Sunday, April 4, 2010

Remembering Easter 1987

     In 1987, my sister Cindi was getting married on the Saturday after Easter. We had plans for a 2 week vacation to Florida.  My parents had moved from western NY after the steel industry died and there was no work for my father. They had decided Georgia was a state with jobs available and had gone there in their camper.  Now my mother had suggested we come to Stone Mountain in Georgia on our way to Florida, and go to the Easter sunrise service there. (This was in the day when flying to Florida would not even had been considered- of course we would be driving with our 3 children.)
     So, besides John and I and our 3 kids, Sue and Gordon and their 3 kids, and my grandmother, were all camping in our tents in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I was not really happy about getting up at 5 am (or was it 4 am) to walk up the mountain and it was very cold.  Why didn't my mother tell me it would be so cold?  I had brought summer clothes. It would go up to 80' later in the day, but now it was only 50' .  "Fifty degrees is not cold," my mother said.
     I recently asked some of the other participants to tell me their memories. (Thanks to FaceBook  for an easy way to reach everyone.)

Easter Sunrise at Stone Mountain

Between Marie Giorgis Ely, Ruth E. Thomas, Liz Gephardt, Suzanne Gephardt, Miriam Capellan, Benjamin Gephardt, Peter Gephardt, John D. Giorgis and You

Peter Gephardt:
I have vague, hazy memories, of that early trek. Much like a forced march.
Liz Gephardt
I loved climbing the mountain in the dark and waiting for the sun. I remember eating too much kielbasa before the hike and feeling like I might not make it to the top!
Miriam Capellan
I'll never forget... that was my first communion! And a beautiful morning all around
Benjamin Gephardt:
My memories are similar to Pete's. I remember feeling really resentful.
Suzanne: Gephardt : Stone Mountain Sunrise was a great memory for me, but I do chuckle at all moans from those younger, when GRAM DID IT!

John D. Giorgis April 2 at 9:27am Reply
I really enjoyed it. I remember constantly getting ahead of everyone else and people calling to me to not get too far ahead! I also remember being scared to stand too close to the edge of the mountain.
Marie Giorgis Ely:
I remember climbing up the mountain very early in the morning!

When I saw all the other people walking up the mountain, I was happy to be a part of it. After we came down the mountain, we got dressed up in our Easter clothes to go to a Catholic Church, and Miriam made her First Communion, which she had been preparing for that year in her parish.  It was a beautiful Easter Sunday!  I wish my mother was still here to share the memory with us.
(Sorry that I could not copy everyone's comments directly from FaceBook.) 


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