Vernon Group Bound For Modesto

Written by Peter McIntyre  107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 01 May 2012 15:27

Photo: Jack Gilroy (left) and John Topping

A special trip is planned to mark the 30th anniversary of a sister city relationship between Vernon and Modesto California.  Fifty local residents will take a bus trip to California, leaving May 11th, and returning 12 days later on a cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver. Former city councillor Jack Gilroy is among the participants. He says it's a chance to show appreciation to Modesto, at no cost to taxpayers. "Everybody pays their own way. It's awesome.We feel pretty bad because we didn't have room for the mayor. Everybody has been signed up for a long time for this trip." Each traveller is paying about $1,200, and there's also been some fundraising. Gilroy calls it a special relationship. "Thirty years is a long time to keep a relationship up, and it's amazing. A lot of people come up here from Modesto." Funtastic co-founder John Topping is the trip's coordinator. He says, "In 1982, then Vernon mayor Lyall Hanson welcomed the start of sister city relations with Modesto. Since then, there have been many delegations exchanging visits, including Vernon politicians, royalty, and high school students. Notably, Modesto slo-pitch teams participated in the annual Funtastic Summer Festival for many years." The group will represent Vernon at a May 16th civic reception in Modesto, one of six sister cities Vernon has. "As is the tradition, there will also be a slo-pitch challenge game when the Vernon Canadians will try to pound their California rivals, the Modesto Cruisers, into the dust," jokes Topping.  Also going on the trip is former Vernon mayor Wayne McGrath. The delegation will return to Vernon May 22. Vernon Mayor Rob Sawatzky calls the sister city relationship a positive thing, with minimal costs to the city.