatine, Ill.; Keiran, Neisan and Tajilli Greengus of Evanston, Ill.; Matthew Grubman of Hollywood, Calif.; Elizabeth, Joe and Karen Hahn of Saline, Mich.; Dorrie and Earl Holtgrefe of Longwood, Fla.; James Holtgrefe of Erie, Pa.; Kathie Hynds of Glencoe, Va.; and Allen, Bradford, Karla, Nathan and Tonya Inwood of Pittsburg, Pa.

Also, Richard Koehler of Las Vegas, Nev.; Byron Leaser of New Castle, Ind.; Alice Lockmiller of Ft. Myers, Fla.; Ellen and Max Magee of Madison, Wis.; Roger Magee of Seguim, Wash.; Henrietta Miller of Gwynedd, Pa.; William Miller of Arlington, Va.; Clark and Jane Moeller of Towanda, Pa.; Marjorie Monson of Ellenton, Fla.; Jennifer, Nancy and Stephen Pian of Port Charlotte, Fla.; and Rachel Pidgeon of Denver, Colo.

Also, Carolyn and Ed Powell of Venice, Fla.; Alexander, Jane, Laura and Mark Reed of Tucson, Ariz.; Anna and Pablo Rosendiz of Evanston, Ill.; Becky, Christopher, Hannah, Michael and Ruth Smith of Birmingham, Ala.; Doug and Jane Strecker of Medical Lake, Wash.; Carina, Marilyn and Timothy Talmage of Mesa, Ariz.; and George Tuggle of Brooklyn, Wis.

Finally, Christina Turner of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Elise, Margarite and Vernon Tuxbury of S. Burlington, Vt.; Patricia Tuxbury of Atlanta, Ga.; Collette Vandenberg of Winston Salem, N.C.; Mary and Rhinda Vandenberg of Grand Rapids, Mich.; Randy Vandenberg of Powell, Ind.; and Jim and Joan Vogel of Knightstown, Ind.

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