Jamboree grills through the afternoon

THOMPSON FALLS – The sweet smells of barbecue sauce and grilled chicken filled the air in Thompson Falls as 465 pounds of chicken was grill up for the annual Chicken Jamboree.

PPL Power Park served as the host site for the grilling festivities on Saturday, July 19 as the residents of Thompson Falls were treated to a lunch on the lawn.

The Community Christians Men’s Prayer Group put on the 24th annual event with members of the group grilling up thighs and wings, while others served guests.

“Today is going very well. We have had a steady crowd this morning,” Don Burrell, president of the Community Christians Men’s Prayer Group, said.

The marinated grilled chicken was not the only food item on the menu with potato salad, baked beans, rolls, iced tea and lemonade also available to those in attendance.

Though the food was free, donations were gratefully accepted.

“The money we raise stays in the local area and goes back into the community,” Burrell said.

Burrell listed Helping Hands and worthwhile causes at Thompson Falls High School as typical destinations for the donated money.

In order to make sure visitors to the annual jamboree did not go away hungry the local prayer group made a concerted effort to keep the event running smoothly throughout the day.

Burrell said he was out at 7 a.m. picking up groceries, before heading to the park and preparing the grills for the day’s cookout.

According to Burrell the prayer group had over 450 pounds of chicken on hand for the day-long jamboree and hoped to go through all of it by the time the crowds thinned out in the late afternoon.

The event itself ran from 11 a.m. trough 4 p.m. and featured a group of live musicians, who performed for the assembled crowd in the park.

Among the musicians were Joe and Paula Forest from Eureka.

The Forests played a set of country gospel music for the attendees as crowds continued to filter in.

As the park filled up, a number of foldable lawn chairs were deployed throughout the area as lunch-goers picked out shady spots in which to enjoy the freshly fire-grilled chicken.

In addition to the music and the tasty treats available at the jamboree, gift certificate drawings were held over the course of the event and face painting was available for the youngest visitors.

Children in attendance were also treated to an opportunity to receive an assortment of balloon animals.

Pastor Grant Applehans of the First Lutheran Church in Plains was on hand in the park to provide the enthusiastic youngsters with balloon animals of all shapes and sizes.

All signs pointed to a successful event as smiles filled the faces of young and old visitors to the jamboree.

The prayer group who sponsored the event is a nondenominational Christian group, which meets for breakfast on the second Saturday of each month at 7:30 a.m.

Locations for the group’s monthly meetings rotate between local businesses within the Thompson Falls area.