Fifty years of Fourth memories by the volunteers

Fifty years ago, 1973, Wake Forest was a small town with maybe 3,400 people inside its original borders. Forestville was its own small hamlet, U.S. 1 (Capital Boulevard) had two lanes and tobacco was the top local crop. John Lyon was the mayor and Tommy Byrne, John B. Cole, Ailey M. Young, Dessie Harper and Carroll Trotter were the commissioners.
Downtown merchants worked a half day on Wednesdays, closing their stores at noon or 1 p.m. Burlington Industries down on the north bank of the Neuse River shut down operations the week of the Fourth of July, giving all employees a vacation. For town residents, the Fourth, when it came near a weekend, was an excuse to head to the coast. Aside from a Stars and Stripes flag here or there, no noticed the Fourth.
Enter Janie Ali who lived with her family in a big house on North Main and Geri Stenzel, whose family was renovating a large house on South Main. Both remembered Fourth of July celebrations in northern states when they were growing up and wanted their children to have similar memories.
Ali grabbed her baby and a coffee can for donations and hit the South White Street stores and offices. Geri sat down with her phone and the phone book, calling everyone listed.
People thought it was a great idea – and the tradition of if-you-have-a-great-idea-you’re-the-chairman was born. It worked for years. Fireworks? Oh, yes. Who will donate? Games in the park? Who’s in charge? Parade? Of course. Where?
Bill Shearon had dabbled in fireworks when he was in the Navy, but saw the town celebration to do something “more than just pop, boom, bang.” He was somewhat constrained that first year since he had only $400 worth of explodables. But a dud rocket fell back and set off 40 rockets at once, so there was some excitement. Uncle Sam (Ryan Keith) and Lady Liberty (Linda Nelson) were on the field. Keith was Uncle Sam for 20-or-so years and succeeded by Bob Allen, Greg Harrington and Al Hinton. After Linda Nelson’s death, Bonnie Johnson took up the silver dress and headdress.
Bill and a crew of 25 or so, largely firemen, put together the fireworks. Someone enlisted former N.C. Supreme Court Justice I. Beverly Lake, who was born and always lived in Wake Forest, to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Laura Omohundro put together a candlelight water show in the Holding Park pool. Herbert K. Marshall in his electric wheelchair led the parade of bikes and trikes, wagons and horses along a parade route that included South White Street. (Too hot, moms said, so it moved to North Main the next year.) And a host of volunteers put together the games in the then lumpy field where a ball field and the Wake Forest Boys and Girls Club are now. There were races – three-legged, bag, and more – water balloon tosses, the daunting greased-pole climb, and the watermelon carry while firemen aimed their hoses at the feet, back and watermelon. Despite having one leg in a cast, Jerry Warren parachuted onto the field.
Since then we have added and then subtracted a one-mile Freedom Run, square-dancing downtown, an unwritten costume requirement for the Children’s Parade (who can forget the girl inside the Liberty Bell?), pie-eating, free hot dogs and swims and parachuting.
Now here is how some of the many, many volunteers remember the Fourth.
*Rhonda Alderman was a Wake Forest Fourth of July Committee member from 1988 to 2017, after which the Town of Wake Forest took over at the committee’s request.
The early days of the Celebration were my fondest as a child growing up in Wake Forest. I remember the synchronized swimming (Laura Omohundro), the greased poles with the Fire Dept, Water Melon Relay, the list goes on and on. I remember riding the church bus (Glen Royal) to the fireworks each year. I really wished we could have gone back to some of those events, but volunteers were short and it was hard getting people involved.
I absolutely LOVED seeing all the smiles on people of ALL ages after the fireworks because then you knew that all of the hard work that you had put into planning had paid off. Everyone will tell you, I cried happy tears every.dang.year. It was my release of all the work.
Four (4) of the BEST things that we brought to the table (that I personally think are) inviting Friendship Chapel Choir to come and participate in the opening (it brought diversity to our celebration that I had been noticing was missing out);inviting someone from SEBTS to come and lead us in prayer (which brought another missing link into the mix); having Don Carrington’s Skydiving Team come and bring in the American Flag in; last but not least, Band of Oz they really drew the crowds. One year we even had Will Graham lead us in prayer. I’ll never forget driving him into the stadium on the Golf Cart and telling him that was my 1st experience with driving one – haha.
After the fiasco in 2013, when we were told that the show could go on despite the rain, the next best decision we made was bringing in Zambelli Fireworks, which brought in hometown people shooting our show. The guys that were involved with the show were the ones who grew up around the fireworks with their parents. It was a nice feel to have people who cared about the WF show produce it.
It was during my tenure that we divided up the Uncle Sam responsibilities between Bob, Greg, Al and Bill. It got to be too much for just 1 person. 1 would do it on the 3rd and the other for the 4th.
Children’s Parade – oh my goodness, So so so many participants. Each year it kept getting larger and larger. Once again, seeing the smiles brought on happy tears.
I have to say, from 1973 – 2017 everyone that volunteered did it out of the love for Wake Forest. Many months went into the planning each year. It took a lot of hands to make it all a success.
I meant to include about the reenactments we had (Birthplace and Old Old Town Hall).
They were a nice addition to our celebration and brought in the history side. Gale Parker was the lead in this and was received very well by all that attended each year.
Who can forget the famous cannon that Jack Travis had….. Even though we knew the times that it was going to be set off, needless to say, each time it still caught me off guard and I jumped / yet out a yell. Thinking back now, “WHY did we do this”??????
Not sure where they assembled the fireworks prior to my tenure, but during my tenure they were set-up and assembled on the visitors side of the stadium day of. I know they would spent about all day setting up.
LOVED the set pieces that used to be included by S & W. Just wished we could have gone back to those. We did have the more sign with Zambelli. The crowds LOVED the more sign and LOVED the fake finales’.
What I LOVED most of all, was the community coming together for July 3rd and 4th. Itt didn’t matter about social status, race, religious beliefs, etc. We were ONE COMMUNITY celebrating our Independence together.
I am thrilled that the celebration in Wake Forest has continued for 50 years, but can’t help but be sad that the Fireworks celebration wasn’t brought back to Trentini Stadium for this amazing anniversary. So much history there.
*Jill Bright and her husband, Randy, were early volunteers. Randy helped assemble and shoot the fireworks.
I remember one year early on when I bought Randy a new white shirt to wear during the fireworks. When he came home there were at least 20 holes in the back of the shirt!
The first couple years we didn’t charge admission to the fireworks, just took up donations at the gate, but that didn’t cover the expenses so we had to start charging.
Three members of the Band of Oz are still part of the original band and they live in or near Wake Forest.
*Ryan Keith, the first Uncle Sam.
I was the first official Uncle Sam EmCee for the early WF 4th of July celebrations in Trentini Stadium.
I have placed with the WF historical Museum my Uncle Sam jacket and vest that was custom made for me by Cora Shearon. ( Bill Shearon’s mom ). There are also some of my original scripts from the celebrations with my speaking notes. I served as Uncle Sam for around 10 years starting around 1975 or 76. Not sure of dates. Memories get blurred with age. I also served as President and Chairman of the board of WF 4th of July, Inc. a couple of years. My son David and I co/produced and directed the stadium program.
Our early Stadium Program Fireworks programs were created and shot by a team of local folks under the direction of Bill Shearon and Jerry Warren. Many members of the Wake Forest Volunteer Fire Department were involved. Two other names that I recall at the moment are, Dex Horton and Rick Timberlake.
After my time as Uncle Sam, Bob Allen took the role and did a wonderful job.
Lady Liberty was Bonnie Johnson. She should be recognized as the single, longest participant in the WF 4th of July Celebration.
Some special events in the early stadium programs were:
Patriotic music by the 440th Army National Guard Band.
A program that included a classroom, students, and Uncle Sam telling them about “That Ragged Old Flag.”
Bonnie Johnson’s Twirletts performed and Miss Wake Forest was there.
Boy Scouts from troop 5 and 500 did the flag raising,
One very special fireworks program did a reenactment of the Battle of Fort McHenry
using two battleships created with fireworks. As they fired cannons at each other
one ship was destroyed by a large explosion. Very visual and loud.
Back then we also opened our program with an invocation. On one very hot evening dark thunder storm clouds began to rise in the western sky. It appeared that we were about to be rained out. Team members were getting ready for a downpour. As Uncle Sam the the EmCee for the program, I introduced Lou Lilly to pronounce our invocation. I will always remember Lou’s prayer. She prayed if it was God’s will that our program would be able to continue. Shortly after she said “Amen,” something very special happened- the dark storm clouds began to part and the clouds and rain passed to the north and to the south of the stadium. Our program continued without rain that evening. ( Note: Lou Lilly was the wife of Randal Lilly the President of Southeastern Baptist Seminary. )
At the earlier stadium programs we sold hot dogs complete with Shorty’s special chili.
John Wooten and many others worked the concessions for the program.
Our famous Wake Forest 4th of July Children’s Parade down North Main Street was always a big hit.
Including Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty, and many parents, grand parents, and relatives pushing( with broom sticks ) childrens’
Red, white & blue decorated wagons, bicycles, and tricycles.
After the morning parade with the children, the swimming pool opened for a free swim. More hotdogs and soft drinks were served at the park, and at least once
local teenagers played rock music on guitars from the balcony of the community house.
On several occasions the U.S. Flag was delivered into the stadium by Don Carrington. Don would parachute jump from a plane high above the stadium and guide his descent to a target on the football field. Upon landing, he would present the U.S. flag to the Boy Scouts and they would raise it up on the stadium flagpole.
James Bartholomew and George Macon created the special follow spot lights for the program. George brought two Wake EMC bucket trucks to provide the height and James fashioned out of lumber a mount that allowed the spot lights to pan right and left and up and down. The spot lights were the original stage lights from the elementary school auditorium. George modified the backs to allow a 1000 Watt movie light to be attached. I provided the two 1000watt lights from my WRAL-TV news camera equipment.
*Carol Smith, an early volunteer.
Lots of memories. The parade was originally downtown, maybe just the first year, but it was so hot it was moved to North Main because of shade from the trees. There were judges for the parade for the first few. It was always a children’s parade, but you probably remember a congressman getting booed when he marched in the parade. I don’t know if the fact he served only one term had anything to do with that! I remember working at the concession stand at the high school for the fireworks. Drinks were poured from large size bottles & I remember my feet were so sticky at the end of the evening as we were pouring soda into cups so quickly, it was splashing. Durward Matheny headed up the concessions, I don’t know for how many years. He was having to go to the high school cafeteria & empty ice to be used for the concessions over a period of several days. Guess it was to save money from not having to buy ice. But of course my favorite memory was having friends come to our house on North Main to watch the parade. So many people helped us with that. Bob McCamy always brought long tables & a tent for the food & “beverages” & friends brought food-John’s elegant cucumber sandwiches. We always had popsicles for the kids afterwards. And then we served typical 4th food-hot dogs, baked beans, potato chips & Oreos.
*Sue Osborne, who volunteered for several years and was most involved in the Children’s Parade.
The year that the festivities were cancelled several weeks before the Fourth, I decided that if only 10 children showed up, the parade should continue. The community rallied to support us, The Wake Weekly got the word out, some special teenagers dressed in costumes, the town closed off North Main, a radio station supplied balloons, black and orange, Tom brought helium tank, volunteers showed up to help, Carol Smith donated 1,000 flags children to carry, and the parade gloriously went on to continue the tradition.
Carol and Frank Smith opening their home every year for folks to gather and watch the parade on North Main, folks brought food, and Frank made Bloody Marys. Watching our children and grandchildren, in costumes and decorated bikes, parade up one side of North Main and down the other.
There are many more, I enjoyed working the concession booth and seeing old friends, people new to the area, all celebrating a true community event.
The Gazette may be hearing from more people about their memories. If so, we will pass them on to you next week.
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