OGDEN, Utah — Alfonso Tenreiro gets teary-eyed thinking about the place he calls home -- Ogden.
"This is a very gentle and welcoming community," he said. My parents—you know the political situation in Venezuela is horrible, so I brought my parents to live with us. They are now residents of the United States, so [Ogden] welcomed my parents."
That welcoming spirit inspired Tenreiro to compose a special piece for Ogden's Union Station's 100th birthday celebration.
"I've learned a lot through this experience hope has taught me a lot of the history a lot of what 25th Street is about," he said. "I watched a full 2-hour documentary on the Union Station."
The Ogden Chamber Orchestra will perform Alfonso's piece for the first time Friday night as part of the Union Station celebration. The free Friday and Saturday event also includes displays and a drone show.
"This building is the center of community for Ogden, I like to call it the heart of Ogden," said Union State Museum Administrator, Hope Eggett. "This building was dedicated in 1924 in Ogden's golden era of railroad transportation and served as Ogden's railroad hub for many, many years."
Eggett says that of all the celebratory fun, she's most excited about the new time capsule.
"We've all been writing letters to the future, and we expect this time capsule to be opened in 2124."
Tenreiro has already written his letter, and it makes him so emotional that he requested a friend read his words out loud.
"For the people who see this note 100 years from now, I love the beauty and hospitality of Ogden, and I hope you feel the same way," Eggett read.
We'll save the rest of his heartfelt words for those in 100 years to unearth. Right now it's time for us here in 2024 to celebrate what Union Station has been and what it's become.
"People in the past are the same as people today we're all just trying to do our best to make a better world," Eggett said.
