Rain fails to dampen 50th anniversary at Noble Horizons

SALISBURY — The community picnic on Tuesday, July 12 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Noble Horizons was well-attended and only slightly marred by a rainstorm.

Noble administrator Bill Pond was warily checking the weather on his smartphone around 4:30 p.m., as the Salisbury Band played and the line for the Lakeville Hose Company’s fried chicken got longer.

At 5:09 p.m. Pond stopped the band and recommended that people take shelter indoors for the duration. This prudent advice was almost completely ignored, as the revelers simply squashed in under the tents and continued operations.

“Let the wind blow it away” said one woman.

Celeste Shannon had to scramble a bit to get the raffle prizes away from the small waterfall that developed between tents.

Otherwise the rain had little effect on the festivities.

By 5:30 p.m. the rain was over.

With the public address equipment reconnected, Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand read a message from the selectmen. “You give comfort and peace of mind to many people.”

State Representative Maria Horn (D-64) brought with her two messages of congratulations, one from the state legislature and one from Gov. Ned Lamont (D).

Pond honored Barbara Wiggins, who was the facility’s first nurse in 1972, and Mary Barton, for whom the facility’s Volunteer Award has been renamed as the Mary Barton Volunteer Award.