Have you ever wanted to go back in time? Well, Heritage Accord is giving you that chance. As you may know, Heritage Accord is working to restore the Newton Falls Community Center. There have been many fundraising functions for this purpose. This past year has seen the community and both local and national organizations rise to the challenge. The Pluck A Duck event of last November, culminating more than a year of fund-raising, was well-attended and raised about $14,000 dollars. Generous donations were made by the AMVETS, and the James Family; the Jeffris Foundation awarded Heritage Accord $24,575. The next steps have been taken; the Historical Structure Report has begun. So, how does Heritage Accord take us back in time? Through the upcoming event planned for November 5.
Join Heritage Accord for the Salute to Our Veterans. This will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Community Center. It is now one of only 4 historic USO buildings left standing. The address of this historic building is 52 E. Quarry St, Newton Falls, OH 44444.
The Salute begins at 9:00am with the coffee and donut reception with Heritage Accord and Mayor Kenneth Kline.
At 10:00am, winners of the My Hometown Contest will be shared. This is a joint venture with the Newton Falls Library. It is open to all students from K-12, and entries may be essays or artistic in nature. Deadline for this is November 1. At this writing, there is still time to enter. For more information, stop by the library or contact zimomra@gmail.com.
The trip back in time starts with talks by local and national historians. Newton Falls High School history teacher, Brian Bugos, will be presenting, “Newton Falls Leading History, Then and Now”. Heritage Accord’s own Dr. Everard Smith will be presenting “A Woman’s Perspective: Women in the U.S.O. During World War II.”
Artifacts of the period will be on display. These include both military and USO items. There might just be a special surprise from Crew 1944. Curious? This reporter is.
There is a toy drive going throughout the day, from10:00am to 2:00pm. The goal is to Fill the Humvee with new, unwrapped toys.
Now the time warp really gears up…get out your best 40’s attire and join Heritage Accord for a dance with the smooth sounds of the Dave Banks Big Band. Due to space limitations, this is a ticketed event. You can relive the times when the USO sponsored dances for the soldiers. Imagine, at that very building, how many people met their future spouse? Doors open at 5:15. Light refreshments from that era will be served, and door prizes awarded at various times. Dancing will be from 6:30 to 9:30.
Not sure what to wear? According to Google, ladies’ dresses had boxy shoulders and were fitted at the waist. The hemline always came below the knee. Skirts were A-line, as were the dresses. Victory Suits became popular, inspired both by men’s fashions of the 30s, and Rosie the Riveter. Wide-legged, high-waisted pants were often worn as women worked in factories, because the pants wouldn’t snag. This fashion made it out of the factory and into the mainstream. Popular hair styles were finger-waves and curls, and of course the Victory Roll! In addition to the standard suits, wide cabled sweaters and Hawaiian shirts were popular for the men.
What was the music like back then? Big bands, jazz and swing. Dave Banks Big Band is well-versed in these styles. It is a 17-piece band based in Akron. They have played all the big venues in Northeastern Ohio: Music Box, The Palace Theater, The Kent Stage, performing hits from Sinatra to Buble. Stop by davebanksbigband.com for more information.
Event sponsors include Shop n Save-Newton Falls, Sub Stop-Newton Falls, and Giant Eagle-Ravenna.’ Volunteers are needed, as are additional local sponsors.
So, join Heritage Accord for a salute to our veterans, a ‘thank you’ the community and a good time! Tickets are available through Eventbrite.com. For more information, visit www.heritageaccord.org and follow them on Facebook.
