Homecoming 2007 gets bigger as more groups sign on

What started with an idea to celebrate Georgetown District High School's 120th anniversary with a reunion called Homecoming 2007, has expanded to include many other community organizations in Halton Hills that are marking a special occasion. Slated to take place July 27-29 of next year, the weekend's schedule of events has been filling up as more groups come on board. Because GDHS and the Halton District School Board will likely wait until the school's 125th anniversary in 2012 to officially stage celebrations, organizers decided to take an inclusionary approach to putting together the reunion. Local resident Don Fendley, who started up Georgetown-online.org in May 2000, began circulating the idea for the homecoming and has received over 10,000 hits on his website forum over the past few weeks. "Some of the people who were initially interested in the idea told us, `I didn't even go to Georgetown High and I've lived here all my life.' So what do we do then?" recalled Homecoming 2007 co-chair David Smallwood. "The school hasn't had a reunion since 1987 and we want to follow up with another because we're losing people who we'd like to connect with again. It has kind of expanded from there and now it's become a pretty big weekend." The non-profit Homecoming 2007 committee has partnered with the Halton Hills Public Library and proceeds will go to the town's planned library expansion. With the Mold-Masters SportsPlex and Memorial Arena serving as the homecoming's headquarters, organizers are hopeful of drawing thousands of people to the area that weekend, with activities planned for the Friday night through to the closing ceremonies at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 29. A golf tournament on the Friday afternoon at Eagle Ridge starts off the weekend's festivities, followed by opening ceremonies in the evening. Saturday's itinerary has several events planned for various locations in the area, including a Car Cruise Show, a slo-pitch tournament, a Rebels' reunion, arts show, open houses at schools, churches, the Legion and the hospital, followed by a dance and party at the SportsPlex that night. The Limehouse Kiln Society, Lucy Maud Montgomery Garden and the Dominion Seed House Garden groups have pledged their involvement. It's also the 50th anniversary of the local Referee/Umpires Association and the Georgetown Pipe Band will mark its 65th year in existence with a reunion at Remembrance Park. Smallwood added that what organizers need to make the weekend run smoothly is commitments from volunteers or service clubs, who can help run activities, concession booths or beer gardens during the event. They've been handing out brochures and participated in the Canada Day Parade, plan on entering a float in the Santa Claus Parade, and welcome any community input or additions to the lineup of festivities. Five organizing subcommittees have been established and while things are going well in the planning stages-- with a corporate sponsorship campaign about to be launched-- finding those volunteers to do the legwork who can make the event successful are very much in demand. "It's kind of like trying to make concrete out of dust in the air," chuckled Homecoming 2007 co-chair Neil Cotton. "We're trying to generate some interest for people to step forward to help run the various activities and to come on board for the community because although it sounds like a great idea, we need people driving this from behind the scenes, so we're hoping to get their support." Cotton is currently accepting auditions for the musical performers at the reunion and he has written a song to commemorate the event, already performing it in front of "selected audiences" on a couple of occasions. For more information, visit the website www.georgetown2007.ca.