More than 400 Lillys showed up for opening night of the 80th annual Lilly family reunion in Flat Top Friday evening.
Although the reunion typically attracts a large turnout — last year upward of 4,000 Lillys participated — this year the event attracted an even larger than normal turnout, as the Lillys are attempting to break a Guinness World Record for the largest family reunion.
The Lillys need 2,370 family members to break the current record of 2369, which was set by the Busse Family of Grayslake, Ill., in 1998.
“We only had a few months to plan this, whereas this Busse family had three years to prepare,” said Ghent resident Melba Lilly-Underwood.
Also in attendance was Chad Morgan Meador of Flat Top, who’s filming a documentary of the reunion.
It was Meador’s idea to break the Guinness World Record, and Meador says he’s got money riding on the fact that they can do so.
“I’d like for it to turn into a larger event,” Meador said. “These people are so varied here, but they all have the same blood running through them. I want these people to have a world record just to show the world that it’s OK to come see your family.”
Lilly Family Reunion President Darrell Lilly says he’s optimistic that this year’s event will make the history books.
Should they fail to do so, that’s OK too, Darrell said.
“It takes quite a bit of work, but I hope we can break that record. We think we can,” Darrell said.
“It’s just a good time... If we don’t break the record, it’s just another year that we have a lot of people here. And that’s what we’re here for.”
Last night, the Lillys opened with an annual family buffet and “Cuz’n Night,” where family members played live music on stage.
Hundreds of Lillys spent the evening sprawled out around the 30-acre property relaxing, enjoying a large food buffet and conversing with family members — some they met for the very first time.
Jim Johnson of Reno, Nev., came to the Mountain State to visit an aunt suffering from cancer at the event.
Johnson says his mother, who passed away several years ago, frequently talked about the Lilly Family Reunion.
“My mother always wanted to come,” Johnson said. “I was going to bring her for her 80th birthday, but she passed away right before.”
Should the Lillys break the world record this weekend, “there will be a lot of happy people,” Darrell Lilly said.
Today the official Guinness judge will be in town. Gov. Joe Manchin is also scheduled to attend this afternoon.
The three-day reunion wraps up Sunday.
— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com
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