For Bill and Ruth Anne Scott, Hog Days has always been more than a festival — it’s family tradition on four wheels.
The couple, now 88 and 86, have been part of the celebration for decades, carrying forward the Model T Rally first organized by Ruth Anne’s father, Ray Behnke, in 1968.
“We had been a part of it from the beginning,” Ruth Anne said. “We were coming back and helping Dad organize the Model T Rally.”
Originally a 150‑mile race, the rally evolved into a 50‑mile event and eventually into today’s classic car rally and show, where visitors gather in the Menards parking lot to admire gleaming vintage vehicles. “It’s another interest level for the festival in a different direction,” Bill said. “It brings in a couple hundred people from out of town — that’s revenue for the community.”
After the rally, participants gather for a potluck and line up their cars in front of the Elks Lodge, turning the evening into an unofficial car show. “It’s a family gathering,” Bill said. “Everyone pitching in and doing their job.”
After years of organizing the rally, the Scotts officially joined the Hog Days Committee in 2006, shortly after moving back to Kewanee from Joliet. “We weren’t officially part of the organization until then,” Bill said.
Over the years, the Scotts have watched Hog Days evolve. Bill noted the loss of longtime co‑chair Larry Flannery, who resigned last year. “He was so organized,” Bill said. “Now Janie (Metscaviz), Robyn (Resch) and Kaye (Finney) have taken over the major organization of the festival and are doing a great job.”
The couple also praised improvements to the Hog Capital Building, funded through sandwich sales and community support.
“The building has changed dramatically since we joined,” Bill said. “It’s being used for civic affairs now — new floors, fresh paint — it looks great.”
About six or seven years ago, there was talk of ending the Model T Rally, but Bill fought to keep it alive. “It’s part of the tradition,” he said, adding that longtime participants such as George Cernovich and Howard O’Neil are still missed.
For the Scotts, Hog Days weekend is a family reunion. “It’s a good time to get together,” Ruth Anne said. “Our grandson is a marine in California at Camp Pendleton, and Hog Days means family gathering for us.”
Asked what keeps the festival so deeply rooted in Kewanee’s identity, Bill didn’t hesitate. “Small‑town pride,” he said. “We grew up in Kewanee. Got married at the Presbyterian Church 64 years ago, in February 1962. People like to come back to their roots.”
And for those considering volunteering for the first time? Ruth Anne smiled. “Please come see what we do,” she said with Bill adding, “And there’s always something delicious to eat after the meeting.”
