By Terrie Schmidt-Crosby
The Record 

Quiet Independence Day in Odessa

 

Last updated 7/8/2021 at 8:51am

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby

The kitchen crew in the Odessa Community Center served up meals they assembled for the July 4 Firemen's Barbecue: HaLee Walter, Deanna Lobe, April Steward, Barbara Walter, Stephen Walter, Trevor Smith, Colley Walter, Mike Hardung, Phyllis Sebesta and Mark Sebesta. See more Independence Day photos on page 5.

ODESSA – July 4 fell on a Sunday this year, and although Sunday is normally a quiet day in Odessa most of the time, it was also the day for two events downtown. The Firemen's BBQ at the community center served up lunches to all comers from the side door (not the window, as was decided after we had gone to press with last week's issue). The kitchen crew had a well-organized setup, with cooking performed in the commercial kitchen and an assembly line set up right outside the kitchen. Hungry folk started coming right after the 11 a.m. start. The outdoor crew of Shaun Steward, collecting donations in two firemen's boots, and Brian Schorzman, taking orders and delivering lunches to cars and pedestrians, kept things moving, while Rural Fire Chief Roger Sebesta delivered lunches to residences of those who had called in their requests.


The crews were all well prepared for a good crowd, and Odessa folks did not disappoint. The firemen served 330 lunches within their three-hour window. They had plenty of food available and did not run out, but they also did not have very much left over, just enough for the firemen and their families to also eat well. They were very pleased with the results, according to Sebesta.

One hungry visitor was Doug Bonstrom, a gentleman who provides firefighter training to several area fire departments, including Odessa's. Sebesta said Bonstrom was a regular at the Odessa July 4 Firemen's BBQ.


The other event in downtown Odessa Sunday was a car, truck, bike and tractor show put on by Nate Lathrop, proprietor of Rolling Thunder Pizza. Vendors had been invited, and a group called Ladies Who Rock was on hand to host live musical performances and Karaoke throughout the day, as a fund-raising effort to feed the hungry and support no-kill animal shelters. Several clusters of people were seen enjoying the shade on the south side of First Avenue as the event took place.

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby

Odessa Rural Fire Chief Roger Sebesta serves as the deliveryman for the July 4 Firemen's Barbecue to those who requested it.

As far as the issue of fireworks setting off fires in the area, the Odessa citizens appeared willing to forego the pleasure this year. No explosions were heard and no fireworks were seen on a drive through the town shortly after darkness fell. And no fires were reported in the immediate Odessa area.

Author Bio

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, Editor

Terrie Schmidt-Crosby is an editor with Free Press Publishing. She is the former owner and current editor of the Odessa Record, based in Odessa, Wash.

 

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