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Show HOMESTEAD ONE OF AMERICA'S CLASSIC COUNTRY RESORTS I i , . ! ' t 1 .S ' i, i i i - - - By JUDY JENSEN Editor He said, "You can't go home again," but Thomas Wolfe had obviously ob-viously never visited the Homestead. Homes-tead. Nestled in the heart of the beautiful Heber Valley, a visit to the Homestead country inn is like a visit to Grandma's house. This perception is made complete com-plete by the greeting visitors receive re-ceive from the cordial staff and the family which calls the 100-year-old inn, "home." This newly-polished gem that has attracted visitors from all over the world, is owned by Carole and Jerry Jer-ry Sanders. This young couple is responsible for providing the extraordinary ex-traordinary sense of family hospitality hospit-ality found at the Homestead. The story of how Jerry Sanders, high powered international executive execu-tive who once lived in Beverly Hills in the home of a former movie star, ended up with his family in Midway, Mid-way, Utah, is fascinating. "It all started in about 1977," began Jerry. "Carole and I were living in Beverly Hills. I had been successful in the New York finan- cial world writing ad campaigns for large marketing firms. For the first time in my life I had money. So we bought the home of 'Ma Kettle', and the right car, and lived a typical Beverly Hills life," said Jerry. The home the Sanders purchased had beautiful gardens and Jerry said that those gardens were eventually even-tually the eye-opener he needed to change his lifestyle. "We had beautiful climbing vines and the entrance to the driveway drive-way was arched with a rose trellis. One day when I was returning home from work in my socially correct cor-rect car, just as I was turning into the driveway; I heard Mac Davis on the radio singing, 'You've got to stop and smell the roses.' It was then I realized I was not seeing life. It had become a blur," said Jerry. He said that at that moment he decided to make a change. Within a few months he and Carole had sold their Beverly Hills trappings and started off on a two year trip around the world. During that trip they got their first taste of managing a country inn. While dining in Switzerland, they met John Moreton, owner of the Slalom Hotel and Bar and Grill in Zermatt. That chance meeting led to the Sanders managing the hotel while the Moretons took a vacation. "We fell in love with the business and decided to go back to America and do it on our own." said Jerry. He said they searched for years but could not find the right property at the right price. "Carole had only one critera. The place we owned had to be just big enough so it would be physically impossible for her to make the beds," he said laughingly. During this time Jerry made several unsuccessful attempts to purchase the Homestead. As a Park City skier, he had been to the Homestead Homes-tead many times for dinner. "I always al-ways loved it," he said. The Sanders' dream of owning their own country inn became a reality quite by chance. After searching sear-ching for the right property from 1977 to 1983, Jerry said they had nearly given up. With no hope of fulfilling their dream in sight, the Sanders decided to buy a travel agency. "I decided if I can't beat them, I'll join them," he said. That purchase was never com pleted. Jerry explained that the real estate agent who was to bring the final papers for his signature was late. As Jerry waited he read the classified section of the newspaper and found listed an ad for a country inn. "I can still remember. It was Friday morning Oct. 2, 1982," Jerry Jer-ry said reliving the excitement. "It j read, 'Historic Mountain resort at 9200 feet in New Mexico.' Now I grew up in Oklahoma, and I was sure it was a mistake because as far as I knew there was nothing 9200 feet high in New Mexico," said Jerry. He called the number listed and the seller assured him the inn was indeed on top of a 9200 foot mountain. moun-tain. "1 called Carole and told her to put the travel agency purchase on hold. I got on a plane at noon and headed to the resort and by 5 p.m. I had made up my mind to purchase it." The Sanders took possession of the "Lodge" in Cloudcroft, New Mexico on May 1, 1983. Since that time it has grown to become an internationally in-ternationally acclaimed resort. O CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE The view from the former Schneitter family home says "welcome home" to today's guests. T- -p" j 1 "j s " ' ! - 3 : ' " s !l ! ; r. - I 4 v A V i l : I " Xy 11 j p V ?y - I - v. r 1 S,-N.:X. . " ' " ?ii ti r i t x'yiN i nil I n' . 4thS '" ''? " !' "S?'PZ,? I f 1 I J 1 , S ' r ' ' 4' t & . Whimsical life-sized characters introduce visitors to "Whimsey's," a charming shop filled with gifts and crafts. Jerry and Carole Sanders with their sons Brandon and Justin now call the 100-year-old country inn "home". The Sanders are responsible for providing the sense of family hospitality found at today's Homestead. 'You've got to love a place like this. You can't make it work on money alone. You've got to put some energy into it." ...Jerry Sanders r " - .. -; U . 1 liiiiiiiiii ,i St.. ! ft!W' I . : : '.' r &Wr i , ii ? : .... "'""UK" "'MMWI I '.' ' : r? ' .... , The four elderly Schneitter daughters, Venus, Maime, Fannabell and Ruth, are the Sanders' luncheon guests in the main dining room every Friday. John Ellertson's expert touch makes every meal at the Homestead an event. Photos by ROGER TUTTLE The newly added Victorian style sun-porch at the inn leads to a private hot tub. The Sanders have combined old with new to provide guests with the best of both worlds. ; - -ii r - am i mium1- """-1- - ' if.iM.iiii.M,.i ii mmt mi ! iifint JTr ' '"'" 1 ' ' ' """" " ' " -r iitisn- -t r. Homestead's legacy alive and well again v.; ) , , ; - t '.;J!- ' - ' I 4 - , I J i i J :f s, - . ; I CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE The purchase of the "Lodge" satisfied the Sanders. They had what they wanted and were content to put all of their energy into that project, and raising their two small sons Justin and Brandon, who were only 5-years-old and 2-years-oId at I the time. ! It was not until 1986 that "fate" led Jerry to become the owner of the Homestead. "It was almost eerie the way it happened," said Jerry. He explained he was in Deer Valley picking up two buses he was going to use in Cloudcroft, when by chance he met a former business associate. "He knew I had been interested in-terested in buying the Homestead in the past and he told me it was for sale. I was not really interested and I just dismissed it," said Jerry. He later investigated the possibility of purchasing the Homestead but negotiations fell through and he once again dismissed the idea. The events that followed changed Jerry's Jer-ry's mind. "I was driving home listening to a tape when it somehow flipped out and on the radio was an ad for the Homestead. I thought that was strange but I forgot about it. The very next morning I turned on the television and I heard, 'Good Morning America from the Homestead Homes-tead in Midway, Utah.' " Jerry said he couldn't believe it. These strange occurrences were so un usual he decided he needed to reevaluate re-evaluate the Homestead property. "I called the owners. We struck a deal and in 1986 we became the owners," Jerry said happily. Carole and Jerry have combined their unique talents to make the Homestead, as the sign at the lodge reads, "One of America's Classic Country Resorts." The 100 years of the Homestead's history have brought charm and character to the resort. This, coupled with the Sanders' San-ders' loving restoration efforts and attention to detail, provide a visitor with the beauty and luxury found at today's Homestead. "Joy to thee is joy to me," are words of wisdom Jerry learned from his father. The Sanders are providing a joyful experience to their guests with, as one put it, "great food and gracious hospitality hospital-ity others only promise." Carole and Jerry Sanders have made their dream a reality for all of their guests. Jerry said his hope is to provide a place that will, "promote "prom-ote life, not get in the way of it. A place to find something in your life that is missing and give you the feeling feel-ing of home you'd like to have." With the new pools, an 18-hole championship golf course and SO new rooms planned for the near future, fu-ture, it is obvious the Sanders are willing to make the commitment necessary to make the Homestead a world class resort. They have truly tru-ly become the polishers of this 100-year-old gem. Photos by ROGER TUTTLE "It's the small things that make a difference." ...Jerry Sanders 1 r rrrrrr.. If - v-. eilifflilltl .... ''-M'i""::)ll, IMI"11 1 lr j " M.liWimiiNiinwf-. sLN . - - . -x v. . t .tfyv t """"""" A ' "V f!( fin Ck Mj I ITTrri Remnants of the past have been carefully preserved and restored. : Visitors may now swim in the new heated pools, or bask i; in the hot tub and sauna, a vast improvement over the original hot pots. |