ONTARIO — Former General Motors employees will “meet again” this summer at Marshall Park, approximately 10 years after the Ontario plant announced plans to close.
Former employees have partnered with the city of Ontario to hold the gathering on July 27 near the band shell.
Ten years ago, when the plant was closing, employees were given buttons reading, “Until We Meet Again,” according to one organizer. This, he said, spurred the organizing committee to name the event “We Meet Again 2019.”
“We are excited to announce that with with some hard work from some dedicated people, we have secured a date and venue for our ‘We Meet Again 2019’ reunion/homecoming for all of our GM family,” a Facebook post read.
Mayor Randy Hutchinson said the park’s band shell and both pavilions are reserved, but the activities will likely center around the band shell, where they may be some entertainment and games.
“GM is the reason Ontario expanded back in 1958 and it’s had a lot to do with us for years,” Hutchinson said. “It’s nice that they are putting this all together.”
Former GM employee UAW Local President 549 Doc Stumbo attended a portion of a Monday planning meeting and anticipates attending the event itself.
“I think, it’ll be great, there’ll be a lot of people come to it,” he said.
Stumbo was hired in September 1958, and in his last 18 years served as the company’s community representative. He’s kept in touch with a few former co-workers, but often runs into people he hasn’t seen in years.
“It really could be big, at one point we had 3,500 people over there,” Stumbo said.
The organizing committee is currently looking for food trucks to provide food and refreshments.
