Pioneer Club of Lee County annual picnic slated for April 29
The Pioneer Club of Lee County is celebrating the 74th anniversary of its founding in 1949 by R. A. Henderson, Jr. The Pioneer Club was formed to honor those living persons who had been residents of old Lee County for 50 or more years. The initial meeting was held in 1950 at the Lions Park on Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers.
The Pioneer Picnic is a social organization comprised of many of the old families of Lee County who get together annually to catch up on each other’s lives and to have lunch together. The Pioneer Picnic traditionally is held the last Saturday in April of each year.
This year’s annual picnic will take place on Saturday, April 29, at the Lee County Civic Center-Tinsley Pavilion which is off Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers. Registration and visiting begin at 10 a.m., lunch will be served at noon followed by presentations and a raffle at 1 p.m.
The classes of 1973 from Alva HS, Bishop Verot HS, Cypress Lakes HS, Dunbar HS, Evangelical Christian School, Fort Myers HS, North Fort Myers HS and Riverdale HS will be recognized at the picnic as celebrating their 50th class reunions. Also recognized at the picnic will be the eldest pioneer man and woman born in Lee County; the couple married the longest (both spouses need to be in attendance); pioneer who traveled the longest distance to the picnic; and the eldest person in attendance. Approximately 1,200 invitations are mailed out for the picnic of which two-thirds are sent to residents and the remainder to those people who live out of the area. There are normally 600-700 people in attendance. Barbecue chicken or pork, baked beans, coleslaw, rolls, chocolate chip cookies and iced tea or lemonade are available to the attendees for $10 per plate.
The eligibility requirement for membership is that the person was a resident of Lee County Prior to 1973. Please email pioneerleecounty@gmail.com to receive registration information or you may register the day of the picnic. There are no membership dues. Through the generosity of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, free admission on that weekend is given to the members of the Pioneer Club by presenting their membership card to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates (General Admission) on April 28-30. An invitation has also been extended to the members of the Pioneer Club to visit The IMAG History & Science Center (General Admission) and the Shell Factory/Nature Park (General Admission) on April 28-30.
Source: Pioneer Club of Lee County