Allen family enjoys 23rd reunion in Columbia

The Allen family held its 23rd annual reunion July 22-24 at the Sheraton Town Center Hotel, in Columbia.

The family received Letters of Welcome to Howard County from Del. Shane Pendergrass, District 13, and Howard County Executive Ken Ullman. Members of the host committee included Dr. Christine Carrington, of Columbia, along with her children, Michael Carrington, of Freeport, N.Y., Dr. David Carrington, of Lewisburg, Pa., and Lisa Carrington Bundy, of Columbia; and grandchildren Mark and Nina Bundy, of Columbia, and Michael and Nicole Carrington, of Freeport.

Reunion activities included a reception Friday night, a guided tour of Washington, shopping at the Columbia mall, swimming, lakeside excursions, a Saturday evening banquet with a disc jockey and dancing and a Sunday morning prayer breakfast. A traditional program at the Saturday evening banquet included honor tributes to family ancestors and celebrations of current descendants. A scholarship in honor of the late Beatrice Allen Moon, mother of Christine Carrington, elder member of the host committee, was also awarded to an high school graduate. There are more 150 descendants of the Allen family who live in the United States; a majority of them in Florida.