News Release
Contact Person: Arron Haynes, (816) 419-3704 or Deborah May (660) 854-2069
The Lafayette County Juneteenth Foundation is really excited about this year's annual Juneteenth Celebration to be held Saturday, June 18th at Fairground Park in Higginsville, MO. It's time for some fun and fellowship so mark your calendar, put it in your blackberry, do whatever you need to do to remind yourself to come and be a part of these festivities.
We plan to put into action this year’s theme of “Strong Communities Working Together”.
The Celebration is free and open to the public.
The celebration will kickoff at 10:00 a.m. at 15th & Main (downtown Higginsville) with a parade being lead by Reverend Wilbur L. Conway, Parade Marshall. Along with local entrants and dignitaries,the K C Marching Wildcats from Kansas City, MO will be performing. The parade will end at Fairground Park, followed by the opening ceremony, held inside Schwitzky 4-H building.
Please don't leave the 4-H building until you've had an opportunity to visit the Exhibitors' booths. Author Joyce Branson , who operates a volunteer service for cancer patients, will be speaking and talking about her book,entitled "The One That Got Away". For those of you who are unemployed, want to improve your job seeking skills or needing a job/career change, Marshon Stephenson Umana, an employment specialist with the Sedalia career Center , will be doing a presentation and is available to answer your questions about job searching.
At 1:00 pm, a panel of youth and young adults, facilitated by Ms. Linda Smith, licensed clinical social worker & counselor, will be discussing topics such as education, relationship, the military, single parenting and employment. Let's fill the audience with young folks, in particular, and adults to have a wonderful dialogue and discussion. Your thoughts and opinions matter.
The DJ, Raymond Nichols, will be turning out smooth tunes throughout the day at the Amphitheater.
Grab a seat on one of the benches, bring your chairs and blankets and make your way to the Amphitheater at 3:00 p.m. to listen to the soulful sounds of Mr. Jerome Johnson. Jerome, a native of Higginsville, is an accomplished vocalist, whose smooth voice can make your body sway and fingers pop or have you lifting up your hands in praise. He is well-known across this area and beyond. Not only has he been an opening performer to national speaker Mark Victor Hanson, author of the Chicken of the Soul book series, to Andre Crouch, seven-time Grammy gospel singer , toured with Oleta Adams but he co-authored "Raising Fathers/Raising Children that was adopted by the State of Georgia for the Georgia Fatherhood Program. He sings R&B and Gospel.
Since Father's Day is June 19th, you may find just the right gift at one of our vendors who will be selling all kinds of products.
Families can make this a day to celebrate together as well as join in having a good time with others that they may not know. Challenge your family member and friends to a game of checkers or dominoes. Who's the best Bid Whiz player? Well cards will also be available. These and more games, for children and adults, will be in the Community Building from 2:30 p.m. to Close.
Arron Haynes is the chairperson of this year’s celebration, assisted by volunteers drawn from the Lafayette County communities of Odessa, Lexington & Higginsville and Clay County (Liberty).
