Sunny Saturday in the City

By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director


Our meteorologist and Betty Jane Monjar were right.

Saturday was the annual Betty Jane Monjar Garden Walk and, according to tour committee member Becky Ryan, Monjar said the second weekend July is the least likely to rain and gardens are at their most beautiful.

Ryan said Monjar kept track of the Bradford weather for many years, so when she, Janet Detweiler and Debbie Lowrey decided to start the garden tour, they picked the second weekend in July.

"We've never been rained out," Ryan said. "Ever."



Even the koi in Dan and Sandy O'Brien's garden pond seemed to enjoy the weather. The O'Brien's backyard "sanctuary" was one of three stops on the annual garden walk. Before the walk, people enjoyed lunch and a mini-symposium at the First Presbyterian Church. The speaker was Tom Parsons of Pittsburgh.

As for the scientific forecast, News 4 Meteorologist Mike Cejka said Saturday would be mostly sunny with a high near 90. Showers and thunderstorms were in the forecast for Saturday night, however.

Crews with Sports Construction Group of Cleveland, Ohio, took advantage of Saturday's weather by putting some of the finishing touches on the end zones and center of the new Parkway Field.


Many people throughout the city had yard sales and porch sales, while others simply enjoyed the day by strolling along the Richard E. McDowell Community Trail. Others could be seen walking or running along Campus Drive or bicycling throughout the city. Both Hanley and Callahan parks welcomed basketball players and kids who like swinging.


Dozens of motorcyclists used the day to raise money for Charlie Company, 112th Infantry of the local National Guard Unit, which is being deployed to Iraq later this year. The inaugural "Operation Salute" Dice Run got underway from the VFW on Barbour Street.

The money raised will go toward helping not only the troops, but their families, while they are overseas.

Staff Sergeant Steve Jones said the support from the community has been overwhelming.

"It really helps a lot. It helps morale just to know the people support us," Jones said. "Even if they don't support the war, they support the soldiers and that's very important."

Just a few yards from the kick-off of the dice run, Ray Owen was treating youngsters at the Bradford Area Public Library to his "Insect Odyssey." The event was part of the library's summer reading program. This year's theme is "Buggy for Books." Although the youngsters and their parents were inside on part of a beautiful Saturday, they could have gone to their backyards after the program and looked for the bugs they learned about.

People who didn't get out and enjoy the sunshine on Saturday are out of luck until Monday. Cejka is calling for rain and thunderstorms for much of the early part of the day on Sunday.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks for showing off some of the best parts of Bradford!

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