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	Franklin County, Kansas, USA

2009-11-07

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2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Thursday, April 30, 2009 11:51 AM

Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald

Calvary Baptist Academy student Liam Sutton and other classmates examine a red-bellied water turtle Thursday at Pomona State Park near Vassar. More than 30 students from Calvary Baptist Academy helped park rangers clean and beautify hiking trails at the park Thursday to raise funds for school improvements. Pomona State Park will have its annual OK Kids event Saturday at the park.

Rain or shine, event is OK for kids

Pomona State Park will be site of outdoor kids event Saturday

By BRIAN WILLIAMS, Herald Staff Writer

Recent rain won’t dampen the enthusiam for any events at Pomona State Park Saturday.

In fact, it actually may benefit the fishing derby at the Outdoor Kansas for Kids Day or “OK Kids Day” event.

“The higher water may increase the catching rate for the derby if the channel catfish come up to feed on the flooded grass,” Casey Smithson, Pomona State Park manager, said.

“The lake level is 10 feet above normal pool and rising and rain has caused us to try and locate activities near paved roadways and covered shelters,” Smithson said Wednesday in an e-mail.

Rain or shine, the OK Kids Day activities will begin with the fishing derby from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., which will be followed by the casting contest from 10 a.m. to noon.

Other activities that will be ongoing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. include a 4-H petting zoo, archery and campbuilding contests, tye-dying of shirts, a robo-turkey and a worm table that consists of layers of soil, where children can search for worms.

Organizations attending with demonstrations and information include the Osage County Fire Department, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Highway Patrol, Osage County Sheriff Department and K-9 training.

OK Kids Day returns to Pomona State Park, 22900 S. K-368, Vassar, after a year’s absence. Pomona State Park combined forces with Eisenhower State Park near Melvern in 2006 and began alternating the event between the two parks.

Combining forces has benefited both Pomona and Melvern, Smithson said.

“This process allows for more volunteers to put the event on and does not overly stress contributors in the local areas that we depend on for a successful event,” he said.

“We highly appreciate all the support and willingness to assist received from our local businesses and groups providing the activities.”