What makes a place worthy of celebration?
For Steve Hildebrand, who recently spearheaded festivities for the village of Schoenwiese, it’s a combination of having a “great time” growing up in the community and awareness of its past as one of the first landing sites of Mennonites in the area.
It’s also celebrating a milestone.
These reasons led Hildebrand (along with a supportive group of past and present residents) to organize a 150th anniversary celebration that spanned two days of togetherness and fun from July 5th to July 6th.
The theme of the celebration was reunion.
A community coming together
James Fehr, another resident of Schoenwiese, was also instrumental in the occasion, which included community meals, live music, fireworks, and “lots of time for visiting and reminiscing,” according to a poster for the event.
“James has basically been a resident of this area his entire life, so he was a perfect person to get on board. We kind of did it together,” said Hildebrand.
For Fehr, being a part of the process was especially personal. The event took place on his yard.
As someone with strong roots in the area, Fehr said that it was “an exciting time” for him.
“The main reason for doing this whole thing is just so that the people who used to live in the area can get to see each other again,” he said. “I'm happy with all the people that came out here, and I've met a lot of people that used to live here.”
Enthusiasm from the community
Hildebrand added that the community of Schoenwiese, which showed enthusiasm for the opportunity to gather, was also helpful for the weekend's events.
“We’ve had an incredible amount of support from the villagers,” he said. “They have just stepped up.”
Changes over the years
In addition to celebrating 150 years, both Hildebrand and Fehr took the opportunity to reflect on how Schoenwiese has changed.
Fehr, who attended school in the area, said that through his education, he witnessed the school transition from a bustling institution to one that closed its doors soon after he reached the eighth grade.
Despite the closure, he says that the younger generations have moved into the village in recent years, which is a growth that he’s happy to see.
In Hildebrand’s view, the village has represented a certain pace of life over the years.
“One thing that I feel has changed a lot, I would say, ... is that people were less busy back [in the day],” he said. “You could be a little more creative as a kid growing up in the village. You drove around with your quad, you learned new things on the farm — you just learned responsibilities and learn a way of life.”
Ultimately, Hildebrand is grateful for the support that made the reunion celebration a resounding success.
“I just want to thank everyone who has shown up. We have a wonderful history here and a lot of great people who used to live here and have ties here,” he said.
With files from Mikaela Warkentin
