History
For the first Friends and Neighbors Day in Aug of 1985 Grand Marshalls were Harold and Marie Flinn and Neil and Fran Prueitt.
There was a parade, Sportsman’s Club beef feed, pie contest with
auction, and a dance in the Woodchuck Inn’s parking lot. There has
been a parade and a pie contest with auction each year since then.
The Legion Honor Guard has faithfully led the parades. The dance at
the Woodchuck
continued yearly through Aug. of 1992. There have been street
dances, dances at the park and school reunion dances at Lake Robbins
some of the other years.
Since 1985, Grand Marshalls through the years include: Bob and Bev Boyles, Nada and Fred Shannon, Donald “Pappy” Lewis, Esther Cooper, Josephine Crum, Jack and Norma Gottschalk, Emmett and Margaret Noland, Ruth McMorris, Dick and Bonnie Dunnihoo, Ray and Lou Nelson Woodward-Granger Softball girls, Gail Danilson, Gerald and Bernie Ritter, Ben and Inez Luke, Nylene Hansen, Ashvin and Varsha Patel, Milt and Pat Heifner, World War II Veterans, Caloma “Kip” Shannon, Alice Jenkins, and Little Miss with Little Mr. Woodward.
The noon beef or pork meal has been prepared by local organizations such as the Sportsman’s Club, the American Legion, and the Lions Club except for Aug of 1999 by the Boone County Pork Producers. The Methodist Church Women began offering pie for sale with the meal in Aug. of 1994. Brandt Funeral Home began giving out free ice cream in Sept. of 1996. In Aug of 1995 the Christian Church began serving supper on Fri. evening. The Social Center began serving breakfast on Sat. in Aug of 1993. Other years there were tours of homes, tours of businesses, a tram tour of Woodward, and a tour of the John Lorenzea farm. Occasional all school reunions have been well attended. The addition of fireworks began in Aug. of 2002. The first 5k run was held in Aug. of 2004. A real crowd pleaser has been the Woodward-Granger school bands participating in the parades.
Compiled and researched by Sandy Malone from information found in the Northeast Dallas County Record microfile at the Woodward Library. If you know of details that should be included send us an email.