The 16th annual Tyrone Day was held at the Vineyards Country Club in Naples, Florida on Saturday, February 25.
Forty-two persons attended who have their roots in Tyrone. Some of those who attended are former Tyrone residents who moved to Florida early to seek career opportunities. Some who attended have retired and moved to Florida. Others were Tyrone folks vacationing in the area to enjoy a bit of sunshine during the winter months. They all gathered to celebrate shared memories of the place they still call home.
The event opened at 11 a.m. with registration and social hour.
Judie Black welcomed the group and took a brief trip down memory lane.
“It is easy to close our eyes and remember our childhood days like it was yesterday,” she began. “Summertime swims at the athletic park, paper mill dam, or the quarry hole below town; dances at the pavilion at Reservoir Park; sipping cokes and sodas at Sullies, Arties, Paul Wallace’s, or McClanahan’s Drug Store; ice-skating on the pond at the park and sled riding down Brewery Hill. We also remember going to the movies at the Wilson Theater on Saturday afternoons for 17 cents.”
She continued, “We remember people like Stoney, Hazel Latshaw, Sair MacDowell, Zeek LaPorte, DT Moore and Grant Hixson, and the impact those teachers made in our lives.”
Orange and black papers with Tyrone trivia questions were placed at the tables to carry on the nostalgia game during the luncheon. Seeking the answers to the Tyrone trivia questions stimulated discussion and laughter. The questions were donated compliments of WTRN, Betty Rodgers, Peg Baney and Bonnie Garner.
The late Bill Kanour and his wife Velda are responsible for organizing the Tyrone Day in Naples event and for keeping it going. Velda told the group that Tyrone Day started in 1990 when some of the Tyrone folks got together for a covered dish picnic at Naples Park.
Each year the crowd continued to grow. Finally, the party moved to the Vineyards Country Club and it has taken place there for the last 12 years. The group presented Velda with a gift of thanks for initiating the happy tradition and for all of her efforts over the years.
Door prizes were awarded after lunch and socializing continued. Thanks were expressed to Gardner’s Candies for candy favors on the tables and to Chaney Reese, who donated oranges from his grove as a door prize.
Appreciation was expressed to the new Tyrone Day committee consisting of Barbara Kingston Sampson, Cheri Bass Dow, Bonnie Gebhart Garner, Rosanna Caffarelli Lower and Judie Eckroth Black, who hosted this year’s event.
Those in attendance were: Gayleen Barone, Margie Beyer, Judie and Dave Black, Annis Bonsell, Carol and Jack Brantner, Mary and Ted Dougherty, Cheri and Bill Dow, Attorney Fred Giles and his daughter Megan, Martha and Darrell Golden, Marge Hanes and her grandson, Allen, Bonnie and Charlie Houser, Rodney Irvin, Jim Irvin, Mary Ellen Jones, Velda Kanour, Rosanna and George Lower, Sally Jo and Jim Maisano, Carol and Russell Miller, Caroline Myers, Mary and Jim Philage, Beverly and Chaney Reese, Mary Augusta and Don Roseberry, Barbara Sampson, Maureen and Ray Trenary, Peggy and Larry Walker and Sally Wilder.
Any Tyrone residents or former Tyrone residents who are interested in attending Tyrone Day in Naples, Florida next year, contact Barbara Sampson at 6145 Reserve Circle No. 1702, Naples, Florida 34119 or phone 239-353-6564 or email rsampson@swfla.rr.com.
Tyrone Day is always held on the last Saturday in February. Everyone is welcome.
