Some of Carolyn’s favorite Road to California stories involve friendship reunions. She hears from all kinds of people who share how Road ended up being the perfect meet-up destination for long, lost friends. This year, Carolyn was the center of a friendship reunion herself. It caught her totally off guard and ended up being a fun experience.
In 1967, the Reese family along with several other families, moved on to a cul-de-sac in Upland, California. One of the neighbors was another Carolyn—Carolyn Wilt. The two Carolyns, along with the other women on the block, all became good friends. Carolyn Wilt moved away from the area before she knew anything of Carolyn Reese’s sewing and quilt shop.
Prior to moving to Upland, Carolyn Wilt had grown up in northern California. She had attended junior high and high school in Palo Alto with her two best friends, Karen and Jeannette. After high school, the three went their separate ways. They remained “Christmas card” friends but eventually, Jeannette and Karen (who stayed in the bay area) lost touch with Carolyn.
Fast forward to September, 2012. Jeannette, who is a quilter, had received literature about Road to California. She read that Carolyn Reese and the show’s offices were in Upland, California. That got Jeannette thinking about her long lost friend, Carolyn Wilt, who she knew once lived in Upland. Jeannette was eager to reconnect with Carolyn Wilt so she wrote Carolyn Reese asking if she might happen to know the whereabouts of one Carolyn Wilt. (Keep in mind that Upland has a population of around 76,000 people so Jeannette’s request was a total shot in the dark). Much to Jeannette’s and Carolyn Reese’s surprise, Carolyn did indeed once know Carolyn Wilt but had lost track of her as well. She was able to provide Jeannette with a couple names and contact numbers for others who had lived on the cul-de-sac in 1967. Sure enough, one of those families knew that Carolyn Wilt now lived in Oceanside, California and was able to put Jeannette in contact with her. After 44 years, junior and senior high best buddies Carolyn Wilt, Jeannette Walker and Karen Fuller were back in touch. They chose Road to California as their reunion destination activity. They all met up at Carolyn’s home in Oceanside and then drove together to Road. They wanted to personally thank Carolyn Reese for having a hand in bringing them back together. Everyone had a great time catching up on years gone by. It was especially fun for Carolyn Reese to be able to show off her family to Carolyn Wilt who had last seen Carolyn’s sons when they were just young boys.
What a story. What a reunion!!
Carolyn Reese, Carolyn Wilt, Karen Fuller, and Jeannette Walker
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