As historian, I am often asked if there was anyone famous that came from Conquest. Our little ceremony on June 30 cemented my answer...
Nope.
We don't have Nobel Prize winners; Academy Awards don't decorate any mantels, and Major League status still eludes our players. However, we do have dozens and dozens of people who go out of their way every day to make our town a fine place to live.
We celebrated 50 years of the Conquest Fire Department by opening the time capsule buried in 1976. The warmth, good humor and dedication from 1957 to now were palpable on the four corners. Present were town officials, neighbors, current firefighters, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the original visionaries. The contents of the capsule were handled reverently old timers explained to “newcomers” what some of the “artifacts” represented. Some items were self-evident. Founding department member Henry Young not only “dug” for our treasure but also articulately described the history of our department with stories and anecdotes spanning the past five decades.
The ceremony was graced with the presence of two young people who added their talents and made our affair very classy indeed. Bryan Rubenau (WSEN's Scott Jameson) has never forgotten his “roots” in Conquest and emceed our celebration with aplomb, enthusiasm and imagination.
The beautiful voice and presence of recent Nazareth graduate Carrie Waterman lent beauty and dignity to the occasion. The strains of “America the Beautiful” reminded us all of our freedoms and responsibilities.
The town and fire department combined to honor a lovely lady: Hazel Gillhuly. Her talents and contributions have filled many columns.
A proclamation declaring June 30 “Hazel Gillhuly Day in the Town of Conquest” concluded our formal celebration that Saturday.
To continue the stories of “famous people,” I would like to honor Port Byron's Dana L. West High School valedictorian, Kaitlin Foster, and salutatorian, Emily VanNorstrand, both from Conquest.
These wonderful young women will be starting their careers in the medical field bringing further honor to their families and town.
And also to mention two honors that have recently come to Conquest “alumni.” Executive associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Glenn Applebee III, received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in professional service, May 25, and Wil van der Meulen, outreach coordinator of Nash Community College, was recently named a 2007 Outstanding Contributor by the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools' Youth Apprenticeship Program Steering Committee at the annual awards banquet held at the Business & Industry Center at Nash Community College. We are so proud.
Carrie's final song on Saturday, June 30, was “Over the Rainbow.”
It feels as though we are reaping the benefits of the treasures, the “pot of gold” that comes from careful nurturing of our young people and borne out by the dedicated service of our fire department.
Joni Lincoln is the town of
Conquest historian
We don't have Nobel Prize winners; Academy Awards don't decorate any mantels, and Major League status still eludes our players. However, we do have dozens and dozens of people who go out of their way every day to make our town a fine place to live.
We celebrated 50 years of the Conquest Fire Department by opening the time capsule buried in 1976. The warmth, good humor and dedication from 1957 to now were palpable on the four corners. Present were town officials, neighbors, current firefighters, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the original visionaries. The contents of the capsule were handled reverently old timers explained to “newcomers” what some of the “artifacts” represented. Some items were self-evident. Founding department member Henry Young not only “dug” for our treasure but also articulately described the history of our department with stories and anecdotes spanning the past five decades.
The ceremony was graced with the presence of two young people who added their talents and made our affair very classy indeed. Bryan Rubenau (WSEN's Scott Jameson) has never forgotten his “roots” in Conquest and emceed our celebration with aplomb, enthusiasm and imagination.
The beautiful voice and presence of recent Nazareth graduate Carrie Waterman lent beauty and dignity to the occasion. The strains of “America the Beautiful” reminded us all of our freedoms and responsibilities.
The town and fire department combined to honor a lovely lady: Hazel Gillhuly. Her talents and contributions have filled many columns.
A proclamation declaring June 30 “Hazel Gillhuly Day in the Town of Conquest” concluded our formal celebration that Saturday.
To continue the stories of “famous people,” I would like to honor Port Byron's Dana L. West High School valedictorian, Kaitlin Foster, and salutatorian, Emily VanNorstrand, both from Conquest.
These wonderful young women will be starting their careers in the medical field bringing further honor to their families and town.
And also to mention two honors that have recently come to Conquest “alumni.” Executive associate director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Glenn Applebee III, received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in professional service, May 25, and Wil van der Meulen, outreach coordinator of Nash Community College, was recently named a 2007 Outstanding Contributor by the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools' Youth Apprenticeship Program Steering Committee at the annual awards banquet held at the Business & Industry Center at Nash Community College. We are so proud.
Carrie's final song on Saturday, June 30, was “Over the Rainbow.”
It feels as though we are reaping the benefits of the treasures, the “pot of gold” that comes from careful nurturing of our young people and borne out by the dedicated service of our fire department.
Joni Lincoln is the town of
Conquest historian
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