A Florida Nonprofit 501(c)3 tax Exempt Organization
West Nassau Historical Society - West Nassau Museum of History
Located Inside the Historic Train Depot at 45383 Dixie Avenue, Callahan
Mail to P.O. Box 1758, Callahan, FL 32011 (904-879-3406)
Abner McGehee
Eighth Annual Hobo, Tractors and Heroes Festival
and Veterans Appreciation
The Eighth Annual Hobo, Tractors and Heroes Festival and Veterans Appreciation held on Saturday, November 16, did not disappoint for fun, excitement and recognition of our Veterans.
Festival Co-Chairs, John Hendricks, WNHS President, and Emily Baumgartner, WNHS Past President and current Treasurer, welcome Veterans and Festival attendees.
The HTHFVA is the annual, fun-filled autumn event sponsored by the West Nassau Historical Society designed to raise much-needed funds to promote our county's rich history and culture and to maintain and preserve the 1881 Callahan train station. Our Veterans are also honored and recognized for their Service to our Country.
Veteran’s Welcome Ceremony speaker was CAPT Tracy Connors, USN (Ret), Kings Ferry resident and a WNHS WNHS Board Member.
The West Nassau High School Air Force JROTC provided the Color Guard for the Ceremony.
The unit was established at the high School in 1995 and has grown this year to a record 146 cadets, which is just shy of 20% of the school's enrollment. The unit is the Air Force National Champions for Orienteering at all three skill levels. They will be defending their title this March in Dallas Texas. The unit is commanded by Col. Gregg A. Kline, USAF (Ret), Senior Aerospace Science Instructor.
The Color Guard included: Cadet Charles Owens, Cadet Nathan Hermann, Cadet Lucas Lobb, and Cadet Bridgette Barnes.
Vendors galore set up and ready to Welcome Festival attendees.
CAPT Connors thanked the Cadets “for their service this morning,” and wished “them every success with their future studies and preparations to serve our Country.”
After recognizing the Veterans and hearing about their military service, CAPT Connors thanked “all our Veterans, their spouses, and supportive family members, who are with us this morning for their service and sacrifices for our great nation. It is to you we owe our liberty and the freedoms that we enjoy, and appreciate all the more when we remember what you did to give them to us and to protect them for us.”
Spouses and family members of Veterans were also recognized. After pointing out that Spouses and family members were “what kept us going through lonely service, duties, onerous conditions, dangers, and fear,” Connors reminded them that Spouses and Family enabled Veterans "to face, endure, and emerge victorious from Harm's Way because we knew you were there for us…You were our secret weapon, giving us patience and selflessness, and providing a backbone and sustenance for our often-separated family.”
Like Railroad Day, the Callahan Pavilion on the railbed this year was the location for numerous vendors offering attendees everything from home-baked goods and ice cream, to Patriotic memorabilia and local crafts.
Entertainment was provided throughout the day by:
- Buck Lucontro, Shaun Bennett - Steel Drum Pan Master, and Megan Stanford
- Liz and Randall Smith
- Michael Ward Band
- Blind Justice
- Jessy and Gabby Valerio
- West Nassau Chiefs of Swing Jazz Band under the direction of Edwin Oliver Hernandez.
- Joel Pace Piano and Music and his students hosting the kids area from Depot's Liz Mobley stage.
- Congratulations and many thanks to the Festival Entertainment chair, Jerry Peterson; Sound, Chuck Pedersen and SOC7 Productions; Backline and Changeouts, Jerry Ganey and Rick Crosby.
