Service clubs use Muddy Frogwater to get message out
Published 3:11 am Saturday, August 18, 2012
- <p>Ricky Humbert with Kessler's Catering, bastes chicken halves being barbecued for the Rotary Club chicken feed Saturday evening at the Muddy Frogwater Festival in Milton-Freewater. Each pit on the barbecue holds 90 chicken halves, said Rick Humbert, also with Kessler's Catering.</p>
The Muddy Frogwater Festival serves as more than just a community festival in Milton-Freewater, it is the main fundraiser for many services clubs in the area.
Milton-Freewater Chamber of Commerce director Cheryl York said many fundraisers are done by serving meals like the Rotary Clubs chicken barbecue and the chambers roasted corn and watermelon feed. The three-day festival is in its 32nd year and still is home to a grab-bag of events from a watermelon eating contest to the Talent of the Valley competition and a softball tournament. Cheryl York said the event has 64 vendor booths operating at the festival this year.
A lot of times this is their biggest fundraiser of the year, Cheryl York said.
One of those fundraisers is a new addition this year the Kiwanis Club Golf Ball Derby. The event is set up where participants buy a numbered ball, said Kiwanis member Mick York. Sunday, the balls will be released down a hill on Dehaven Street. The first one to the bottom wins the grand prize of $250, or 20 percent of the net profit and the contest pays down to fifth place.
With the economy the way it is, people dont donate as much, Mick York said. We have four or five scholarships we give out. … It will also go to our general fund and our backpack project we do.
The Talent of the Valley competition started with 34 competitors Friday, and 25 performed Saturday. The Top 10 will take the stage Sunday, said Jennifer Sullivan, event coordinator.
This year brought in acts from Pendleton, La Grande, Wallowa and other cities across the region. Most of the acts are singers, Sullivan said, but a violinist, a group of Hispanic folk dancers and a poet are also entered in the talent show. First place in the show receives a $500 cash prize, second place a $250 prize, third place $100, and fourth place gets $25. The audience also gets to vote for a peoples choice winner, Sullivan said, the winner receives $50 and a trophy.
Our judges are all volunteers as well, Sullivan said. This is a huge commitment from them to come for three days in a row.
Contact Anna Willard at awillard@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4536.
