Roll of Honor sets of Back Home Days

L. Gale Johnson

Williams Alumni came back home by the hundreds to join locals for a bang-up Back Home Celebration July 13, 14 and 15.
Fun and festivities began Friday evening with a dinner and program at the Williams Arena. Some 270 people were served a delicious meal with Muriel Olson and Sonja Wilmer as caterers. Many youth helped inside the arena with serving and clearing the tables while others directed traffic outside.
Carol Nordine, mistress of ceremonies, presented an impressive program, including a special note of thanks for the spectacular response by the community and past residents to the Alumni Committee’s call for donations to keep this event coming along year after year.
Donations have come from many different sources including businesses, families, and individuals. With these donations the committee has been able to purchase several dozen tables, 300 chairs, numerous beverage servers, and build a storage area in the arena for these items. Contributions have also helped pay for additional wiring at both the arena and the park. And, there is even a reserve balance for future needs. Numerous donations of other necessary items have also been received.
Back Home Days was born some 32 years ago when three area women, Joyce Lockhart, Pat Gillie, and HenriEtta Olson, brought an idea into being. The idea was of an annual celebration to bring past residents “back home”. Today many talents meld together in a spirit of unity and love to keep the focus on the future of this tradition.
Back Home Days offers a backdrop for family reunions and class reunions. This year, the Class of 1947 and the Class of 1957 each held their reunion at the event. Dorothy Hovde made the introductions for the Class of 1947 at Friday evening’s program and Jerry Krohn did the honor for the Class of 1947.
The families of Ewald and Patrice Peterson, Bill and Emma Wilson, and Fred and Thilda Bridges took advantage of this opportunity to hold family reunions at Back Home Days as well.
Alumni cheerleaders were asked to stand while Patty (Svitak) Black lead them in shouting out the Williams cheer. Vivian Peterson, one of the State Volunteer of the Year winners, was introduced and honored with a lovely corsage.
Lyla Pieper and Judi Senkyr did the honor of unveiling the “Roll of Honor” plaque. The plaque was made and donated by Joel Meade of Sandy Shores. This beautiful symbol of unity and cooperation will hang at the Williams Senior Center.
The Roll of Honor contains names of those who have had contributions given in their memory or honor to the Alumni Committee for the continuation of celebrations in Williams such as Back Home Days. A few minutes during Friday evening’s program were devoted to these people in a ceremony when Carole Nordine and Rollin Bergman read the lengthy list of names.
Virginia (Siggerud) Sjogren of Breezy Point treated the crowd to a song she’d written about Williams. Virginia’s husband, John, provided guitar accompaniment.
Friday evening’s program ended with Carole Nordine’s challenges to the crowd:
“Let’s dream.” she said, “Let’s dream of a book of Williams High History, and of getting more people involved.”
If those challenges are met, Back Home Days in Williams will continue for years to come.
Back Home festivities continued Saturday morning with many partaking of the pancake breakfast at the Williams Senior Center. From 9 to Noon those who like logging competed in various chainsaw and axe events, and at 2 p.m. kids’ races had the park rocking. (Race results can be found elsewhere in this issue.)
A huge crowd of visitors and residents wound up a wonderful weekend at the annual potluck picnic at the park at 4:30 where volunteers once again prepared and served wonderful barbecued pork and potatoes.
Come again next year for Back Home Days in Williams - the little town with the big welcome home!