Happy Birthday, America!

Greenville Eagles Celebrates America’s Independence

Celebrants from Greenville and surrounding areas packed Shade Road Saturday night to enjoy great music and one of the most “moving” fireworks displays many can remember.

“The best I’ve ever seen,” said several celebrants.

One person said, “Five minutes more and it would have been better than those he’s seen in Columbus.”

The 25-minute computerized display was non-stop fireworks set to music, timed from beginning to end with patriotic and similar tunes.

Visitors started arriving at noon for the “Darke County’s Got Talent” karaoke semi-finals, followed at 3 p.m. by “Cotton.” “Classified” was the headliner. They started at 6 p.m. and played until shortly before “showtime” at 10 p.m.

Joe Shumaker, Eagles Worthy President, said the parking lot and grassed in area that had been set aside for parking, was full by 9 p.m.

“We were packed,” he said, adding that much work was going to be needed to handle next year’s crowd “once word gets around about this year’s celebration.”

Greenville Eagles, F.O.E. 2177, is a fraternal, volunteer organization dedicated solely to service to Greenville and Darke County. Aerie membership is $25 a year; Auxiliary membership is $17 a year. Funding for all Eagles activities and community sponsorships is through the support of its members. The Eagles has been funding the Independence Day Celebration for the past four years.

For the first time, The Eagles has joined hands with Darke County Center for the Arts for another great evening at Shade Road.

On July 16, The Eagles and DCCA will be sponsoring an evening of Ribs ‘n Blues. It starts at 6 p.m. and features “Ray Fuller & The Blues Rockers.” Tickets are $12 for ribs or chicken, a side and a beverage of your choice. Tickets are available at the door for $17 as long as the food lasts.

Any Eagles officer or DCCA board member will have tickets available for presale.

Photos by Greg Peck and Bob Robinson. Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive notification of his comments, opinions and reports when they are posted, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.