Troy’s July Fourth celebration

By BETH LAKEY

Staff Writer

July 5, 2000 10 PM

Fun and fellowship were the two things Pike County residents enjoyed on the Fourth of July.

While some headed for popular vacation spots during the long holiday, others stayed home and enjoyed the old-fashioned fun at the city of Troy’s Fourth of July celebration held at the Sportsplex.

Old and young nibbled on watermelon while waiting for the grills to get hot.

As the children slipped and slided through water, parents sat back and enjoyed spending the holiday with friends and family.

There was plenty of entertainment on the stage for the adults as the children romped through the water play area and competed in the potato sack race, jump rope and Hula Hoop competitions, croquet and relay races. Every child went home with a ribbon and many had quite a stack of the red, white and blue awards.

Celebration committee chairman Dan Smith said the weeks and weeks of planning were well worth the effort, especially to see the "several hundred kids" enjoying themselves in the play areas.

"There were so many people who made this happen," Smith said of this year’s celebration "This event is a lot of fun to be a part of."

He said the city’s second July 4 celebration was "wonderful" and hopes it will remain an annual event.

Smith said he received several comments about the "tremendous" fireworks display that was seen by people all over the city limits and beyond.

"I think everyone enjoyed the fireworks show," Smith said, adding he’s already talked with the fireworks company’s representative about making next year’s show even bigger.

"I hope everyone enjoyed the day and the fireworks," he said.

Officers with the Troy Police Department were on hand for the city’s big celebration at the Sportsplex and reported no "major" incidents, said Sgt. Benny Scarbrough, public information officer for the police department.

"I was pleased the Troy Police Department was able to get everyone out 30 minutes after the fireworks," Smith said of what could have been a traffic problem.

Both the TPD and Pike County Sheriff’s Department reported a "quiet" holiday.

Sheriff Russell Thomas said the calls his deputies answered were "routine" and no major problems were reported.

"It was a quiet first, second, third and Fourth," Thomas said of the long holiday weekend.