Good things can take root at an agricultural college.
Gerald and Jean Herriman met at Olds College more than 70 years ago and they have been selected the marshals for the 2019 Little New Daze Parade on July 20 at Longview.
“It’s a dubious distinction, it’s not that we are special, it’s just that we are old,” said Jean with a laugh. “It’s an honour, but I am not going to be heaving out any candy.”
The theme of this year’s parade is Salute to Our Pioneers and it starts at 10 a.m.
The Herrimans’ celebrated their 70th anniversary at their Longview home on Dec. 16, 2018, in which a parade of people dropped by to congratulate them.
The Herrimans are both 91, with Gerald being a month older.
They met at Olds College in the 1940s, where Cupid used a racquet rather than an arrow.
“We played badminton together at Olds,” Gerald said.
Gerald grew up on a ranch near a well-known intersection — long before its name got on the label of darn good Foothills area beer.
“I grew up west of High River at the Six Corners,” Gerald said. “I went to Highwood public school that was about a mile east of Six Corners.”
He then went to high school in High River before going to Olds.
The key to a 70-year-old marriage? Respect and keep busy.
“We were always so busy that we didn’t have time to fight,” Jean said. “We just went along and we were always nice to each other. We say please and thank-you.”
(“And we still are,” Gerald chipped in.)
The Herrimans would move to a ranch northwest of Longview in 1951, where they lived before moving to the village of Longview in the early 1990s.
Jean grew up on a farm near Nanton. She was part of the Hornecker family. The Tom Hornecker Recreation Centre was named after her brother, who was a gifted athlete. Jean would play basketball for Nanton school.
Jean and Gerald moved to the village of Longview in 1991. She is a mainstay at the long-standing Mother’s Day tea at East Longview Hall.
The Herrimans have seven adult children and now have 18 great-grandchildren.
The parade kicks off a whole whack of activities for the July 20-21 weekend, said Little New York Daze president Sean McCarthy.
“We have a bunch of kids games at the park on Saturday at the parade, with Spectacle Blue performing,” McCarthy said.
Those are just some of the activities on Saturday at Longview School. Other activities include the Millarville Musical Ride, a petting zoo, face-painting, and Kids Races with prizes galore.
For older people, there is a horseshoe tournament starting at 1 p.m.
The evening activities begin with the traditional Firefighters’ Supper at the fire hall at 5 p.m.
A fireworks display will start at dusk at Longview School.
The fun will continue on Sunday with a show and shine at Smith/Fuller Memorial Park.
The Show and Shine will run in conjunction with Music in the Park, hosted by Eva and Cody.
Little New York Daze schedule
July 20
7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. — Dryland Sailor Pancake Breakfast, Longview Fire hall, Morrison Road
9 a.m.- 2 p.m. — Community Market, Morrison Road
10 a.m. — Parade
11 a.m.- 2 p.m. — Millarville Musical Ride, Spectacle Blue, petting zoo, face painting, Kids Races with prizes; Longview School
1 p.m. — Horseshoe tournament, take Foothills Drive south to Riverview Place
5 p.m. — Firefighters’ supper, Longview Fire Hall
Dusk — Fireworks display, Longview School
July 21
7 a.m. - 9 a.m. Pancake breakfast, Smith/Fuller Memorial Park
9:30 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. - Church in the Park, Smith/Fuller Memorial Park
11 a.m. - 4 p.m. — Show and Shine car show, Smith/Fuller Memorial Park
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. — Music in the Park with Cody and Eva, Beer Gardens, Smith/Fuller Memorial Park
Noon- 5 p.m. Vendors, Fuller Memorial Park
