Bonfire, parade to highlight homecoming festivities this week

Groesbeck Homecoming has arrived with activities planned for this weekend. A big welcome home to one and all! Due to COVID-19 sanctions, the homecoming activities will be somewhat different this year.

A bonfire is planned to kick off homecoming weekend on Thurs. Sept. 24 at 8:30 p.m. at the Old Football Field on Jacinto St. This will be the formal Homecoming pep rally as well.

The Groesbeck Homecoming is sponsored by the Groesbeck Ex-Students Association, Groesbeck High School, and the Groesbeck ISD as well as assistance from the City of Groesbeck, Limestone County, and other local groups and businesses.

In following COVID-19 regulations all pre-game homecoming announcements will be made as usual, but no ex-students activities will be taking place on the football field as in previous years. The pre-game activities will start at 6:30 p.m.

Each year, the Groesbeck Ex-Students Association recognizes several people with special honors. Recognized this year as Mr. and Mrs. Homecoming are Mr. Elgin Tatum and Mildred Tucker Jackson. Ginger Roberts Fritz is this year’s Groesbeck Ex-Students Association Homecoming Queen.

Scooter Kennedy has been named this year’s Honorary Parade Marshal.

These honorees will be recognized during the pre-game activities and if present are asked to stand. A story on each of these individuals will be published in next week’s Journal.

Another big COVID-19 driven change is that the G.H.S. Homecoming presentation will be before the game instead of at half-time. They will begin the presentation of homecoming court nominees at 6:30PM.

The honor classes for this year’s homecoming are those classes ending in and “5”. The GHS Class of 1979 will be celebrating its 50th year since graduating from Groesbeck High School. The Class of 1970 will be receiving their 50-year diplomas. The Class will be riding in the homecoming parade and will be having its 50th-year reunion party on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Maffett Memorial Library. The 50-year diplomas are to be presented at that time. A complete story on the GHS Class of 1970 was recently carried in the Journal.

The honorees and honor classes will be recognized during the homecoming football pregame ceremonies.

The homecoming football game will have the Groesbeck Goats facing longtime rival, the Fairfield Eagles.

There will be no homecoming luncheon at noon on Saturday due to the social distancing requirement and no homecoming breakfast will be held this year.

However, the annual Homecoming Parade will be held on Saturday, September 26, in downtown Groesbeck. The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. The theme of the parade will be “Honoring Our First Responders”.

Lisa Stewart, the longtime parade chairman, states that the parade has a large number of entries. If one has any questions about the parade, please call Lisa Stewart at 254-292-3155. You may find the full parade lineup and entrant instructions elsewhere in this issue of the Journal.

All ex-students are reminded to pay their yearly dues of $10.00 per person. These dues help to finance homecoming activities and also go toward the awarding of several $1,000 scholarships to deserving graduation GHS Seniors each school year. Dues and other donations may be mailed to Groesbeck Ex-Students Association, P. 0. Box 657, Groesbeck, Texas 76642.

If one would like to give a memorial gift to the association in memory of a classmate, schoolmate, friend, or loved one, The association will send appropriate notice to the bereaved family. Such donations may be sent to the above address.

For the past several years, the GHS Classes of 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1959 have had a combined reunion. Due to the coronavirus situation and social recommendations, this reunion will not be held this year. However, it is planned to resume the reunion next year at Homecoming 2021.

Hope to see many of you this weekend during Homecoming 2020!