The Merry Makers seniors group met recently at Jamesway Manor. Edie Henry read stories paying tribute to moms for Mother’s Day, Gladys Zimmerman read a story about understanding maturity and aging, and Marion Wylie read stories of remembering youthful times.
Special guests from the Clifford Homecoming 2017 committee, chair Bill Smith, co-chair Jackie Dally, and Carolyn LeMay shared highlights planned for the weekend of August 4 to 7, 2017.
They are looking for help from everyone to make this highly ambitious project a community effort. About 100 people stepped up to help organize the event with more promising to get involved closer to the date.
The park will be transformed into tent city providing designated areas and protection for children’s activities, bands to perform, and souvenir sales.
Marching bands will perform along the parade route and it is hoped that many will participate and enter a float and children will decorate their bikes and join along. Antique cars will be on display.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served in the arena where historical displays will be showcased. The cookbook should be ready for sale in time for gift giving.
Committee members modelled souvenir clothing for sale featuring the logo and party colours of green, gold, and red, handed out souvenir bookmarks, and brought along a selection of chocolate bars with souvenir wrappers. Everyone had their choice of a caramel chocolate bar, chocolate almonds, or mint chocolates compliments of Bill Smith.
Sales of a selection of boxed meats from Harriston Packers is the committee’s newest fundraiser.
Their next project will be to make and sell bows and swags for people to decorate their homes and businesses. They do have sponsors on board and donations of any size are accepted.
A silent auction and New Year’s Eve dance will start the official count down to the weekend celebration.
To take a step back in time, Dally provided a slide presentation showing people and landmarks from old photos and Newspaper clippings.
Marion and Jack Sangster, curling club winners, swing skirts ladies ball team, lovely Rotarian ‘ladies’ in their pageant, author Georgie Taylor, and reeve Sheldon Wolfe were recognized, but it was difficult to name all the people of the school board from 1964 or the St. John’s confirmation class of 1973. They even included a photo of residents at Jamesway Manor.
The celebration plans are updated weekly with photos and happenings on Facebook and at www.clifford2017.ca
At the end of the meeting, everyone headed to the Redwood Restaurant for dinner.
