GRAHAM COUNTY — Residents of the Gila Valley had plenty of opportunities to celebrate the Independence Day holiday Monday.
The Town of Pima got things started at 7 a.m. with its annual Fourth of July Breakfast. The meal of pancakes, eggs and bacon was served at Pioneer Park and donations of $3 per plate benefited Eastern Arizona Museum and Historical Society.
“It’s great that people get together, they come see their neighbors (and) they visit. It’s beautiful out there; the weather’s great, and I think it’s what makes Pima, Pima,” said Pima Mayor Dale Rogers, who prepared the scrambled eggs for the hundreds who attended.
Darwin Weech, who was manning one of the pancake griddles, said Pima has been celebrating the Fourth of July as a community since its founding in 1879. He said there was a newspaper account around the turn of the 20th century that said the community traveled up Mount Graham to celebrate with a flag-raising and a baseball game.
“I don’t know a single year (that Pima) has missed,” Weech said.
Pima also made the public pool available for free for residents and had a fireworks celebration after sundown.
In Thatcher, the town conducted its annual fire engine wake-up at 6:30 a.m., followed by the People’s Parade at 7 a.m., starting from Thatcher High School and traveling to Splash Pad Park.
At the park, the town was treated to a free pancake breakfast made and served by members of the Town Council.
“I fell like our community is very patriotic and loves this country, and it shows,” said Mayor Randy Bryce.
At the park the town conducted a patriotic program — including flag-raising and signing of the national anthem by Zaylie Windsor — there was a parachute candy drop by a passing airplane, bounce castles for the children and the event culminated with children being sprayed by hoses from a Thatcher Fire Department engine.
In Safford, the day’s celebration started at 9:45 a.m. with a Safford Fire Department ladder truck raising a giant flag and the singing of the national anthem and “God Bless America” by Zaylie Windsor, followed by the Gila Valley Fourth of July Parade down Main Street.
“The Fourth of July Parade was great,” said organizer Mike Andazola with the Safford Lions Club. “We had a lot of people participating. We want to say, ‘Thank you’ to the community and, most of all, we want to thank our grand marshal Marge Schade. We’re just thankful for what she’s done for this community.”
Schade, who owns the local Pepsi Bottling operation, is a long-time supporter of the Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition and the Boys and Girls Club of the Gila Valley. She also celebrated her 99th birthday on July 4.
Safford wrapped up the day’s events with a fireworks celebration at Graham County Fairgrounds.
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