SPOTLIGHT ON: FAMILIES

→ Columbus photographer Joshua Martin (@joshmartinphoto on Insta) took this shot with a drone in sport mode while in Ft. Meyers, Fla.

Grace Robinson, 8, enjoys a Mickey Mouse-shaped soft pretzel at the most favorite place on Earth—Walt Disney World, June 1, 2021 in Florida.

Ciera Gooden, and her Dad, Mark Gooden Sr., volunteered at the Memorial Tournament this summer as clubhouse ambassadors during the final weekend, June 5-6. Her dog, Wilma, on the other hand, spent most of her time in the wading pool cooling off.

Columbus natives Lacie and Allyson Halls had a terrific summer—they got married on Anna Maria Beach in Florida, a special place Lacie’s family has vacationed for decades.

→ The Clausen’s snapped this family photo while taken while hiking on the Acid War Zone Trail and Nakalele Point in Maui, Hawaii, this summer.

↑ Girl Scout Senior Troop 2578 went whitewater rafting with Adventures On The Gorge in the New River Gorge National Park (Lower New River), West Virginia in July of 2021. It was originally postponed due to COVID-19. It took 10 years of fundraising to make it happen. The troop also went zip-lining and did a bridge walk under the New River Gorge Bridge.

AOTG Guide Mike G., Mia Pannell, Caitlin Hines, Rachel Brooks-Pannell (troop leader), Kristin Coble (troop co-leader), Kyrie Coble & Elizabeth Oquendo

↑Toye Thomas spent the summer bonding with her kids. Her daughter, Tatum, 18, on the left, and son, Benjamin, 16, in the middle. She said it was important for her to spend time with Tatum before she leaves for college at Dennison this month. So the first week of July, they took a segway tour and got a history lesson about Columbus landmarks—but mostly, they had quality time with each other. Oh and one more thing—Toye was excited to let us know that her daughter, Tatum, was the valedictorian of Briggs High School in Columbus. “I’m still smiling,” she said.

Connor McAninch, 15, and his sister Marley Williamson, 5, had a great time collecting seashells at Destin Beach, Fla., after a storm.

↑ Lisa Foster, of Dublin, and her granddaughter (pictured here), Ashley Persino, vacationed in June at Elver Park in Madison, Wisc. Clearly, Ashley was loving every minute of it.

↓Mackenzie Baxendale, left, and her sister, Caitlynn Baxendale, were not eaten alive when they visited the aquarium in North Carolina in mid-July. They did, however, have a great vacation.

↑ It’s always the summer of ice cream here in Columbus as Emery Coe enjoyed a Jeni's ice cream cone on a day trip around Grandview with Mom, Tracey.