thedrifter
07-05-08, 08:51 AM
Laramie celebrates freedom
Young and old take a break and celebrate in Washington Park
By Karla Pomeroy
Boomerang Staff Writer
Whether it was their first time attending Freedom Has A Birthday, their fifth time or they attended all 18 years, people gathering at Washington Park were impressed with how a community can come together to put on such an extravagant event.
Marian Stordahl, who has lived in Laramie off and on since 1964, attended her first Freedom Has A Birthday on Friday. “It’s beautiful. I can’t believe Laramie, Wyoming, sponsors something like this,” she said.
“This is something like you would see in Holland.” She added, “I like the fact they make the dogs welcome, and the dogs and kids are all well-behaved.”
Her friend, Liz Dole, has come the past two years, partly because her 8-year-old child performs with the Sunshine Generation and her 10-year-old child performs with the Wyoming School of Gymnastics, but also because there is “lots of free stuff” and a lot of fun stuff for the kids to enjoy when they’re not performing.
With 84 booths, there was not much of Washington Park that wasn’t full, either with a booth, or with people pulling up a spot on the grass, a table or even one of the pieces of equipment on the exercise path for a picnic with food from one of the many vendors.
Many civic organizations and churches provided free food or toys for kids, while others provided activities for kids and some even catered to the many dogs that were brought to the park by offering free dog biscuits.
The Laramie Kiwanis has come every year for the past 18 years, in spot No. 2 along 18th Street. They serve up seven flavors of snow cones, board member Joe Zhou said. “We use this event to show that the Kiwanis Club has a responsibility to the community, so we offer this free service,” Zhou said. There are 20 members and non-members volunteering to help this year.
Last year, the Kiwanis served a record 2,200 snow cones, with the favorite being a rainbow of all seven flavors. Another kids’ favorite is the tiger’s blood, which tastes a lot like mango but has a much “cooler-sounding” name. He said that after 18 years, everyone knows exactly where to find the Kiwanis snow cone booth. Many children have grown, gotten married and now bring their kids each year, he added.
The League of Women Voters and the Albany County Clerk’s Office joined efforts to encourage people to register to vote. County Clerk Jackie Gonzales and a member of her staff were on hand to handle actual registration during the holiday. League member Helen Butler said: “We’re here to encourage people if they are not registered that they can register today on the Fourth.”
Gonzales said they come every year to register voters, whether it’s an election year or not. They average between 40-60 people registering. “It’s a nice way to contact people who are out and about. It makes it more accessible and accommodating to their schedule,” she said.
After registering, people could visit many political booths around the park, with both the Albany County Democrats and Republicans present, along with a few statewide candidates.
The Oak Spokes from Cheyenne bring their antique cars over each year to be part of the antique show on the north side of the park. Lois and Larry Scofield have come with the group the past five years. “I like the peace and quiet, talking to old friends and meeting new friends,” Larry said.
Joyce Barkell and her husband, Larry, came for the first time this year. “I like the whole laid-back atmosphere,” she said.
There are informational booths, booths to promote other summer activities and booths to provide a service to those enjoying the day in the park, like the La Leche Club’s tent for breastfeeding mothers. Publicist Lisa Guarnieri said: “We just love Freedom Has A Birthday. All the kids have a really good time, and we take this opportunity to promote breastfeeding in a comfortable environment.”
The club provides information to mothers and expectant mothers on breastfeeding and has a tent with rocking lawn chairs where mothers can breastfeed comfortably. Guarnieri said they have between 6 and 12 people use the tent each year.
Freedom Has A Birthday Committee Member Barb Jordan said this year’s event started out perfectly, including the weather.
Of the 84 booths, Jordan said there was only one major new entry, the Union Pacific mini train.
Engineers Chris Havner and Curt Schnitzer travel for 30 weeks with the mini train. Havner said they will go to any community where Union Pacific stops. The mini train has two small cars to seat “kids of all ages.” Dan McCoy of Laramie rode the train with his 3-year-old son, Thomas, and 2-year-old son, Beckett. “It was awesome. It’s a neat contraption.” He said his sons enjoyed the ride along 18th Street, but admitted that for them, the idea of riding the train was probably more exciting than the actual ride.
Having people come back each year helps the event go smooth because people know exactly where to set up, Jordan said.
Karla Pomeroy’s e-mail address is lbedit9@laramie boomerang.com
Ellie
Young and old take a break and celebrate in Washington Park
By Karla Pomeroy
Boomerang Staff Writer
Whether it was their first time attending Freedom Has A Birthday, their fifth time or they attended all 18 years, people gathering at Washington Park were impressed with how a community can come together to put on such an extravagant event.
Marian Stordahl, who has lived in Laramie off and on since 1964, attended her first Freedom Has A Birthday on Friday. “It’s beautiful. I can’t believe Laramie, Wyoming, sponsors something like this,” she said.
“This is something like you would see in Holland.” She added, “I like the fact they make the dogs welcome, and the dogs and kids are all well-behaved.”
Her friend, Liz Dole, has come the past two years, partly because her 8-year-old child performs with the Sunshine Generation and her 10-year-old child performs with the Wyoming School of Gymnastics, but also because there is “lots of free stuff” and a lot of fun stuff for the kids to enjoy when they’re not performing.
With 84 booths, there was not much of Washington Park that wasn’t full, either with a booth, or with people pulling up a spot on the grass, a table or even one of the pieces of equipment on the exercise path for a picnic with food from one of the many vendors.
Many civic organizations and churches provided free food or toys for kids, while others provided activities for kids and some even catered to the many dogs that were brought to the park by offering free dog biscuits.
The Laramie Kiwanis has come every year for the past 18 years, in spot No. 2 along 18th Street. They serve up seven flavors of snow cones, board member Joe Zhou said. “We use this event to show that the Kiwanis Club has a responsibility to the community, so we offer this free service,” Zhou said. There are 20 members and non-members volunteering to help this year.
Last year, the Kiwanis served a record 2,200 snow cones, with the favorite being a rainbow of all seven flavors. Another kids’ favorite is the tiger’s blood, which tastes a lot like mango but has a much “cooler-sounding” name. He said that after 18 years, everyone knows exactly where to find the Kiwanis snow cone booth. Many children have grown, gotten married and now bring their kids each year, he added.
The League of Women Voters and the Albany County Clerk’s Office joined efforts to encourage people to register to vote. County Clerk Jackie Gonzales and a member of her staff were on hand to handle actual registration during the holiday. League member Helen Butler said: “We’re here to encourage people if they are not registered that they can register today on the Fourth.”
Gonzales said they come every year to register voters, whether it’s an election year or not. They average between 40-60 people registering. “It’s a nice way to contact people who are out and about. It makes it more accessible and accommodating to their schedule,” she said.
After registering, people could visit many political booths around the park, with both the Albany County Democrats and Republicans present, along with a few statewide candidates.
The Oak Spokes from Cheyenne bring their antique cars over each year to be part of the antique show on the north side of the park. Lois and Larry Scofield have come with the group the past five years. “I like the peace and quiet, talking to old friends and meeting new friends,” Larry said.
Joyce Barkell and her husband, Larry, came for the first time this year. “I like the whole laid-back atmosphere,” she said.
There are informational booths, booths to promote other summer activities and booths to provide a service to those enjoying the day in the park, like the La Leche Club’s tent for breastfeeding mothers. Publicist Lisa Guarnieri said: “We just love Freedom Has A Birthday. All the kids have a really good time, and we take this opportunity to promote breastfeeding in a comfortable environment.”
The club provides information to mothers and expectant mothers on breastfeeding and has a tent with rocking lawn chairs where mothers can breastfeed comfortably. Guarnieri said they have between 6 and 12 people use the tent each year.
Freedom Has A Birthday Committee Member Barb Jordan said this year’s event started out perfectly, including the weather.
Of the 84 booths, Jordan said there was only one major new entry, the Union Pacific mini train.
Engineers Chris Havner and Curt Schnitzer travel for 30 weeks with the mini train. Havner said they will go to any community where Union Pacific stops. The mini train has two small cars to seat “kids of all ages.” Dan McCoy of Laramie rode the train with his 3-year-old son, Thomas, and 2-year-old son, Beckett. “It was awesome. It’s a neat contraption.” He said his sons enjoyed the ride along 18th Street, but admitted that for them, the idea of riding the train was probably more exciting than the actual ride.
Having people come back each year helps the event go smooth because people know exactly where to set up, Jordan said.
Karla Pomeroy’s e-mail address is lbedit9@laramie boomerang.com
Ellie