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The kids' races included a sack race, an egg and spoon race, and a three-legged race. Participants received stickers.
Several Rangers from the Pomeroy Ranger District cut watermelon led by recently retired Ryan Grant, who is the Pomeroy Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year for 2024. Pictured cutting watermelon here is Ranger Will Marquardt.
Washington State Rep. Mary Dye (R-9-Pomeroy) attended the Independence Day Celebration at the Park for some fun, visits with friends and neighbors, and good eats. She is pictured with Josephine Watson as Lady Liberty and Merritt Scoggin as Uncle Sam.
Gail Hill of Starbuck sang a thrilling rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner to kick off the Independence Day Celebration at the Park.
Jerry Bartlow read the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, recounting the famous ride to warn of the British Army's advance on the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord.
Justin Hastings blasts the fire hose to knock down wooden flames under direction from Mariann Cleveland of GCFD. The game was built by Matt Boske, also of GCFD.
Sharon Fenton and Teresa Doyle manned the hot dog and water bottle table, giving out over a hundred hot dogs.
Derek Shawley gave a brief history of the Declaration of Independence, before reading the historic document.
The winners of the apple pie contest were 3rd place Nathan Steynor, 4th place Sarah Scoggin, 1st place Naomi Scoggin, and 2nd place Stephanie Steynor.
POMEROY–The City Park was the site of the first annual Independence Day Celebration at the Park and community picnic on July 4.
The program included the invocation by Westelle Scoggin, singing of the Star-Spangled Banner by Gail Hill of Starbuck and readings of the Declaration of Independence by Derek Shawley and the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Jerry Bartlow. The picnic featured free hot dogs, a truckload of watermelon, bottles of water, and ice cream bars. The celebration activities included a bingo card, an apple pie competition, and kids' races. Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty were present for pictures and gave out pocket sized constitutions. A voting registration booth was also present.
Garfield County Fire District No. 1 gave rides on a fire engine and brought their 'flaming house' game, built by Matt Boske of GCFD, for the children. The game consists of a two-dimensional house with wooden flames on hinges. Kids use a fire hose off of a brush truck to knock down the 'flames'. Dave and Sass Waldron brought their draft team and wagon to the park and gave rides as well.
The bingo card held descriptions of people, such as a veteran, someone who knows how to ride a unicycle, has never been to Disneyland, etc. The object of the game was to fill in bingos of names of people who fit the description. For bingos, half-filled cards and blackouts participants received tickets in a drawing that was held at the end of the celebration. The winners were Dylan Bingman, Ariah Bingman, Nathan Steynor, Amy Van Vogt, and Nick Van Vogt. The winners received gift cards to local businesses.
A celebration in the park was a long-standing Pomeroy tradition, but had not been held since the end of the 2000s. The entire event was paid for by donations from the community and local organizations. It was not sponsored by any organization.
