There’s No Place Like Home-Coming!
There was a time, in the words of John Denver, I would say “Country roads … take me home.” However, have you driven through Hamilton County lately?! Retailers, regal housing and roundabouts have replaced the rugged roads to my original nest in Noblesville. As we all know, Nob City has flourished since its days as a flour mill town.
Homecoming has new meanings to me now. The family farm has dwindled down due to developments of all kinds. Hague Road expansions, the Morse Reservoir real estate boom and West Middle School have replaced the acres I ambled and fields I helped farm. As wistful as I may be with the currents of change, I admit that coming home to explore the new nuances of Noblesville is quite nice. And my favorite part? Picking up with the people who peppered my past that now have a permanent place in my heart. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been bountifully blessed by catching up with classmates and reconnecting with cousins and other kin in my humble hometown.
So, what better way to celebrate my 67th birthday than to attend the NHS Homecoming this Sept. 19! It’s been many decades since I bounded the beautifully bumpy bricks of Logan Street and promenaded for the purpose of parade participation. It was 1977 when I strode the road with my fellow senior class officers; so to say I am overdue is true! Soon, I will be cavorting in this classic cavalcade of quarterbacks, queens and convertibles once again. I’m told that these days there is no more tossing the Tootsie Rolls to the tots along the route. However, handing the candy to their expectant palms is perfectly politically correct. I am utterly honored to proudly purvey my pride alongside my fellow Noblesville Alumni Board members in this upcoming pageantry of public procession!
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Post parade, I’ll be bound for Beaver Stadium where the festivities forge on at the NZone Tailgate Fundraiser. It is with ample excitement that I anticipate pondering the past with my peeps among fabulous food and fond memories. Check out the full line up of festivities and ticket information at: https://facebook.com/events/s/n-zone-homecoming-tailgate-fun/24941018448856257/. Who’s going to join me?!
Finally, it will be on to the final fete – that timeless tournament of two rival teams … where the impassioned play of the pigskin reigns supreme! You guessed it – the gallantry of the gridiron, the hallmark and the highlight – the heralded Homecoming game. The bleachers will be bustling with buddies from bygone days, as we cheer on our mighty Millers! “Never daunted, we cannot falter in the battle so brave and true…!” The Noblesville High School Fight Song is still etched in my aging ears.
Homecoming – not just an annual event, but an experience that unites past, present, and future generations. We are just days away from making milestone Miller memories with old friends and new. So mark your calendars for Sept. 19 and make your way back to the place and the people you first called “home.” I may be a bit biased, but no one nails Homecoming like Noblesville!
Branna (McCarty) Shores believes that “HOME is where your story begins.” A Noblesville native and proud graduate of NHS and Purdue University, she is a professional speaker, advocate for mental health and work / family balance and retired social worker. Branna is the mother of two grown daughters, six precious grandchildren and wife of one brave husband! Her passions include singing, writing and sharing the lighter side of life through lessons learned, both personally and professionally. She can be contacted at branna18@gmail.com