.png)
4th of July on the Square [2009]
Tourism Director Ashley Barnett said. "Not Saturday nightThe fireworks show in Washington is Friday night at 9:30! No matter what you've heard."`
With Friday night's big fireworks display and Saturday morning's annual Fourth of July Parade, preparations are nearly complete for this weekend's Independence Day celebration, Barnett says, but the wrong date was published in the Rayle EMC publication and others, and she's concerned that some people will miss Friday night's big show.
The big annual fireworks display by Melrose Pyrotechnics is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Friday night. The change in date saved thousands of dollars in a time of tight budgets. "Several cities like Thomson are having fireworks Friday night, too, but a lot of places have just cancelled fireworks completely because they can't afford it."
Despite the change in days from July 4 to Friday the 3rd, the crowd is expected to be as large as in previous years. "We're expecting a tremendous crowd," she said.
Friday evening's celebration will kick off at 6 p.m. with music, food vendors [the Kiwanis Club cooks and sells hamburgers] and some arts and craft vendors, she said. The Square will close at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Early Saturday, the twelfth annual Independence Day Parade will be held at 8 a.m. at Fort Washington Park behind the Courthouse. Made up of walkers, bicycles, strollers, scooters, and animals on leashes, the parade will form at the park and move to The Square, then proceed down to Liberty Street, east to Jefferson Street, and back to the Park.
A short program including the reading of a portion of the Declaration of Independence, pledge to the flag, and patriotic songs, will be held at the park. Prizes will be given for the best decorated participants.
Twelve years ago, 44 people joined in the first parade and it has since grown to over 100 people plus dogs. Vietnam veteran Bobby West and his faithful friend Franklin will again serve as the parade's Grand Marshal.
"Come join us at 8 a.m. while it is cool," said Jo Randall, organizer of the parade. "It's a great way to begin the day that celebrates our country's independence." Those who cannot walk the route are invited to bring lawn chairs for the program.
In addition to the weekend's festivities, the Robert Toombs House State Historical Site will be open again Saturday for the first time since state budget cuts forced cutbacks in operational days for the site. A special program, Toombs Honors Independence Day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. will have living history performers interpreting the Toombs' family contributions to Independence Day.
Callaway Plantation will also be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
.jpg)
MuleDay
Mule Day has one attraction that isn't old-fashioned: free airplane rides for kids.
In addition to all the kids' activities at Callaway Plantation, Chris Hughes, Washington-Wilkes airport operator, has arranged for EAA volunteer pilot, Keith Donker of Evans, to return for the third year to give "Young Eagles" plane flights to children and youth ages 8 to 17 starting at 10 a.m. at the airport across Highway 78 from Callaway. Bob Simmons assisted with loading/unloading the plane.
"We really like to introduce kids to aviation, to spark their interest in flying," Hughes said, "Last year, Keith Donker gave more than 60 kids their first taste of flying, and we hope we can have even more that that this year."
The Experimental Aircraft Association has been sponsoring the Young Eagles flights for years, with individual pilots donating their time, aircraft, and gas to introduce kids to flight.
"This year, with aviation gas at $5.70 a gallon, the Washington Kiwanis Club, which volunteered last year, is co-sponsoring the event and covering half of the gas expense, and we really appreciate it," Hughes said.
The Dictionary Project
Eight members - Lillie Crowe, Debra Guin, Carolyn Reynolds, Bob Simmons, Bill Boyd, Trevin Burriss, Al Zima, and George Brooks - of the Kiwanis Club of Washington distributed
dictionaries to all 140 third graders in Washington-Wilkes Primary
School last Friday, March 5, 2010. The club has continued this project for four
years, donating $3.00 to The Dictionary Project in Charleston for each
dictionary given, 792 dictionaries in all. This project was started in 1995 after a similar effort in Savannah in 1992. Sponsors include a
wide variety of organizations - Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Elks, etc..
More than 8 million dictionaries have been distributed this way.
Recycling of Newspapers
The Kiwanis Club of Washington needs your help.With the economic crunch and jobs becoming more precious every day, all segments of business are trying to become leaner and more efficient. The newspapers delivered to Washington and the surrounding communities have been impacted by this economic downturn.
Washington and Wilkes County no longer have the volume of deliveries of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Augusta Chronicle, The Athens Banner-Herald and other regional newspapers we once enjoyed. Therefore, the Kiwanis Club of Washington needs your help in recycling the precious newspapers we are still receiving.
The money derived from this recycling project goes back into the community to help support all the kids with donations to our scholarship fund for seniors, dictionaries for third graders, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little League, and many other worthwhile programs within this community.
To help, take old newspapers to the Kiwanis recycling facility located at the corner of Depot and Spring Streets. For more information, please contact any member of the Kiwanis Club of Washington.
Some guidelines for newspaper recycling are included in this Kiwanis Newsprint Recycle Check List:
1. What comes in the newspaper can be recycled. (adds, flyers, coupons, etc.)
2. Place newsprint in bags (grocery bags, etc.) or tie in a bundle with string.
3. The Kiwanis Club of Washington DOES NOT recycle books, bottles, cans, cardboard, glass, magazines, plastic, garbage or trash.
Deliver your newsprint to the recycle center at the corner of Liberty and Depot Streets. The Kiwanis Club appreciates your support.
Pecan Sales
Besides its unique projects, Washington Kiwanis each year will sell a product, Christmas wreaths for several years, shelled pecans in 2009. We made a few hundred dollars.
Pam Eaton is shown above with her packages.
A fund-raising project was introduced by President Sherry Hudson, shown here with Denni Moss, Bill Boyd, and Bill Smith - the sale of one-pound packages of shelled pecans for $8.00 each, with each member entrusted with five packages to sell.
Tour of Homes
For the last 55 years we have co-sponsored with the Woman's Club a Spring Tour of Homes, involving usually a Candlelight Tour of four or five homes on Friday of the first weekend in April and a Day Tour the next day in which we use our cars like New York taxis in delivering the visitors among half a dozen homes, at least some of which should be in the style of this, the Tupper-Barnett house. In 2009 we made $5,000 as our share of the profits.
Talent/Art Showcase
For many years we have provided a Talent/Art Showcase for Washington-Wilkes students. This is a project of Georgia District and we are the only Division 6 club that participates. Considerable effort is required to end up with a few hundred dollars profit.
Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scout Troop 34
Cub Scout Pack 280
The Kiwanis Club of Washington sponsors Cub Pack 280 and Boy Scout troop 34 under the guidance of the Georgia-Carolina Council. Leaders from all these organizations reported activities of their organizations at the weekly Kiwanis Club meeting last June. Anand Suthar, a native of Augusta and District Scout Executive, told of his own background and of Scout activities in the Council area. Billy Cadell, an employee of Wilkes Telephone and Electric Co., told of his time as Packmaster and as Den Leader of his son's Cub den during the last year. Bobby Standard, a ten-year Scouter and Scoutmaster of Scout Troop 34, told of his troop's activities, said that the troop now has one Eagle scout with three other boys working on the rank.
Washington Kiwanis Club Scholarships
Three (3) $1,000.00-scholarships last year
Scholarship Awarded June 9, 2009
.jpg)
Sheena Kopecky (center) and Graham Wolfe (right) were awarded the annual Kiwanis Club of Washington 1000-dollar scholarships by club president Sherry Hudson at a recent meeting of the club
.jpg)
Lindsey Guin (left), a 2009 graduate of Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School, receives a scholarship check for $1,000 from the Washington Kiwanis Club presented by Vice President Lillie Crowe. Guin plans to attend North Georgia College in the fall
Academic Jackets
Academic Jackets and pins in recognition of academic excellence were presented to the top members of the junior class (students with the highest GPA) at Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School by the Kiwanis Club of Washington last week at the club's regular weekly meeting. School Counselor Don Bridges accompanied the students to the meeting. Receiving recognition were (front, l-r) Jessica Spradlin, Ana Turner, Jessica Murphy, (middle) Bridges, Shantrice Bradley, Ashley West, Courtney Gunter, (back) Jacob Davis, Sean Eskew, and Joshua Fain
District Foundation: $138.00 this year
Auditory Learning Center/Buck-n-Ear: $230.00 this year
Children's Miracle Network: $46.00 this year
Tomorrow's Leaders: $92.00 this year
Key Leaders: $46.00 this year
Service Leadership Program (SLP)
We have sponsored the Key Club at Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School for many years and are particularly pleased with its performance this year. One of its members has been Lieutenant Governor this year and has been nominated to be District Secretary next year
Key Club Lt. Governor Milton James Jr. (center) presented the program for the Washington Kiwanis Club on Tuesday, November 24, during which he discussed how to make a meaningful club and the enjoyment of being part of the Key Club. James is a member of the Key Club of Georgia and is also a student at Washington-Wilkes High School. He also stated that the Key Club has shown him the pleasures of giving services back to the community. Kiwanis members Sherry Hudson (left) and Bob Simmons welcomed Milton to the meeting.
Create a Link