WILKINSON — Every town has its favorite son; tiny Wilkinson, with a population of 451 (according to the most recent census) will celebrate its claim to fame on June 24 with the first Weir Cook Community Day.
The celebration — named after Hoosier hero and World War I flying ace Harvey Weir Cook — features a cruise-in as its main event starting at 10 a.m. All vehicles are welcome; the first 50 to arrive and register for the $10 fee will receive a dash plaque commemorating the event for their vehicles.
Vehicle registrations already are coming in, according to event promoter and Wilkinson resident Christy Broady — a selection of vintage vehicles that includes eight to ten tractors.
Replicas of famous cars will be on display: Herbie the Love Bug from the 1968 Disney movie, which spawned several sequels, and the 1972 GMC Matador, better known as the police car from the Adam-12 television series that ran from 1968 to 1975.
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Live entertainment will add music to the festivities. Hoosier singer-songwriter and U.S. Navy veteran Roy Carter will perform, along with the Willow Branch band, a local band that plays everything from rock to country.
Broady is especially delighted with the duck pond — a pool filled with water and ducks that children can pick to win prizes. The rubber ducks in the pool will all be dressed in military garb to represent the Army, Air Force, Marines and Navy.
The attire of the ducks is appropriate considering the funds raised from the event, which Broady hopes will become an annual celebration, are earmarked toward the construction of a veterans center in Hancock County.
Broady has long been an advocate for veterans and their concerns; she has volunteered for years at a veterans center in Marion County. When local residents
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What: Weir Cook Community Day
Where: Weir Cook Community Park, 199 E. C St., Wilkinson
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Event includes a cruise-in with $10 registration, live music, children’s activities and food
Visit: Weir Cook Community Day, Wilkinson IN on Facebook for more information
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Weir Cook Community Day aligns with the Annual Wilkinson Garage Sale on June 24, where many community members set up rummage sales with lots of antiques, furniture, toys, clothes and knickknacks. Visit Wilkinson Garage Sales on Facebook for more information.
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