Posted 8:31 am Sunday, October 12, 2008
Thousands Celebrate YesterYear At Whitehouse
|
By KELLY GOOCH
Staff Writer
WHITEHOUSE - The Whitehouse City Park on East Main Street was filled with people Saturday as they took part in the YesterYear festival activities.
Staff Writer
WHITEHOUSE - The Whitehouse City Park on East Main Street was filled with people Saturday as they took part in the YesterYear festival activities.
Susan Shivers, board member of the YesterYear organization, said there were collectively 2,000 or 3,000 people who were at the park, the parade and pep rally, which were all held Saturday.
There were probably 750 participants in the parade, she said, including Mr. and Mrs. YesterYear and band members from Whitehouse schools.
A carousel float had YesterYear princess Courtney McFarlin and others on it; a wildcat spirit float had Lady in Waiting Kirbie Harrison and others on it and a float with a white crown was in the parade, Shivers said.
Whitehouse Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Crymes mentioned that antique tractors, horses and antique cars were also part of the parade.
Crymes said the YesterYear parade has typically been in June, but was combined with the Whitehouse High School Homecoming Parade in October this year.
"It just livened the parade up," he said of the schools participating.
YesterYear also got switched this year, Crymes said, because cooler weather is usually found in October.
Shivers said the crowd was better than last year and she thought it was because not as many people were gone on vacation.
As he stood by fire trucks, he said food was being sold in the fire station and that community members at the park could come by and see the equipment that the department uses.
There were also firemen who were available to talk with people if someone wanted to talk to them, Crymes said.
Meanwhile, close to the fire trucks, a pep rally going on.
Cheerleaders did cheers, Royal Courts and Mr. and Mrs. YesterYear were introduced and there was mention of the six Whitehouse High School nominees for Homecoming Queen.
This year's Mr. and Mrs. YesterYear are Randall and Susan Robinson.
Susan Robinson said the couple rode on a 1929 roadster in the parade, and her husband said he "got to see lots of people" while doing it.
Randall is currently a member of the Whitehouse ISD school board and is a former City Council member.
Susan also noted their involvement at Whitehouse United Methodist Church.
"We love the town. We love the people," she said, adding that Whitehouse is a good place to have a family raised.
The park was not only filled with people, but with inflatables and arts and crafts vendors as well.
Mollie Rusnell was selling custom woodwork, including what she called veggie boxes and trash boxes.
"(I decided to come to Whitehouse) because it's close to home and a real involved city," she said. "People are interested and very nice."
Shelly Williams was at a table helping to sell spirit shirts, with the profits to go toward a Whitehouse High School National Honor Society trip to the Presidential Inauguration.
Whitehouse resident Katherine Green was selling crosses and said she had sold some but wished the YesterYear event had been advertised more.
Faye Melton, co-owner of Sew Perfect Embroidery & Signs, was selling embroidered blankets, among other things, and said she wanted to participate in YesterYear to "try something new."
Betty White was selling fused and stained glass and commented on the weather.
"I like to do the fall festivals when it's a little cooler," she said.
And plenty of people were walking around the park where the vendors were.
As Whitehouse resident Sondra Moore stood by the playground, she said her grandchildren were in the parade and they wanted to come to the park, so she brought them.
"For a small town, I think it's very good," Moore said of YesterYear.
Whitehouse High School cheerleader Kelsey Mundt was also at the park and said she walked in the parade with children who had attended a cheer clinic and that this year had been more fun than last year.
The Whitehouse City Park was not the only place where an event was going on Saturday.
Near by in the Austin Bank parking lot on Highway 110, people could register for the Car, Truck and Bike Show.
Stephanie Muller, event coordinator for the show, said registration cost $25 and that registration was scheduled to stop at 1:30 p.m.
The show is sponsored by the Whitehouse Range Riders Motorcycle Club, and proceeds will benefit local charities, including Shattered Dreams and the Whitehouse Community Library, she said.
After the registration period was over, Muller said the entries would be judged and things like paint and wheels would be looked at.
She said they had various giveaways and that pretty much every participant would get something.
Muller noted that at 1 p.m., former Dallas Cowboys punter Toby Gowin would show up to sign autographs.
The last YesterYear event, the YesterYear FanFare & Ball, was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Whitehouse High School auditorium.
