Picture this: the world’s biggest back yard barbecue meets the circus in the middle of a red-white-and-blue paint factory.
That’s a pretty fair description of the Olympic Torch relay festivities that took place in the Twin Cities Monday evening. The Twin City Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event, which marked nearly the halfway point of the torch’s 15,000-mile journey to the Olympics in Atlanta this July.
Thousands watched, many waving flags or sporting patriotic colors, as the torch made its way through streets lined with welcoming signs and festive banners. Hundreds of gallons of ice cream, thousands of cookies, cupcakes and snow cones, and a river of soft drinks were enjoyed free of charge by the crowd, estimated by chamber officials to be near 10,000.
Babies in strollers, kids on rollerblades, families on bicycles – they all seemed to enjoy an atmosphere of small-town friendliness mixed with Olympic excitement.
Several local high school bands played patriotic selections, their members sporting Olympic T-shirts. The Jefferson College Chamber Singers performed as well as the Patriots, a men’s vocal group associated with the American Legion. Several former Olympians spoke to the crowd, and a videotaped address by U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley (D-New Jersey) was shown. Other singers, including Miss Missouri Amy Reinhart, entertained from a main stage near the intersection of Bailey Road and Truman Boulevard.
“It’s really exciting,” said Marlene Brown of Barnhart, who strolled Bailey Road early in the evening with her husband, Terry, and children, Matthew and Megan.
“I just hope the torch is on time.”
Donna Krassinger of Hillsboro eyed the crowd as she enjoyed a bowl of ice cream with her mother, LaVerne Nicholas of St. Louis.
“I had no idea it was going to be this big,” Krassinger marvelled. “This is great.”
Rosalyn Flecke of Crystal City, home for the summer from Graceland College in Iowa, felt sure the event would help put her home town on the map.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be this big – but hey maybe this will let people know where Crystal City is,” she said.
Nine-year-old Savanna Hoffmeister of Fenton sat on the curb to enjoy a cool treat.
“This is neat,” she said.
Her sister nodded, smiling through a chocolate ice cream moustache.
“I like the ice cream,” said 6-year-old Angelina.
Mike White and Joe Orsega threaded their mountain bikes through the crowd, keeping and eye our for anyone needing help.
They made up one of the two-man bike teams the Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District had on the scene.
“It’s a new thing – this is our first time out,” Orsega said. “Hopefully they (the bikes) will make it easier for us to get to people.”
Although there were two bike teams and two ambulance units available, JPAD Captain Ken Boyer said there were no real problems to deal with.
“It’s been a pretty quiet evening, really,” he said just before the torch arrived at 9:45, carried by Jefferson R-7 eighth-grader Zac McVey and Cardinal shortstop Ozzie Smith.
Police officers from both Festus and Crystal City were on hand, and agreed the crowd was a well behaved one.
“About the only thing we’ve had all evening has been a lost child or two,” said Festus police detective Paul Wilkey. “And we got that straightened our right away.” After the actual arrival of the torch, which passed beneath a 50-foot-high American flag stretched across Bailey Road, the Crowd enjoyed a 10-minute fireworks display.
“Awesome!” said McKenzie Baer of Festus, who enjoyed the display with her sisters, Christina and Kelly Jo.
Mary Postal of Festus, who braved her dislike of crowds to bring daughter Katie to the festivities, watched as Katie gazed up at the brilliant colors.
“It’s really cool,” Katie said.
“She’s glad she got to see Ozzie Smith,” said her mother.
Mike Walsh, chairman of the Olympic Torch Committee, said his group was pleased all around with the way the evening turned out.
“We had a lot of good people working on this,” he said. “And it all really came together well.
“We’re lucky the weather cooperated, too.”