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Show Wagon liraim by Winagene Eyre The Centennial Wagon Train began with an idea presented to the state centennial commission, and Eli Anderson of Utah, was appointed chairman of the event. County committees where the train would stop for a night were asked to furnish space to circle the wagons; space enough to park accompanying vehicles (RVs, trucks, etc.), space for 150 horses, water for horses, restrooms for participants; security for the campsite; shelter in case of inclement weather (possibly a local school gym or cafeteria), a few host families for individuals who need it, to identify a location for a noon meal stop (approximately 12 miles from the departure location), hay storage on site, shower facilities (possibly in a local school). The Nephi folk were also asked to provide a free dinner on arrival, a free breakfast (promptly at 6:00 a.m.), and lunch for the noon stop (something quick, possibly a sack lunch). Well, to the little old lady in tennis shoes who was chairman of the Juab County Centennial Committee, this looked like one impossible task; but then she was sitting at a table in the beautiful back yard of Ruth Wetherell on a warm August afternoon in 1995, enjoying a summer social of the 21st Literary Club; also at that table were Dale and DaNell Worwood. A light bulb immediately lit above the little old ladys gray head and she asked Dale if he would like to be in charge of the wagon train committee for Juab County and provide a wagon that would complete the ride from Logan to Cedar City in the summer of 1996. He accepted on the spot and hadnt even received the details of what would be required. Dale is a member of the Nebo Riding Club and he knew that this power base could do anything. This club agreed to assist with the dinner and to provide the program for the evening. At this time it was estimated that there would be people on the train. Dale made all arrangements for the county fairground facilities, grounds, buildings and the rodeo arena, school busses and the showers and a myriad of other things. He also spent ten months securing a wagon and horses and preparing them for the trek. He started with your basic mile wagon and rebuilt and equipped it for the vachorses He and worked saw current his that had they trip. cinations and a health certificate from a veterinarian. Many hours were spent seeing if the horses were up to the task. Dale decided he wanted to drive the wagon and he is still on it and is planning on completing the journey. He has received recognition for his efforts from state newspapers and TV stations. The Riding Club members, under the direction of President Marlow Blackett with the aid of Reid Jarrett, chairman, planned and cooked the meal which was served Friday evening, June 14, to over 450 people with the wagon train and an estimated 450 citizens of the county. Whereas the Relief Society would have cut up the salad by hand, the riding club wives knew that to serve eight hundred people salad you had better use modem electrified equipment and when the sisters arrived with their paring knives the salad was all chopped and sliced. When one is a chairman they look to all the groups with whom they are associated for help. Well, Reid was able to secure equipment, pans etc. from the National Guard, letting us know that he is a certified chief. The club scoured the merchants, the wholesale suppliers and various other contributors and collected money, groceries, meat, and paper goods for serving. The men and their wives prepared, cooked and served the meal. One glitch did occur when Reid realized that the people he wanted to dress in 1896 U.S. Cavalry uniforms and ride their horses to lead the parade into town, were the same people that would be working on the dinner in the afternoon, but they were able to accomplish both tasks with the help of willing spouses. The dessert (cakes) were provided by the 21st CenturyDel-phi- c Literary Club, the Nautilus Club and the Fourth and Sixth LDS Ward Relief Societies and served by two alumnus of the Riding Club, Dona Jones and Grace Jackson, with the help of Ann Denece Robinson, Jaima Welsh and Emily Winn and some young women from the Fourth Ward. When one thinks of a breakfast for many people, the Nephi Lions Club comes to mind, and they were asked to provide this meal for the weary travelers. They accepted, and under the supervision of Shirl Nichols, president, and Larry Broadhead and Vard White, a delicious breakfast was served to the train members promptly at 6 a.m. for no charge. Probably the best news the county chairman received during the preparations was that Fountain Green City would provide the noon lunch at the top of the divide. The Worwoods and the Riding Club planned the program and other activities of the day. Kay Bassett and his Juab Middle School Band led the parade of wagons into town. Under the direction of Reed Finch, the program displayed the talents of many East Juab County citizens. plus people participated. We were honored to have members from the Buffalo Soldiers who keep the history alive of the African American men who served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Because the program happened to fall on Flag Day, a demonstration was given on how to properly dispose of a flag when it becomes worn. Miss Juab, Sharon Mellor and her attendant Christina Masters, escorted Paul Dunn, an emeritus member of the general authorities of the LDS Church, who spoke and reminded the huge audience of the history and the sacrifices made in the second world war to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today in this country. He admonished people to teach their children the history of this land and that this was one purpose of the wagon train to remind us of the difficulties that surrounded the settling of this state during the past years. Fifty members of the Nephi Choir, under the direction of Keith Rawlinson, performing arts specialist on the centennial committee, sang two numbers. Olene Walker, Utahs Lieutenant Governor, who had traveled on a wagon with three grandchildren from Santaquin, told of how slow the horses walked and it gave her a feeling of how the pioneers got to the various settlements in Utah, even though she knew that they didnt have Porta Pottys and soft drinks with them. Other program numbers were printed in last weeks edition of this paper so will not be repeated. The Juab County Commission should be complemented for providing such excellent facilities, manpower and monetary assistance. The Nephi City Council also contributed funds and used city police and other city employees to assist with this activity. The celebration on Friday was an example of everyone in a community working together to accomplish a task. It took many ambitious people with varied skills to do it from the calligraphers, Joan Iblley, Kristy Carter and Angela White, who signed the certificates that were awarded to those people who commile trek from Logan to Nephi pleted the to the six boys who were kidnapped to help put up the chairs in the arena for the choir and dignitaries just before the Bob Garrett and Ted Jones provided a front-enloader that they just happened to have with them and found seventy-fiv- e chairs in the Ute Stampede office and in twenty minutes the task was accomplished. There were many who gave assistance when it was needed on short notice and with everyones help it became a joint effort of all citizens to make our day with the Utah Centennial Wagon Train a memorable Trem-onto- Dale Worwood drives his wagon and team down Nephis Main Street four-hundr- Buffalo Soldiers were unsung heroes of the American West Band members from JHS and JMS provided the fanfare for the Wagon Trains arrival in Nephi One-hundr- Pioneer children get into the routine of life on the trail one-hundr- A The Kanosh Family presented Native American dances during the evening entertainment pro-graj- n. d Several hundred modern-da- y pioneers line up for dinner at the A fairgrounds t t sign of times n, |