As part of the events leading up to Escalon’s Park Fete celebration on Aug. 5 and 6, the Senior Mr. and Mrs. Escalon Luncheon has been scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 2.

Receiving the honor this year are Tom and Sally Hale, who have lived in the community for more than 30 years.

They moved to Escalon in 1991 and said the “feel lucky” to have landed here. After locating here, they both continued working for another 18 years. In 2009, both retired, Sally Hale from teaching and Tom Hale from the US Postal Service.

After retirement the Hales had the time to become active in the community and immersed themselves in a number of projects.

Avid history fans, they joined the Escalon Historical Society. Both still are occasional volunteers, Sally working on data entry and Tom enjoying duties as a docent for the annual Second Grade Downtown field trip, which the Hales coordinate each year.

In 2011, Tom and Sally became members of the Friends of the Escalon Library where Sally served as secretary for several years and is currently president. And Tom is the driving force, nut-and-bolts guy behind most library projects.

In retirement, Tom also now works for InShape Health Club teaching fitness classes such as spin, Pilates, and aqua. Sally’s main retirement ‘job’ is working with CSU Stanislaus and Escalon School District to produce the Great Valley Writing Camp in Escalon each summer. In this extended education unit program, teachers meet and study books during the school year, then develop a program for a summer writing camp for students. Due to pandemic restrictions, the Great Valley Writing Camp in Escalon has been suspended since 2020 but will return in the summer of 2023.

Sally also volunteers with the Great Valley Bookfest in Manteca each year, coordinating the Writers Nook, a venue that features panels of published authors offering advice to aspiring writers on publishing and writers’ craft.

The Hales said the “feel blessed to have landed in Escalon” because they believe it is the “greatest little community” in the world.

To recognize their dedication and years of service to the community, they will be honored at the Senior Mr. and Mrs. Escalon Luncheon and will also ride in the Park Fete parade on Saturday morning, Aug. 6.

The luncheon is scheduled for noon on Tuesday, Aug. 2 at the Escalon Community Center, 1055 Escalon Ave.

Tickets for the luncheon are $20 and must be reserved in advance. Contact Gracie at 209-988-5673 for more information or to reserve tickets.