WENDELL — For many attendees of Saturday’s Old Home Day, the annual celebration offering music, vendors and a parade served as a reunion of sorts, bringing people together from different generations to showcase the town’s creativity.
Jenny Koonz, who grew up in Wendell, described Old Home Day as a place where former teachers, residents and neighbors reconnect and see familiar faces.
“I’ve been coming since I was a little kid in the ’90s,” Koonz said. “It is such a wonderful community event where kids get to see people you’ve known for years and it’s great to see everyone.”
Karen Copeland, a longtime Old Home Day organizer, shared how the event is a “major celebration of the spirit of Wendell that includes joy, sadness, celebration and changes.” She added that the town “has changed amazingly,” such as by turning an old church into an arts and cultural center, but “the spirit remains permanent.”
Similarly, a focus on bringing people together remains consistent. Copeland, who helped organize Old Home Day for more than 25 years alongside the Wendell Old Home Day Committee, expressed how the event has always showcased the town’s collaborative nature.
Vendors lined the town common on Saturday displaying their handmade crafts, food, artwork and other wares. Christine Texiera displayed her watercolor paintings depicting the landscapes of Wendell and nearby towns, including Gill and Northfield.
“I like having paintings that are meaningful for the spirit of the place,” Texiera said. By showcasing specific places that residents appreciate, she noted buyers often have “an attachment to the place that’s purchased.”
Koonz also highlighted the wide variety of artisans in town, sharing that Wendell “has so many gifted community members between musicians and artists. So it really is such a display of the creativity and history of the town.”
Another attendee, Tucker Diemand, who revisited Old Home Day this year after attending when he was younger, said he loves “to see all the vendors and craftspeople come out.” After seeing the large range of age groups attending, Diemand noted how “it’s nice to be able to come here and see that there is a kind of continuity.”
The parade carried a theme of “Peace and Love,” a message that echoed throughout the musical performances as well.
Copeland emphasized that the heart of Old Home Day’s longstanding message has been “peace through music.”
Morning Star Chenven, director of the Wendell Community Chorus, explained how music has really helped her connect with communities across the region. A New Salem resident, she has been part of the Wendell choir for 15 years.
“When you are singing, you’re so open-hearted, and it’s such a beautiful thing to share with people,” Chenven said, adding that she wants to “bring the same upliftment and joy” to listeners.
Meanwhile, the Wendell Historical Society hosted an exhibit focusing on the history of fires in Wendell and how they have affected the community.
Wendell Historical Society President Ed Hines explained the town’s vulnerability to fires, with one of the most recent examples being Robert Bowers’ historic home on Wickett Pond Road, which caught fire on July 2. Hines and Pamela Richardson, of the Historical Society’s board of directors, also highlighted a particularly destructive forest fire that started in Millers Falls in 1911 and traveled up the mountain into Wendell.
The Old Home Day celebration also recognized Alistair MacMartin, a carpenter and volunteer on various town projects, with this year’s Citizen of the Year award. Residents applauded MacMartin for his involvement with numerous town projects and willingness to help neighbors with repairs.
MacMartin said he was surprised by the recognition and highlighted the importance of volunteering.
“Volunteering is an important piece, and especially when people are talking about tax increases and property taxes,” he said. “We’re going to need to do more volunteering and pulling together instead of looking at how we can make some money.”
