FAMILY

FAMILY as defined by Merriam Webster’s Dictionary. 1 a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head; usually related by blood or marriage; 2 a: a group of persons of common ancestry; b: a people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock; 3 a: a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation; b: the staff of a high official (as the President).

Recently those who were in the Smokey Mountains in Western Kentucky became a family over four short days and all who were there earlier in the week worked with anticipation of all the other’s arrival. If an attendee was later than expected arriving there was concern for them and they were checked on with postings on the forum and phone calls.

In these days of people not even caring to know who your neighbor is, not willing to help a complete stranger with a cumbersome package or being afraid to stop and offer assistance to a stranded motorist, fellow hunters and their families opened their vehicle doors, stepped out and immediately became part of a BIG family unit. This unit acting just like an extended family by watching each other's children, willingly going places with each other in automobiles (and on the backs of ATV’s), they became as one. What was a greeting of a handshake when you arrived was a hug when you left along with a promise to come back again.

Talk Hunting Magazine will be published this week, take the time to read it over and get to know those who attended Summer Blast. All of us who were there would love to see more of you and your families there next year.

I want to personally thank everyone at SummerBlast for making me feel like I belonged there. Although I have been involved with TalkHunting from almost the start and I have attended get-togethers and I have always felt this very same way when there. Admittedly, this past year has not been an easy one for me but at SummerBlast I was part of the family again and I was not ready to leave and return to my house and my currently sometimes unpredictable world.

I want to say Thank You to all who attended SummerBlast and to those who truly opened their busy schedules to me.