Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 29, 1993 TAG: 9304290447
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WENDI GIBSON RICHERT STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Quite unexpectedly on the morn of the 38th festival, the 86-year-old got both.
In a surprise ceremony Saturday, Goode found himself the guest of honor at a dedication of Vinton's Stonebridge Park along Washington Avenue. There, before 100 or so of his friends and family, the park was renamed Goode Park.
A few members of the William Byrd High School band - the band Goode supported for years as a member of its booster club - turned out to play "Stars and Stripes."
And, a single newly-planted dogwood grew close by.
"I found out about it Saturday morning," says Goode. Others received invitations only Friday night - after Goode had locked up his downtown office for the weekend.
There was much secrecy in planning the event, says Nita Echols, general manager of The Vinton Messenger and one of the event's planners. "We did keep it quiet because, frankly, Mr. Goode probably would not have shown [up]."
She attributes Goode's modesty as the reason for the last-minute, festival-eve rush to get the word out.
Chris Keaton, another of the dedication planners, says folks wanted to pay Goode back for his contributions to the town.
"He headed or has been involved in many projects like education and children's programs in Vinton. We felt that this would be a wonderful way to thank him."
"It's a big responsibility to have something named after you," Goode says. But a park is one responsibility he's happy to shoulder.
"You don't want it just to sit there and do nothing. . . . I would like to see it turned into a beautiful place with dogwoods planted around it. When you came in to visit the Dogwood Festival, you might want to visit the little park and the plenty of dogwoods planted around it.
"Dogwoods would be something everybody would be proud of."
by CNB