Summertime and the livin’ is easy…
Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high

Those lyrics Ira wrote to his brother George’s music seem very appropriate as we head into August and the heart of summer. Summertime! The mere word brings thoughts of picnics on the lawn, blankets on the beach and boating on the lake. For some it means a time of travel to one or another of those spiggoty places. Of course what lies between home and one’s dream destination is never seen by those who are hurtling through the air at sonic speeds. For those on the ground, it isn’t much different. To quote Charles Kuralt, “Thanks to the interstate highway system it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything.”

This year July 4th fell on a Wednesday. It was one of the few federal holidays the travel industry couldn’t get the Congress to change to become part of a three day weekend. After all, John Adams and company didn’t look at the calendar to make sure they passed the Declaration of Independence on a Monday or a Friday. In fact, July 4, 1776 fell on a Thursday. Not that it matters! July 4th was never designed to be a travel day, but a day of rejoicing the independence we had won.

Americans understood the importance of celebrating Independence Day long before the Congress ever did. They began as soon as the British were defeated, but it took Congress almost one hundred years, 1870 to be precise, before they declared it a federal holiday. We continue to celebrate it even today, and I believe we always will as long as there are those who love America.

Here in Jacksonville we certainly celebrated… and how we did! The Boosters passed out 398 hot dogs along with chips, water, and watermelon. Once again, the watermelon station was manned by the intrepid Robert Roos, innkeeper of the magnificent Magnolia Inn. I might add that he has a knife to end all knives. There isn’t a watermelon grown which could stand up to that blade.

Chips, water, paper boats for the buns, and the hot dogs, were not only plentiful but handy, courtesy of a LOT of Boosters who cooked, prepared, or made them ready for the picnickers… and it took a lot of Boosters to man the food line. We ALL owe a BIG thank you to: Rob and Lori Buerk, David and Linda Byland, Malcolm and Peggy Carlaw, Sue and Steve Casaleggio, Teresa Hopkins, Mike and Kandee McClain and Ron Ruppert and son, Ian.

But wait! It doesn’t end there. City staffers Jeff Alvis, Stacey Bray, and Tom Glover were also there to help organize and oversee the activities. They provided the bluegrass music, opened up the Courthouse/City Hall building for the public and generally pitched in where needed.

Then add two members of our Fire Department who brought in and moved all those chairs and tables… Derek Matchett and Joshua Bowden.

I couldn’t end these “thanks” without also declaring my profound admiration at the skill in organizing and then executing an operation in the manner in which this picnic was done. I am a worrier by nature. Always have been and always will be! Steve Casaleggio told me more than once… “Don’t worry. We have it under control.” Still I worried! How was I to know the military-like skill the Boosters Club would apply? These people were as prepared as any landing craft boatload of men storming a beach. Teddy Roosevelt would have said, “Bully!” And so does your Mayor.