Kiwanis' fun and food to benefit children

Bayne Hughes, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·2 min read

Jul. 3—Local children's programs will benefit from the fun and food that the Kiwanis Club of Decatur is sponsoring for the 55th annual Spirit of America Festival at Point Mallard.

Kiwanis member Kent Lawrence said the club is renting 10 inflatables for a children's play area. The club also lined up craft vendors and food trucks for the July 4 celebration that starts at noon Monday outside of the Point Mallard Ice Complex and in the old ice rink pavilion.

The inflatable playground closes at 8 p.m. while the food trucks stop serving at 9.

The club is raising money for its projects with fees from the vendors and food trucks, and a $10 all-day admission wristband for the kid's inflatable playground.

The Kiwanis Club picked up the Spirit of America project in May. Parks and Recreation Director Jason Lake said he asked the local clubs about two months ago if they would be interested in participating in the festival.

"It's important that we keep the fireworks, but our department can't do everything so we asked to the nonprofits if they wanted to participate," Lake said. "The Kiwanis are a good fit for running the vendors and the food trucks."

The Rotary Club of Decatur plans to hold an awards dinner for the festival's annual patriotism honorees next year.

Lawrence said the Kiwanis Club has not decided who will benefit from the proceeds raised but "all of our money benefits a children's project or program."

Food trucks with full menus are paying $375 each for a spot while $275 is the fee for those serving just drinks and smoothies, said Kiwanis Club treasurer Leissa Chittam.

Chittam said there could be at least a dozen food trucks and single-service food vendors. Items will include pork sandwiches, other sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos and other Mexican food.

Cost for a 10-by-10-foot booth is $100 for home-craft vendors and $200 for commercial craft vendors. Denice Marco said there will be at least 20 crafts vendors, and there could be a few more. The deadline to register was Friday.

Marco said some of the vendors include sellers of pocket knives, sheets and pillows, pet treats, face-painting and toys, jewelry and monograms and apparel.

"We've got a pretty good variety," Marco said.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.