By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
YACHATS – Yachats must have slept in on the Fourth.
At least that was the unofficial official word from the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at the Lions Hall.
“We’ve completely run out of sausage,” said Phil Wells, who worked the grill in the parking lot while the line at the door continued to stack up. “We are going to the store to buy more. What we had the first two hours we doubled in the last hour. It’s like everyone slept in until 10.”
“I think we we’re running out of eggs too,” said a fellow Lions member who arrived with six packages of link sausage and news they’d bought out the market’s supply.
In the kitchen Lions president David OKelley’s forearm was a blur as he scrambled the last of the eggs in a cast-iron skillet the size of a garbage-can lid.
Forty-five dozen eggs, more than 70 pounds of sausage, 22 pounds of ham, 125 pounds of pancake mix, six gallons of syrup, eight gallons of orange juice (“Do you know how much OJ costs these days?” OKelley asked.) – two gallons of milk and enough coffee to float a boat was just enough to feed the crowd that showed up.
“In the old days I think we peaked at about 400 people,” OKelley said. “We’ll go over 300 today.”
Tracking the number of diners one slash mark at a time in a spiral notebook was former mayor and Lions member Gerald Stanley.
“I think it’s going to be a record,” he said as attendance ticked past 330. “We started out slow. We didn’t think there would be much and then they kept coming and coming.”
One of six helpers from Angell Job Corps, David Blankemeier, said the Lions had fed them well before getting started. “Bread and water,” quipped a passing Lion.
“I’m enjoying it,” said Blankemeier, who hails from Lakewood, Wash. “I love this community. I’ve washed every fork five times over already.”
By the time the last spoonful of eggs was doled out the official tally served was 380.
One diner attested to the breakfast’s ability to anchor him through the rest of the Independence Day celebration, no matter how strong any wind, as he made his way from the dining hall to the patriotic sing-along.
“Those pancakes hit my stomach like concrete,” he said with a smirk.
Patriotic sing along
Proud notes from a trumpet kicked off the inaugural patriotic sing-along behind the Yachats Commons followed by a call to “stand for the colors” as the four-person Coast Guard detail marched front and center for the singing of the national anthem.
The band, which consisted of a director flanked by a trumpet and accordion player, followed with crowd favorites that included the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land” before closing with songs honoring all branches of the military.
Flags waved in the gentle breeze, while revelers dressed in all things red, white and blue including tie-dyes, American flag skirts, frocks and socks, along with rainbow colored high-top sneakers and hairdos, and veterans in campaign hats sang along.
La de da parade
The Yachats Umbrella Precision Drill Team, decked in eclectic outfits exploding in a profusion of color prepared for the start of the parade with umbrellas up as the bluebird sky and bright sun promised no need for “chutes open” except to perform.
“Suns out, buns out!” called out drill team leader Will Webster. “We are happy and ready to go.”
Also warming up were the pint-sized members of the Yachats Youth and Family Activities Program Kazoo Crew who blasted away with unmatched energy.
Finally, at the strike of noon, with a cool north wind kicking up off an emerald sea, the parade got underway — down West Seventh Street and onto Ocean View Drive where throngs of onlookers lined the way.
Mayor Craig Berdie pedaling a bicycle decorated with a cardboard sign that read “Mayor Mobile” spearheaded the procession, which boasted 33 groups who marched and danced and passed out candy along the way.
The Yachats Trails Committee draped in invasive species, pushed past with “Ivy Queen” Joanne Kittel riding in a wheelbarrow. A kid-pleasing Tyrannosaurus rex rumbled down the road. There was a rainbow band, Smokey the Bear, pink-clad Coast Busters walking for breast cancer, a herd of shrimp riders (“not my idea” called out the husband of an organizer) and paper mache seagulls that stunned the crowd by squirting out a steady supply of droppings.
Followed, whether by plan or providence, by a brigade of Bassett hounds, who lapped up the leavings with tail-wagging enthusiasm.
“What do you suppose it is?” one family mused.
“Maybe marshmallow or whip cream, but I’m not trying it,” came the conclusion. (It was whipped cream.)
The umbrella team, Pride and social justice groups, Angell Job Corps, border collies, the Green Bike Coop, Community Gardeners complete with walking carrot and pea pod were just some of the groups that rounded out the quintessential small-town parade.
“I loved it,” said Ilene Samowitz of South Beach. “Happy to see the PFLAG representation.
“I think it’s wonderful how much enthusiasm was in the parade,” said one Yachats resident. “We go every year. And wonderful to see all the Bassett hounds. Yahoo! Happy Fourth!”
Duck Race
This year’s Duck Race, hosted by YYFAP sold 1,521 tickets. The race, held in the Yachats River bay, sold 1,000 last year. All proceeds go to help finance their programs.
“Truly, it is the local people who give so much to this,” said co-organizer John Hettinger after he helped to corral a gaggle of rubber ducks which jumped the gun before the scheduled start.
Kids waded into the water to help as the ducks proceeded down the watery chute to the finish where duck No. 1,038 paddled in first to claim two nights at Heceta Head Bed & Breakfast and a $150 gift certificate to Ona Restaurant for its lucky backer.
The kids, who were not sure if the Founding Fathers celebrated independence with a duck race, shared their thoughts about what the holiday means.
“The state of America,” 6-year-old Karolina Lavery of Yachats proclaimed with assurance.
“It stands for the day we got freedom,” chimed in her 8-year-old sister, Kyla.
Six-year-old Haley Athman, visiting from Minnetonka, Minn., said “America’s birthday.”
Her sister Jocelyn, 8, elaborated.
“It stands for the day of independence,” she said. “There was a war going on and America was finally free.”
Fireworks crescendo
This year’s Fourth of July celebration, which saw thousands descend upon the hamlet by the sea from all over the country, continued into the night with the fourth annual Rock the Block party featuring live music, games and enough free pulled pork and chili to feed 500 – hosted by Marc and Jennifer Taylor, owners of Styx, Stones N’ Bones.
Then came the dazzling finale as 900 pounds of fireworks zipped, fizzled, popped and exploded in a rain of color that reflected off the glassy surface of the dark waters at land’s end – bringing to mind the lyrics ‘by the rocket’s red glare’ as the final booms echoed off the flank of Cape Perputua.
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
Well done, everybody!
Absolutely the best 4th of July in our three years residing here in Yachats. Everyone had a blast. Bobbi Price outdid herself this year.