Community celebrates independence
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
RIVERSIDE PARK was the place to be this Independence Day as the Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954 held its sixth annual July Fourth Community Celebration.
The event included a free picnic, car show on Riverside Drive, musical entertainment in the park gazebo, boat rides on the Presque Isle Stream, two bounce houses, a dunking booth, and children’s games with prizes. The Presque Isle Fire Department was also on hand to conduct demonstrations of its equipment and techniques. Organizers estimate about 2,000 people attended the event.
PRESQUE ISLE — Local residents celebrated their independence last Monday by attending the Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954’s July Fourth Community Celebration at Riverside Park.
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
THE PRESQUE ISLE ELKS LODGE 1954 held its sixth annual July Fourth Community Celebration at Riverside Park. Lodge members and volunteers served grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks, ice cream and more to the public, all free of charge.
Many dressed in red, white and blue for the occasion which included a free picnic, car show on Riverside Drive, musical entertainment in the park gazebo, boat rides on the Presque Isle Stream, two bounce houses, a dunking booth, and children’s games with prizes. The Presque Isle Fire Department was also on hand to conduct demonstrations of its equipment and techniques.
“It was such an awesome day,” said Mary Dickinson, who co-chairs the Elks’ special events committee with her husband, Dana. “The weather turned out to be incredible. We had everything just about cleaned up and loaded when the dark clouds were coming, so the timing worked out really well.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
A CAR SHOW on Riverside Drive was part of this year’s festivities at the Presque Isle Elks Lodge 1954’s July Fourth Community Celebration. The show featured many interesting cars and trucks, including antique and classic cars, muscle cars, and cars of special interest, including new vehicles.
Attendance continues to grow each year.
“We saw about 2,000 people this year,” said Dickinson, noting that about 1,700 people attended last year and 1,500 the year before. “We do this for two reasons. One, it’s a way to celebrate our veterans and their service — those who have served and are serving and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. It’s also our way to give back to the community. When we hold our annual Christmas dinner, we solicit for donations and this particular project is a way for us to give back and thank them for supporting us throughout the year.
“People remember from the year before, so they kind of look forward to that knowing that there really isn’t anything else going on in the Presque Isle area,” she said. “It’s a chance for small families and elders to get out, listen to some music and have some good food. It’s like having a family barbecue but on a much larger scale.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
EDGAR LeBLANC gave people rides in his pontoon boat up and down the Presque Isle Stream July Fourth. The boat ride was a fun way to take advantage of all the rain the area has received the last few weeks.
Lodge members and volunteers served grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks, ice cream and more to the public, all free of charge.
“We served 400 hamburgers, 700 cheeseburgers, 1,100 hotdogs, cut up and served nine watermelons, served seven gallons of ice cream, 218 strawberry shortcakes, 200 bags of cotton candy, 1,008 bags of chips, 864 cans of soda, and 504 bottles of water. We also had some extra juices left over from Hooked on Fishing and the kids went after those like crazy. If people went away hungry, it was their own fault,” laughed Dickinson.
“We had a great crew working on the grills. It worked out really well and seemed to run smoother,” she said.
In addition, 250 children’s prizes were awarded for different games and four bicycles were given away. The Elks also put between 40-50 pinwheels in the ground for decoration which many children took home with them.
Edgar LeBlanc, who provided rides on his pontoon boat, made numerous trips up and down the stream.
“The minute the boat hit the water there was a line,” said Dickinson. “People really enjoyed the boat rides and Edgar was going the whole time. Sometimes we’ve used a speedboat, but where the water was so high this year, it made more sense to use the pontoon boat which can hold more people.”
Staff photo/Scott Mitchell Johnson
DAVID DESILETS of Presque Isle was a good sport and sat in the dunking booth at this year’s July Fourth Community Celebration. Desilets said he was dunked so many times he lost count.
Dickinson wishes to thank the 60 volunteers who endured the heat to put on the community celebration.
“About 35 of them were actual members of the lodge and the others were volunteers,” she said. “We really appreciate everyone’s assistance in making this such a great, family event.”
In the six years that the July Fourth Community Celebration has been held, it only had to be postponed once due to inclement weather.
“The first year we got rained out and had to move it to a different day, but other than that we’ve been fairly lucky,” said Dickinson.
