Smalltown Marion County to sponsor Scarecrows on Parade
Small towns in northern Marion County have been asked to join Ramona in promoting an event named Scarecrows on Parade.
Towns that have been invited to participate include Lincolnville, Tampa, Lost Springs, and Burdick in Morris County.
Residents and business owners in each town are encouraged to make and display scarecrows along each main street or beyond. Ready-made scarecrows also will be allowed, but homemade scarecrows will get more points.
The individual competition will be judged Oct. 15 by three people from outside the area.
A traveling trophy will move each year to the person who wins the competition.
The kick-off event will take place Oct. 1 at Lincolnville's Octoberfest, with flyers being handed out.
Ramona has been putting up scarecrows the past five years. The scarecrows typically are put up in October and stay up until Halloween. Many are illuminated at night for added drama.
Jessica Gilbert of Ramona said county commissioner Dan Holub has been looking for something the small towns of northern Marion County could collaborate on.
When she received a call from the tourism department of Kansas Department of Commerce asking to include Ramona's events in the Kansas Getaway Guide, Gilbert saw the opportunity.
She felt the scarecrow event needed to be more substantial before advertising it to folks beyond this area, so she decided to see if other towns would participate and give it a practice run in 2005.
If it is successful, the event would be advertised in 2006 in the getaway guide.
Scarecrow workshops for kids and adults are planned. The first one will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. in the shelter house in Ramona Park. In case of rain, the workshop will move to the barbershop on Main Street.
A workshop will be held Sept. 24 in Lincolnville at Bailey's Grill and Tavern.
Organizers aim to have scarecrows in place by Oct. 1. The official drive-through will be Oct. 15, but folks will be welcome to drive through anytime they are looking for somewhere to go.
"Gives folks somewhere to drive on a Sunday!" Gilbert said.
For more information, contact: Jessica Gilbert, Ramona, 785-965-7110; Carole Spohn, Tampa, 785-965-2639; Connie Johnson, Burdick, 785-983-4459; Sylvia Bailey, Lincolnville, 620-924-5742; or Kellie Headley, Lost Springs, at 620-924-5620 (work) or 785-983-4427 (home).
