Ron Rodak’s Story
Our favorite memory at Gervasi is one of many of an ongoing family love story.
It is set within your campus of exquisite venues, austere landscapes and natural environments. Our visits were all supported and hosted by the most knowledgeable, polite and professional staff of any destination landmark in our great country that we have ever visited. Our family collectively, as frequent national and international travelers, have experienced some of the greatest destinations that ever could be imagined! Gervasi Vineyards stands out like the center gem in a crown of world renowned vineyards and other landmark destinations. We are blessed to call Gervasi Vineyards our most favorite destination and Canton’s Crown Jewel!
Now, the story of our most favorite Gervasi memory. While, we have celebrated anniversaries, engagements, graduations, wedding showers, weekly walk and wine moments, and so much more, our favorite memory of all occurred on Thanksgiving Holiday of 2015. We had gathered our three adult children and their spouses for a relaxing two day stay at The Farmhouse. As the children gathered from their homes in New York City, Charleston, SC, and more locally, Avon Lake; we all looked forward to counting our blessings on Thanksgiving Day and then getting our Yuletide joy started a little early.
Little did we know the Blessings and Joys to come. To start, we all arrived for our stay and were welcomed and inspired by the perfectly serene view of the Gervasi common areas and the lake. Shortly thereafter, we all agreed on which of the most quaint and elegantly designed bedrooms we would each inhabit for our stay. Since the rooms were all so unique and cozy we were all completely satisfied and we all settled in immediately.
After some time of repose, drinking some wine of course, and catching up on travels, we all planned the big feast for the next day. As we have been accustomed to, our family matriarch, Mama R, had planned every little detail already, right down to the cranberries. Consequently, every pantry element necessary to prepare a feast of Thanksgiving had been transported from our home to the Gervasi Farmhouse. The later of which came stocked with every cooking utensil ever needed to prepare the feast as well! All was in order.
Plans for the next day were set in place and all family members assigned a duty. From breakfast, to the main meal, to leftover storage and the perpetual dessert displays, all plans were set into motion. This year’s Thanksgiving Feast was sure to add pounds of weight to all in attendance…in so many ways!
Soon the fun began and one of our many traditions was a family photo session. As we all squeezed together in front of the stone Farmhouse fireplace and the picture was about to be snapped, someone said “say cheese!” However, before we could say cheese, our daughter shouted, “No, say Baby !” We all instinctively smiled for a millisecond, the camera flashed, and then all bedlam burst forth as we processed the announcement that she had so discreetly(on not) surprised us with. There was much jubilation, outright screaming, and pure celebration! Our Family Blessings were increasing!
As you would imagine, we continued our day and Thanksgiving 2015 was indeed like none other before. Grandparents- (Great grandparents to be), joined us for the big meal and news of a new baby was spread. What more could be expected! Rest that night came late and we all finally ended the day and retired to our cozy, farmhouse rooms, and slept well after a momentous and emotional day.
Early the next morning fresh breads, a full breakfast display and the smell of fresh coffee brewing greeted us all. One at a time we gathered, just like at home, in the kitchen; however, today we congregated in the beautiful Farmhouse kitchen. When all were accounted for we prayed for the food, and then our eldest son urgently, announced a gift for Mama and Me that we needed to open before we ate. Supposedly, something as a thank you for the nice weekend plan.
Mama and I each proceeded to open a small box which contained ceramic coffee mugs. Personally, I am always one for a picture moment, so I was unwrapping my box and simultaneously filming my wife open hers. As I viewed her through my video lens all of a sudden she began to scream and jump and hug and scream and cry…very loudly!. About then, I finished opening my box to also be astonished to see that our mugs were printed with Grandfather and Grandmother inscriptions! What we never expected was another Expecting Couple. The Blessings of our Thanksgiving Day were now magnified with increasing Joy going into the Christmas season!
So there you have it, our favorite memory of Gervasi Vineyards was Born…and Our Family Love Story at Gervasi “grows”on! This year we celebrated a 60th birthday at Gervasi for Grandma LolliOnie! We stayed in the Villas this time, however, we strolled over to the Farmhouse to take a picture on the porch. We tried to recreate the one taken nearly 4 years ago. Miraculously, there were four extra smiles in the picture ..there have been even two more Blessings added since that Thanksgiving in 2015!
