Fourth of July picnic by firemen is calm, quiet, not too hot

Independence Day in Odessa was a relatively calm and quiet affair, with only a few evening fireworks disturbing the peaceful, small-town atmosphere that prevailed most of the day.

The members of the Odessa Volunteer Fire Department and their families served up a lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, chips and watermelon. The crowd was large, as people came out to enjoy the sunshine and the company. The pool was open for swimmers to enjoy, and Odessa's summer recreation program also had craft tables set up in the shade of the park's trees to entertain any children who wished to participate. The pool staff also offered competitions in swimming, with other such events said to be coming in the future.

As evening approached, the fireworks began. Folks put their nervous dogs into quieter portions of their homes or fed them tranquilizers provided by their veterinarians. The popping and booming didn't go on for too long, though, for which the dogs and their owners were no doubt thankful.

Compared to the Fourth of July extravaganza provided by Odessa 100 years ago (see This Week in Odessa History, page 3), this year's event was positively sedate. The firemen are to be heartily thanked for providing a reason to gather in the park and converse with our neighbors. The other activities might even expand to include more diverse things to do.

But on the other hand, do we really need more planned activities? Plenty of people enjoy going out to the area's lakes to relax and enjoy nature. Sometimes that's all that is needed for rejuvenation.