Shelby County natives meet for annual luncheon in Punta Gorda

Shelby County's snowbirds have landed in SW Florida once again. They come to bask in the sun and warm weather. However, they also love their friends and neighbors from back home, so they gather the first Wednesday in February for the annual Shelby County Luncheon. Patty and Mike Shaw are two of those snowbirds who still live in Shelbyville, but escape the winter weather by coming to SW Florida. "We come to the luncheon to see the people we don't see in Shelbyville," Patty Shaw quipped. The majority of those in attendance at this year's luncheon agreed that they enjoy visiting with the people that they don't see often back home. Many plan their vacations around the luncheon date. Jerry and Lynda Platt, former Shelby County residents, are brand new to Punta Gorda. They attended the luncheon for the first time. Lynda Platt is even writing an article about the annual tradition for the local Punta Gorda newspaper. Joyce and Tom Kisner have lived in Venice, FL, for 30 years. The former Joyce Moon is a Morristown High School graduate who looks forward to seeing old friends from Shelby County. Attendance was down slightly this year. One hundred eleven Shelby Countians gathered at Laishley Crab House in Punta Gorda this year compared to over 120 last year. "A lot of people are sick with the flu," organizer of the event and former Shelby County resident Patricia Pallikan said. Patricia has headed up the event for nine years. Still, there was no shortage of conversation and camaraderie during the social hour. Attendees hailed from Waldron, Morristown, Fairland, and Shelbyville. Graduation classes from 1949 to 1974 were represented. Once again, Shelbyville High School classes of 1964 and 1965 took top honors in attendance numbers. Snowbirds came from as far away as Gainesville, FL, and Sebring, FL. My report about the 2016 luncheon, which appeared in Saturday Shelby last February, recounts how this annual tradition began: "Veteran luncheon-goers recall that the gathering started informally, probably in the early 1990's, by several Shelby County businessmen such as Lowell Rudicel, Jack Worland, Carlos Cravens, Arthur Thurston, and Dwight Brinson. It started out small [50 to 70 people], but has grown into a tradition." "The gathering doesn't have an official committee or officers, it happens as a result of the volunteer efforts of Pallikan, Bryan Toll, and Pallikan's sisters Suzanne Stine Rosborough and Linda Stine Howery." "I happened to speak up (and volunteer to take over) when [former organizer] Sharon Richardson Koll was no longer able to do (it)," Pallikan said in last year's interview. If you would like to attend next year, contact Pallikan at ppallikan@yahoo.com. She will let you know the date, time and location of the next luncheon.