PRESQUE ISLE – A beautiful July day, a variety of activities and free food and beverages attracted approximately 1,200 people to the third annual July 4th Community Celebration hosted by Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 at Riverside Park.
Beginning shortly after 10 a.m., 31 Elks members and volunteers began serving free hotdogs, hamburgers, pie, ice cream and drinks. By 3 p.m. the Elks had cooked and served 1,200 hamburgers, 900 hotdogs, over 2,400 beverages, 20 gallons of ice cream, 45 freshly baked pies and 300 popsicles.
As they enjoyed their free picnic fare, people attending the celebration enjoyed musical entertainment provided by Peter Parker and his friends, Kenny Pelkey, J.R. McLellan and Andy Roebscher. They also checked out the more than 25 entries in the car show, which featured both late-model sports cars as well as muscle cars and immaculately restored and maintained antique vehicles.
Sarah Lee Brooks, of Portage Lake, employed her beautiful team of Belgian workhorses and a covered wagon to provide hayrides around the park to both young and old people in attendance.
One of the most popular activities of the July 4th Celebration was the boat ride up the Presque Isle Stream. With the help of the high water level, over the course of eight hours, Elks member Alan Harding repeatedly piloted his 18-foot Stingray boat up and down the stream with loads of excited youngsters and their parents. The level of excitement of youngsters and parents alike increased dramatically when Harding allowed the willing youngsters the opportunity to “take the helm.”
A demonstration of the ladder truck by the Presque Isle Fire Department provided additional entertainment, as did the opportunity to watch Elks member Annie Michaud suffer a “dunking” at the hands of capable young pitchers, as she occupied the Elks’ dunking booth.
Elks member Charles Donahue, a/k/a Uncle Sam, traveled throughout the crowd passing out American flag lapel pins and writing pens. These items proved to be in even greater demand from the young people than the beach balls and other prizes awarded to participants in the children’s games. A free raffle for a new boy’s and new girl’s bicycle was won by Wyah Kennedy and Catherine Harmon.
In commenting on the July 4th Celebration, Elks Exalted Ruler Mary Dickinson said, “The yearly growth in attendance at the Elks’ July 4th Celebration is extremely gratifying to all members of the Presque Isle Elks Lodge. The Lodge is proud of its sponsorship of this event. The ever-increasing attendance at the July 4th Celebration, particularly by the very young and by our area’s seniors, is strong evidence as to the need for such an event in this city. Fulfilling this need exemplifies the Elks’ motto ‘Elks Care, Elks Share.’ Presque Isle Lodge BPOE 1954 looks forward to an even bigger and better July 4th Celebration next year.”
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
ON THE RIVER – Elks member Alan Harding repeatedly piloted his 18-foot Stingray boat up and down the Presque Isle Stream with loads of excited passengers, offering rides from about 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Below, Harding pulls up to the makeshift dock for another anxious crowd of sightseers.
ELK Charles Donahue chats with Uncle Sam.
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson
DANCING to the music at the Elks’ July 4 celebration at Riverside Park were, from left: Verna Scaggs and Theresa Day.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
A BEAUTIFUL JULY day, a variety of activities and free food and beverages attracted approximately 1,200 people to the third annual July 4th Community Celebration hosted by Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 at Riverside Park. 
A HALLMARK of the day was good neighborly fun and social networking at its best. 
musical entertainment was provided July 4 at Riverside Park by Peter Parker and his friends, Kenny Pelkey, J.R. McLellan and Andy Roebscher.
