Same time, next year Former neighbors return each year to renew old friendships at the Wenonah Fourth of July Parade By Bob Shryock bshryock@sjnewsco.com They'll come home to Wenonah by the carload Friday for the day-long small-town reunion to end them all. Couples that moved to retirement homes in Florida or the Carolinas. Young gals and guys who married and reluctantly relocated. They'll come back to see old neighbors and old friends. To catch up with the news. To watch a parade, take the grandkids on a fire truck ride, drink a beer, barbecue a hot dog, take in the concert. And they'll return to do it again in 2009. That's always the plan. Same time, next year. "The Fourth of July and Wenonah -- Perfect Together." That's the 2008 parade theme. And it says it all. The Mantua Land and Improvement Co. leveled the land, laid out the streets and built the Wenonah Hotel. It was there, in 1872, Wenonah's Fourth of July celebration was born. And that first program, staged 136 years ago, was much like the event the Wenonah Lions Club has been coordinating to the delight of townsfolk, and former townsfolk, since 1951. Some highlights: 1874 -- A flag pole was raised in the public square, a band played patriotic music and the day was capped by fireworks and dancing. 1898 -- Mr. Martell's house caught on fire during the fireworks but quickly was extinguished. 1908 -- Mayor Charles Lorence, concerned about firecrackers, urged residents to keep water hoses handy. "The firing of a pistol, cannon, firecracker or any noise whatsoever before 5 a.m. is absolutely prohibited." 1917 -- There was a promenade concert in the park that was decorated like a fairyland: "Young people dancing, children with sparklers, older folks listening to beautiful band music." 1925 -- Italian singer Luigi Bocelli entertained and the winning float, "Yonketeers," collected $5 in gold. Prior to the Lions taking over the orchestration of Fourth of July programs in 1951, festivities were sponsored by Mantua Land and Improvement, the borough commission (now council), and the Fourth of July Association. The Lions sponsor and pay for the activities and don't take their responsibilities lightly. They begin their preparations in January, meet monthly through the winter months, and intensify their work as the Fourth approaches. There's plenty of nitty-gritty details to keep them busy from scheduling the bands for the parade to getting flowers and pencils for the parade judges to purchasing peanuts for the scramble. Lions co-chairs for 2008 are Justin Kenyon, a life-long Wenonah resident, and Bill Caraker, a Woodbury High graduate who has lived in town for 12 years. While Kenyon is one of the newest Lions, Caraker has belonged 10 years, is a former King Lion (club president) and a former zone chairman. (Both Justin and Bill have a long way to go to catch the club's elder statesman, George Rowe, who has been a Lion 54 years and has assisted with a whole bunch of Fourth of Julys.) After a parade which features the Bonsal Blues and Original Hobo Band, festivities move to the park, where Richard Dilks is guest speaker, followed by athletic contests, fire truck rides, pie-eating contest, Wenonah Lake activities and evening events that include the 26th fun run, and culminating Bonsal Blues concert and prizes. "It's the signature event for Wenonah and I'm proud to co-chair it year," says Caraker. "I enjoy giving back to this town." Bill and Eileen Caraker lost their 10-year-old son, Bradley, to leukemia two years ago. In 2006, not long after his death, Bradley was named Wenonah's "Hometown Legend," after Dr. Steven Squyres and Paul Stankard and before Jack Sheppard Sr., who was mayor for 24 years. "He loved the parade, riding his bike in it every year, and he loved Wenonah, everything about the town," Bradley's dad says. The church bells ring at 8 a.m. Friday in Wenonah. The fire sirens sound at 8:30. The parade starts at 8:45. Another year, another Fourth to remember in Wenonah. A day to come home.