http://www.newssun.com/4DACTION/BUILDDETAIL/5677 C. Elton Crews inducted into Florida Citrus Hall of Fame By BARRY FOSTER News-Sun Photo by MICHAEL WILSON/The Ledger Grandson Robert "Cruiser" Crews II (from left), Ben Hill Griffin III, C. Elton Crews, and Commissioner of Agriculture Charles H. Bronson announce the induction of C. Elton Crews into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame during the 2004 Annual Government Day Luncheon and Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven Friday. AVON PARK -- For 64 years, C. Elton Crews' company has provided grove caretaking and harvesting services for operations throughout Central Florida. Friday afternoon, the local giant of the citrus industry was inducted into the Citrus Hall of Fame at the annual Government Day luncheon. Pioneers, businessmen and other representatives of the state's largest agricultural industry packed Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven for the induction ceremonies. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson gave the keynote address. It was Ben Hill Griffin III who made Crews' introduction, reading a four page biography on the local citrus and cattle pioneer. It outlined Crews' life and career, beginning with his grandparents' arrival from Georgia in 1845, through his exploits into the world of citrus, to his grandson Robert "Cruiser" Cruise II, who now carries on the family business. Family has been a cornerstone of Crews' business development over the years. "I do cherish the fact that my family worked together as well as we did -- 34 years is a long time," he said. It was a special introduction by Griffin. Over the years, Crews and Ben Hill Griffin Jr. were very good friends. In fact, Crews has attributed much of his knowledge of the citrus caretaking business to mentoring from Griffin and Harold Myers. Myers, a consultant and fertilizer representative was credited by Crews as being "probably my best teacher in learning to grow citrus." In accepting his nomination into the hall of fame, Crews said he was very proud that his fifth generation was going to continue on in the citrus business. It was a day of old friendships, Crews had the opportunity to sit with some other local citrus pioneers including Joe L. Davis Sr. Ironically, Crews didn't set out to be part of the state's biggest agricultural pursuit. He was called back from his studies at a Tampa business school after his father fell off his horse while penning steers. It was in 1937 that Crews and his brother bought a 20-acre citrus grove near Avon Park. There they learned the nuances of fertilizing, spraying and irrigating the property. "For a period of about 10 years in the late 1930s we worked hard on irrigation,' Crews wrote in his memoirs. "We learned about the benefits and gained financially quite a lot. Crews started using sprinkler pipe in 1937. He first utilized overhead irrigation in 1961 and by 2003 had converted to the micro-jet system. It was in 1941 Crews finally moved to Avon Park with his new wife, Norma. During his long career, Crews developed several satellite businesses to augment his caretaking services. The property that once housed his tractor sales and service now is the home to the Truck Driving Academy of South Florida Community College. In 1997, the couple donated to the school what then-SFCC President Catherine Cornelius called "a prime city block" with its two buildings. "This will provide career and educational opportunities for the area and help it grow," she said. The Crews also made a cash donation that was used to convert the structures for education. The Crews Center, as it is known, encompasses 17,000 square feet. Not only is it the place where students learn to drive big rigs, the school's electrical and plumbing apprenticeship and supplemental child care courses are offered there. His contributions didn't end there. "Mr. Crews personal involvement and donation of resources has been instrumental in research done over the last several decades on rootstock selection and performance, citrus tree nutrition and the advancement of different micro-sprinkler applications," said Highlands County Citrus Growers Association Executive Director Ray Royce. These days the patriarch of the family spends most of his time relaxing at the "Homestead Ranch" originally owned by his grandparents in 1891 and brought back to the family when he repurchased it a century later. But he doesn't spend all his time there. To this day Crews continues to go out and check the groves as time permits. "He rides out there with us quite a bit," said Robert "Cruiser" Cruise. "It's not every day, but it is quite often. If he's able to go, he's going to go."