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Photo by Alex Gambill click image to enlarge

By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer
reporter@arkcity.net

Kaycia Gelino was helping her 9-year-old sister, Phyllis, get ready for Fourth of July festivities Wednesday morning. They were among a dozen or so folks at the Wholesale Fireworks stand on South Summit Street just south of the Arkansas River Bridge.

Besides shooting off fire crackers, sprinklers and parachutes, Phyllis plans to attend Arkansas City's annual fireworks display at Spring Hill on Friday night, her older sister said.

Kaycia won't be able to accompany her because she has to work that day, but her boyfriend, Tim Miller, will take her to the show. Miller accompanied the Gelinos to the fireworks stand.

The Arkansas City residents said they look forward to the big annual display at Spring Hill.

The Fraternal Order of Police has organized the show each year for the past 24 years and this year raised $12,000 for the professional display, an FOP spokesman said.

The show will start about 9:30 p.m. at Spring Hill. Public parking will be available at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post lot on North Summit and at two neighboring churches -- the First United Methodist Church, 2448 Edgemont, and the First Assembly of God Church, 3105 North Summit.

"We want to say thank-you to everyone who contributed to the FOP project this year," said Arkansas City Police Officer Jason Legleiter. "The citizens are the ones who donate and they are the ones who make sure it happens year after year."

Legleiter noted that KACY 102.5 FM will broadcast music to go along with the show. A radio station van will be set up for people at Spring Hill. Others who watch from a distance can tune in.

Festivities at the Methodist church will start at 6 p.m., when food and drinks will be served for a reasonable price, said Anita Green, secretary and administrative assistant at the church. Food will include pork burgers and hamburgers for $2 apiece and hot dogs for $1. Soft drinks and water will be available for $1.

At 7:45 p.m. Mayor Mell Kuhn will give a patriotic speech. It will be followed at 8 p.m. by a 45-minute concert of marches and patriotic tunes by the Arkansas City Community Band.

Kuhn said today he will talk about the fragile nature of a democracy. "It cannot exist without public participation," he said.

Across the street at First Assembly of God Church, the public can eat for free for as long as the food lasts, said Deana Westenfeld, children's pastor. "We'll have free hamburgers and hot dogs until they are gone," she said. "We'll have places to sit and socialize."

Watermelon also will be available, Westenfeld added.

The Assembly of God Church also will have water slides and games for kids, she said.

The VFW post also will have hamburgers, hot dogs and sodas for sale. The post facility will open at 5 p.m. to serve as a cool place for those who are waiting for the fireworks display to begin, said Lee Bartlett, club manager

On Wednesday at the fireworks stand, were others from out of town who plan a more private Fourth of July.

Three generations of a family from Geuda Springs commented on their plans as they put bags of fireworks in their van. They were Jerry Hills, his son, Jonathan, and his 8-year-old son, Dylan.

"Everybody in town shoots their own fireworks," Jerry Hills said. "They have family get-togethers and shoot fireworks.

"I love the stuff. It goes up in the air and blows up."

Fourth of July events

First Methodist Church
6 p.m. - Food and games.
7:45 p.m. - Mayor Mell Kuhn.
8 p.m. - Arkansas City Municipal Band

First Assembly of God
Free food, music, games

Spring Hill Golf Course
9:30 p.m. Fireworks show

Above: Phyllis Gelino, 9, of Arkansas City, shops for fireworks Wednesday at Whole-sale Fireworks on the south side of town.