For 42 years The Woollybear Festival has been part of my autumn life each year. Only Big Chuck Schodowski, Lil John Rinaldi and me have been in all 42 parades over those years. In fact the annual parade is in many ways a Fox 8 reunion each year where we get to see and talk with many of the folks we work with, but dont see every week because of different schedules or shows. Heres a tip. If you want to get pictures of many of the Fox 8 personalities and their families, they are usually in the parking lot by the Vermilion Public Library getting ready to ride in the parade. That is where most of the convertibles and pick-up trucks line-up. I guess I can take a bit of the credit for founding the festival. 43 years ago my home was the meeting place for the Firelands School PTA officers who were trying to come up with a fund-raising idea. I was just getting home from work at Fox 8 that evening when one of the ladies asked if I had any thoughts about events they could sponser. Only weeks before Dick Goddard had attended the Valley City Frog Jumping Festival and remarked several times in the newsroom that someone should sponsor a Woollybear Festival. I suggested the ladies contact Dick and offer to sponsor the festival if he would head it up and come out to be part of it to attract crowds. They did and so did he and the rest, as they say, is history. I hope youll attend the festival this Sunday in Vermlion. Ill be there in my One Tank Trip car. I hope youll wave as I go by.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 15:00:57 +0000
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