Taylor Goes All Out To Celebrate Fourth Of July

Poets were Paul Hatch, Gary Kirkman, Rolf Flake and Rey Flake.

“One hundred thirty-five years ago a little family came into town in a wagon,” said Shawn Palmer, master of ceremonies, noting that they were guided here.

“Taylor, Ariz., grew and developed into what we see today,” said Palmer.

The rodeo began 100 years ago and has been under lights for the past 61 years. It is produced with the help of 60 to 70 volunteers.

Jeff Baldwin received the Silver Spur Award for the many hours he has put into calf roping, team roping and the bucking chutes. The award was sponsored by Jason Brubaker of Silver Creek Mortuary.

Brendon Hunt received the Top Hand Award, a belt buckle handcrafted by Yellowhair Belt Buckles and sponsored by Mark Carlisle.

Saturday, July 4, began at 4 a.m. with the first firing of the anvil, and at 5 a.m. a crowd had gathered and the anvil was fired at Taylor Park, Freeman Park, the LDS Stake Center and back to Taylor Park, giving many people an opportunity to fire it. Everyone from war veterans to Taylor residents or former residents had the opportunity to fire the anvil.

Taylor’s traditional Independence Day Program brought a large crowd this year. The Jennings Band boasted 52 members this year and played many pieces, including a new song composed by Len Shumway, Tribute to Granddad Jennings. Shumway has directed the band for 56 years and noted, “Kids come from all over every year to play in the Jennings Band.”

The Chaplain of the Day was Pastor Bob Seymour, who served as pastor of Valley View Baptist Church for many years.

A rousing stump speech was given by Keith Fish, who made an attempt to do as he was asked and not offend anyone. He began by asking if there were any politicians or lawyers in the audience. Since no one admitted to either profession, he went on to tell some great jokes.

James Stevens Jr. played a trumpet solo as a tribute to his grandpa, who was wounded in World War II and suffered from complications throughout his life, and to all those who sacrificed for our freedom.

Inducted into the Taylor Hall of Fame were Lenard and the late Helene Hunt, and Fran and the late Glen Reidhead, who Mayor Fay Hatch said, “were an example to me and have been my entire life.” Each of the couples taught their children love and service, said the mayor.

Hunt joined the Navy in 1944 during World War II. He was on the USS Rockbridge in the Philippines, Okinawa, Guam, Iwo Jima, China and then to Okitido, Japan. His ship evacuated the 4th Marines from Hiroshima four days after the invasion. He was discharged June 6, 1946.

Helene is the daughter of Rudger and Gertrude Hatch. She and Lenard met at a dance at the Arnold Pickle shed in Taylor and were married in 1947.

He drove a truck, logged and then moved back to Taylor in 1959, buying land in Taylor and settling down to be a Taylor boy. He went to work at the paper mill until his retirement. He gave many years of volunteered service with Reed Hatch at the LDS Church Ranch and hauled many loads of wood for the widows. He served on the Taylor Water Board, and was active in the 4th of July festivities.

Helene served on the election board, in many church assignments and served her family. She spent hours cooking for the 4th of July Rodeo and served food to the crowd. She died March 29, 1998.

Glen Reidhead was born in Shumway in 1942 and was raised on a ranch there. He had a passion for ranching and leatherwork. Growing up he was a good hand to his dad on the ranch. The family moved to Miami and then Safford, where they had a cotton farm.

In 1960 Glen and Fran met at a Show Low 4th of July dance, and they were married two years later. They bought their first home next to Trapper’s Café, where friends and family were always welcome. Fran had homemade cookies and a Coke for anyone who visited.

Glen opened a boot shop where many came in for not only repairs, but to visit. He was an example of service to the community. He worked for the paper mill for a while, but went back to trucking.

She was always helping people, and loved the spirit of community, especially on July 4th. Their family followed the anvil, and she prepared and served food for the rodeo. They loved to dance, but were too busy serving others on the 4th.

Glen passed away June 14, 1998. He was an honest, hard working man, full of compassion and charity.

Fran then went to work for the Town of Taylor, and is now retired.

Mayor Hatch noted that Francis Scott Keys’ The Star Spangled Banner asks, “Oh, say does that star spangled banner still wave?” and said, “I can say, ‘Yes it does in Taylor, Ariz.”

Emcee Brad Click introduced Norris Baldwin, Orator of the Day, who served as Snowflake Temple president and Taylor Stake president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a Vietnam veteran.

“I’m proud to say, like Rens Jennings, I’m a boy from Taylor,” said Baldwin, recalling that he was born when the town’s population was 400.

Baldwin’s first patriotic feelings came during a program when he was about 12 years old, he told the crowd, noting, “I’ve always been a boob about patriotic songs.”

“Why is the 4th such a big deal?” asked Baldwin. “It’s the day 56 men came together and signed the Declaration of Independence, meaning we are free of tyranny.” He spoke briefly of the suffering of those great men because they signed that document.

“Our country is in a mell of a hess,” said Baldwin, who does not use profanity, and he offered several reasons, such as the legalization of marijuana, alcohol use, the vote on marriage, dishonesty of leaders and ISIS.

“Religious organizations are better prepared to teach such things as love and kindness,” said Baldwin. “The problem we face is a war on religion. The greatest freedom of all to me is the right to worship how we desire.”

Baldwin spoke about the flag and used as an example Captain Moroni, a great leader in the Book of Mormon, who tore a piece of his coat and wrote on it, and called it the Title of Liberty. He said that our Title of Liberty is right there, as he pointed to the American Flag. Baldwin closed with his rendition of Johnny Cash’s Raged Old Flag.

Special Boy Scouts of America awards were presented by Silver Creek District Scouting Chairman Cindy Farr to Clyde Sherman for his more than 60 years of service on the Eagle Board of Review and Eagle Processor, and to Eddie Hancock, who has served for more than 40 years in several different positions and assisting Sherman.

“It always amazes me to see our community turn out in force to put the finishing touches on our beautiful Taylor Rodeo Park facility a week before the rodeo, then come back early Monday morning and clean up all the mess,” said Vice Mayor Shawn Palmer, who serves on the Rodeo Committee. “But what amazes me even more is to have around 10,000 people show up on rodeo night to help us celebrate the birth of the greatest nation on earth. Most people agree that energy is unbelievable.”

Taylor had a downpour of rain, getting what was reported by two residents with rain gages to be 2.75” and 27/8” of rain in approximately 20 minutes, but it did not affect the spirit of the rodeo.

The bleachers were approximately 95 percent full, with the new bleachers filled to capacity even with the adverse weather.

“From my perspective we had many obstacles, but people rallied,” said Hancock, giving special thanks to Lynn Hatch who brought in dirt and ran the blade. “He took a swamp and made it into a functioning rodeo arena again.”

Logan Hatch brought his tractor with discs and mixed the new dirt with the rain soaked dirt.

“Reed Flake does such a great job announcing and his wife, Amy, does a wonderful job with the music also. Collette Whittle knocked it out of the park with such an outstanding national anthem,” said Palmer. “The contestants and livestock were very entertaining, and Slim Garner (who has a specialty act) really added a great new dimension of entertainment to our show.”

“He did a great job. He had the crowd into it, and the laughter was at a high level,” said Rodeo Committee Chairman Eddie Hancock.

The fireworks weren’t set off this year due to the rain.

The Rodeo Committee expressed appreciation to all those who came and supported the event, which “wasn’t perfect, but we dealt with the adverse weather,” said Hancock. “We had a strong patriotic theme.”

“We definitely couldn’t put on a high quality show like we do without all the many volunteers, more than 50 people who do their individual jobs in such a special way. America is No. 1 and Taylor, Ariz., USA is the best place to celebrate America,” said Palmer.