Salute Freedom, Campbell-County Style - County 17

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This year, Gillette’s 4th of July celebration went from nothing to something, thanks to a group of dedicated residents. After learning that Campbell County Parks and Recreation (CCPR) cancelled most of the annual events due to COVID-19, Joe Terry created a  Facebook page called “Save the 4th,” and dozens of residents signed on to help save the iconic holiday.

Now, Joe Terry and his ad-hoc group of volunteers are working with both the county and state with Governor Gordon’s latest public health order that gave cities and counties the go-ahead to host parades with requisite social distancing.

Yesterday, CCPR took the lead on planning the 4th of July Parade, Terry said. The decision came on the heels of the release from Gordon’s office exempting parades from the current State orders along with the easing of other restrictions that had been in place.

Last night, the gang met to nail down additional details and line out the parade and other events.

CCPR executive director Rick Mansur and CCPR staff member Darla Parker, who have both been affiliated with the annual event for more than 30 years, volunteered to take back the reins for planning the 4th of July parade. Originally, the group had planned to host their own version of the parade, though they agreed it made sense to turn it back over to CCPR.

Collaboration between the two entities makes sense, Terry said.

“Now that Parks and Rec. is involved, we’re going to let them take the lead and help out however we can,” Terry said. “Not the other way around.”

Parker, with decades of experience in parade production, is now left with only 23 days to comprise the event, which she typically has six-to-eight months to plan for. This year’s theme will be “Salute to Freedom – Campbell County Style.”

CCPR is still working with guidelines and recommendations to ensure the health and safety of participants and attendees, they said, including a strict no-hand-outs rule that prohibits parade floats, cars and walkers from handing out items such as candy, drinks, campaign materials, etc.

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Starting as early as today, Parker will begin accepting up to 100  float entries. For addition information, view the CCPR Facebook Page.

With the parade now in the hands of CCPR, the group is focusing their energies on the surrounding events, like hosting the hotdog feed at Bicentennial Park for which the group received a variance approval, earlier today.

Don’s Super Market owner Troy McKowen offered to host the pancake breakfast at 6 a.m. in the supermarket parking lot.

Right now, the agenda for the day-long festivities includes the pancake breakfast, the parade on 2nd Street at 10 a.m., followed by a hot dog barbecue in Bicentennial Park at noon. Finally, the firework show will take place at Morningside Park at Cam-Plex that evening.

“Consider the 4th restored,” Terry said.

To learn more or volunteer to help with set up, maintenance and tear-down of the  celebration, contact Terry at (307) 660-9999 or visit the group’s Facebook page.

To donate, contact group treasurer Shelby Bachtold via Facebook Messenger.

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