Independently owned since 1905
Independently owned since 1905
PRETTY SKY - Colorful fireworks light the sky over the Quinn's Hot Springs Resort Paradise Hall on the evening of Independence Day. Rocketman Pyros of Spokane, Washington, put up more than 1,000 fireworks, some rising to heights of 400 feet.
FIRST CATCH – Ten-year-old Ruthie Uli successfully makes her first catch during the balloon toss competition at the Paradise Picnic in the Park festivities on Independence Day. After only five minutes, the winners were Dr. Greg Hanson and his son, Jim.
GAME ON – Eleven-year-old Macey Malmend (far left) makes a move against opponent Lucy Privett, 10, in a giant checker game at Paradise Park during the Picnic in the Park festivities on Independence Day. Privett started out ahead, but Malmend ended up victorious. Nita Deardorff, a member of American Legion Post 129's Ladies Auxiliary, brought four yard games to the event.
The residents of Paradise celebrated the nation's birthday with food, drink, games and fellowship on Independence Day at the local park, where the community and American Legion Post 129 sponsored the get together.
More than 200 people attended the town's Fourth of July Picnic in the Park, which ran from 5 p.m. to just after dark with a 10-minute fireworks finale. The post, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary, paid for 145 hamburgers and 120 hot dogs for the event and supplied the condiments and ice, said Darin King, the post commander and one of the coordinators for the celebration. The rest of the dishes were potluck from people in attendance.
"We had a nice turnout. I think it went great," said King, an Air Force veteran and a second term post commander. King, who helped cook the burgers and dogs, said most of the people were from Plains and Paradise, but he also saw some from Thompson Falls and Hot Springs. The post also raised over $1,000 in donations toward the fireworks.
King was not sure how long the community has done the Picnic in the Park celebration, but he remembers they did it when he was a kid. At that time, they also did a parade, he said. Sheriff Tom Rummel stationed his patrol vehicle with its lights in front of the park as a safety measure for people to slow down while driving through town.
The post Ladies Auxiliary managed the children's games, which included potato sack and three-legged races, a tug of war contest, and a water balloon competition. Winners in each event won an ice cream from The Circle. Nita Deardorff, a Ladies Auxiliary member and the chief games coordinator, also brought yard games, such as a large checkers and Yahtzee game, for people to play throughout the festivities.
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