Heritage Days a rousing success

Donna Barnes | Lehi Free Press

Saturday brought tense moments as rain came in sheets and the wind blew. Still, as with all good things, the efforts and time of many volunteers and leaders, Heritage Days survived and even prospered as the weather cooperated, and the event was proclaimed a rousing success.

Hundreds of Lehi citizens and many from out of town attended this year’s event. Lehi’s beautiful new civic center had an inauguration of sorts as workers and volunteers moved many displays from outside into the spacious new building. According to Nicole Kunz, the event’s chairman, more young people seemed involved than in other years. “I think the Lehi Historical Society has made some amazing new friends this summer with all the people who have discovered Lehi’s history through the historical marker quest. That was one of the goals of the event.” Kunze credited the 75 volunteers who set up, took down, and re-set up inside the civic center. She said, “We had to pivot because of the weather, and everyone took it in stride. The members of the Lehi Historical Society Committee are the absolute best. They got there early to set up and came back after the rainstorm and set things back up again.”

Kunze commented on the variety of people doing the Quest Passport game. 96-year-old Arlo Brems, accompanied by his daughter, Leslie Christofferson, shared that he used to cross several railroad tracks from Lehi Junction to get to his grandma’s house when he was a boy. The Quest game created many memories for participants, from Brems to youngsters as young as 6 years old. The Quest Passport contained pictures of historic events in Lehi where markers have been placed. Those who participated could visit the sites, take a picture, and be rewarded with a ticket for the raffle. Additional tickets could be obtained by visiting tables where representatives from all the historic sites elaborated on stories at marker locations. The afternoon concluded with tickets drawn from the ticket drum, and winners received a variety of gifts, from gift cards to a KitchenAid mixer, won by an adorable, tiny cheerleader who presented it to her mother.

Lara Bangerter, Lehi Historical Society Director, commented, “Someone told one of our volunteers that they had no idea our community had so much history. That made me feel like all the planning and stress of Lehi Heritage Day was worth it. Nicole had the idea for the marker quest. She did an amazing job. I’m just so proud of how so many people in the community come together with the Historical Society to make these events possible. The Civic Center was the perfect place to be. I thank everyone who worked on Heritage Day and everyone who attended. I love celebrating our history with the community.”

This year will also go down as one of the most exciting and fun-filled celebrations for all attendees, with the old-time car show, the Quest Passport game, the recognition of our Lehi honorees and the reminiscing that occurred as old and young mingled to learn more about meaningful events in Lehi’s history.