GILROY
– Anyone who attended the 1993 Garlic Festival could tell there
was something a little different going on – the staff was decked
out in raspberry-pink polos.
GILROY – Anyone who attended the 1993 Garlic Festival could tell there was something a little different going on – the staff was decked out in raspberry-pink polos.
Christine Wheeler not only made a fashion statement by choosing the pink uniform for the association, she also worked with local stores and vendors who sold garlic-affiliated mechandise and made the festival logo equitable for all.
“We sat down with local vendors and got their opinion on a fair way for both groups to market the logo,” she said.
Wheeler, who began her climb to the top in the early ’80s, worked her way up from selling strawberry shortcake to ticket chairman to the board of directors and finally vice president and president.
Although she had been involved with the festival for years, her year as vice president gave her a chance to learn about all the different aspects of the festival.
“When you are a chair, you deal with specific responsibilities,” she said. “I spent the year as vice president walking the grounds learning what everyone else was doing.”
After learning the ropes and finally stepping into the presidential position, Wheeler said she tried to keep one goal in particular in the back of her head. This goal was to stay focused on the path originally set forth by the founding father.
“By re-visiting your past, you steer your future,” she said.
In the fall of 1993, Wheeler attended the International Festival Association Conference in Texas. At the conference, she learned just how highly regarded the Garlic Festival was with other organizations.
“I realized how unique we are as an association by being almost completely volunteer,” she said. The festival association only employs three year-around paid staff members.
The conference wasn’t the only rewarding part of Wheeler’s presidency. That year, Bonnie Gillio of Gillio Farms came to Wheeler’s sixth-grade class at then Brownell Fundamental School and taught the students how to braid garlic.
“It was such a great experience,” Wheeler said.
Along with conferences and special guests, Wheeler said one of the high points of her year as president was traveling to Gilroy’s sister city Takko-Machi, Japan, learning about the Japanese culture and having an opportunity to get to know the 1993 Garlic Queen Jennifer Ross.
“She is such a wonderful young lady, and having the opportunity to travel to Japan and get to know her even better was wonderful,” she said.
Besides the special trips and notoriety of the president position, Wheeler said it’s the people working so hard that make the festival a success.
“It’s such a tremendous dedication and a sense of pride felt by all the volunteers,” Wheeler said. “Couple that with a sense of camaraderie, and it makes volunteering a fun thing to do.”
Being involved in the festival for so long, Wheeler has her own quirky stories of her adventures as a volunteer.
“One year when I was ticket chairman, I forgot my car at gate four and couldn’t find it all day,” she said. “I was kindly reminded of my forgetfulness when Sam Bozzo and I were emceeing the queen pageant and he roasted me in front of everybody about it.”
As a past president, Wheeler is still involved in the strategic planning group, but she likes to attend the festival for the cooking.
“I absolutely love the cook-off stage,” she said. “I love getting tips from the celebrity chefs.”
The updated edition of the Garlic Festival Cookbook, which has recipes from Gourmet Alley and the garlic cook-off, came out in 1993 as well. This also was the first year garlic festival cooks did cooking demonstrations on television station KNTV 11 prior to the festival.
“This was great promotion for the festival,” Wheeler said.
Her advice for keeping the festival running successfully is to encourage new volunteers.
“Strive to bring in new events that reflect the flavor of the festival,” she said. “As you bring in new people, they bring in fresh perspectives. I’ve witnessed a lot of creative concepts in recent years.”
Wheeler said one of the biggest positives to come out of her presidency is the wonderful friendships she has made.
“I certainly have laughed a lot,” she said.
