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| May 05, 2024 |
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Official Town Site
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General News: Independence Day Celebration in the Park
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| The Boy Scouts raised funds with their cookie sale. |
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| Brendan Smith sold cold drinks on Hudson Street to raise money to provide phone cards to soldiers. |
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| Candy cotton was a favorite of the crowd. |
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| E.J. Sacer put the final touches on the children's art exhibit. |
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| Emma Sidoti, Madison Mozgiel and Devin Dineen won top prize for their artwork. |
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| Members of the Orange County basketball team got dunked to raise money for a championship game in Arkansas. |
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| Sue Fink and Anne Keegan of the Independence Day organizing committee sold t-shirts |
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| Town Clerk Elaine Schneer at the voter registration table. |
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| Kenn Brodmerkel prepares to steam lobsters. |
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| Other Lions Club members wrap the cooked lobsters in newspapers. |
July 05, 2008
The 2008 Independence Day festivities took place under cloudy skies as people filled the grounds of Town Hall Park to celebrate America’s birthday.
By 9 a.m. the craft and food vendors were setting up and people were arriving with their pets to register for the pet show. The inflatable amusements would prove to be an attraction for children throughout the day.
The Lions Club members had arrived early to get their giant tub of water boiling where throughout the morning lobsters would be steamed before being picked up by people who had ordered the tasty crustaceans in advance.
The artwork of children who entered their creations into the patriotic art contest was posted on multi-sided panels and the winning pieces presented to the public. Three second-grade students from Willow Avenue Elementary School, Emma Sidoti, Madison Mozgiel, and Devin Dineen, were awarded top prizes.
The cookie booth of Cub Scout Pack 206 saw a steady stream of customers throughout the day. The cub scouts based the cookies in camp stoves of their own creation – boxes lined with tin foil and heated by red hot charcoals.
The Cornwall Historical Society brought its small American flags for sale and displayed a large map of Cornwall and Cornwall-on-Hudson with a note asking people for make suggestions for changes or additions that would be forwarded to Orange County.
In a tent nearby the High School Art Club was painting the faces of children with flags, flowers and mermaids. A voter registration table was set up by a bi-partisan group of Democrats and Republicans who staffed the effort throughout the day.
By midday, food was on the minds of many festival-goers who headed for the hotdogs, hamburgers, ice cream and other goodies for sale.
With music, clowns, and a magician entertaining from the main stage, the crowds lingered for the rest of the afternoon, many leaving their chairs and blankets to return after dark for the fireworks display.
And, as people arrived and left the town park on foot, many of them passed a lone entrepreneur whose work exemplified the spirit of independence day. Ten-year-old Brendan Smith had a hand-written sign, a few cold bottles of water and other drinks, and lots of spunk. He sat by himself on the sidewalk, selling drinks to raise money to send phone cards to soldiers overseas. Smith said he came up with the idea by himself and just thought it would be the right thing to do.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW.
Comments:
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As much as I wanted to enjoy the morning at the festivities it was very difficult when my 2 1/2-yr old daughter was kicked out of the Spongbob bouncy castle once, because she was suddenly over-whelmed by 10-yr olds bouncing next to her and got scared, and twice because she was the only one bouncing inside and the person monitoring the ride asked her to get out because "older kids wanted to get in". First of all, as many may have seen, there were plenty of rides/events for older kids so I'm not sure why my daughter, who is barely 2 1/2, needed to acquiesce to older kids who have a better understanding of rules. However, no where were there any distinctions made about rides set aside for younger kids vs. older kids. I don't suppose any organizers of this grand event have ever tried to explain to younger children that you can only go in one particular area until an older child asks you leave? Afterward I watched as many parents simply did not have the $$$ to pay for the rides for their multiple children and as other kids were asked to leave the rides because they held on too much to the safety netting. Next year, have rides ear-marked for only the under 5 population and watch how much more they enjoy that than rough-housing older kids bouncing next to them. Let me know how it goes; I'll be throwing my money away at a neighboring towns' over-priced July 4th celebration.
posted by Wolfbear on 07/07/08 at 12:27 PM
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I agree with wolfbear. M husband and I could not justify the price it would cost for all our 3 kids to go on the bounces. It is true that not one bounce was dedicated to the younger kids and that is indeed a problem. The town needs to control just how much these crazy vendors charge for things. I have no problem paying for things at a reasonable rate- but three dollars for 3 minutes in one bounce is crazy.
posted by beccafan on 07/07/08 at 1:38 PM
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Just wanted to let everyone know that thanks to all your support Brendan Smith will be sending $113 to provide phone cards to the troops!
posted by msmith861 on 07/07/08 at 8:21 PM
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