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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2024
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(Left) Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus pose with Tori (left) and Ruby Ormonde at the 34th Annual Victorian Teddy Bear Affair. (Right) Children at the 34th Annual Victorian Teddy Bear Affair recite “Ten Little Angels.” Photo by Camille DeVaul/PRP
34th Annual Victorian Teddy Bear Affair fills Park Ballroom Children and families gather for tea, performances, and festive cheer at the cherished event By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
PASO ROBLES — Little girls and boys dressed in their Christmas best filled the Park Ballroom on Park Street for the 34th Annual Victorian
Teddy Bear Affair on Saturday, Dec. 21. The afternoon was filled with “tea” in custom tea cups, singing, dance performances and visits with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Snow King and Queen. The event is the final chapter in
the Paso Robles “Christmas Story” dreamed up by the Paso Robles Main Street Association’s Executive Director Norma Moye over 30 years ago. Moye describes the event as one final gift to the children before Christmas comes to town.
Sisters Ruby and Tori Ormonde thoroughly enjoyed their first Teddy Bear Affair. Each child in attendance came accompanied by their own teddy or “plushie.” Ruby, age 7, told Paso Robles Press what her favorite part of the afternoon
was: “I like the singing,” and she added that Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer was her favorite song of the day — can’t go wrong with a classic like that. Her sister Tori’s (6 years old) favorite part of the affair was bringing her CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
A 1944 Christmas Story: Part I How a pilot survived one of the deadliest air raids of World War II By JOHN HAMON JR. A special to Paso Robles Press
NORTH COUNTY — Born in Oklahoma in the autumn of 1921 to Simon and Anne Hamon, John Reuben was 3 years old when the family moved to California’s Central Valley with other relatives ahead of the great Southern Plains Dust Bowl that so badly devastated farming in the Midwest during the late ’20s and early ’30s. Growing up, he went to school, excelled in sports, and worked with his parents and three sisters in the farm fields around Wasco picking cotton and potatoes. After his high school graduation in 1939, he pursued his dream of becoming a pilot for the next two years and entered a pilot training program at Bakersfield Junior College. The program taught students
Having learned to fly Piper Cubs in Bakersfield, and undergoing more advanced training at other California locations, John R. Hamon Sr. eventually took part in a pivotal air operation during World War II. Contributed Photo
aeronautical engineering and how to fly the single-engine 65-hp Piper Cub. He earned his Airman’s Certificate no. 109408 in 1941 and continued on with his advanced training. When the United States entered World War II in December of 1941, all flight training programs were required to be moved inland a minimum of 100 miles from the coast. Hamon‘s class was
relocated to Independence, California, on the east side of the Sierra Mountains, and later to Lone Pine, farther south on Highway 395, for secondary training, where he flew the more powerful Waco F7 and Stearman biplanes. With flight training completed, he came to Lompoc, where his family had relocated. John Hamon worked with his father who had opened a plumbing business and learned the trade which was to later become his professional career after the war. With America at war, Hamon volunteered and was enlisted into the U. S. Army Air Corps in 1942. Because of his private pilot skills, he was commissioned as a flight officer and was called to active duty Feb. 17, 1943. Advanced multi-engine training took him to Buckley Field in Colorado and then onto a succession of other bases in the western CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
American Legion Post Service Officer Tim Francis, Commander Chris Rohrberg, and Leon Tackitt of the nonprofit Pleasant Valley Wine Trail are shown at the post’s 100th anniversary. Rohrberg is holding a check from Tackitt which represents his donation to the Legion’s Be the One initiative to reduce the rate of veteran suicide. Photo by Camille DeVaul
American Legion Post 50 hits century mark Santa Claus becomes American Legion Post 50 member on 100th Anniversary By CAMILLE DEVAUL camille@pasoroblespress.com
NORTH COUNTY — The American Legion Post 50 celebrated 100 years on Sunday, Dec. 22, at its location on Scott Street in Paso Robles. To celebrate the
century, Post 50 received several donations and gained one very special member — Santa Claus. On a sunny Sunday, American Legion members, along with friends and family, gathered at Post 50 for tamales, drinks, live music, and camaraderie. Chartered in 1919, the American Legion has evolved from a group of war veterans from The Great War into an influential nonprofit organization. In 1924, Paso
Robles became home to Post 50 on Spring Street. Its force of local veterans works with community partners to help veterans and their families navigate Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics, pension issues, and health care needs and provide opportunities for civic engagement and Americanism to local youth. “Over the course of a couple of years, we migrated and we were CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
Animals at Charles Paddock Zoo celebrate Holiday Magic by opening presents
The the zoo denizens’ gifts were donated by the local community By CHRISTIANNA MARKS christianna@pasoroblespress.com
ATASCADERO — The local animal-loving community showed up in a big way for the animals at the Charles Paddock Zoo this holiday season. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday,
Dec. 21, the animals tore into gifts provided by the community at the 17th Annual Holiday Magic at the Zoo event. “It shows the community’s support because all these gifts were bought by other people for the animals,” said Zoo Director Dr. Cynthia Stringfield. “So
AGRICULTURE
that is huge to know that everybody’s out there buying things for the animals and then to get to see them get the presents and be excited and use them and everything. It’s just a really fun day for everybody.” This year the meerkats, spider Kids and their parents enjoyed the train and the animals opening gifts during the Holiday Magic event at Charles Paddock CONTINUED ON PAGE A2
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Zoo. Photo by Rick Evans.
NORTH COUNTY NEWS
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