GHS Alumni News: Garrett Heritage Days July 4, 2013 (19 photos of people and events)

A great success and a great time at the East Side park across from the old (now new) high school. Last year about 120 pre-registered for the 2 mile walk or the 5k (3.1 mile) run, while this year saw about 170 pre-registrations, a 40% increase – not to mention the many additional walkers/runners who signed up that very morning … Then add the many, many more friends, family, and spectators there to see the walkers and runners, the dance studio presentations, the big old car show … And throughout all this, the constant stream through the pavilion for the Rotary’s 7:00-11:00 pancake breakfast followed by the Knights of Columbus’ grilled chicken dinner … And later on the 5:00-8:30 PM pageant, the fireworks at 10:00 … And let’s not forget the Spike & Bulldogs concert the night before, and whatever other events I am forgetting … And finally, the great many more who came out just to be there, see friends, and surf the crowd … Pleasuring in humanity itself, without regard to personal acquaintance!

So as you look through these photos, try to imagine the proper perspective: I naturally focused on the few people I knew best, and on the activities that most interested me. But I was just one of perhaps a thousand participants throughout these two days, and took but a few photos relative to what I saw and experienced. So try to imagine dense fabric of experience that in reality fills the voids between these photos … and then multiply what you can imagine times 1,000 probable overall participants … Only then might you have some notion of what really transpired throughout Garrett Heritage Days, 2013!

This is where things start for me (GHS ’70) these days: at the 50 & over registration table. I have run the Garrett July 4^th for about 15 years, and now every year this 50+ field gets younger … but it is great fun!

(Thanks to the Garrett State Bank for its sponsorship.)

Here you see John Somers (GHS ’80) left, and Mark Michael (GHS ’73) right. John’s son Jaron (GHS ’2012), who just completed his freshman year at IPFW, won the overall 5k run in just under 16 minutes. One day last fall the cross-country coach, observing Jaron training, offered him a scholarship, but choosing to focus more time on his studies, Jaron declined. Congratulations Jaron.

I knew John long ago through his older sisters, and knew of Mark because he was much closer to my age, but John and Mark met just this very morning – that’s the kind of thing that happens at community events like this.

Sherry Smith Nidlinger’s son (and Garrett’s great basketball coach Ward Smith’s grandson) Jeff Nidlinger was the second overall winner, and very close to Jaron. Needless to say Jeff wins a great many regional races, especially with respect to his age division.

Sherry (below) left Garrett following her freshman year when the family moved to Beech Grove, but still has friends in Garrett, now lives in Kendallville, and works for Ft Wayne Community Schools.

Here Sherry is with former classmates Jim Shiffley (GHS ’69) (left), who grilled chicken for hours beside the pavilion, and with Bob Novy (GHS ’69) (right) who helped organize and execute the run/walk.

Jim wasn’t alone grilling chicken for the Knights of Columbus …

This is Kim Shumway (GHS ’74). It’s obviously quite a job, and many,

many other volunteers did a great deal of work in all kinds of supporting roles -

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH

Actually, the chicken came later.

Between 7:00AM and 11:00, before, during, and after the walk/run, the Rotary’s Pancake Breakfast was chock full of pancake eaters, sausage eaters, coffee drinkers, and conversation.

But right now it's 9:00 as the runners line up to start at the stop sign …

And they’re off!

Here a young female runner

passes some male walkers …

And a mother and daughter run together.

I just happened to notice the third place 50+ female runner Kathy Koons Rowe, who taught English and directed plays at GHS through the 1972-73 and 1973-74 school years, and who just started running five years ago at age 58 ...

Her very first 5k was the 2009 Garrett July 4^th four years ago

Ralph “Rocky” DePaolo and wife Carolyn (GHS’54), known to many in Garrett, also ran …

As did Gary Fike (GHS ’70) and his son Brandon, who will begin Carroll Middle School next year.

Now, did you notice the pink “Team Pam” insignias on the backs of the black t-shirts in this photo (above)?

Well, the shirts looked like this from the front, and there were at least twenty such runners and walkers.

Here is yours truly after the finish with some younger runners in the background …

And last but certainly not least in the walk/run are Randy Brumbaugh and his wife Deedee, who completed the 3.1 mile 5k distance.

Randy went to school with the GHS ’70 class throughout the seventh grade, when his family moved to Ft Wayne (at which time I am almost positive Randy held the Garrett Jr High quarter mile record).

These days he comes to almost all of the GHS ’70 4^th Monday luncheons.

Here is another lost for a while but recently “found” classmate, Archie Traster, who came to his first GHS ’70 4^thMonday luncheon just this June, taking in the events today, standing just now by the park pavilion with his wife and daughter.

Finally, I caught Greg Weller (GHS ’70) with wife Marcia (DeKalb, ’71), obviously enjoying the events.

Greg was another track star from long-past but well remembered days.

But just so you know – and it is so obvious when you are there - those who came out to participate in, to see, and to support these events, were celebrating the life we live and share today!

At this point my camera went on the blink, and I was unable to capture the dance studio presentations or the very successful old car show, which drew hundreds of spectators, and around which swirled hundreds of conversations; not to mention the evening pageant or the fireworks … But it doesn’t really matter; these things happened without my camera or pen, and were very much enjoyed!

I fact, I can prove some of this –

You have been reading what I finished writing yesterday (Friday), but just today I got an email from Ron Gall (GHS ’70) with some car show photos attached!

Above is Ron himself, in the new school parking lot with his 1968 American Motors A M X, in a small section of a very large parking lot that was a VERY popular attraction when I was there earlier in the day!

So in conclusion, remembering what I said above …

I was just one of perhaps a thousand participants throughout these two days, and took just a few photos relative to what I saw and experienced. So if you can, imagine the fabric of experience that in reality fills the voids between these photos, and then multiply what you imagine times 1,000 probable participants … Then you will have some notion of what really transpired throughout Garrett Heritage Days, 2013!

And if you missed it … make SURE you are there in 2014!