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E-mailRain doesn't dampen spirits for Dunbar Community Fest
Josh Stepp/For the Daily Courier
Judy Kroeger can be reached via e-mail.
Rain and cold Saturday did not dampen the spirits of hundreds of people who enjoyed the eighth annual Dunbar Community Fest.
Early in the day, one of Dunbar's treasures, the late Councilman William "Billy" Watson, was remembered and "Billy's Garden" dedicated to his memory. Watson passed away in May at 75.
The parade stopped for the dedication at the intersection of Connellsville and Woodvale streets at the town clock before continuing through the town.
Pastor Lee Maley of Pechin Community Chapel and a good friend of Watson's led the dedication.
"We're here to honor one of Dunbar's great men," he said. "Billy Watson epitomized what it meant to be a gentleman, a true friend. If Dunbar ever had a statesman, it was Billy Watson. I believe Billy was the face of Dunbar."
Maley outlined some of Watson's achievements, including having three flagpoles erected near Franklin Memorial Church, keeping the town spruced up and keeping the streets free of snow and ice in the winter. He was instrumental in helping borough council purchase the borough and maintenance buildings. "I think he would have been proud of Dunbar this day."
Maley recounted a moving incident at the end of Watson's life, when he was in hospice care. He wanted to see his town one last time. Maley, Eddie Wallace and Tony Tristani, all good friends, picked him up and he enjoyed seeing Dunbar again. "A dog began to cry, a sound I'd never heard an animal make before," Maley said, when the dog saw Watson. "All of Dunbar should have cried. We lost a great man." Many did cry at the dedication.
Connellsville's Molinaro Band played "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "Military Escort" to end the dedication of the garden.
The garden features a stone reading "Billy's Garden." It is planted with fall mums and decorated with small pumpkins. Tony Whipkey planted red tulip bulbs that will spell out "W" in the spring.
Diana Homer, Whipkey, Danny Howarth, Rich Renzi and David Rodney were among those who created the garden.
His daughter, Susan Watson, said, "He had a lot of good friends. There's not one person around here he couldn't help, or he'd find someone who could. Everything he did, we were proud of him. He loved everybody. He loved family gatherings. He was always there for his family. He was the kind of dad everyone wishes for. Everybody called him Mr. Dunbar. He was buried in his Dunbar shirt and hat."
He was married to Esther Watson for 54 years. "Dunbar was his town," she said. In addition to serving on council, he was a member of the Dunbar Community Fest Committee, the Dunbar Historical Society and the Holy Name Society at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church.
The festival featured sports, a pageant, a pet contest, a car show, dancers, the celebration of the American Legion's 85th anniversary, music, a skit, a duck derby, food and history.
Dayna Smith, a Dunbar native, said she looks forward to the fest every year. She doesn't have a favorite event, but "I walk around talking to people I don't see anywhere else. My favorite part? Everything."
She, her husband, Craig, and their five children -- Jennifer, 12, Sierra, 9, Jonathan, 6, Briana, 4, and Carina 2 -- all enjoy coming every year, especially for the fried dough at the St. Aloysius food booth. The fest does not permit outside food vendors, so all food sold benefits local churches, clubs and other organizations.
"Jonathan is in the Boy Scouts, he's a Tiger Cub," Smith said. "This is his first year. He's in first grade and this was his first time to march in the parade. He did such a good job. He was grinning from ear to ear." None of Smiths' children entered the pageant this year.
Twenty children -- 15 girls and five boys -- from Dunbar, Dunbar Township and Little Summit entered the Little Miss Dunbar and Col. Dunbar Pageant. Pageant director Vicki McWilliams said the turnout was high.
Elizabeth Landman, 6, of Dunbar Township was named Little Miss Dunbar. She is the daughter of Kenzi Brooks and Anthony Landman of Lemont Furnace. She is a first-grader at Conn-Area Catholic School. This was her second fest pageant and her first placing.
Col. Dunbar is Jeffrey Johnston, 5, of Dunbar. He is the son of Jeff and Dawn Johnston. Jeffrey is in kindergarten at Dunbar Borough Elementary School.
Madison McCombie and George Stash came in second and Elizabeth Stash and Caiten Clay came in third.
All children received a trophy.
Homer, a member of the fest committee, described the event as very successful. "Everybody comes down, no matter the weather."
