30 years of tradition at the Wheelock 4th of July BBQ and Parade
WHEELOCK, Texas (KBTX) – In Robertson County, the Wheelock School House celebrated its 30th Independence Day BBQ and parade.
KBTX took a trip to the school and met a couple, Trent and Shelley Wilson, who helped start the parade 30 years ago.
The Wilson’s have lived in Wheelock for 40 years and they, along with a group of their friends, started the parade in 1995.
“30 years ago a group of friends got together in someone’s backyard and decided, ‘let’s have a 4th of July parade’ and so we did and that was 30 years ago,” said Shelley Wilson.
Kathy Hedrick, the Secretary for the Board of Directors for Friends of Wheelock School House, describes how it all began.
“We started out in 1995 with kids on bicycles, dads on their lawn movers, a Winnebago, a tractor, and one fire truck and it’s grown to this,” said Hedrick.
Now the celebration involves the whole community. The parade began at 10 a.m. followed by a BBQ lunch.
“It is so exciting to see people bring their children, and then their grandchildren, and then their great-grandchildren to be a part of it because every kid needs to be in a 4th of July parade on the 4th of July,” said Shelley Wilson.
With 30 years of tradition, this celebration is dear to many hearts.
“The community coming together, friends, family, you see each other, a lot of waving, a lot of just community, it’s all good,” said Trent Wilson.
Hedrick said all proceeds from the BBQ will go towards remodeling the outside of the Wheelock School House.
The School House also received a $100,000 grant from the Texas Historical Foundation, after winning the Michael C. Duda Preservation Award back in April, and this money will also go towards restoring the exterior of school.
With the help of this money, the Wheelock School House should be revamped by next year’s 4th of July parade.
