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As Americans and residents of the United States prepare for some festive Fourth of July celebrations, they can keep these interesting facts related to Independence Day in mind.

Americans celebrate Independence Day every July 4. The holiday has become synonymous with summer fun, as grand fireworks displays and backyard barbecues are integral components of many people's July 4 celebrations.

As Americans and residents of the United States prepare for some festive Fourth of July celebrations, they can keep these interesting facts related to Independence Day in mind.

· There have been many iterations of the American flag. The American flag has become an iconic symbol of freedom recognized across the globe since the United States declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776. But few July 4 celebrants may know that the current version is the 27th iteration of the American flag. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the current version of the flag officially became the flag on July 4, 1960.

· More than half of all Americans own an American flag. A 2023 poll from WalletHub found that 57 percent of Americans own an American flag. And that's not the only way Americans show their national pride, as the same poll found that roughly one in three Americans intended to purchase patriotic merchandise for July 4.

· The United States is not the only place to celebrate American independence. Such celebrations occur in various countries, including Australia, Denmark, Ireland, and Norway. The festivities in Rebild National Park in Denmark is believed to be the largest celebration of American independence outside the United States.

· The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates that 150 million hot dogs are consumed on July 4. Though there's no corresponding estimate related to how many hamburgers Americans eat on July 4, various reports suggest Americans eat roughly 50 billion burgers annually, so it's fair to conclude many a burger will be consumed this Independence Day.

· July is a popular month for nations to celebrate their independence. In addition to the United States, various countries, including Algeria (July 5), Argentina (July 9), The Bahamas (July 10), Belarus (July 3), Burundi (July 1), Canada (July 1), Cape Verde (July 1), Colombia (July 20), Kiribati (July 12), and Liberia (July 26), celebrate their Independence Day in July.

· John Adams, a Founding Father of the United States and the second president in the country's history, felt Americans should celebrate their independence from Great Britain on July 2. That's because the Continential Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776. However, the Declaration of Independence was not approved for two more days, thus making July 4 the day to celebrate America's independence from Great Britain.

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Here is an opportunity for you to make a lifelong friend from abroad by hosting an exchange student for 3, 5, or 10 months! Enrich your family with another culture. Now you can host a high school exchange student (girl or boy) from Belgium, France, Germany, Ukraine, Scandinavia, Spain, Japan, Italy or other countries. Single parents, as well as couples with or without children, may host.

Contact Amy at 1-800-736-1760 (Toll-free), visit host.asse.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or to select your student.

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The Campbellsburg Country Festival Kickoff event will take place on Saturday, July 20, from 4 to 10 p.m. at the Campbellsburg Ball Park.

The Festival Committee will be selling food at the concession stand at the ballpark, such as hot dogs, drinks, and popcorn. Brother B's Ice Cream truck will also be present. Craft and commercial vendors will be there. The Salem High School Guitar Club will be playing from 8-9:30 p.m., with fireworks by Straight Shooters ending the night. There will be a chance to enter into raffles with proceeds going to the Campbellsburg Festival Committee to ensure a great 30th Campbellsburg Country Festival this September. The big raffle is a package from West Baden Springs Hotel for a 1-night stay and breakfast for 2. We are accepting craft and commercial vendors through July 12.

If there are questions about setting up a booth, please contact Whitley Clements at 812-620-9967 or Kayce Johnson at 812-620-6118, or join the Campbellsburg Country Festival group on Facebook.

The Campbellsburg Ball Park is located at 174 East Vine Street, Campbellsburg, IN 47108.

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This is the last chance to register for the Indiana State NFA weekend trip on Aug. 3-4, 2024. The National Fire Academy (NFA) is offering four courses to improve firefighters' knowledge and skills. The weekend provides a unique opportunity for all members of the Indiana fire service to receive a great educational and networking experience facilitated by some of the best experts in the field.

The Indiana Fire & Public Safety Academy is covering the bus transportation from Plainfield, Ind., as well as the meal ticket and lodging. This means your journey to the NFA in Maryland will only require your time. The Academy wants to ensure that this experience is as convenient and affordable as possible for you.

Register now to ensure this will be a fun weekend experience that leaves you with a positive outlook. All Indiana firefighters should take advantage of this incredible experience. Registration is open until July 24, 2024.

Here are the class offerings and how many seats we still need to fill:

EMS Functions in ICS (W0166) – 16 seats available
Leadership in Supervision: Creating Environments for Professional Growth (W0646) – 6 seats available
Leadership in Supervision: Perspectives in Thinking (W0647) – 18 seats available
Wildland Urban Interface: Firefighting for the Structural Company Officer (W0610) – 14 seats available

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The Washington County Family YMCA is delighted to announce the successful conclusion of the Drive For the Future Raffle Event, with Jedidiah Trainor
of Pekin, IN emerging as the lucky winner.

Trainor won a brand-new Bronco Sport, which he generously decided to gift to his 17-year-old son, Hunter, a student at Salem High School.

The raffle was a highlight of the YMCA's Beth Armstrong Y-For All Capital Campaign, launched on May 11th with a lively Cars and Coffee event at Salem Motorsports Park.

The campaign aims to raise funds to build a childcare and family recreation center for the community.

Jedidiah Trainor purchased his ticket after Hunter's mother, Beverly, bought one, believing their chances of winning were good, especially with only 2,000 tickets available. Beverly even visited the YMCA Fair Booth on Monday, playfully urging the staff to draw either her or Jed’s ticket. Her enthusiasm and optimism turned out to be wellplaced, as Fair Board President Rose Anderson drew Jedidiah's winning ticket live on Facebook on June 19th at 6 pm at the Washington County Fair.

Despite selling only 450 of the 2,000 available tickets, the event was still a success, netting approximately $10,000 for the capital campaign after expenses. YMCA CEO Kristy Purlee expressed her gratitude, noting that many were led to purchase a ticket to support such a worthy cause. "This was about more than just the raffle; it was about coming together as a community to support the future of our children and families," Purlee stated.

The YMCA Board of Directors, while surprised by the lower-than-expected ticket sales, viewed the event as a positive and innovative way to raise awareness for the Capital Campaign Project. Rusty Hudson, YMCA Board President, remarked, "I feel the value of the public relations and attention received for our cause was far greater than we anticipated."

The Washington County Family YMCA extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated and supported the raffle event. Your contributions are helping to build a brighter future for our community.

For more information about the Beth Armstrong Y-For All Capital Campaign and how you can get involved, please visit our website or contact the Washington County Family YMCA directly.

Contact:
Kristy Purlee, CEO
Washington County Family YMCA
Phone: 812-883-YMCA
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: wcfymca.org