KIDS' DAY IN PARK DRAWS 1,000 PEOPLE

Fun in the park attracted nearly 1,000 people Saturday to the Jackson City Park.

The Noon Optimist Club sponsored its fifth annual Kids' Day in the Park event, but not without a little extra work from club members.

Dixie Moore, club board member, and Bev Nelson, president-elect, said just before the event they found themselves knee-deep in mud and water.

"We went to the storage shed and found sewer water and mud that had flooded the shed from the ran last Saturday," said Nelson. The club used the shed to store the materials for the Kids' Day in the Park, and many of the supplies and prizes were destroyed.

"We spent all day running around Saturday morning trying to replace the materials that were ruined," said Moore. "We had to replace prizes quickly."

In addition to prizes and supplies, Nelson said bike safety helmets were lost in the water.

"Many of our bike safety helmets were ruined; we lost a lot of stuff," she said. "But we are a tough bunch of women and we are an Optimist group; we don't focus on the problems."

And they didn't. The event continued as planned under sunny skies after a brief light shower.

More than 25 volunteers from the Noon Optimist Club, Scout troops and other civic organizations manned game and educational booths during the four-hour event.

Club President LaDonia Beggs said many children attended. "This has been one of the best Kids' Days in the Park we have ever had," she said. "Parents really appreciate the day. It is a fun time for kids and their families."

LaKrista Garrett, 6, of Cape Girardeau said she enjoyed herself.

"I think everything was great. I really liked the moon walk jump," she said.

Her parents Faye and Mike Garret, who are both volunteer firefighters, said they liked the educational booths. "The day was very kid orientated," said Mike Garret. "The police fingerprinting and the fire smoke house were educational. I think it's a great thing."

Other Highlights of the day included Buckle Bear, the crash dummies, a space walk, games, fishing, prizes, face painting and free hot dogs, chips, drinks and gift bags.