Commemoration Day

The last Saturday of January is Commemoration Day.  It takes place in Old Town State Park and celebrates the arrival of the Mormon Battalion in San Diego in January 1847.   There are speakers, a parade, and a lot of booths with children’s crafts, games and entertainment from that time period. It is a huge event!  It is also the Battalion’s busiest day of the year.  All of the Sisters were at the Battalion or at the State park for nearly the whole 12 hour day.  The Rasmussens, one of the senior couples, put together a comprehensive schedule of who would be working where and for how long.  It turned out great. We had nearly 1000 people come through.

Sister Baker and Sister Kennedy at the Information booth

Down at the State Park, there was a surprise visitor – Elder Jeffrey R Holland, one of the Twelve Apostles!  His brother Dennis was getting an award and he came to be there.  You can imagine EVERYONE wanted a picture with him or to just shake his hand or even to just be near him.  How fun is that!  Dennis Holland calls the Battalion often and we have met him a few times. He lives in the Placerville area.  (For my family – his stake President is Spencer Weston and he also knew the Shepherds when they were in that area.)  He does look like his brother a bit!

Elder Holland getting his picture taken with some very lucky people!

Elder Holland with his brother Dennis

Some of our Sisters and some Elders were in the parade.

Sister Schmitt and Elle marched with the laundresses!

 

President Schmitt dressed up, too!

Lots of things to do!  I took these pictures early so you could see the booths.  There were a LOT of people a little later.

Our reservation system did the job through the 5 o’clock hour, then we could treat the rest of the day just like any other busy day in the summer. 

The Sisters were beat at the end of the day.  We figured out that only two of the Sisters we have now and one of the new senior couples will be here next year for Commemoration Day.  All of the rest of the Sisters and couples and even the Director will be new.  Great notes were taken so they won’t have to reinvent the wheel.  Now we can get back to our slower winter days.