Freetown Festival gets under way

FREETOWN — Residents of Freetown speak about their community with a sense of pride.

“We have an excellent school with teachers that go above and beyond in teaching and caring for our kids,” longtime resident Brenda Sheldon said.

Even those who haven’t lived here all their lives feel right at home.

“We’ve only been here about four and a half years now, but we have been so impressed with this community and how people care for one another here,” said Judy Tedrow, wife of Pastor Larry Tedrow of Freetown Church of Christ.

Every summer, residents of this small northwest Jackson County community come together to celebrate and honor their town’s heritage by taking part in the Freetown July Festival.

Sheldon, a member of the festival committee, said the event was started many years ago by the volunteer fire department.

“I remember going when I was little,” she said. “There was a group of us that wanted to bring it back and keep it an old-fashioned, family oriented festival.”

That they did.

The annual event kicked off a three-day run Friday with opening ceremonies and the crowning of the festival prince and princess in the town park shelter house.

Many parents, grandparents, family members and friends gathered to see which child would take home the title. The contest serves as a fundraiser for Freetown Elementary’s Parent-Teacher Organization.

“With the economy being so bad, we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to raise very much money this year,” PTO President Nina Kuhlman said. “But this has by far been the most money we’ve raised since I’ve been involved.”

The 12 students who participated in the contest raised a total of $5,491, which will go to help fund field trips, class T-shirts and school supplies for each student.

First-graders Cody Griffith and Addyson Krieger together raised the most at $1,705.

Krieger was filling some pretty big shoes when she accepted her tiara and cape.

“My mom was princess back when she was little,” Krieger said. “And I wanted to win so I could be in the parade.”

To raise money, Krieger said her family held a yard sale and bake sale and her grandparents built a special cabinet to sell.

Her mother, Stephanie Krieger, said she has lived in Freetown her entire life and will always support the community.

“The festival is a good way to come together to help better our community,” she said. “So much effort has been put into fixing up our park and our town and we all need to recognize and appreciate that.”

As a special treat, Addyson got to go for a ride in a Pershing Township fire truck driven by her grandpa, volunteer firefighter Rick Stilwell.

Griffith was unable to attend Friday night’s activities because he was playing in an all-star little league game.

All contest participants, including second-place winners, kindergartners Kara Baker and Logan Ault; third place, fifth-graders Caitlin Ellis and Zachary Taylor; fourth place, second-graders Mayme Winks and Derrick Prewitt; fifth place, third-graders Breanna Pfeiffer and Jaylen Curry; and sixth place, fourth-graders Victoria Pfeiffer and Ethan Parr, will get to take part in today’s parade beginning at 1 p.m.

Although she didn’t grow up in Freetown, Kuhlman said she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

“We came here specifically for the schools,” she said of the elementary school and Brownstown Central Community School Corp., of which Freetown is a part.

Judy Tedrow summed up everyone’s general feelings of the town and festival.

“It’s just wonderful, it really is,” she said.

Freetown July Festival Schedule of Events

Activities taking place at the festival this weekend include:

Today

8 a.m. – Tri Kappa 5K run/walk begins at school

9 a.m. — Corn Hole Tournament (park) and Pedal Tractor Pull (basketball court)

9:30 a.m. — Baby Contest registration

10 a.m. — Crazy Olympics Opening Ceremony

10:30 a.m. — Crazy Olympics (ball diamond)

10:30 a.m. — Baby contest (boy and girl categories ages newborn-6 months, 7-12 months, 13 to 36 months, and Most Patriotic, which receives a $100 gift certificate from Marshall Memories)

11 a.m. — Registration for parade at Freetown Church of Christ

1 p.m. — Parade

2 p.m. — Crazy Olympics Awards Ceremony

3 p.m. — Garden tractor pull (ball diamond) and Country Kickers Line dancers (stage)

4 p.m. — Stars and Stripes Cloggers (stage)

5 p.m. — Musical Squares game for ages 5-12 (Kids’ Alley)

6 p.m. — Auction (Freetown Community Center)

7 p.m. — Sack Race, ages 5-8 and 9-12 (Kids’ Alley)

7 p.m. — Musical entertainment provided by Untamed (stage)

Sunday

1 p.m. — Presentation “Arkeology” by Freetown Church of Christ youth

1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Gospel music with The Long Sisters, Earl & Friends and Infinity (stage)

2 p.m. — Frog jumping contest

2:30 p.m. — Pie eating contest, ages 5-8 and 9-12 (Kids’ Alley)

3 p.m. — Hoop roll, ages 5-8 and 9-12 (Kids’ Alley)

4 p.m. — Drawing for 50/50 and prizes and closing ceremony