2021 Counts Reunion Meeting Minutes
80th Counts Family Reunion
August 7th, 2021
Minutes
The 80th Counts Family Reunion in conjunction with the Sutherland/Dye Reunion was held on August 7th, 2021 at 11 am online via ZOOM. It was deemed too risky with the COVID 19 pandemic and variants to meet in person.
The online session was well attended with the following families represented:
Sue Counts, Carol Deel, Brett Compton, Beverly Counts, Phyllis Rader, Shirley Allen, Bryan and Sally Counts Wells, Phyllis Counts, Davine and Randy Miller, Dorothy Brunson, Todd, Millie and Christy Counts, Linda Counts Duncan, Karen Sutherland Davis, John Counts Fraley, David Fraley, Kathryn Yuhas, and Pat, Charlie, Cynthia and Cliff Conner.
The Reunion was recorded and the link will be shared on the John Counts of Glade Hollow facebook page and on the website countsfamilyreunion.org.
Our president, Sue Counts gave the greeting. Phyllis Counts led the pledge and gave a brief history of the pledge. America the Beautiful by Cedarmont Kids was played over Alexia.
Our Secretary/Treasurer, Gail Marney was unable to be present, so Sue Counts gave her report. She shared with everyone that the minutes from the 79th Counts Family Reunion could be found on the countsfamilyreunion.org website. The 79th Counts Family Reunion Zoom meeting was also recorded.
Gail recently mailed to Ann Clements a $100.00 donation for the Cleveland Counts Reunion leaving a new balance of $167.35 in the Reunion Fund. In addition we have a balance of $224.00 in the John Counts of Glade Hollow Cemetery Fund.
Donations to the reunion or cemetery fund can be made through PayPal at GailMarney@Countsdonations or mail to: Gail Marney at 2628 Tiny Hollow, Birchleaf, VA 24220.
The 81st Counts Family Reunion will be held on Saturday, August 6th, 2022 at the Sandlick Presbyterian Church, 159 Olney Levada Road, Birchleaf, VA 24220. At that time, new officers will be elected. Brett Compton plans to do Zoom for those who can not attend in person. Sue hopes to have an Open House at her family home in Birchleaf after the Reunion.
A recent video taken and edited by Billy Brice Counts of the John Counts of Glade Hollow was shown.
Program:
Phyllis Counts put together a set of five very excellent speakers. Thank you Phyllis! Unfortunately three of them, (Chad Counts, David Wallace, and Sharon Bogue Lemkuil), were unable to participate for personal reasons.
However, the two speakers who were able to be with us were GREAT!
Brett Compton gave us an update on the early records of John Counts of Glade Hollow. With Brett’s research, he has been able to come up with some really good evidence for best guesses on our John Counts of Glade Hollow’s arrival in VA to be 1749 and most likely his religious affiliation was probably Mennonite. You will need to see the recording of the Zoom Meeting for the details.
Bryan Wells gave an excellent slide show presentation about the Counts’ who left VA to settle in Montana. Bryan is married to Sally Counts, who is a very talented, intelligent, strong John Counts descendant.
Brett also shared the kaiser-counts.org website on genealogy which Marie Rasnick Fetzer started. Both Brett and Phyllis recognized her for all the work that she has done.
Each person present on the Zoom call was given an opportunity to share their genealogy and anything else of interest. The presentations were very interesting and well received. Thanks to all who worked so hard, to make this years reunion a success. Special thanks to Carol Deel for hosting the ZOOM meeting and to Brett for being a co-host. We missed all of you who were unable to attend. We look forward to being in person next year.
Sue Counts for
Gail Marney, Secretary/Treasurer
Counts Family Reunion Counts Family Reunion