Red, white and blue celebration among several July 4th festivities

For those people who are looking for something to do on July 4, there is a variety of activities to choose from in Pottawatomie County alone.
Shawnee’s 17th annual Red, White and Blue celebration is scheduled for Saturday evening at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center. The gates will open at 6 p.m., with musical performances slated by Uncalled Four and Randy Houser.
The fireworks start at 10 p.m., and the celebration will conclude at 10:20 p.m.
Mayor Linda Peterson will welcome those attending around 7:45 p.m. A flag salute by Boy Scouts, the national anthem by Haiden Davis and invocation by Leroy Kerbo will precede the musical performances. Trey Davis will serve as master of ceremonies.
A concession will be available, and there will be inflatables for the kids, 3D glasses will sell for $1 and those attending should bring their lawn chairs.
The activities are free, and tickets, limited to four per person, are available from a number of locations including America’s Best Value Inn, I-40 and SH 18; Arvest Bank at all locations; BancFirst at all Shawnee locations; Bison Federal Credit Union at 2 W. MacArthur; Citizen Potawatomi Nation at 1601 S. Gordon Cooper; city of Shawnee, 16 W. Ninth at Water Department window and the customer drive-by window; Demco Printing at 226 N. Broadway; First United Bank at 912 E. Independence; Great Plains Graphics of Shawnee, 414 W. Federal; Heart of  Oklahoma Exposition Office, 1700 W. Independence; Homeland at 600 W. Independence and 2705 N. Harrison; Indaco Metals at 3 American Way; KIRC Real Country 105.9 FM at 2 E. Main; S&S Farm Center at 300 S. Beard; Shawnee Convention and Visitor Bureau at 131 N. Bell; Shawnee News-Star at 215 N. Bell; Tinker Federal Credit Union on North Harrison; and Walmart, 196 Shawnee Mall Drive.
McLoud has its annual Blackberry Festival going on throughout the day and evening, and Tecumseh will have its Hometown Celebration beginning around 5 p.m. at the Middle School there off of SH 9.
This second boat parade at Shawnee Twin Lakes will be held Saturday morning. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the loading ramp on Lake No. 1.
Pre-registration is suggested at www.shawneetwinlakes.com. The Pledge of Allegiance will be held at 10:45 a.m. and the parade starts at 11 a.m., taking from one to two hours around the lake.
Those interested also can enter the poker run which has a $5 entry fee. Prizes, all provided by Premier PowerSports in Oklahoma City, include a $200 gift certificate for Best of Show; a Hummingbird PirahnaMax fish finder for the Most Patriotic entry; and a body glove water tube for Best Personal Watercraft.
Door prizes will be drawn following the parade for registered participants. Spectators can view the parade from Glen Collins Memorial Park or Isaac Walton Park. They are encouraged to bring their chairs and soft drinks. Hot dogs and snow cones will be available.
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I’d like to wish my wife, Pat, a happy anniversary today. We are celebrating 31 years of marriage. When people inquire how long we have been married, she frequently replies the number of years, then adds “and still marking time.”
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Even though this year’s International Finals Youth Rodeo will be without announcer Mark McGee who was killed in May while operating his lawn tractor at home, it’s been officially confirmed Mark’s cousin Don McGee will be in the announcing booth to serve in his place. The other announcer will be Jim Pugh, who served along side Mark for several years.
The IFYR is scheduled for July 13-18 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center.
Suzanne Gilbert, a member of the rodeo committee and a mainstay in the IFYR since its inception 17 years ago, also says that Ken Etchieson will head up the IFYR Hall of Fame induction ceremony Wednesday evening, July 15, at the Expo Center.
Etchieson, who was the general manager of the Expo Center for more than 20 years, was the brain trust of the IFYR.
Two former IFYR All-Around champions, along with McGee, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
McGee, from Valliant, was the “voice of the IFYR” for 16 years as announcer for the world’s richest youth rodeo.
McGee will be inducted into the IFYR Hall of Fame along with former IFYR standouts, Cord McCoy and his older brother Jet.
Cord won the All-Around in 1997, and Jet captured it in 1998.
McGee had announced the rodeo since its inception in 1993.
The ceremony will take place 6:30 p.m. in the foyer of the conference center at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center. They also will be recognized during the 7:30 p.m. performance that evening and among the special guests attending will be Lt. Gov. Jari Askins.
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Had a caller this week concerning the high school track at Jim Thorpe Stadium. “Shawnee will probably never have enough money to build a first-class track. Why don’t we tear up the old track, put down a surface for practicing, use OBU’s track, lease it and use the money to upgrade our facilities. Our visitors have to use Port-a-potties at the football games.
I cannot think of another school in the state of Oklahoma where the guests had to go to a Port-a-potty. So let’s build restrooms and update our restrooms because we will never raise enough money to build a first class track.”
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If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, call 214-3922 or e-mail michael.mccormick@news-star.com. Include name and phone number for contact purposes.