2010 Ceres Homecoming

The Ceres Alumni Association sponsored its tenth annual Ceres Homecoming on October 16, 2010. The Homecoming was well attended and enjoyed by all. The day started with registration and a chance for guests to tour the buildings on the former Ceres school campus and visit with old friends. The 163 attendees were given a 2011 date book. At 1:00 PM, everyone gathered in the decorated gymnasium for a delicious and bountiful meal, catered by Loretta Worrell Catering Service. The decorations in the gym and auditorium by Becky Kimberlin, Lorree and Buddie Waddle and Joyce Keen, carried out an autumn theme while Mother Nature decorated the mountains and valley with beautiful fall colors to make the scene perfect. At the end of the meal, the late Loretta Worrell was remembered.

Following lunch, everyone moved to the Ruritan Community Center (former school) auditorium for the program and business meeting.

Wade Hall, President, welcomed everyone, recognized guests, thanked all who had worked so hard to make the event a success and thanked the Ruritan Club for the use of their community center. Mr. Hall presented two pictures that will be hung in the gymnasium. One was from the 2009 Homecoming of the 1959 boy’s basketball team and the other was a recently discovered picture from 1959.

Samatha and Frankie Gray presented to the Association the U. S. Flag that their family received following the funeral of William M. Creggar. The flag was in a beautiful case handcrafted by Glen Repass from wood taken from one of the gymnasium bleachers.

W. Nelson Tibbs led the annual "Rose of Remembrance" segment of the program. Twenty-seven members, family and local citizens whose deaths were reported to the Association since the last Homecoming were remembered with a long stem rose presented to family members who were present. Those remembered were: Robert L. Hanshew, The Rev. George Ziegenfuss, Macie Atkins Hubble, H. Michael Pruett, Louise Fortner Williams Young, Donald E. Hanshew, Bobby Moseley, Yvonne Dean Tibbs Morris, Geneva Hancock Stowers, Charles W. Anderson, V. Leon Lambert, Sr., Nancy Cregger Snaveley, William "Bill" Moore Creggar, Peggy Ann Burke Allison, Alvis A. Atwell, Raymond Vest, Harvey Durham, Elizabeth Neel Allen, Blaine Thompson, Diane L. Fortner, Nellie C. Umbarger, Kathleen Duncan Hall, Barbara S. (Mrs. Harry) Wilson, Howard Guynn, Donald Umbarger, and Andrew Hayton. Loretta Worrell was honored earlier in the day.

During the business meeting, minutes of the last Board meeting, Treasurer’s report, Museum report and current membership list, as presented in the program, were approved. The following Association officers were elected for 2011: President – Wade F. Hall, Vice President – Betty C. Hubble, Recording Secretary and Reporter – Rebecca M. Peery, Membership Secretary – Lorraine S. Waddle, Historian – Becky N. Kimberlin, Treasurer – Robert I. "Buddie" Waddle. Archie Atwell will hold the position of Past President. The Association’s Board of Directors for the period through 2011 will be J. W. Cassell, Frances C. Davis and Evelyn H. Groseclose and Jonan C. Repass, Sue T. Repass and W. Nelson Tibbs through 2012. Elected to serve three-year terms through 2013 were Anne H. Britton, William H. Hubble and Frankie Gray. The Association Endowment Fund Directors will be Dean D. Kirk, Robin U. Repass and Jerry Thompson for a term through 2011, and Joyce Keen, G. H. Peery, III, and James Wilson through 2012. Judy Cassell, William H. Crabtree and DeWayne Hubble were elected to serve three-year terms through 2013

The theme of this year’s program was "Ten Years and Beyond" celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the Ceres Alumni Association. Anne H. Britton, first President of the Ceres Alumni Association, provided an interesting segment on the History of the Association. Much to the entertainment of all, Archie Atwell provided Humorous Stories from Ceres High School. (Archie’s fellow classmates thought him meek and quiet…now the truth is known.) Vincent Groseclose provided an interesting look into the past days as a student in Ceres Elementary School. G. H. Peery provided two interesting, humorous and thought provoking segments on our lifestyles – then and now. These were followed by great stories and comments from members of the audience.

A much anticipated event of the day was the drawing of the winning tickets in the annual raffle. 41 raffle prizes were awarded to: Donnie Ray Atwell, Elizabeth Bowman, Claude Brooks, James W. Cassell, Dale Cline, Bob Color, Roddy Crabtree, Bob Culler, Frances Davis, Kim Dillow, Shirley Gates, Dillon Groseclose, Linda Haulsee, Felecia Hayton, Priscilla Hubble, Regina Lowman, Helen Kidd, Lucille Hall, Ruby McMillan, Abby Matthews, Saundra Music, Ann Peery, Melody Pickle, Jesse Pulley, Jonan Repass, Starr Rowe, S & W. Fertilizer Co., Dave Sarver, Phyllis Shackelford, Frances Shupe, Warren N. Tibbs, Jr., James D. Umbarger, and James Wilson. The four largest prizes of the day were a laptop computer donated by Becky Kimberlin, Wade Hall and C.A.A. and won by Shirley Mae Cregar, a handmade quilt donated by "Just for Fun" Quilters and won by Kenneth Bryan, a framed P. Buckley Moss print donated by the Moss Foundation and framed by Farmer’s Daughter Framing won by Randy Moler, and a 270 Mossbery rifle donated by the Association and won by Jeanette Dillow. Linda Davis of Bland sold the most raffle tickets; Della Mae Neel of Ceres was second. Prizes were given to both. About fifty door prizes were given to those attending the Homecoming.

Appreciation was expressed to all the donors of the raffle gifts and door prizes, especially those who gave more than one gift. The following businesses and individuals donated prizes: Ceres Alumni Association, P. Buckley Moss Foundation and custom framing by Farmers Daughter, "Just for Fun" Quilters, Muncy Associated Management Service, Inc., Dean Kirk of Builders Supermarket, Brenda Kidd Thompson, Glen and Robin Repass, Elaine Kegley, J. C. Kidd, Crabtree Family Sewing in memory of Lois O. Crabtree, Bill and Betty Hubble, J. W. and Judy Cassell, Buddie and Lorree Waddle, Jonan C. Repass, Della Mae Neel, Jack King – State Farm Insurance, Becky Kimberlin, Wade and Becky Hall, New Peoples Bank of Bland, Sue Repass, First1Bank of Wytheville, Bland BB&T, Laura Peery-Mary Kay Consultant, Evelyn H. Groseclose, Harner’s Market, Affordable Tractors., Cindy U. Wright, B & R Auto Repair, Randy Townley – Bland Auto, Ann’s Beauty Shop of Bland, First1Bank, Arch Thompson, Old Post Mercantile of Bland, Wytheville Office Supply, Smokey’s Barbeque, Big Walker Lookout, New People’s Bank and four anonymous donors.

Thanks to all who helped make this day such a success and to all who brought "Toys for Tots." Toys for Tots can still be donated until December 1, 2010.

The next Ceres Homecoming will be on the third Saturday in October, 2011.