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In our society we often forget to really celebrate major milestones, and we almost always don’t understand the significance of a 50th wedding anniversary, 90th birthday and beyond, or 25 years in business.

That is why I want to congratulate all the people and powers that be who made this summer’s sesquicentennial (150 years) celebration of the community of Hollister a huge success. 

There were car shows, a street festival, disc golf tournament, kite flying contest, a downtown run, a formal party, dance and gala, the national night out, the weekly farmer’s market, and who could forget the herd of Texas Longhorn cattle leading the saddle horse parade and numerous other activities. 

It took the will of our elected leaders, the energy of countless volunteers, the coordination of the parks and recreation department and the hard physical work of the entire city work crew who closed off streets, and reopened them the same day.  They also cleaned parks, made loudspeakers work, and all of the “in the trenches” work that it took to put on all of the events. 

I wasn’t born in Hollister. I came here in 1986 for a job at the then-San Benito High school, thinking I would stay for a year or two and then move back up to Northern California where I was born. 

However, I met my wife here, my children were born here, I bought a house here and I consider Hollister my home, and was proud that many members of the community joined in celebrating 150 years of our community. 

That’s some staying power, and it doesn’t happen a lot in this world. There are always some people who don’t think celebrations and remembrances are a good thing, or who think Hollister is not so great. To them I would like to say what Matt Dillon in “Gunsmoke” said so often, “Get out of Dodge.”  

To conclude I would like to sincerely thank and again congratulate all of those who worked so hard to make the celebration special,…