'Old Home Days' A Success in SoRo
By Bruce & Susan Jones

Alisha Roller of Simsbury, Conn., and Rabi Anketell of South Royalton enjoy the Mind Winder Sunday night at the annual Old Home Days celebration in South Royalton. (Herald / Tim Calabro)

The South Royalton Fire and Rescue Squad Association, Inc. sponsored the annual Old Home Day events July 19-21.

Not many turned out for the opening night due to weather, however, by Friday night and all day Saturday, events were in full swing.

The parade kicked off Saturday's events at 10 a.m. with Bushrod Powers as the master of ceremonies. The three judges (Bob Caron, Peg Trombly, and Steve Teel) had a difficult job judging all the great entries. Carol Greene coordinated the parade.

The famous Bean Hole Beans lunch was sold out within the hour, as well as the chicken dinner. People started lining up for these two meals well before serving time, in a line that stretched halfway across the green. Everyone standing in line for the beans watched as Paul Brock dug through the embers to uncover the seven cast iron pots of beans that had been cooking since 10 o'clock Friday evening. There is an eighth pot for beans, but it was retired this year. The Bean Hole Beans meal has been a tradition of this yearly event since the early 1950s. The recipe and cooking method was handed down by Roland Macintosh and has not changed in over a half century.

Paul Whitney, retired fire chief of 30 years, hand-crafted the wooden furniture that was donated to the silent auction. Bidders perused the 143 items donated to the auction by local businesses and individuals, writing their bids on the bid sheets up to the closing time of 4 p.m. After all was tallied, Lisa Enright said she was very pleased with the results of the auction.

This yearly event is the largest fundraiser for the Royalton Fire & Rescue Squad, which helps provide the funding needed for training, equipment, supplies, and the daily expenses (fuel, electric, phone/communications, etc.). The organization is a business, funded by the public, and staffed by volunteers. Every year, the cost of equipment, supplies, fuel, and utilities continues to rise and so does the need for additional funds.

If an effort to help fire and rescue, please make sure your residence is properly marked with the town-supplied red reflective address sign visible to any approaching fire or rescue vehicle. This little sign may help save your life and/or your property. Also make sure your family members know how and when to call 911.

Parade Winners

Best float pertaining to the theme: first place, Rebekahs & Odd Fellows with "Moonlight in Vermont, Junior Prom;" second place, SRHS Alumni Assoc., with a model of the VLS Debevois Hall, float sponsored by Mrs. Thomas Debevois and Robert Caron.

Best animal entries: Cassandra Wallen and her short-horn steers; and Judy Gadway and Bonnie Burgess with their stallions.

Best marching group: South Royalton Town band.

Best antique autos: 1930 Phaeton owned by Neal Rand, and 1950 Chevrolet "Nifty-Fifty" owned by Jim and Shirley Hewitt.

Best-liked entry: Randy Leavitt with his Flintstone puppet tractors.

Best tractor groups: LF Trottier and Sons, Central Vermont Tractor Club. Larry Trottier also had a John Deere tractor that was in the 1957 and 1958 Old Home Day parades.

Best historical entry: Montpelier Tractor Club with the toy capitol.

Best antique trucks: Sharon fire truck and Hartford Sign Co.