A Plant City woman attends 330 year family reunion, District 58 candidates to speak at a local meeting and more.
Plant City Woman attends 330 year family reunion
Jo Reynolds went to Philadelphia from July 13 through 16 along with nearly 300 family members to attend the Harlan family’s 330th reunion.
Reynolds has been tracing her family’s ancestors for years and has brought home the Neighborhood Champion ribbon multiple times at the Florida Strawberry Festival for her elaborate family trees.
Reynolds is both a Daughter of the Confederacy and a Daughter of the Revolution. She has travelled all over the country with her family as well as taken a trip to Ireland and England, where their family lived prior to coming to America.
She loves tracking down family members and will go so far as to scour phone books in areas she knows her family once settled and calling up last names she recognizes. She has met multiple relations that way and even ran into an extended family member once here in a hotel in Plant City, where she used to work, when she recognized the name when he checked in.
“A lot of people will go online and find a lot of things out about their genealogy but I like to find people,” Reynolds said.
During this year’s reunion, Reynolds donated two of her elaborate books detailing the Harlan family history to the Chester County Historical Library. Unlike many genealogy books, Reynolds included pictures, newspaper clippings from activities different family members had done along with the typical obituaries and wedding announcements. She has written four books so far. Reynolds, who has been in Plant City for over 40 years, plans to continue tracing her family line and hopes to write several more books in the future.
The family spent several days touring Philadelphia as well as a Quaker establishment due to their family members having once been active Quakers.
District 58 State Representative candidates to speak at republican meeting
The Plant City Federated Republican Women’s Meeting will feature guest speakers Yvonne Fry and Lawrence McClure, candidates for State Representative to replace Dan Raulerson, as well as Hillsborough County political consultant Andy Taylor on Aug. 17.
Taylor will explain the process local candidates go through to successfully run for office and will discuss volunteer opportunities at each stage of the campaign. The social time will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the official meeting starting at 7 p.m. It will be held at Plant City Rentals Office, 1701 James L. Redman Parkway. RSVP with Vice President Sherry Scheitler at (241) 529-8372 or SherryScheitler@gmail.com.
Encouraging dialogue between PCPD and the community
Hillsborough Speaks! is an event that creates safe spaces for a conversation about people’s experiences where they have felt singled out for their differences, including but not limited to race. The goal of the event is to bring voices to the table that don’t often hear one another and to create a safe setting that will encourage a dialogue and not a debate.
The event is open to individuals 15 years old and above and attendees must register in advance at bit.ly/2voNgR6 to reserve a spot. Hillsborough Speaks! will be held at the MLK Recreation Center on Aug. 17. A light dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the workshop will begin at 6:45 p.m.
