APPLE VALLEY — The Apple Core Ladies sponsored a family palooza on July 29 at Floral Valley Community Center that featured fun and entertainment for kids of all ages.
Events included a baby crawl, water tables, yard games, balloons, and a duck game.
Children and teens participated in activities such as slip-n-slide, face painting, face tattoos, bubble machine, archery, and BB gun shooting. Pixie sticks, a scavenger hunt, a hula hoop contest, and STACKEM cups were also part of the fun.
“The garden club set up a booth, and the kids enjoyed making bracelets at their booth,” Sue Caudill, president of the Apple Core Ladies, said. “The Cookie Monster was there to pass out the cookies for the winners of the cookie walk, and Tessy the Clown passed out balloons.
“The water tables were a big hit for the smaller kids, and the giant yard games were enjoyed by all,” she added.
At the Girl Scouts’ booth, children of all ages made crafts.
Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, under the leadership of Patrick Adams, sold snow cones as a relief from the heat.
“The Scouts were a great addition to our activities,” Caudill said.
Amid the many youth-oriented activities, the palooza featured the cookie walk and putting green for the adults.
Entertainment highlights included the East Knox band under the direction of Sarsa Jancura.
“It was a big hit of the palooza,” Caudill said of the 50-member band.
Food trucks from the East Knox Band Boosters and Apple Valley Singers fed attendees. The palooza also featured free popcorn and Popsicles.
A focus on fellowship
The Apple Core Ladies has existed for 47 years. Caudill joined after moving to Apple Valley in 2010. She has served as president for the past two years.
“It started out as a homemakers group and evolved to apple core,” Caudill explained. “Our mission is to provide fellowship and do several service projects throughout the year. We adopt families at Christmas, Christmas carol for shut-ins, donate supplies to the school, donate for service dogs, things like that.”
The club meets once a month. It grew from 35 members to 80 after COVID. Caudill credits the growth to people being ready to get out and get involved.
The group sponsored the palooza because it made $664 on baskets that were raffled at an Apple Valley dinner.
“We decided to use part of our money and give back to the community,” Caudill explained. “We keep hearing that Apple Valley needs more family activities, so over a planning session one morning of three folks, an idea was born, and a plan was carried out to a very successful day.”
Caudill estimates attendance at around 500, which she says is pretty good since there was a last-minute change in location.
“The weather was forecast for 80 percent rain and 85 degrees. As most of us in AC have a few years behind us, I was concerned about our health and being outside for a long period of time as it was planned,” she said. “We made a last-minute change on Wednesday at about 2 and a scramble pursued!”
More fun to come
Caudill appreciates the companies and individuals who donated baked goods, trinkets and prizes, and popcorn or Popscicles to the palooza. Donors include Momma T’s Baker, Rural King, Sherrie and Joe Toth, Killbuck Bank, and Dollar General.
The July 29 family palooza was the first for Apple Valley. Caudill termed it “quite successful.”
“There’s nothing better than seeing happy smiling faces of little kids,” she said. “Lists are being made, ideas are being formed, contacts are being contacted, and a bigger and better Palooza 2024 is in the works.”
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