Lawtey Community Day: A time to reconnect with family, friends and local history

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Sheila Cummings organized the Community Come Together Day in Lawtey on Saturday and was joined by many residents, young and old alike.

BY MELISSA PYLE

Special to the Telegraph

  The Lawtey-Peetsville Community Day was held on July 26. Current and former residents braved the hot Saturday to have a time of connection among friends and family. The event was a grassroots effort of Lawtey residents, led by Sheila Cummings. Cummings decided the event needed to be revived this year since it was  last held in 2022. 

Cummings and friends hosted the community Come Together Day at the Old Middleburg Road Park location in Lawtey. The park has been the topic of discussion recently with plans to revive its vision and create a future space once the old building is demolished. The park currently has a large green space where vendors set up food trucks, shops and information about local resources.

One such vendor was local artist Eula Snell. Snell said she was born at home in Lawtey and has resided there most of her life. She said after she retired from her New Beginnings Daycare businesses, she began painting. She had several pieces for sale at the event. Snell was just one example of Lawtey’s local artist and business owners who were in attendance and ranged in age from college to senior adults.

 The multigenerational event spotlighted a short history from guest speaker Cynthia Ross.  Ross shared memories of how Lawtey’s Come Together Day began when she was just a child. She said, “There’s no place like Lawtey” and recalled going to the baseball games behind Thompkin’s Grocery Store. The baseball games were sponsored by Arnett Thompkins, the store owner, and became a meeting place for the community. Ross explained that there’s no place like Lawtey because of its people. People who are still working to pass on their legacy of community to the next generation.

The highlight of the afternoon was an impromptu gathering of Anderson Jr. High alumni. The students, now in their golden years, were able to sing the song in unison, without any help remembering the words. The group recalled how they’d attended Anderson Community School from elementary to junior high school before promoting to RJE High School in Starke. Most of the members singing became educators themselves. 

Cummings and others hope the tradition of coming together, celebrating the Lawtey community, its heritage and history will continue year after year.

Cynthia Ross led her fellow Anderson Jr. High alumni in singing the school’s song. A song originally written by teachers Willie Mae Randolph and Zeporah Jennings Barber.
Pictured L to R: Willie Brown, Jeremiah Johnson, Edwin Hamilton, Catherine Johnson, Shirley Mangol, Elaine Slocumb, Cynthia Ross, Brenda Butler, Eula Snell and Winfred Majors
Lifelong Lawtey resident Cynthia Ross was the guest historian to share some stories of how Lawtey has such a rich history of community. She reminisced about her childhood and the expressed her pride in the successes of Lawtey’s residents, many of whom have gone on to become doctors, lawyers and educators. Ross said some have remained or eventually returned to Lawtey to use their talents to enrich the next generation.
Friends and family came together for Lawtey’s Community Day on Saturday, July 26. The event hasn’t been held since 2022, but was once a yearly celebration in Lawtey.
Siblings Job and Ana were staying cool at Lawtey’s Community Day with some fresh snowcones.
Eula Snell, local artist and a lifelong Lawtey resident,said she was actually born in her parent’s home in Lawtey. She was at the event showcasing her art collection. Snell said she’s only been painting for five years and was previously the owner and operator of New Beginnings Daycare for 33 years. At the prompting of her husband, she has began a “new beginning” in her own life by pursuing her passion for painting.
Celey Wood and Iana Patterson were at the Lawtey Community Day providing information on resources available through Florida Health.

 

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