Fun, games and history for 34 years

Saturday’s hot temperatures didn’t stop people from turning out for the 34th annual Fourth of July Celebration in Orland.

Sponsored by the Orland Historical and Cultural Society, the town’s old-fashioned event  was as American as babies, grandmas, hot dogs and apple pie.

The largest Town Band in history played, the Glenn Chorale sang and the Noel Castrejon Quintet entertained the crowd that ranged in age from infants to seniors.

Olga Peterson, a retired Orland teacher and member of the Historical Society, said the decision to hold the annual festivities came after a bicentennial event in 1976, when several Orland citizens asked to keep the celebration going.

Peterson has shared two Person of the Year awards. The first was in 2003 when she and Jeannie Robinson were honored for their work on the annual craft fair and again in 2008 with Marlene Corriea, Carolyn Denton and Doyle Shippelhoute for the efforts with annual Avenue of Lights during the Christmas season.

She joined the organization in 1977 when Joanne Overton was president, Peterson said. Overton has organized the event every year since.

The Historical and Cultural Society was out in force, serving homemade pie and ice cream, clearly a favorite among celebration participants. Also available was barbecued chicken, hot dogs, lemonade, snowcones and other traditional fare.

A day for family fun

Accompanied by her daughter and granddaughter, Jackie Zabala said they try to come to Orland’s July Fourth event every year.

“It’s a good atmosphere,” Zabala’s daughter Toni Calzada said.

Sitting on her decorated bicycle, Zabala’s 3-year-old granddaughter Alicia Calzada-Zabala wore red and blue curly ribbons in her pigtails, star-shaped yellow sunglasses and a jeweled American flag on her cheek. She said she was having a lot of fun.

She took first place in the Decorated Bike Contest later in the day.

Maurice Eakes said he enjoys the day because “it’s a wonderful tribute to our

nation’s birthday. And it’s Orland. Besides,” he added, “the snowcones are good.”

Another Orland resident, Barbara Edwards, said she and her family “love” celebrating the Fourth of July in Orland. “It’s such a great event,” she said. “The community is so nice, we know everybody and our are kids are safe.”

Mike Schager, 89, said he and his wife of almost 50 years “come every year. We love to watch the kids and eat a little bit.”

Evelyn Schager, 87, said, “I like the small community.” But she bemoaned the lack of shopping. She would like to see more retail stores and another grocery store, like it was when they moved to Orland.

Pomp and ceremony

To get the formal part of the day started, the Glenn Chorale sang the pledge of allegiance, and recent OHS graduate Maigen Mattucci sang the national anthem.

Town Band leader and former OHS teacher Butch Peterson introduced the band by where they live. Besides Orland, band members come from Willows and parts of the unincorporated county. He also recognized band members who have died.

Orland born and bred, he said, “Orland is a beautiful town, a beautiful place.”

The longest speech of the day came from the mayor. “It’s an honor and privilege to serve as your mayor during this history year,” Bruce Roundy said, referring to the town’s 100th birthday.

For Orland, “it’s a century of community,” he said. “It’s a unique and special place because of our forefathers.”

He said that “small-town values and community spirit have made Orland what it is today.”

Roundy also said noted that while there were some settlements in the area, Orland became fully established when the railroad arrived in 1883-1884. Later, the population jumped with the development of the Orland Irrigation Project.

In 1910, Orland’s population was 800 and the volunteer fire department was founded. By 1920, the town at 1,500 citizens, two newspapers and two phone companies, Roundy said. Now, nearly 7,500 people call Orland home.

The town was built on hard work and self-reliance, Roundy said. “Orland always has a ‘get it done’ attitude,” he added.