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CORRESPONDENTS:   Ramona years ago

On display July 4

By JESSICA GILBERT

Ramona correspondent

(785) 965-2621

Ten Ramona kids spent this past week capturing the sights of Ramona on camera — and then, made watercolor drawings of some of the best scenes. The ages ranged from young ones about to enter third grade, all the way to the more mature Ramona teens, who will be eighth graders in the fall.

My sister, Pat and I dreamed up this idea as a way for the kids to express their creativity during the summer. I wrote in a previous column how Sheriff Lee Becker and the Marion County Sheriff's Department helped make our vision complete with some financial assistance, which made us able to get disposable cameras for the kids.

Sheriff Becker came for two days this past week. On the first day he captured the children on film in various locations around town, showing them how to light their subjects, how to get different perspectives, and create interest in their pictures.

The kids then took their cameras and took pictures of scenes and objects that intrigued them. I got the film developed, and the following day they got to see their pictures enlarged as big as a projection screen, thanks to Sheriff Becker, his computer, and equipment.

On the final three days of the week the kids picked their favorite pictures and make drawings of them and brought them to life with watercolor painting. Between their photography and paintings, it's a stunning show. You can see it all day Friday at the Ramona Senior Center.

There was probably other news around town this past week, but frankly, I've had my nose to the grindstone — along with about six other folks on the 4th of July committee, who are preparing for Ramona's biggest event of the year — the 4th of July. I stopped by the Noeths' house to leave a registration for the Redneck Run, and Julie was already making the zany Redneck Run trophies out of mysterious car parts.

Her husband, Byron is collecting the necessary equipment for the Redneck Olympics — such lofty sporting endeavors as the car starter shot put, hubcap toss, toilet seat hoop shoot, and beer bottle bowling. (One Ramona citizen volunteered to get the special beer bottles required, and, to get them empty so we could use them!)

Art Stroda and Tim Steinborn were occupied putting in an electrical outlet at the former bank building. Art's also working on getting a recliner rigged up on a trailer for Al Sondergard, who, along with his wife, Darlene are the grand marshals for this year's parade.

Darlene will be pulling Al with their lawnmower. The Sondergards are the only married couple in Ramona who were born and raised around here, and have lived their married life here in Ramona for more than 65 years.

Tooltime Tim Steinborn and Pat have been fine-tuning the redneck games, which will be played on Main Street following the parade. Tim's already hauling old tires to Main Street, where the "game course" will be mapped out.

Jeannie Goza and Angel Harold prepared for the country breakfast, which begins at 8 a.m. Friday. And I saw Connie Smith drive into town in her shiny blue truck with lots of boxes in the pickup bed. I knew where she'd been — buying the fireworks for the big display that closes our celebration.

The trophies for the Redneck Toy Show are on display in the post office, enticing folks to bring their favorite toys to the park on the afternoon of the 4th. Somebody asked me if "toys" referred to toy collections? No, but I suppose you could bring one. "Toys" is actually sorta a joke — it's whatever you drive or ride, which is tractors, trucks, cars, four-wheelers, bikes, motorcycles.

But, if you're like my sister and me, we don't have toys like that. "The closest thing I have to that kind of toy is my zero-radius turn lawnmower," said my sister. So she's decorating it with flames, racing stripes, and other such funny paraphernalia.

As for me, the only "toy" I have is my high-pressure sprayer. Yep, it's going to be in the show — but I'm not telling you how it's decorated . . . can't disclose such top-secret information.

If you want to join the fun, just call Jeannie Goza 785-366-0931 or show up at the park at 2 p.m. Friday. You might win one of those shiny trophies.

Sporting events also will be happening in the park Friday afternoon — horseshoe competition and 3-on-3 basketball. Don't be a couch potato on the 4th — come to Ramona!

The parade is always such a delight. So get on the Internet and find a redneck joke and portray it. Come be in the parade. Registration is at 6 p.m. and the parade goes down Main Street Ramona at 7.

For full details of the 4th of July schedule, get on our website: www.californiasisters.com and click on 4th of July. You can print out a schedule of your own — you'll also see Jane Staatz in the Redneck SUV — one of last year's parade winners. The entry still makes me laugh.

And that's the news from Ramona where you're invited to come and be redneck on the 4th, and we'll have all our dogs tied up (hopefully), and a lot more than two cars on the road.

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