Shauna Belye u
General Manager
There was no shortage of fun and family at the Juneteenth celebration held at Osborn Park on Friday, June 16.
The celebration was free to the public and included area vendors, waterslide for the kids and food.
Organizer Myeisha Warrior was pleased with the first ever event. For Warrior, it was about celebration, community, family and friends.
“I just want to see my community looking how it did when I was growing up. The youth is our future and we really need to invest in them,’ Warrior said.
Participants visited a number of vendors and food booths and all earned a chance to win from the numerous donations that were collected for the event.
One of Warrior’s main focuses was on the kids and there were plenty of activities. Glenna McBride with the Eufaula Area Arts Council was set up with a t-shirt station where the kids could pick from assorted blocks imprinted with symbols from the West African language, Adinkra, and print their own shirts.
Face painting was also a big success. The young and young at heart lined up to have their faces transformed by local makeup artist La Donna Jones.
As the temperatures climbed, so did the kids as they waited in lines to take their turn down the inflatable slide and plunge into the cool waters.
At the park’s center, the three on three basketball tournament was the center of attention as teams all vied for bragging rights.
Historian and former teacher Alma Harper had a booth set up where she shared her knowledge of Juneteenth.
The fun continued on Saturday with food, music, a domino tournament and some good conversations. The event wrapped up on Sunday with Park and Praise officiated by Reverend Johnny Lewis who delivered an inspiring message. The outdoor event was timely as it followed Saturday night’s storms and power outages.
Warrior is excited that her ideas and planning of this inaugural event will continue to grow and become an annual event that the community will look forward to.
She would like to thank the donors who helped make the event possible.
Donors:
Hunn Black and Merritt Eufaula Smoke Shop Eufaula Indian Community Murray Carpets Warrior’s Gutter Sonic Work Ready Oklahoma Jazz Waste Solutions Wayland Baptist Church Mr.Printer Gentle Giant Napa True Value Oklahoma Shirt Company Eufaula Nails JC and Frankie Watts Pecan Haven Eufaula Area Arts Lisa Bassett Michael Crawford Quinton Staley Hadley Walker Connie Boone Red Chiles and Herman Anthony and Kim Warrior Jim Austin Reuben Rowland Jerry Whitfield Korran Crawford Crystal Warrior Cassandra Brown and Children Sharon McCoy Joy and Jordan Pierce Donna Mack Jerry Pierce David Berry Stephen Deere Love’s “If I forgot anyone, charge it to my head and not my heart,” Warrior said.
Vendor Booths:
High Class Goods Lesa King Counseling Too Sha’s Chicken and Fish Hunn Black and Merrit Lake and Bake Patient Drive and Samples Glenna McBride, Eufaula Area Arts and Eufaula Memorial Library Eufaula Creek Nation Head Start-Enrollment Green County Behavioral Health Amanda Metcalf Massages La Donna Jones Face Painting K-mac’s Lavish Looks Work Ready Oklahoma Alma Harper-Juneteenth Education “We made history! Let’s continue breaking down barriers and breaking cycles!”
