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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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Fairfield Kiwanis Club prepares for Kids’ Day Sept. 21
FAIRFIELD – Kiwanis Kids’ Day has been one of Fairfield’s premier events ever since its inception in 1966, and residents will celebrate it once more on Saturday, Sept. 21.
The Fairfield Kiwanis Club will set up its giant tent on Court Street to serve a pancake and sausage breakfast from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Kiwanis Kids’ Day Parade will commence at 10 a.m. from the Fairfield High School parking lot. Parade floats are asked to line up at the high school between 9-9:30 a.m. The theme of this year’s parade is “Building for the Future,” a reference to a Builder’s Club that Kiwanis started at Fairfield Middle School.
The fun will continue after the parade with activities in Central Park including face-painting, a rock wall and bouncy houses. The local Cub Scouts are bringing their pinewood derby track and are inviting the public to race on it. Fairfield Kiwanis member Daryn Hamilton said residents can bring their own pinewood derby cars, or they can race the cars the Cub Scouts will provide.
The pedal tractor pull courtesy of AWANA will commence shortly after the parade, which typically lasts about 45 minutes. Hamilton said the activities in Central Park will wind down around 12:30 or 1 p.m.
The breakfast will include pancakes, sausage and choice of milk (chocolate or white), orange drink and coffee. Tickets purchased in advance are $6 for adults and $3 for kids. Tickets bought at the door are $8 for adults and $4 for kids. Tickets can be purchased from any Kiwanis member, including at Behner’s Funeral Home, Universal Therapy, Roth & Norton Family Dentistry, Iowa State Bank and other locations where Kiwanis members work. Hamilton can be reached at 641-919-1861.
Hamilton said Kids’ Day generates about $6,000 after expenses, and Kiwanis invests that money in the community by putting up playground equipment in the town’s parks, and by awarding four $1,000 college scholarships. The club also gave $12,000 toward the creation of the Cambridge Little Achievers Center, which opened in 2023. The group’s other big fundraiser is checking in campers at Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant, which nets them about $12,000 annually.
Residents who live in the downtown should be aware of parking restrictions this weekend, not just for Kiwanis Kids’ Day on Saturday but for the Collector Cars Unlimited Car Show the following day. On Saturday, parking will be blocked off for the parking spaces on the inner ring adjacent to Central Park, and on Sunday, the parking stalls will be blocked off on both the inner and outer rings to make room for all the vehicles that will participate in the car show.
Coincidentally, Hamilton is also a member of Collector Cars Unlimited, so he will have a busy weekend. The car show will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday, with registration ending at noon, and then an awards ceremony between 2:30-3 p.m. once all the votes are tallied. Hamilton said the show attracts between 95 and 120 cars.
Membership in Collector Cars Unlimited has declined over time and now the club includes just five members, so the club has sought new ways to hold events that are less labor intensive. This year, the club has partnered with Fairfield First Fridays Art Walk to hold cruise nights during the June and August art walks. Hamilton said cruise nights are easier to organize since the club doesn’t have to worry about trophies or tabulating votes. He said Collector Cars Unlimited is following in the footsteps of neighboring Mt. Pleasant, which hosts a car cruise once a month and attracts as many as 200 cars. Hamilton said the club plans on partnering with Fairfield First Fridays Art Walk for more joint events next year.
Those who are interested in learning more about Collector Cars Unlimited can attend their monthly meeting, which is the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Fairfield Pizza Hut.
The Fairfield Kiwanis Club meets the first and third Wednesday of the month at the McElhinny House south of Howard Park. The group gathers at 5:30 p.m., eats supper at 5:45 p.m. and holds a meeting at 6:15 p.m.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
