Events planned April – August for community’s 200th
by Kristina Gabalski
It may be the biggest event in Kendall in 200 years. The town is celebrating its bicentennial in 2012 and many special events are planned over a five-month span from April through August.
“We wanted to plan something for each month,” Jane Hart says. She co-chairs the town’s Bicentennial Committee with her husband, Robert.
Mary Campbell, who is also a member of the committee, says the length of the celebration allows for everyone to participate at some point. “If it was just one event, people might miss it,” she notes.
Planning for the celebration actually began back in 2006 when the town was given an anonymous donation specifically for celebrating the bicentennial. Then Supervisor Bill Vick took the lead in beginning preparations.
“The committee began meeting a couple of times a year,” Hart says. “Things started to gel about three years ago.”
Hart and Campbell say many members of the community have been involved in organizing and planning and will staff the upcoming events.
“Everybody has pitched-in,” Campbell says.
The Opening Ceremony is set for April 28 at 7 p.m. at the David J. Doyle Junior/Senior High School. The evening includes music by the Kendall Community Chorus and the Kendall Central School choruses.
“State Senator George Maziarz and Assemblyman Steve Hawley will be attending,” Hart says. “The town was settled in April of 1812, so we wanted to stay as close to that as we could for the opening.”
Kendall Town Historian Joette Knapp has set up a display in the Town Hall which includes (above) a dress she made for the town’s sesquicentennial 50 years ago. Committee members Jane Hart and Mary Campbell say she has done a lot in preparing for the bicentennial celebration and has been a tremendous resource of information. Knapp also set up the mannequin shown (right) as part of the Kendall Town Hall display. In contrast to the reproduction outfit, this figure sports a bicentennial sweatshirt and other souvenir items available as part of the celebration. Photographs by Kristina GabalskiCampbell has been very involved in producing a DVD commemorating the bicentennial. “Kendall: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” will be available for the first time at the opening ceremony event.
The DVD was professionally videotaped and produced. Over 100 people tell their personal stories of growing up in Kendall. The production covers life in the town over the past 70 years and Campbell says the stories are told sensitively, intuitively, insightfully and humorously.
“She interviewed a lot of people of all generations,” Hart says.
Campbell said that Jim Miesner of Fruit Tree Studios gave of his time and professional talents in videotaping and editing the DVD. Punch and cookies will be served following the concert and Kendall Bicentennial souvenir items will be available.
May 11 through 13 is the annual Partyka Farms Quilt Show. Hart says this year the show will have a patriotic theme in honor of the bicentennial.
A Bicentennial Decoration Day Breakfast and Cruise-In will take place May 19 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Fire Hall.
“We could have over 100 cars coming in that day,” Hart notes.
The Lions Club Garage Sale is also planned that day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fire Hall and a Steak Roast will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Kendall Garden Club has donated patriotic buntings to festoon houses along the town’s parade route, Hart and Campbell say. “We’re asking everyone in the community to put out the red, white and blue this year,” Hart says. She adds that the Lutheran Church is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and the Kendall Fire Department is marking its 100th anniversary in addition to the town’s milestone.
June 15 and 16 includes a Family Movie Night and a Living History event with Civil War re-enactors.
“June 15 is field day at school,” Hart says. “The students will be learning old time games. That night (at dusk) there will be a movie on the Town Hall lawn. It will be a fun day for the kids and a fun night for them.”
The family movie event is sponsored by the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA)/Reality Check and Mike Cuzzupoli of Zuper Bounce will provide the movie.
Highlights of the Civil War Living History event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, include a children’s historical scavenger hunt and cannon firing throughout the day. The event will be held at the Firemen’s Field.
Hart says the Civil War re-enactors will “set up camp and have demonstrations including cooking and sewing to show what a soldier’s life was like. The Boy Scouts are going to participate by demonstrating (modern-day) camping to show the juxtaposition.”
A Sloppy Joe Lunch will be served by the Kendall United Methodist Church at the Fire Hall. The lunch is being organized by Bob and LuAnne Henry.
The Bicentennial Community Musical – “The Music Man” – will be performed July 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. at the David J. Doyle Junior/Senior High School. Admission is free; donations will be accepted.
Campbell is co-directing “The Music Man” with Jeremy Rath. She says the musical was chosen for it’s small-town patriotic flavor and the fact that it is set in 1912 – 100 years ago when the town marked its centennial.
“The response we’ve been getting is great,” she says. “Kids and people in general are interested … from small children to an 86-year old. The Kendall Royal Blue Marching Band will be performing in their uniforms.”
Campbell notes that two local college students home for spring break expressed their interest and she will be holding auditions in May.
The auditions are set for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, May 1, 2 and 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Kendall High School vocal room. For details call 659-8504.
Adults and children of all ages are needed for the production, Campbell says. She explains that the auditions will serve to place people in the show rather than inspect individual talents and gifts.
“The show is open to anybody,” she emphasizes. “Even people outside of the community.” Campbell adds that Stockham Lumber is donating supplies for the sets.
“We also need people to help with things like costumes and sets and – everything,” Hart says.
The summer-long celebration concludes with Home Grown Days August 18 and 19. “It’s the big event,” both Hart and Campbell say.
A long list of events is planned for Saturday, August 18 with things kicking off at 8 a.m. with coffee and donuts provided by the Morton Ladies Auxiliary.
The parade steps off at 11 a.m. and events at the Fire Hall/Town Hall/Firemen’s Field include a Firemen’s Muster with antique firetrucks; steam engine threshing demonstrations; a Tug-of-War; petting zoo; children and young adult activities and music including the Alumni Band.
So far, Campbell says, the Alumni Band has 18 members and is being directed by 76-year old Dick Roberson, a former band director at the school.
Exhibits by local artisans are planned in the Town Hall – Friday, 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“The more we talked to people, the more we found out how many talented people we have in the community,” Hart says.
Exhibitors include Thomas Markusen who is a metal artist. His works are part of the permanent collections of such illustrious places as the Vatican Museum in Rome, Italy and the White House Craft Collection, Hart says. John Marchand is nationally known for his duck carvings; Karl Driesel is a “true craftsman” Hart and Campbell say and a “master woodworker.” He crafted the judge’s bench and tables at the Kendall Town Hall. Jan Root is a renowned quilter and collector of sewing machines and Harry Beaver crafts handmade wooden bowls.
Hart says more than a dozen artisans will be displaying their work and antiques will also be a part of the exhibit.
Food vendors on August 18 include a Pork BBQ by the Morton Fire Department, a corn roast by the Kendall Masons, ice cream sundaes by the Concordia Lutheran Church, hot dogs and hamburgers, and similar items sold by the Kendall Fire Department and waffles by the Kendall Ladies Auxiliary.
The celebration continues on the 18th with a Street Dance at 7:30 p.m. Pizza and sodas will be available from the Kendall Lions Club and fireworks are planned for 10 p.m.
On Sunday, August 19, Home Grown Days concludes with a 10 a.m. Community Church Service at the Kendall Community Park Gazebo (bring your own chair). “All five churches in the area will participate,” Hart and Campbell say.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. lunch will be served by St. Mark’s Catholic Church at the Fire Hall.
The Bicentennial Celebration will wrap-up with a concert and closing ceremony on the Town Hall lawn from 1 to 3 p.m. (bring your own chair). The Community Chorus will perform.
More details on all activities and contact information is available at the Town of Kendall website: townofkendall.com
“Come find something,” Hart says of the summer long celebration, “there has to be something to interest you. It should be a really nice event,” she adds. “We have tried to tie things into what we have in the community.”
