ANDOVER — At the finish line of the Olde Home Days road race were Emma Aubut, 9 and her brother Alex, 7, of New Hampshire. Their great-grandmother, Beverly Swan, who lived just across the street, had passed away the day before, but they were glad they still came.
“She’d want me here watching the kids and the parade.” said Swan’s daughter, Kaye Moren, “She was big into this. The historical society, the flower show … It was always a a big deal for the family. ‘Always plan to be in Andover the first weekend in August.'”
The parade was the earliest of several events that make up the town celebration, now in it’s 45th year.
One of the first organizers of the Andover Olde Home Days road race was Fred Bailey, of Windham. While he has long since handed off the baton, he returns to his hometown to run the race. This year he crossed the finish line first, faster than about 39 others at Andover Elementary School. For the past several years the Smith Family has organized the event with daughter Hayley, a recent Telstar graduate recording runners’ times this year.
In the center of town, the parade was about to start. Nearby was Betty Davis, of Andover, who awaited participants for the backseat driver contest. Davis said her dad, Freeman Farrington, 95, was leading the parade as the marshal. Asked if he was elected to the position, Davis said it went more like this: “Do you want to be the marshal? Will you be the marshal? or [more likely] You will be the marshal.'”
Gail and Irvin Belanger of Gouldsboro, Maine were at the historical society looking for Gail’s siblings Raylene and Tommy in one of several Andover Elementary School yearbooks. They said they used to come back to town every year, but have travelled back less since her mother passed away. They return in June, too, for the huge Andover graduation celebration at the former high school (now Andover Elementary). “It’s interesting, it takes you back a ways.” said Gail as she continued paging through books.
The parade was over and Andover’s Peggy Mills was waiting her turn to throw the skillet beside Mills’ Market. Her granddaughter, Elly, visiting from Indiana, had thrown it over 48 feet. “I threw shot put and disc in high school. That’s why I went sideways,” she said. She added that she hoped her grandmother throws it further, “That would be impressive. I hope she does it.”
Like so many others, Katelyn Cross, of Westbrook, said she returned to Olde Home Days every year for family. “My Mimi and my Papa met here,” she said. “It’s a way to remember their love and their childhood.” Cross, like several others in her family, wore a Bill Patrick t-shirt to remember her grandfather who had passed away in the fall.
She added that she didn’t mean for her skillet to nearly hit the line judge — twice. “It was unintentional. I don’t think I have any spatial awareness at all.”
