Wauconda twins take gold

Skyler and Spencer Nick of Wauconda recently attended the 32nd Annual Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio. This event hosted 2,034 sets of multiples from around the world. This year's event was the largest known annual gathering of twins in the world -- documented in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Twinsburg is located between Akron and Cleveland on State Route 91, and was named in honor of Aaron and Moses Wilcox, early settlers from Killingsworth, Conn. The town's name was changed from Millsville to Twinsburg in 1817 at the request of the twins, who donated six acres of land that is now the town square. They also donated $20 to start the first school.

The Wilcox twins were so identical that only their closest friends could tell them apart. They married sisters, held property in common, were stricken with the same ailment and died the same day. They are buried in the same grave in Twinsburg's Locust Grove Cemetery. Skyler and Spencer always lay flowers at the grave site to honor the Wilcox twins.

Skyler and Spencer Nick competed in the "most alike males" contest and placed first, taking home the gold medal. This was their 12th gold medal win for the most alike contest. Skyler and Spencer have been attending the festival since 1994. The twins also preformed for a crowd of more than 500 in the talent tent at the festival.

The festival also included a kick-off "Double-Take" parade, games, a food court, children's rides and games, arts and crafts, business booths, live entertainment, medical researchers, chicken barbecue, pancake and sausage breakfast, a twin talent show and a giant twin fireworks display. Skyler and Spencer have already begun planning to attend next year's festival' scheduled for Aug. 1-3, 2008.

The twins will be sophomores this fall at Wauconda High School. They are on the Wauconda High School Football team and are looking forward to completing the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop No. 90 in Wauconda. They will be doing their Eagle Scout projects for the Wauconda Fire Department -- Station No. 3.