The weather was unseasonably cool, and there was an occasional light rain; however, there was great enthusiasm at "The Barn" on the Hartsell Farm in Roseland Sunday, Oct. 18, at the annual Columbus "Lum" and Nancy Eudy Hartsell family reunion. The reunion is held yearly on the third Sunday of October.

Columbus and Nancy are both deceased, as are all but two of their children. The two remaining siblings are Carrie Campbell and Mabel Carter, both of whom live on the former property of their father. This is a large family and there are numerous grandchildren as well as great- and great-great grandchildren. Approximately 150 family members attended.

"The main activity was the meal that everyone enjoyed," says a spokesman. "The table was long and the food plentiful, especially the desserts."

A close second was the renewing of acquaintances and catching up on family news, as this was the first time in 25 years that some had attended.

There was a pre-mealtime ceremony at which major events were discussed. This included remembering those who had died in the past year, as well as recognizing those who had births and marriages since the last reunion.

"This year's reunion was hosted by the Mabel Carter family," says the spokesman. "They did a fantastic job in providing activities to make the affair more exciting. Everyone left agreeing that it had been a great family reunion in spite of the less-than-ideal weather."