Staff Writer

Hundreds of Silvertown residents, past and present, gathered together Saturday to remember what makes their neighborhood a great one.

“It's hard to name everything that makes [Silvertown] great,” said Jackie Wheless. “I grew up in Silvertown on R Street. The people, the mill, it was everything. It was the right time and the right place.”

Others shared in Wheless's idea of community as they shared memories of school days and starting families.

“This was a wonderful place for us to grow up and for our children,” said Dot Hayes, who attended with her husband, Theron.

“We will be married for 61 years in October and it all started here. You use to could just sit and name every house for blocks and blocks, but now everyone comes and goes.”

Coming and going is a common day trend, but even those who have left remember their neighborhood.

“I grew up here and my children were born here,” said Marvin Spillers, who now lives in Tifton. “It's great to come back and see all these people.”

“I didn't grow up in Silvertown, but I know all about it thanks to Marvin,” said Frances Spillers, Marvin's wife. “He talks about it all the time and never forgets a name. He has painted a picture in my mind of what Thomaston was like. I wasn't there, but I feel like I was.”

Some came from a few miles down the road and others from a few states away.

“I try to come back whenever there is a reunion,” said Billy Joe Hunter, who traveled from Texas for the event. “We were all just bonded with everyone. Everyone made this a great neighborhood.”

Hunter made the trip with his wife Annie and their dog Beauxx.

Silvertown West Village Association coordinates the event which allows old friends to catch up over hamburgers and hotdogs. They also gave away prizes from local businesses. Below is the list of prizes and winners:

Glenda Culverhouse Hill won a year's subscription to The Thomaston Times, Rainera Melvin won an oil change from Shepard's Automotive Shop, Deloris Brown won an oil change from Shepard's Automotive Shop, Dan Blackstock won a $30 gift certificate from Wal-Mart, Brenda Lefils won a painting from Ingles, William Underwood won a painting from Ingles, Bobby Hankinson, Ralph Robinson, Hazel Trice, John Druce, John Marriage and Betty Shepard won a shirt from Advance Auto Parts, and Larry Sanders, Pat Windham, Norma Jean Armstrong, Albert Edmonson and Peggy McCallum won hats from Advance Auto Parts.

“I'm pleased with the number of people and I'm grateful to everyone for coming out as hot as it is,” association president Jimmie Hardy said. “I feel like this is a really wonderful project that people in Silvertown can come and be a part of.”

Long time friends and new friends laughed and talked as they enjoyed a sunny afternoon at the Silvertown Ballpark, each making plans to come back next year and do the same all over again.