Multitude of activities planned in Medical Lake

Since 1972, the Medical Lake Founder’s Day celebration has made its way down Lefevre Street and this year is no exception.

Held annually on the third Saturday in June, Founder’s Day includes many of its traditional activities – the parade, the three-on-three basketball tournament, the mini-triathlon and lots of food vendors. This year’s June 19 event promises to be no exception.

Bob Kibling, the organizer of the event this year, said he hopes to hold a kids’ parade before the big parade. He hopes to see them marching down the street walking their dogs, riding bikes or pulling wagons.

“Whatever the kids want to do,” he said. “I really think we’ll have a good kids’ parade this year.”

Kibling has made one change. He said entrants can walk along the big parade route and hand candy to children, but they won’t be throwing it as in the past – that way the kids won’t have to run into the street to get it.

He wants to have pony rides and a petting zoo and activities to keep people downtown after the parade. He’s been talking to Scouting groups to set up kids’ activities and plans to have live bluegrass music.

It’s the first year Kibling has organized the event, and he is still looking for volunteers. Right now he has four people helping him.

“I’m trying to get more people interested in giving up a little more of their time on the town,” he said.

He said Lindebee’s Diner has donated a free buffet breakfast to senior citizens and dignitaries from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Anyone interested in going should get there early – there will be enough food for only 50 people.

Along with lining up events, Kibling is also working to raise funds for the event – the city isn’t sponsoring it so he needs to find funds to pay for the insurance. The Medical Lake branch of Sterling Savings Bank has contributed $750.

The day will include a bus ride to visit historical places in Medical Lake. There also will be a room in the old SCOPE building on SR902 and Lefevre dedicated to a historical exhibit.

There will be a chili cook-off at Denny’s Harvest Foods and information booths from the new Veterans’ Cemetery opening at the end of this month and a booth from the Ice Age Flood Institute in Cheney.

“I think it’s going to be a good day.”