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Thursday, June 18, 2009 12:17 PM

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Dee Horne, president of the Jayhawker Booster Club, is pictured Wednesday at Williamsburg City Park. The park will be home to Jayhawker Days this weekend. Horne has been involved with the Jayhawkers for 20 years.

Small-town nostalgia returns with Jayhawker Days

By BRIAN WILLIAMS, Herald Staff Writer

Photo illustration by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

To Dee Horne, nothing says Williamsburg quite like Jayhawker Days.

“It brings people in town together, and brings families back who used to live here and kids who used to go to school here,” Horne, 54, said.

Neva Snyder, Ottawa, who used to live in Williamsburg, said her grandchildren return for Jayhawker Days each year.

“Williamsburg is a special community,” she said.

Like past years, the three-day festival begins with the opening ceremony 5 p.m. Friday. Former Williamsburg principal and teacher, Forrest Bond, and his wife, Evelyn, will be presented with a community service award at Williamsburg City Park, Center and William streets.

A family picnic featuring pulled pork, baked beans and potato salad from Guy & Mae’s Tavern will be served at 5:30 p.m. by the Jayhawk Booster Club. Also, an ice cream social by the Williamsburg Community Library Board will be at 5:30 p.m. followed by a concert by Jim Taylor & Country Class.

“Friday evening, when we have the music, the homemade ice cream and the picnic, it’s a gathering place for fellowship,” Eloise Bennett said.

“It’s people’s image of what a small town is,” she said.

The activities continue Saturday with the Robinson Puppet Show & Wood Sculptures. Puppet shows are slated for 9:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Wood sculptures will be auctioned off at 5:30 p.m. after the parade at 5 p.m.

Grand marshals of this year’s parade are Andy and Florene Anderson. The theme is “Old Fashioned Picnic.”

The annual baby show will be at 9 a.m. Saturday. The baby show factors into Horne’s most memorable Jawhawker Days.

It was 1961 — the last year for Jayhawker Days until it was brought back in the 1980s, Horne, who’s family includes four generations of Williamsburg High School graduates, said.

“I had just gotten out of first grade and my mother had my sister in February. She was in the baby show and had lost her bootie,” he said.

“I remember running all over the park looking for it, and the Ferris wheel seemed so big, but I was 6, so everything seemed big,” Horne said.

Although there won’t be a Ferris Wheel, Jayhawker Days will have an inflatable carnival and children’s games in the park.

Another family moment from 1961 that sticks in Horne’s mind involves cleaning up the park with his grandfather.

“We had the sticks with nails in them picking up trash, and my grandfather said, ‘Look there’s a $5 bill in here,’” Horne said.

His grandfather had hid the money in some trash, which created an extra incentive for Horne to clean up. Although he didn’t find another $5 bill, he did find a dollar that his grandfather had hidden, he said.

Remembering memories from the past and making memories for the future are what keeps Horne and others returning to Jayhawker Days.

“We grew up with it and we want to keep it alive,” Horne said.

•••

Jayhawker Days — “Old Fashioned Picnic”

All activities are at Williamsburg City Park, Center and William streets, unless otherwise indicated.

Friday

• 5 p.m. — Opening ceremony.

• 5:30 p.m. — Family picnic.

• 5:30 p.m. — Ice cream social.

• 6 p.m. — Jim Taylor & Country Class Music

Saturday

• 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. — Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, Williamsburg Elementary School lunchroom, 140 N. Louisa St.

• 9 a.m. — Crafters in the park

• 9 a.m. — Baby show with Carolyn

• 9 a.m. — 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Williamsburg Elementary School.

• 9:30 a.m. — Robinson Puppet Show

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Girl Scout Kids Carnival

• 10 a.m. — Chainsaw Sculpture

• Noon — Robinson Puppet Show

• Noon — Bingo with Nadine

• 1 p.m. — Commode races, wood carving, lawn mower races

• 1:30 p.m. — Scavenger hunt and turtle races

• 1:30 p.m. — Robinson Puppet Show

• 2:30 p.m. — Ask Stacy for Your Wood Desire

• 3:30 p.m. — Last Chance Robinson Puppet Show

• 4 p.m. — Supper by Masons and parade line up

• 4 p.m. — Last Robinson Wood Show

• 5 p.m. — Parade “Family Picnic”

• 5:30 p.m. — Auction of Wood Sculpture

• 6 p.m. — Wild West Women Show

• 6:45 p.m. — Music in the Park

• 9 p.m. — Street Dance with Bits & Pieces

Sunday

• 8:30 a.m. — Brunch in the park

• 10 a.m. — Church service in the park