They all said 'cheese' for Old Home Week
By PAT FRIDGEN Echo Pilot

People lined up in every corner of the square for the official Old Home Week photo and ran from one side to the other during the photo.

It was ninety-five degrees but they didn't care. The people came. It was a tradition.

And so the 36th Triennial Old Home Week Official Picture was taken at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 8, 2007 in Center Square.

Jim Ivey, president of Central Photo, and assistant Charlotte Richardson worked with a polite crowd. The Washington DC photographers have covered this photo shoot during each Old Home Week for the last 20 years and were glad to be back.

The two called instructions to each other and to the assembly as they organized the estimated 3000 people into position. Since they had literally counted faces on the 2004 picture, they estimated a similar number of people would show up for this one.

Speaking through a megaphone, Richardson addressed the people standing at the western end of the semi-circle: "They gotta be inside that line. That's the edge."

Ivey: "Get them back. I can't see them."

Richardson put new chalk marks on the street.

Ivey: "Go over a little bit."

Richardson to latecomers spilling over the ends: "You're all going to get cut off. There's just no way."

The Greencastle natives, newcomers and visitors moved when she said move and stopped when she said stop. With the sun nearly overhead, a dull roar permeated the crowd, the excited chatter of folks sharing a special moment in Greencastle history.

OHW Picture Chairman Frank Klink steadied the ladder as Ivey perched in the flower bed with his tall tripod and specialized camera.

A strong breeze passed through the Square at 11:29, to sighs of relief and cheers from the patient throng.

Once more Richardson adjusted the lineup, bringing the front rows even closer.

At the appointed minute she told everyone to not move their heads. To reassure those in the back, she called, "All the way to the shops, I can see you. I promise."

And as the people understood, if they could see the camera, the camera could see them. Ivey took the photo three times, slowly panning left to right.

The company will choose which shot was best and make copies of the panorama for those who ordered them. It is almost guaranteed some people will have their eyes closed in the picture, but most will be staring right at the camera with smiles on their faces.

And the handful that ran fast enough will be imaged on the left and the right sides of the photo.

Then it was over. The crowd dispersed to seek shade, purchase food at the Boy Scout concession stand or mingle at the Greencastle Presbyterian Church Ice Cream Social.

And Klink exclaimed, almost gleefully, "My job is over!"

Who came and why

Tim Wertime, dressed in a white shirt and black dress pants, stood in the heat for one reason. "It's tradition. I've been in the picture every year."

The Mowen sisters retreated to the protection of the ELM Department Store awning. Marsha Kelso, Melva Meminger, Melissa Nowell and Mary Stepler used the occasion to visit with each other and old friends.

"We haven't missed this since we were born," said Kelso. "And we like to look at ourselves on the wall at headquarters."

"It's a tradition," said Dave Nichols as he and his wife Tonya headed to the church for ice cream.

They buy the pictures and have mounted some. The rest are put in storage

"We pull them out every three years to look at," said Tonya.

Kristin Ritter of Lakeville, Minn., stood in the Square because it was the tradition of her relatives.

"I came from Minnesota just for this picture," she said. "Auntie Ann (Sheller) has been telling me about this for years."

Committee members Carol Christophel, Denise Garnes and Julie Tarquino took orders for the photos, which should be delivered around August 22. The committee and fellow employees of First National Bank of Greencastle assisted the photographers as needed.

"It went wonderful, for the heat," said Tarquino. "It was a beautiful day and everybody showed up. There were as many people as ever, if not more. It's a lot of people in the square!"