Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutWingham Advance-Times, 1977-11-02, Page 3ti • THIS SIGN greets everyone entering Standish along Highway 23. It and other signs on businesses in the city left no doubt the visitors from Wingham were welcome and must have left a lot of passers -through wondering about this place called Wingham. Flanking the sign are the sister city organization presidents, John Strong of Wingham and Harold Butch of Standish, and the mayors, Jack Stoner of Standish and William Walden of Wingham. The Wingham Advance -Times, November 2, 1.977 Page 3 ors to sister city receive royal welcome Christmas came early this year for 23 Winghamites who'paid a visit to their sister city, Standish, Michigan, last weekend. The visitors were greeted with a color guard and parade; were wined and dined, made honorary cit- izens of Standish and went away bearing gifts. During it all, they had plenty of opportunities to meet people from that community on a per- ,onal leveldiscuss •similarities and differences, find common in- terests and make fast friends. Virtually the whole " city of Standish (a` community of com- parable size to Wingham,with a smaller population but more industry) appeared to be in on the welcome. Signs greeting visitors FLAG CAKES—Standish, Mayor Jack Stoner and Wingham Deputy Reeve Harold Wild displayvcakes decorated with the U.S. and Canadian flags at the banquet given in honor of the sister city visit. WINGHAM VISITORS received honoray citizenship certificates from Standish Mayor Jack Stoner. Wingham was also presented with a Michigan flag and responded by presenting the Standish council with desk sets, bearing Wingham's insignia. from the sister city were display- ed by many businesses along the highway into town, flags decked the main street and shop windows bore welcoming posters made by the local Boy Scouts. Representatives from the police and fire departments, the City of Standish, the sister city organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars 6 W), the VFW Auxiliary, the American Legion and the Boy and Girl Scouts were in the welcoming committee and color guard, and took part in the parade and official welcoming ceremony. The Wingham visitors in- advertantly sidestepped the red carpet welcome on their initial entry into Standish Saturday noon, when a misunderstanding of directions brought them in by the back door. This was quickly cleared up and the ceremonies went forward as planned, albeit somewhat delayed. As the Wingham caravan (three cars and a motor home) finally gathered at the appointed entrance into the city, the visitors were greeted warmly and pre- sented with corsages. Traffic was stopped while they were paraded downtown for the welcoming. ceremony, featuring a salute to both flags and singing of the na- tional anthems. Visitors and welcoming com- mittee then moved on for lunch at a home in the community, follow- ing which the guests were invited tosplit up for tours: •shopping, sightseeing, a visit to a local dairy farm, etc. That evening the visitors were guests of honor at a dinner and dance held at the VFW hall. The dinner was sold out, as more than 150 people packed the hall to meet them and join in the festivities. In the wee hours of the morn- ing, the Winghamites drifted off to spend the night with their var- ious host families. The next morning, following breakfast and attendance at local church services, the group got to- gether again for a bits tour of Standish, during which they saw the municipal and county offices, the new elementary school and the growing industrial park. Upon returning froth the tour, they were treated to lunch at the same home as the previous day and then, regretfully, said good - by to new-found friends and took their leave for home. TRIP SHORTS While the 23 who went from Wingham to Standish represt- ed a fair cross section othe community—municipal officials, school principal, postmaster, business persons, etc.—people there expressed regret that no farmers made the trip. They also issued an invitation to "more young people". The visitors to Standish were almost overwhelmed by the warmth of the welcome they re- ceived. "It seemed they couldn't do enough for you," was a com- mon sentiment. Typical was one incident in which a visitor was overheard expressing regret she hadn't been able to find a bag of peanut M&M candies while .shop- ping downtown. At the banquet that evening she was presented with a large bag of the candiesby a Standish man, who had gone out and hunted them up for her. The hosts were also unwilling to allow their guests to- pay for anything during their stay. As a result, those who went found themselves paying for little be- sides travelling expenses, which were divided equally among the travelers. Mr. and Mrs. John Strong, Mr. and Mrs. William ,.Walden, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wild, Mr. aid Mrs. William Renwick, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Nevery, Mr. and Mrs. John Mann, Mr: and Mrs. Gordon Sutcliffe, Mr. and Mrs. Herb Kenyon, Mr. and Mrs. Harper English, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Hodgins, Mrs. Leneita Statia, Ross Doll, and Henry Hess (from the Advance -Times) were the in- trepid excursionists. Mr. Strong is president of Wingham's sister city organiza- tion and his wife,. Norma, is the -secretary. Mrs. Nevery is treas- urer for the group and Mr. Ken- yon is a director. BANQUET—Harold Butch, president of the Standish sister city organization, welcomed the visitors from Wingham at a banquet Saturday night. Also at the head table are Norma and John Strong of the Wingham sister city committee, Standish Mayor Jack Stoner and his Wingham counterpart, William Walden (not visible). • INFORMAL LUNCHEON --Following the parade and official welcome to Standish, the visitors from Wingham enjoyed a meal and relaxed conversation at a home in the com- munity. DANCING—Standish sister city organization president Harold Butch shares a dance with Marg English of Wingham following a banquet given in honor of the visit. WELCOMING PARADE—Wingham visitors were greeted by a color guard and welcoming committee upon their entry into Standish on Saturday, and then were paraded down- town for the official welcoming ceremony. Representatives of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the "'FW Auxiliary, the American Legion, Boy, and Girl Scouts, and police and fire departments led the parade. VISITORS FROM WINGHAM were welcomed to Standish, Michigan, Wingham's sister city, in a ceremony held in front of the local sheriff's office Saturday afternoon. Members of the Standish Boy and Girl Scouts and other organizations"'formed a color guard for the ceremony and the parade that preceded it.