Fallon hadn’t had a city band since its early days, in about 1909, but that changed in 2008. As part of the City’s year-long Centennial celebration, two local junior high school music instructors, Tom Fleming and Lucas Koenig, recruited musicians from the community to create the Fallon City Band. About 40 people, whose ages range from 17 to 60, make up the group.
This wind ensemble – a band featuring woodwind, brass and percussion instruments – debuted in August 2008, performing its first gig on the new Centennial Stage in Oats Park.
In 2008, 25-year-old Aarik Wilson did his hometown proud when he competed as a triple jumper in the Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was a leap of 57 feet, 2 inches (the length of some sailboats) that qualified him to vie for the gold.
This 6’3″, 195-pound athlete, however, had been surprising people with his ability long before. As a high school senior, he set the Nevada state record at 51 feet, 1 inches. During his years at Indiana University, he became one of the country’s top triple jumpers. In 2007, he hopped, stepped and jumped a personal best — 57 feet, 8 inches.
After Aarik qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team, the Fallon community rallied and helped raise thousands of dollars to fund the trip to Beijing for Aarik’s coach, Wayne Pate, and to launch the Aarik Wilson Track and Field Scholarship.
In Beijing, unfortunately Aarik didn’t make it past the qualifying round to compete in the finals. However, his performance there only makes Fallon residents prouder of their local hero.
In November 2008, Fallon lost 28-year-old Christian P. Humphreys. A Chief Warrant Officer for the U.S. Army, Christian was supporting Operation Iraq Freedom when killed in a helicopter crash while on a mission over Mosul.
Other locals have perished while serving in recent wars. Fallon respects, honors and remembers all of its remarkable and selfless military men and women who have died while serving our country during war. A memorial outside of City Hall pays homage to Fallon’s veterans of World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
