Family Reunions
Summer time is generally family union season. Donald McCormick worked as a WPA writer in Maine and a member of the Maine Writers’ Workshop, but little is known about him as an individual. Historically in the rural areas of Maine, family ties ran long and deep. While extended families were often spread out, they made a point to engage in activities that brought the whole family together. Family members from all over New England traveled home for family reunions. These gatherings provided a time and place where family members could share food and time together that allowed them to reconnect and strengthen their bonds. The women of the family organized the events and prepared the food. They also assigned women in each family the task of contributing a food item to the event. Similarly, the menfolk assigned responsibilities such as bringing and/or hunting for fish and wild games as well as organizing outdoor cooking needs such as barbecue pits and makeshift ovens for clam and lobster bakes.
