A very dry Rain Day
…I returned to my computer to write this column not too long after Rain Day 2008 came to a conclusion, and I have to admit I’m having a difficult time typing because I am soaked to the bone. Yes, that was not a typo. After spending all day walking up and down High Street in Waynesburg, snapping photos, watching the live entertainment and indulging in a few healthy snacks – you know, the traditional Rain Day smorgasbord of cheese fries, pepper steaks and funnel cakes – I was indeed soaking wet. But in case you readers are wondering if maybe you left early and somehow missed a late-evening downpour, or if maybe if I was suffering from some crazy delusions of imaginary precipitation, let me assure you…I was a soaked, sopping mess because of perspiration, a combination of spending numerous hours walking in near-90-degree weather while wearing long pants and a heavy shirt AND lugging in what seemed like an endless number of boxes, tables and chairs from the Messenger booth.
(Okay, I’ll be honest…I actually only carried a few boxes and spent the rest of the time watching our sales rep Scott Sance do most of the heavy lifting. But, it sure was humid out there watching him work while shoveling down a gyro.)
Anyway, now that Rain Day 2008 is officially behind us (only 364 days till next year’s event! Mark your calendars!), I can relax, take a deep breath in my wonderfully cold office and reflect on the sights and sounds – and even the smells – of this year’s shindig, a festival that can accurately be described as Waynesburg’s biggest block party of the year.
Let’s start with the obvious facts: It didn’t rain on July 29, 2008, meaning that – according to my shaky mathematic skills – for the 24th time in the last 134 years Mother Nature failed to turn on her sprinkler (or unleash a flood-like fury) on the ‘Burg. The lack of rain, of course, meant that Waynesburg Mayor Blair Zimmerman lost the traditional hat bet to Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. For those keeping score, the loss means that Mr. Zimmerman’s overall hat bet record as mayor has fallen to below .500, at 2-3.
Despite the lack of any showers or rainfall, however, there is no doubt that this year’s rainless Rain Day was very well-attended and there was no shortage of fun entertainment throughout the day. The dancing performances were top-notch, the contestants who competed in the Colgate Country Showdown did a terrific job, the contests were fun (especially the husband-calling contest), and the kids who competed in the umbrella and Baby Rain Day contests were absolutely adorable. And I have to give two big “Greene Thumbs” up to the headlining act, DecembeRadio, who entertained the crowd with a terrific set of rockin’ music with a powerful Christian message. (The crowd really seemed to be into this band, and for good reason: They were talented, charismatic and energetic. My only issue with the band is that I was enjoying them so much I was bummed that they didn’t play a little longer.)
I also wanted to thank the many folks who stopped by the Messenger booth throughout the day for a chance to win some prizes or to chat with us about potentially interesting ideas for future news and sports stories. It was also nice to see some familiar faces who I haven’t seen for a while…like, for example, my PARENTS, who helpfully reminded me that I’ve been a stranger lately and haven’t taken the time to be a good son and drop by for a visit or even pick up the phone. (Proving, once again, that no matter how old you get your parents can always make you feel guilty for being a bad kid.)
And while I’m at it, I also want to offer up a hearty “Congrats” to all the individuals who worked hard to put together another solid Rain Day. Kudos to the Special Events Commission, the Rain Day Scholarship Inc., the Miss Rain Day contestants, the Waynesburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Waynesburg Borough police, Mayor Blair Zimmerman and many others (who will be mad at me for leaving out their names…you know who you are!) Oh, and “Thank You” to Doug Wilson, Jason Tennant, Melody Longstreth, Jeanine Henry, Emilia Bertugli, Sam McCollum, Jed Howard, and Athena Bowman for providing the Messenger information that was used for our annual Rain Day issue.
Finally, I want to recognize this year’s Miss Rain Day, Elissa McCracken, who allowed us to take her photograph for our front page. We received many nice compliments about our Rain Day cover and issue, one that has become an exciting Rain Day tradition for the Messenger. Each year on Rain Day, we will dedicate the whole front page to the newly crowned contestant. We will do this because we feel that Miss Rain Day is the true representative of one of Waynesburg’s most cherished traditions…
…Geez, I just re-read what I’ve typed so far, and I feel like I wrote an Oscar acceptance speech. Enough about Rain Day! Let’s move on to the Greene County Fair, which begins this Sunday. We’ll be there all week snapping photos and covering a lot of different fun-filled fair activities. Be sure to stop by the Messenger booth (inside the 4-H Building) and grab some free goodies, and don’t forget to grab a copy of our 2008 Official Greene County Fair Guide. You can find the guide inside this very issue, and they will also be available at the fair. We’re very proud of the hard work that went into making this year’s Fair Guide one of the Messenger’s best ever, and we know you’ll find plenty of interesting features, schedules and even historical facts about the Greene County Fair that you won’t find anywhere else…
…Okay, I’ve done enough shilling. Time to get the overalls out and the cowboy hat on. We’ll see ya at the fair!