Published: July 05, 2009 12:38 am      

ROYALTON: Old-fashioned fun at Royalton’s Fourth

ROYALTON — by Bill Wolcott

bill.wolcott@lockportjournal.com

ROYALTON — Natives and neighbors celebrated the Fourth of July in family fashion Saturday at the Royalton Ravine for some old-fashioned fun.

There were games for children, picnic benches for old-timers, a parade down Gasport Road and fireworks. Four bands entertained and folks enjoyed barbecue chicken dinner.

Meghan Redenbach, 14, was there, hale and hearty, after a bout with a rare ovarian cancer. The Royalton-Hartland student was showing off a baseball cap she designed through New Era for Roswell Park. Meghan, who is going into ninth grade, picked out the colors, the design and the font. The black cap with teal and green trim will be sold as a fundraiser.

“I finished all my treatments and everything is good,” she said. “I’m excited that everything is done and over with. It was rough at times but I think it taught everybody a lot, not just me, but everybody I know.”

Meghan has another surgery next week to take out a medaport and has been cleared to play volleyball.

“Tuesday, they have another CAT scan,” Meghan’s father, Michael. “Right now they’re saying she’s cancer-free. We’re just celebrating the Fourth and it’s a good time to display the hat.”

Teal is the color of the ribbon for ovarian cancer and Meghan’s favorite color is lime green. The lettering is in a graffiti font.

The family unveiled the New Era New Hope hats Saturday. Hats can be purchased at Roswell and New Era New Hope for $20. There are three different caps, one in each age group, and Meghan was chosen out of 30 children in her group.

There were about 50 floats in the parade and lollipop gambling, pluck a duck, Ping-Pong toss, Wheel of 4-Tune, Knock em down, putting games for children. Kids looked for gold coins and made castles in the sand. There was also face painting.

Sara Pynn of Lockport watched as sons Spencer, 5, and Lucas, 2, were playing in the sand and searching for a coin. “I like that it’s family-friendly,” the mother said.

Dixieland band 23-Skidoo played during the chicken barbecue, followed by Last Call, Urban Renewal and the Red House band. About 100 businesses and members of the community made donations, as well as the Town of Royalton. Shuttle buses carried folks from Gasport and Terry’s Corners Fire Companies.

The picnic started seven years ago at the Talk of the Town and then moved to the Ravine in its second year.

“I know most everybody around here in Gasport,” said Norm Washbon, 81, a Harrison retiree who was wearing a straw hat and enjoying the barbecue. “It’s been pretty good. Everyone seems to enjoy themselves here.”

Jeff Brown, the chairman of the picnic, donated a 20-by-30 foot American flag which was raised during the “Star-Spangled Banner” just before the fireworks.