MEEKER I The Old Timers’ Pioneer Association invites the public to the 104th annual Old Timers’ Celebration on Saturday night in Meeker.
Activities begin at 3 p.m. with the recording of oral histories at the Fairfield Center in downtown Meeker. There will be a social hour, time to share stories that will be recorded, a business meeting and presentation, dinner and, of course, the fun evening of dancing.
Gather friends and family to join this event and keep the history of Rio Blanco County alive.
This year, association co-presidents Mike and Mary Grady are excited to host an agriculture theme with a special presentation on local bees.
Next year’s presidents, Hallie Blunt and Molly Turner, would like to incorporate branding into the theme so any pictures you have of family brandings would be greatly appreciated.
Just like the tradition of a family branding, the Old Timers’ Celebration is a tradition of celebrating our communities. The concept is that neighbors join together to help each other out and then take time to appreciate the treasure of a memory shared.
“With all the technology we have today, we can certainly record a story and save it several different ways,” Grady said. “We can take a picture and have it to always recall the memory, but to sit and have a conversation with a neighbor or someone a generation or two older, is something that is truly priceless.
“The story our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents have is remarkable, from covered wagons to space ships, from the pony express to Instagram,” he said. “Think of the changes they have seen. For all the ‘progress,’ the thing I bet they would say has been lost is taking the time to just sit down and talk.”
No doubt the folks were just as busy or more so as they didn’t have all the conveniences of today, but they were never too busy to help a neighbor or talk to a friend.
It is a gift if you take the time to listen to a story told by the one who actually lived it.
This weekend, take a couple hours and come enjoy stories, friendship and the tradition that has made the 104th annual Old Timers’ Pioneer Association the celebration it is today.
