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Rain parts for sunny Uniopolis Jamboree |
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Monday, 27 July 2009 |
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By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
Dark rainy skies gave way to bright sunshine minutes before this year’s Uniopolis Fire Department’s Jamboree kicked off Saturday in the Auglaize County village.
It was the 66th annual event in the village of more than 250 people, and Uniopolis Fire Department President Kevin Lowe called the festivities a success thanks to mother nature’s timely change.
“The rain all stopped about 15 minutes before everything got started,” Lowe said. “It delayed some of our final setup, but that was about it.”
Lowe said he did not have any figures Sunday evening regarding how much the jamboree made, or how many people attended the event, but he thought the event was comparable to other successful years.
“We might not have had as many people, but the crowd that we had was spending (money),” Lowe said. “So, in this economic climate, it was a good year.”
Every dollar made in the jamboree goes into the volunteer fire department’s General Fund. Similar to previous years, the jamboree was an alcohol-free event.
The festivities kicked off Friday evening with the annual car show and volleyball tournament.
Lowe said approximately 30 cars attended the show, a few less than the 2008 figures. The volleyball tournament was deemed a success, as five teams competed against each other past midnight.
The actual jamboree kicked off Saturday afternoon with food, games and rides. Chicken and pork chop dinners were sold during the day, as well as hot dogs, tenderloins and hamburgers.
Plenty of rides and games were available to attendees, but Lowe said the two biggest attractions were the human sphere and mechanical bulls. The human sphere allowed people to roll around in a giant plastic ball like gerbil.
On Sunday, Lowe told the Wapakoneta Daily News the event was a huge success.
“We had a long line for that all night,” Lowe said. “It was constant.”
A steady stream of people also tried their hand at the bull, with nearly everyone ending up airborne and on the ground.
sLowe was one of the hundreds who tried their hand at the bull, and said he fared no better than anyone else.
“I would have to say I’m going to be a little sore,” Lowe said.
This year was Lowe’s first as president of the Uniopolis Fire Department and his first as the event’s primary organizer. Despite the help of more than two dozen active members, Lowe said from a personal aspect, he was glad the event was over.
“Give me about six months, and I’ll be ready to go,” Lowe said with a laugh.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 28 July 2009 )
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