For 28 years we have had the privilege of helping select the Grand Marshal for Frontier Days. We know firsthand the joy of honoring someone special in our community—and the fun of surprising them when this guide comes out.

This year, the Board of Directors turned the tables and chose Gerald and me as Grand Marshals for our 50th Anniversary celebration. While we are deeply honored, we also find ourselves blushing just a bit. When you’re simply doing what you love, recognition feels almost unnecessary. Anyone else in this community who quietly pours their heart into service knows exactly what I mean.

Since this is such a milestone year, I decided to combine my usual President’s Message with a little of our “Ann & Gerald” story. This will mark our 29th Frontier Days, and we are incredibly proud to still be here—watching the community come together to enjoy everything we’ve worked so hard to build.

This year we’re bringing back some beloved favorites while adding something new every single day. If you miss even one day, you might miss one of the best experiences of the whole celebration. So come on down to the midway, take it all in, and make memories with us!

How did we get here?

Gerald and I both had nomadic childhoods, though for very different reasons. We didn’t realize we were searching for our forever home until we each found our way to La Pine in the late 1970s—under very different circumstances. Then we found each other, and that sealed it.

Before we met, Gerald worked as a painter and builder, a truck driver, a restaurant worker, and a farm hand—putting into practice the skills he learned through FFA in high school. I attended the University of Nevada, Reno, studying Theater and Journalism. I worked in commercial radio in Reno and Las Vegas, and later became a designer and builder in the high-rise hotel and casino world.

Together, we became “Remodeling Specialists” for thirty years. Working in the community, we found like-minded people, made lifelong friends, and had a lot of fun while filling real needs. In 1998 we jumped in with both feet, serving on boards for the La Pine Park & Recreation District, SCOOTR Inc., the La Pine Lions Club, and Frontier Days. We brought the same skills we used as contractors—building stages, remodeling event spaces, and solving problems—to help build something even more important: community.

We have loved every moment of it—even the hard ones. We’ve cherished getting to know the vendors, suppliers, fellow volunteers, and everyone who comes out to enjoy these events. Frontier Days has brought a richness to our lives that’s hard to describe. We don’t think of ourselves as “getting too old” (though our bodies occasionally disagree!). Instead, we keep coming up with new ideas and look forward to guiding Frontier Days into the future.

Thank you for being part of this celebration with us. We’re so glad you’re here!