DUPONT — Nobody put candles on the birthday cake Saturday night in Dupont. Although the fire department is just a block away from the VFW building where the party went on, no one wanted to spoil the fun with the blaze 100 candles would cause.
Instead, the town celebrated its official birthday – or at least the Saturday night closest to its “real” birthday – with a great dinner, some speeches, and later, music and dancing. The party went on across the street from the original Dupont Town Hall, a building that now houses Cycle Playground.
“Dupont was officially incorporated on March 28, 1917,” said Bob Price, chairman of the Dupont Progress Committee that has worked on the year-long centennial celebration for the past two years. “But we figured a Tuesday isn’t a great night for a party for most people.”
Juggling the date seems to fit in with centennial plans, Price said.
“In January, our event was a clam chowder dinner to kick off the year,” he said. “But an ice storm kept people away. And in February, we planned a Mardi Gras party. But then we had a tornado.”
Even the grand parade and two-day festivities planned for August got shuffled around. It was originally planned for the second weekend in August, but the local officials’ efforts to resurrect the air show at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton airport will create a two-week delay for Dupont’s party.
“But it’s how we work in this town,” Price said. “We deal with any problems that come up – and we still get the job done.”
Getting the job done for Saturday’s party included inviting the town’s guest of honor, Margaret Milewski, a citizen since Dupont became a borough. In fact, after celebrating her 101st birthday in January, she could have had her own extra candle on the town’s birthday cake. Instead, the mayor and council president presented the town’s first resident with a key to the borough.
“I was born here, I grew up here and went to school here, I was married and raised my children here, I worked here,” said Milewski, whose own centennial celebration filled the Dupont Fire Station with family and friends just over a year ago. “But don’t call me old.”
As for the town itself, Milewski holds a sentiment that was the theme for the evening.
“What do I like best about Dupont? It’s simple. It’s home,” she said.
It is indeed home to so many of the nearly 200 who made it to the centennial dinner. Most at the party have been long-time residents, even those “transplanted” into the borough.
“I’m the transplant,” said Denise Skrzysowski, who has lived in Dupont for “only 28 years.” Her husband, Dave, is the “native,” a life-long resident for just over half a century.
They agreed that the borough, to them, is “family.”
“The people here support each other, are there for each other,” Dave Zkrzysowski said. “It’s family.”
“And, of course, I like the town picnic,” he added, with a grin.
One of the youngest at the party was Jason Janesko, 12, who lives in Moosic, but whose dad, Rich, is police chief in the borough.
“Dad and Mom were coming, and I wanted to come and see what it’s all about,” he said.
Rich Janesko, a retired State Trooper took on his current job two years ago. He said he wanted to get back to the job of serving and protecting the public, and welcomed the opportunity to work in Dupont.
“Actually, my grandparents grew up here, and for me, it was kind of a homecoming,” he said. “It’s a great town, full of neighborhoods where the people know each other and look out for each other.”
That’s what makes up “community” in Dupont, said Stan Knick, president of the borough council.
“It’s funny,” he said. “When I was 4 years old, I told people I wanted to be president of the United States. I ended up being president of Dupont. I think I got the better job.”
Knick, and Dupont Mayor Dan Lello, both serving the community for the past dozen years, greeted people at the door before taking their assigned places at the head table for the dinner.
“We’re proud of the fact that in this town, people work together to get things done,” Mayor Lello said. “And it’s not just the two of us. Businesses, organizations, everyone looks at what needs to be done and we get together to do the job.”
After the dinner, Price took to the microphone to give his speech about the town, its past and its future. He reminded his audience about the heritage of their borough, the buildings that have lasted most if not all of the 100 years, the two churches in town whose pastors were on hand to say grace before and give the benediction after the meal and the community spirit that runs the town. He reminded the diners of the service and sacrifice of the men and women who defended the nation. And to close, he recited the town’s Loyalty Pledge, first recited during World War 11, just after the borough was incorporated.
“I am proud of this town, its history and its heritage,” he said. “Now, we will get to work to make the next 100 years better than the first 100.”
