Fair weather greets annual July Fourth celebration

Cool, calm weather greeted a patriotic crowd gathered on the Courthouse Square last Thursday, July 4, for the 136th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration.

The Kids’ Parade started the day with the youngsters peddling or driving from Third Street down Sully Street in front of the Courthouse. There were 27 participants in the 1-4 age category, and the winners were first place Braxton Gribble, second place Caleb Askew & Kassie Askew, and third place was Keiden Moody. The 5-8 age division had 34 participants, and the winners were first place Kyndall Shields, second place Maloree Wann, and third place Tandie & Kennadie Cummins. The 9 and up category had seven 7 participants, and the winners were first place Ashleigh Hatfield, second place Jordan Johnson, and third place Coby Pryer.

In the 0-4 age group, Kyndall Shields was first, Meredith Artho was second, and Elliott Frausto was third. Braxton Gribble won the 5-8 age group with MaKenna Shadle second and Molley Davis third. The 9-12 age group was won by Keeden Moody, Davis Conklin was second, and Jaxon Robertson was third. Ethan Babcock was also recognized as having the first place bicycle.

The annual Craft Fair drew a big crowd to the courthouse square with an impressive number of vendors; and the Chamber of Commerce recognized several pioneer citizens during the Old Settlers gathering. The following honorees received t-shirts from the Chamber: Tom and Lucy Saye (first place), Susie Shields and Walt Warner (second place) and Douglas Shelton (third place).

The Al Morrah Shrine Club served 543 plates of barbecue, down significantly from 717 last year and 800 the year before. A portion of the proceeds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Shrine Temple in Amarillo to help pay for the transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.

That afternoon, the Western Parade delighted kids of all ages as floats, riding units, emergency vehicles, and other entries wound their way from City Park through downtown and back again. The Donley County 4-H Club took first place among all parade entries, the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department Dive Team was second, and the Clarendon Girl Scouts’ were third.

Several organizations held fundraisers during the celebration. The winners of the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo were Misty Baker, $250, and Adenia Baird and Cynthia Lindley, $50 each. Danny Cummins won the John Deere riding lawn mower given by the Junior Livestock Association in support of the Donley County Activity Center. Louise Conley was the winner of the St. Mary’s Catholic Women Quilt Drawing. Mary Vorheis won the lawnmowing from the Howardwick Fire Department, and Rainey Etcheson won the department’s fireworks drawing.

The Cash for Kids drawing fundraiser for the Donley County Child Welfare Board raised a total of $10,000, half of which went to the grand prize winner. Security Abstract Co. owned the 100th ticket drawn and received $5,000.

Winners of the Donley County Crisis Pregnancy Center’s Beautiful Baby & Toddler Contest were Addisyn (no last name) and Jaxon Robertson.

The Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association hosted a Junior Ranch Rodeo on July Fourth and an open Ranch Rodeo on July 5 and 6. Results of those events are listed in a separate article in this week’s edition.

Henson’s annual Turtle Race was held Saturday afternoon. There were altogether 206 participants, which was an increase from the 168 terrapin handlers last year. The winners were Aiden Burnam for the 0-4 division, Angeline Chavez for the 5-8 division, and Kari O’Dell for the 9-14 division. Each winner received a coin bag full of gold dollars.