Kids Have Blast for Fourth of July...

Joey Luciani of Birmingham, Alabama, was a champion in the greased pole contest. Joey was more than willing to let family and friends in on his trick for success. “I put sand on my belly and that makes me stick,” he informed everyone.

Potato sack races, balloon tosses, greased poles, and penny digs were just a few of the activities offered at the Fourth of July Kids’ Day, sponsored by the Mackinac Island Fire Department. The activities took place at Windermere Point.

Island firefighter Joe Gugin was on hand to help kids spray water with the fire hose. Kids of all ages participated, and even a grandmother stepped in to join the fun. Said Mr. Gugin, “It’s really a blast, watching all the kids have fun.”

Abby Rosengren of Grand Rapids (left) and Hailey Bean of Mackinac Island scrounged for a white coin in the penny digging. White coins meant prizes for the girls and everyone else involved.

The Island fire truck was on hand for kids to explore, and firefighter uniforms were available for kids to try on.

The greased pole was one of the highlights of the afternoon. Sergeant Jason St. Onge prepared the pole with vegetable shortening and tied a $10 bill at the top. The stakes were later raised to $20, and Joey Luciani of Birmingham was a two-time winner, netting himself a total of $30. He and his family spend most of the summer on the Island, so when he was asked what he would do with his winnings, he knew immediately.

“I’m going straight to Doc’s House of Magic,” he said.

Children also received free ice cream and plastic firefighter hats.

The activities are supported from the sale of T-shirts.