JACKSON JAYCEES READY FOR BIG FIREWORKS SHOW

JACKSON, Mo. -- Last year for the first time, the Jackson Jaycees teamed up with corporate sponsors to present their annual Fourth of July Celebration. The 20 sponsors bankrolled a spectacular $10,000 fireworks display. This year the number of sponsors has increased to 30, and Jaycees President Tim Wright says every penny of the $12,000-$15,000 collected from the corporations will go toward making the fireworks display bigger and better.

The Zimmer Radio Group is co-sponsoring the event with the Jackson Jaycees.

The fireworks display at City Park will cap a day that will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the Drug-Free Council Fun Run to be followed at 8:30 a.m. by the celebration's signature event, mud volleyball. Organizers can accommodate 48 teams. The entry fee is $70 a team, and teams can sign up at the Jackson Chamber of Commerce until June 27.

This year, representatives of the United Native American People will set up displays and a woodland lodge at the park. "They will demonstrate how Indians lived in the 1800s," Wright said.

Other activities will include Jurrock's Park exotic animal zoo, country and western dance classes, a truck display from the new Army Reserve unit. Concession stands and craft booths will be set up in the park along with kiddie rides, a petting zoo, pony rides and kids games provided by the Noon Optimists.

Last year's celebration drew between 30,000 and 35,000 people.

Wright said, "We're glad to see Cape's back to doing something. We never want to get to where there is a competition between the two cities," he said. "We do it for Jackson, Cape and the surrounding communities. That's the Jaycees for you."

The Jaycees can spend all their money on the fireworks themselves because a 21-person team of Jaycees has been trained in setting off the fireworks.

This year's fireworks are scheduled to start exploding at 9:30 p.m.