Bauxite Historical Association to hold 43rd annual reunion Saturday
The Bauxite Historical Association and Museum will hold their 43rd annual Bauxite reunion Saturday at the community building in Bauxite.
Events kick off at 6 p.m. Friday with movie night. The price for admission is 25 cents. This year as you pay you will vote between two movies: the 1939 John Wayne movie “Stage Coach” or the 1953 movie
“From Here to Eternity” starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Cliff and Donna Reed.
The winner will be the feature. There will also be popcorn and drinks for 25 cents, also. Wilson Duvall will be manning the popcorn machine.
On Saturday registration will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a great time to meet and greet, share stories, and reconnect with old and not so old friends. You may purchase lunch and a drink during this time also. Lunch is catered by Tommy and Sharon Oliver and will be barbeque pulled pork, baked beans, chips, and homemade Banana Pudding. The price is $10.
At 1 p.m. the business meeting will begin with the welcome by Vickie Staggs, president of the board. Recognition of board members, editor of Pick and Shovel, chairman of Bauxite Cemetery Association, and curators of Bauxite Museum. Old and new business will also be conducted prior to the program.
This year’s speaker is Donnie Orender. Donnie was born in Humphry, Ark., and is a 1956 Bauxite graduate.
Donnie started first grade in 1944 when his family moved to Bauxite. At that time he attended the three room school. In the fourth grade he began Pine Have Elementary School.
After graduation Donnie entered the Air Force where he trained as an Airbourne navigation repairman. He served 4 ½ years and of that 32 months were spent in Great Britain.
After returning to Arkansas in 1961 he married Mary Mangruam. They have two daughters, Donna and Sharron, and one grandson, Christian Falls. Donnie went to work
socialization and rediscovering the love of the game.
“Emotionally and socially, it’s been great,” she said. “There are friends that I reconnected with from basketball in high school. There’s a lot to be said about the physical activity. It comes back to you. It is so much fun.”
Nichols added that while she and her team members may be older, that doesn’t mean the games are not on point.
“I have seen seventyfive plus [year old] athletes out there who are pretty competitive. They love this sport so much that it’s not going to stop them,” she said. “Experience helps a lot, because it is very competitive.”
Admission to the tournament is free. Riverside Grocery and Catering will be on hand from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to provide meals, while Sip the Season will sell drinks throughout the day. Concessions will also be available. For a list of available sports, or to sign up for the Senior Olympics, please visit https://arseniorolympics.org or contact Fran Nichols at 501-326-7745.
“The Senior Olympics are near and dear to my heart, so I want to get the word out,” Nichols said. “I encourage people to come watch and shoot with us if interested.”