It’s a big day at Murray Center in Centralia on Sunday as the Murray Parents Association celebrates its formation more than 50 years ago.
Current President Rita Winkeler says everyone is invited out to the center for a parade at one Sunday afternoon.
“We were going to have a celebration last year but then COVID canceled it. So we are now going to have a parade around Murray Center. We have a lot of individuals involved. Every cottage will be involved. This is really just a way to celebrate that Murray is open, alive, and doing well. We have a lot of new families so this is a way to get them involved as well. Then we are going to have the dedication of the new Brick Memorial Garden we are making in the middle of Murray Center.”
Winkeler explained the purpose of the Memorial Garden.
“Once everything is finished that is in process now, there will be benches out there for families to sit and landscaping. It will just be a nice place in the middle of the center for families, staff, and individuals to sit and enjoy life.”
Winkeler says memorial bricks are still available through the Parent’s Association at $40 apiece if you would like to remember someone involved in Murray Center.
Winkeler notes Murray Center didn’t always welcome input from parents and guardians.
“Dr. Plassman was the center director at that time and he was a big believer in families being involved. Before this families were told just to bring their children to the center, leave them and just forget about them. He had a totally different theory. He felt the more that families were involved the better it would be for the individuals in the center. So he went to Anita Becherer, whose son Greg was living there then, and ask if she would consider starting a parent’s group. So she got together with some of the other parents and had a first meeting with the families in her living room in 1971 and from there it has just carried on.”
Winkeler says Becherer, who is now 97 years old, is the grand marshal of the parade and is hopeful of being able to attend. Others scheduled to be part of the Sunday parade are the Centralia Junior High Band, the American Legion Honor Guard, Centralia City Fire Department, Centralia Mayor Bryan Kuder, ESDA, Nick Border and his horses, as well as each cottage, the nursing association, Murray Parents Association, City of Wamac Toot Train, as well as several individual families.
