Detroit family continues decades-long tradition at Belle Isle Park for Fourth of July
(CBS DETROIT) Belle Isle Park is where hundreds of people decided to spend their Fourth of July, but for one family, it was an opportunity to continue a decades-long tradition.
Anita Blewitt-Carr gets emotional when she talks about what it means to see her family come together.
"Oh God, it makes me cry," said Carr. "My dad and mom would be so proud."
Carr's parents started the tradition of hosting large family gatherings. She and the rest of her family are continuing their legacy by hosting their annual Clark-Pertilla family reunion at Belle Isle Park on the Fourth of July.
"If it wasn't for family, you couldn't live," she said. "The importance of people caring about you, you caring about them."
Food and fireworks are essentials for the holiday. But for the Clarks and Pertillas, this year is centered around love and family.
"It makes me feel like the love is still there," said Carr's sister Mottie Williams. "Mommy and Daddy showed them love. That record family reunion. Our dad would be so proud. He would be sitting back laughing, smiling on this day, to see how well his family is doing."
A tradition that started decades ago continues to get passed down to the next generation, and the family is determined to make sure this legacy lives on.
"It's important to not lose sight of it because if we lose sight of it, we lose sight of the legacy," said Quran Buchanan. "It's important to make sure we keep everybody in this circle so if the babies understand the circle is important, then they teaching us and we teaching them."