Volume XXX, Number 11
November 27, 2009
Community Attends Inaugural Fall Festival
BY NAJI TOBIAS - Staff Reporter
FT. PIERCE — The Ft. Pierce Tribal community’s
fi rst-ever Fall Festival, held on Oct. 24 at Chupco’s Landing,
featured an early Halloween theme that served as the
primary focus for the weekend.
There were a slew of activities at the event, including
a hayride, dunk tank, haunted house and costume contest.
On Oct. 23, the day before the festival, community
members and employees also partook in a four-game bowling
tournament, held at the SuperPlay USA bowling alley.
Ft. Pierce Liaison Sally R. Tommie said the weekend
event, which was primarily fun, peaceful and serene, was
assembled so Tribal families could spend time together.
“This is something that Ft. Pierce has wanted to do,”
Liaison Tommie said. “In almost every setting, we talk
about family involvement in the community.”
With the Fall Festival set to get the Tribal citizens out
of their new homes in the gated Chupco’s Landing community,
all things were set up for an experience to remember.
And the event certainly lived up to that, with participants
reveling in the many activities.
reveling in the many activities.
In addition to the Halloween-themed activities, festival
attendees could make donations with the proceeds benefitting U.S. troops overseas.
The money raised was
used to purchase items such
as toiletries and non-perishable
foods.
With the supplies slated
to be sent to countries
such as Iraq and Afghanistan,
proceeds will also go
to the America’s Moms for
Soldiers nonprofi t organization,
according to Liaison
Tommie.
“We didn’t want to wait
until Veterans Day to show
our appreciation for the soldiers
out in war right now,”
she said. “It’s a good way to
show our gratitude for the
men and women fi ghting for
our freedom.”
In addition to the aforementioned
activities, there
was a bobbing for apples
contest, in which blindfolded
participants picked up a smiley-faced apple from a
large water-fi lled bucket. A face-painting activity was
popular with the younger Tribal youth, while a set of
carnival rides like the slide and the rodeo ambush kept
those involved busy.
Ke’Yhara Tommie, 10, was one of the scores of
people who enjoyed the carnival-style rides the Ft.
Pierce Fall Festival had to offer.
“It was so fun and so fast,” Tommie said shortly
after getting off the rodeo ambush ride. “I had a great
time.”
And so did 25-year-old Tribal citizen Antonio Timothy,
who said safety at an event is the key to having a
great time.
“It was a good idea for us to have something positive
to do,” Timothy said. “Here at
the Fall Festival, if you come
here, you know you’re going
to feel comfortable and safe.
You don’t have to worry about
anybody harming you and everyone
knows each other. It’s
like family.”
All that played a major
role in how everything turned
out, especially when it came
down to the haunted house
and costume contest.
Seminole Tribe of Florida
Chairman Mitchell Cypress
offered his assessment of the
Fall Festival and the events
that came with it.
“It was fantastic,” Chairman
Cypress said, “It surprised
me that the Tribal
citizens from Immokalee,
Hollywood, Big Cypress and
Brighton showed up to participate
in this event. Ft. Pierce
is a great place to be when it
comes to festivals or any activities.
People came out here
to enjoy themselves.”