The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The Homecoming 2020 committee continues with the duties associated with the cancellation of Homecoming. We contacted a whole list of people who had offered to help in many ways: decorating, marshaling the parades, handling vendors, dumping garbage, organizing a car show, and more. The entertainers and caterer, along with emcees for both evenings, needed to be alerted to the big change. We had organizations planning to donate many things to make our gathering successful and we wanted them to know straight from us about the decision. Many community and school groups had planned events of all kinds and they now will need to think of other avenues to promote themselves. If we forgot to inform anyone, it was certainly unintentional.

We are in the process of planning details about how to crown the Homecoming Royalty and announce the 2025 committee. The committee that was intending to present an in-person Saturday night program is working on getting a video put together that will be available sometime in June. This video will include audio and video tributes to Pioneer Heroes that were sent in by the deadline a year ago. The final program video will be posted online. Another postcard will be sent out as a mass mailing to reach those alumni who may not have heard the news of the cancellation and will include the options for ordering the 2020 Memory Book.

The Homecoming Book has moved into the printer’s hands and as soon as it returns to Big Sandy we will start processing orders. There are two options for reserving your copy. The first option is to use the old-fashioned mail service. Anyone who mails a check made out to Big Sandy Homecoming for a donation of any amount will receive a book once they are available. Please make a note in the memo line as to how many copies, include a return mailing address, and mail to PO Box 437, Big Sandy, 59520. The website and Facebook pages both have a link to a printable order form that can be sent with a mail-in request if that seems easier.

The online store will have a simple “Buy the Book” link at both the website (bigsandyhomecoming.com) and on Facebook (Facebook.com/bigsandyhomecoming.). The online store does not have an option for a “donation of any size” so you will have to choose from the amounts we have listed there. Most internet shoppers will find this an easy way to pay using a credit card, debit card or Google Pay. Here is a peek at the description posted at the online store.

“Extraordinary. A word for Big Sandy, for Homecoming traditions, for heroes, for the times. While a world-wide pandemic interrupted our pattern for great celebrations, the people of Big Sandy still worked hard to bring you this honorary memento. Donate any amount to the fund that will bring us together in 2025 and receive the 2020 Pioneer Heroes Homecoming Book. This special edition will feature a color cover and 92 black-and-white pages with senior pics and high school highlights from 2016-2020, Homecoming 2015 review, memorial tributes to Pioneers Heroes from classmates, family and friends, as well as information about Booster Club, Big Sandy Education Foundation, and local scholarships that you can support with your donations throughout the year. Advertising by Big Sandy businesses, who had hoped to see you all in person, are included and helped with the costs of publishing the book.

The website has the wording “Homecoming 2020 Memorial Book” near the top of the main page and a simple click there will take the user to the online order options. Facebook contains both a

post and an event that will link to the order site.

The committee looks forward to receiving your order for a book and will continue working towards wrapping up Homecoming 2020—the Homecoming that was never meant to be; COVID-19 you see.