ADENA - Adena Heritage Days has been billed as "a special day for the special people of the town" and will be observed for the 12th time on Aug. 11.
Two people have been chosen to be honored for the celebration, according to organizers. Marjorie "Marge" Gullo Bednarki has been chosen as queen, and Robert Yanok will serve as the grand marshal.
Bednarki has been a resident of the area for 74 years. She is a 1953 graduate of Adena High School and married Theodore Bednarki four days after gradation, relocating to Cleveland for three years. She returned to her childhood roots and continues to reside on Hurford Road, outside of town. She has two children, Carol Bednarki Infante of St. Clairsville and Rich of Belle Center and six grandchildren, with her first great-grandson on the way.
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PARADE HONOREES – Two lifetime residents of Adena have been chosen to head the parade at 1 p.m. Aug. 11 to commemorate the start of the 12th-annual Heritage Days Festival. Marjorie Gullo Bednarki was selected as heritage queen, and Robert Yanok will serve as grand marshal. The event will be held along Main Street and at the village gazebo. -- Esther McCoy
Bednarki was an active participant in the Harrison County Democratic Women's Club and an active campaigner for Democratic candidates. She is a retired Shortcreek Township trustee, past member of the township trustee association and member of the Woman's Club of Adena, supporting libraries, reading programs, domestic violence shelters and community beatification.
The festival queen is a member of the Adena High School Alumni Committee, attends the Harrisville Presbyterian Church and volunteered with Boatsie's Boxes Inc. at Cabela's for the "Honor Our Troop Day" in 2011.
Yanok, a life-long resident of Adena, where his dad was a coal miner, graduated from Adena High School in 1961, from Ohio State University in 1965 and received a master's degree from the University of Dayton in 1982.
He was a school teacher for 32 years, retiring in 1997, after spending two years at Jefferson Union and 30 years in the Buckeye Local School District, teaching at Adena High School from 1967 to 1972, when it became Buckeye Local, and then taught junior high school until 1997.
Presently, he has a tax preparation business on Sycamore Street in the village.
He and the former Diane Syndel of Richmond have four children: Robbie of New Albany, Rusty of Johnstown, Ryan of Adena and Amy Flatto of Culpepper, Va. There are 14 grandchildren.
The couple travel to Westerville each Sunday morning to attend church, where their son is a member of the clergy, and travel back to attend the Harrison Hills Church Sunday evening service.
He suffered a heart attack in December. After spending time at the Trinity Medical Center West undergoing a quadruple bypass, he was sent on to UPMC in Pittsburgh..
"By the grace of God, I'm here now, breathing better that before and have lost 40 pounds. There were 13 grandchildren in to visit me during my recovery in the hospital," he said.
Heritage Days will start at 8 a.m. Aug. 11 with breakfast at the American Legion Post 525, continuing until 11:30 a.m. Registration for a car show will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the cars will be on Main Street until 8 p.m. The parade lineup will be at 12:30 p.m. at the old Raymers Garage. Children can decorate ATV's, bikes and go-carts for the event that will start at 1 p.m..
The presentation of flags, opening ceremonies and the national anthem by Valerie Zamski will be at 2 p.m., with prayer by Anita Jackson and the welcome by Mayor Ray Jeskey.
Libby Fulton will announce the prince and princess, determined by the selling of fundraising tickets, with the presentation of Yanok and Bednarki to follow.
Adena Post Commander Gary DeNoble and Legion members will present a veterans' program at 2:45 p.m.
Music will be played by the Harmony Brothers Polka Band from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the Deuces Wild Band, consisting of local musicians, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
There will be softball games on the field behind P&M's Restaurant between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Cornhole registration will be at 6 p.m. The woman's club pet contest will be held following the parade, with the largest, smallest and most unusual recognized, along with a baby doll contest of the largest, smallest and the Heritage doll.
Along Main Street and adjoining streets, there will be inflatables, games, local crafts, food sales and a 50/50 drawing.
