News: West Coast Winter Picnic (1950)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Rowe, Wilding, Neff, Lee, Slocomb, Richardson, Hughes, Marte, Brown, Beglinger, Longenecker, Huntley

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) January 19, 1950

West Coast Winter Picnic (8 January 1950)

GEORGE WILDING TELLS OF RETURN TO WISCONSIN; WEST COAST NEWS

The Clark County (Wis.) Society of Southern California held its mid-winter picnic at Baldwin Park Sunday, January 8 (1950). It was one of those unusual days in sunny California, and only a few of the old-time former residents of Clark County ventured out in the rain. Among those who came, the greater number was those who live farthest from Baldwin Park.

The picnic lunch was spread in the Recreation hall in the park, and with the tactful engineering of R. E. Rowe a partition was improvised to keep the heat in the left wing of the building. Hot coffee and baked beans with endless variations of other foods added much to the comfort and enjoyment of the day. It truly was a mid-winter picnic.

The president George Wilding presided at a short business meeting.

A vote of thanks was extended to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Neff of Pasadena, Cal., who so graciously held open house on January 2 to the Clark County (Wis.) people that they might view the Rose Parade from their house.

A letter was read from Mrs. Alice Lee thanking the Clark County people of Los Angeles and vicinity for the flowers and cards of cheer sent to her while at the hospital. We are glad that Mrs. Lee (Alice Wilding) is now at home, fully recovered from her illness.

A vote of thanks was extended to the publishers of The Clark County Press for the greetings to the Neillsville folks in California in the Christmas edition of the paper.

A letter from Vera Slocomb of Norfolk, Nebr. was read thanking the Clark County friends for cards of cheer sent to her during her illness.

Congratulations were extended to Mr. and Mrs. G. O. Richardson, who recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary.

Guests for the day were Mrs. Paul Hughes and daughter, Jean Marte, of Flint, Mich.

George Wilding, who was absent from the last picnic in October, extended his thanks to Omar Richardson for services rendered to the society as president pro-tem and to all who helped to make the last picnic a success. He also gave a short talk about his visit to Neillsville and vicinity in October and November. The gracious hospitality extended him by the friends in the old home town, chicken dinners, card parties and the familiar "Hello George" on all the streets, all of which was to him a reminder of the old adage, "no friends like the old friends." And he added, "No state like Wisconsin for bountiful crops and good roads."

His trip to Madison by auto to the California and Wisconsin football game was an enjoyable one; California won, as you know, and its victory might be due to his presence on the 50 yard line, Cheering for both (?) teams.

Acknowledgement to the Clark County Society for the cards of sympathy and beautiful flowers was expressed by the relatives of the late Mrs. Mary F. Brown.

It was voted to hold the next picnic at Exposition Park, Los Angeles, Sunday, April 23, 1950 - Jesse Eunson, Secretary.

Those present at the picnic at Baldwin Park included Mr. and Mrs. Jack Beglinger, 371 Freeman Ave., Hawthorne, Cal.; (transcriber feels that there was a list that was missing).

(Missing words) congratulations were read from Rev. G. W. Longenecker, who performed the marriage of Elva Huntley and Omar Richardson 45 years ago at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Huntley, in Neillsville. The guests included old friends from Fargo, N.D. where the Richardsons resided many years prior to coming to California. Mrs. Mert Huntley is spending the winter with her daughter, Jane, in San Francisco. Later Mrs. Huntley will visit relatives and friends in Los Angeles, Cal.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Eunson and two daughters returned from (balance of article is missing).

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