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Good, old-fashioned fun planned for children

By Carol La Valley, Roundup staff reporter

Friday, September 28, 2007

Step into a sack.

Andy Towle/Roundup Sack-bound children at the Town of Payson's 4th of July Celebration will get another opportunity to race at Payson's 125th Anniversary celebration.

Hop along on three legs.

Make a wheelbarrow out of your best buddy.

Wear a hoop, six-sizes too large. Make it do the tilt-a-whirl around your waist.

Win a ribbon, or two or three, by participating in games at Payson's 125th Anniversary celebration. The contests will take place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 at Green Valley Park.

These games are a chance for children and teens to show off some of their unique athletic abilities.

Make like a kangaroo: hop across the grass with your legs and torso inside a burlap bag you are holding onto.

"I always liked sack races as a child. I won, so of course I liked those. When I had to drag someone else along like in the three-legged races, it was harder," Diana Sexton, game chair said.

There will be a three-legged race especially for those children and teens that can run, with a right and left leg tied together, without falling down with laughter.

For those who want to start with their hands already in the grass, participants can partner up for wheelbarrow races.

Children have rolled, twirled and thrown hoops throughout recorded history.

The founders of Wham-O toys re-invented the modern, plastic hula-hoop in 1957, 75 years after the town of Payson was founded.

If you can gyrate the hoop around your torso, neck or limbs, then the hula-hoop contest might be just the game you want to play.

There will also be people face painting.

Museum activities

The Northern Gila County Historical Society is sponsoring living history activities for youth at the 125th celebration.

"I remember building houses out of Lincoln logs and thinking about how people used to live," coordinator Pat Kuzma said.

So she bought Lincoln Logs for children to try their hands at building log homes.

Youths can build a hanging mobile that depicts Payson's mining, ranching and lumber industries.

There will be a rock and mineral display.

Youths can pick out small squares of fabric, glue them on cardstock and make a miniature souvenir quilt to take home.

Nearby demonstrations by a flint knapper and fire starter are planned.

Hashknife Riders will give a presentation on branding.

Inside the Historical Society Museum, children can experience Apache corn and acorn grinding and see a model of a working model of the 1880s sawmill that was located on Main Street where the theater now stands.

Parents can come and take photos of their children's faces as they pose in wooden cutouts of a pioneer wagon and children in Western clothing.

These activities will take place on the museum grounds near the Haught Cabin from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6.