Freedom Fest planning underway

With the Fourth of July fast approaching, the Gunn Park Events Committee is making preparations for the 2009 Gunn Park Freedom Fest.

The 5th annual Independence Day event, which is scheduled to take place from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Gunn Park, 1010 Park Ave., is conducted each year to help provide family entertainment that will help alleviate the need for community members to travel long distances to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday.

According to Gunn Park Events Committee member Craig Rice, during the 2008 Freedom Fest, organizers conducted a couple of new events that were well received. The greased pig contest and Co-ed mud volleyball were so successful that committee members decided to include the two events in the 2009 celebration.

"The pig contest went over really well," Rice said. "The thing that went over the best is the mud volleyball."

Along with the greased pig contest and the mud volleyball, event attendees will be able to take part in various free activities which include: a kid's fishing derby for which registration begins at 7:30 a.m.; a home run derby; turtle races; a petting zoo; an art tent; and canoe rides all which begin at 9 a.m. In addition, a watermelon feed will begin at 1 p.m.

Events that will require a small fee will also be conducted during the celebration. In order to take part in the 5th Annual 5K Sam's Walk/Run, which will begin at 7:30 a.m., residents need to pay a pre-registration fee of $10 and a $15 registration fee during the 7 a.m. registration time on the day of the race.

Area residents who wish to participate in the disc golf tournament during the celebration will need to register at 8:30 a.m. and pay a $5 registration fee per person. The disc golf tournament will begin at 9 a.m. Teams who wish to participate in the mud volley ball tournament should pre-register at Buck Run Community Center and pay a $10 registration fee per team. The mud volleyball tournament will begin at 9 a.m. The horseshoe tournament requires a $5 per person registration fee. Registration for the event begins at 8:30 a.m. and the tournament will begin at 9 a.m.

An inflatable moonwalk, slide and obstacle course, youth train ride, radar throw, and pony rides will be available for children who attend the event. Parents who want their children to participate in these events can pay $2 per ride or purchase armbands for $10 each.

Also available during the event will be numerous food booths, beverage carts, an ice cream social, art fair and a car show.

Since the park will be closed to traffic during the celebration, event attendees will need to park at the Fort Scott Professional Building, 710 W. 8th St., (former Newman Young Clinic), and the Fort Scott Community College Nursing parking lot at Osbun and 9th streets. Buses will transport passengers into the park and back to their vehicles when they leave the event.

According to Rice, the funds raised during Freedom Fest not only help cover the cost of the event, but will also help pay for Christmas in the Park in December. Christmas in the Park is a completely free event created for the community, but even with donations from various individuals and businesses, the park committee must still raise some funds in order to conduct Christmas in the Park.

"The first year we had Christmas in the Park everything was all donated, so I donated it back to the community," Rice said. "It's been that way (free) ever since. It will always be free for the community. The reason we charge (for Freedom Fest) is to offset what it costs us to put them (Christmas in the Park and Freedom Fest) on.

Several area businesses have made monetary donations to help cover the costs of this year's Freedom Fest some of those businesses include Wood's Supermarket, Big Sugar Lumber, Mercy Health Center, New Generation, Carlisle, Iron Star, Eye Center of Fort Scott and Wal-mart. In addition, Fort Scott Manor, General Public Transportation, the city of Fort Scott and the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce have donated employees to help drive event attendees into the park during Freedom Fest.

Rice said all the funds the committee receives in the way of donations will be used to fund events such at Freedom Fest and Christmas in the Park.

"The Gunn Park Committee is not affiliated with the city in any way, shape or form," Rice said. "We have our own checking account and all of the money we take in goes right back into the park. None of us get paid for what we do, and the money doesn't go to the city. It goes right back to the park, so we can provide events that the community can enjoy in their hometown. We are doing this for the community."

Any area individuals or businesses who would like to make a monetary donation to this year's Freedom Fest celebration can contact Rice at (620) 223-1700 or Kathi Plain at (620) 223-0550.