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WEIR —
Weir’s annual homecoming festival wasn’t nearly as wet as last year’s gathering, and though it rained a bit early Saturday morning, residents and their visiting family members took full advantage of the weather.
Like many of the small towns in southeast Kansas, Weir’s festival is a long-standing tradition that binds the members of the community. Family members travel from across the country every year to visit old friends and family members, and to connect with new members of the community.
Brian Hunt and his wife, Staci and son, Hollis, 2, aren’t exactly new to Weir — they moved there four years ago from Atlanta, Ga., as part of a ministry in Oklahoma — but they’ve embraced the community and its people and lifestyle. Hunt said he had originally had planned to move back to the east coast, but that he found something in Weir that he couldn’t find in Atlanta.
“God just planted us here,” said Hunt, whose wife, Staci, is continuing her education and coaches volleyball at Southeast Middle School. “It’s a small town and these are good people. Small town life is just great. It’s in the big city that you get lost.”
Resident Jason Fellers brought his five children downtown to watch the parade and participate in the kids games.
“I’ve lived here all my life,” said Fellers, who is in the construction business and helped sing the national anthem before the parade. “We get together with all the town people and have a good time. I grew up running these races and now my own kids are running them.”
Fellers said he’s glad the town continues to host the yearly gathering.
“I think it strengthens the community,” he said. “We rally around and show support for the town.”
Mayor Saundra Stricklin said she remembers when all of the small town schools’ marching bands would march in each others’ parades. She said the townspeople still support neighboring community’s homecoming festivals.
“It was Cherokee last week, and it’s McCune next week,” Stricklin said. “It’s a chance to get together and give our children and grandchildren a taste of what it was like for us growing up. We appreciate the hard work the Civic Club puts into this. It’s just a celebration of community.”
Weir’s annual homecoming festival wasn’t nearly as wet as last year’s gathering, and though it rained a bit early Saturday morning, residents and their visiting family members took full advantage of the weather.
Like many of the small towns in southeast Kansas, Weir’s festival is a long-standing tradition that binds the members of the community. Family members travel from across the country every year to visit old friends and family members, and to connect with new members of the community.
Brian Hunt and his wife, Staci and son, Hollis, 2, aren’t exactly new to Weir — they moved there four years ago from Atlanta, Ga., as part of a ministry in Oklahoma — but they’ve embraced the community and its people and lifestyle. Hunt said he had originally had planned to move back to the east coast, but that he found something in Weir that he couldn’t find in Atlanta.
“God just planted us here,” said Hunt, whose wife, Staci, is continuing her education and coaches volleyball at Southeast Middle School. “It’s a small town and these are good people. Small town life is just great. It’s in the big city that you get lost.”
Resident Jason Fellers brought his five children downtown to watch the parade and participate in the kids games.
“I’ve lived here all my life,” said Fellers, who is in the construction business and helped sing the national anthem before the parade. “We get together with all the town people and have a good time. I grew up running these races and now my own kids are running them.”
Fellers said he’s glad the town continues to host the yearly gathering.
“I think it strengthens the community,” he said. “We rally around and show support for the town.”
Mayor Saundra Stricklin said she remembers when all of the small town schools’ marching bands would march in each others’ parades. She said the townspeople still support neighboring community’s homecoming festivals.
“It was Cherokee last week, and it’s McCune next week,” Stricklin said. “It’s a chance to get together and give our children and grandchildren a taste of what it was like for us growing up. We appreciate the hard work the Civic Club puts into this. It’s just a celebration of community.”
