Page 52 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2022 - Online Magazine

Focus
FAMILY
Pappie &

Poppa Camp

(Hosted by Don and Carol Payne)

by Mabry Payne

in 2001, when Pappie
would watch the three
oldest cousins for a few
days: Reagan, myself,
and Rainey. As the years
passed by, and more kids
came into the picture,
P&P camp morphed
into the grand event it is
today!

We started out by
sleeping over at
their house for a few
consecutive days and
doing various activities
like baking, mini-
golfing, swimming, and
watching Disney movies.
Pappie eventually began
hen my grandparents, Easter, we attend a church service designing and putting
Don and Carol Payne, and host a huge Easter Egg hunt us in matching t-shirts that had
Wtied the knot in for all the cousins. Our birthdays our “number” on it, meaning the
December of 1966, they had no are always spent over a meal, numbered order we were born in.
idea just how big a family they and we have shared/attended too These matching t-shirts became a
would build and how far their many ball games, dance recitals, significant part of our tradition,
influence would spread. Fifty-five and school plays to count. Our and we now have a yearly photo
years, four children, and twelve favorite tradition, though, must taken in them!
grandchildren later, they continue be our annual “Pappie & Poppa Pappie and Poppa moved out
to live out their daily lives, with Camp” that comes around every of Lubbock and into their home
Jesus at the center, all while July or August. on their property in Tahoka in
showing each of us how truly 2017, and camp moved along
loved we are by them. My grandparents, better known as
Pappie & Poppa, probably started with them. Now that we had
Like any other big family, we have this “camp” to relieve our parents land to explore and more room
plenty of fun traditions that keep of us kids for a few days. Of to play, our list of activities grew,
us busy year-round. We spend course, they also wanted to spend too! Some of our favorite things
Christmas Eve together eating some extra time with their favorite to do out on the ranch include
breakfast food, playing games, (and only) grandchildren. It could riding the treehouse zipline built
and exchanging gifts. Every be said that this tradition began by Uncle Donny, jumping on

52 Lubbock Senior Link