Barbara Patton: Big weekend ahead at Opelika’s Municipal Park

“What do you mean you didn’t know about it? It was all over the paper.” Have you heard those words before? There is a jam-packed weekend coming up and all the events have been promoted in various ways: newspaper advertisements and columns, radio, posters, Web sites, mail-outs, and other notifications.
This will be one more attempt to make sure you know what’s happening Saturday and Sunday so you won’t be able to say, “I didn’t know about it.”

You’ll want to come out for the fun-filled family day Saturday in Opelika Municipal Park and at the Municipal Recreation Center. There are three events going on that day: the Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, Envision Opelika’s Two by Two Unity Run and Keep Opelika Beautiful’s Garden in the Park.

Eat pancakes at 6 a.m. and then run in the 5K at 8 a.m., or run, walk or wheel in the one-mile at 9:30 a.m. or maybe a better idea is to work up an appetite first in the Unity Run and then eat those pancakes. Pancakes may slow you down. Or maybe they give you energy. You decide.

Pancakes are $4 and the Lions will be cooking until 11 a.m. Come support the Lions Club and enjoy a wonderful breakfast.

The Two by Two Unity Run is a project of the Cultural Unity Task Force of Envision Opelika and is designed to strengthen relationships among citizens of all cultures in the community. Runners are encouraged to race in pairs, with discounts available for those who choose this option. You can participate unlinked.

There are cash prizes for linked and unlinked pairs in the 5K. Applications are available online at http://www.auburnrunning.org or contact Envision Opelika at 705-5138. Race day registration is possible, but there is a discount for advance registration.

Proceeds from this race benefit Character Education and Keep Opelika Beautiful.

The gates open for Garden in the Park at 8 a.m. and remain open until 3 p.m. so there is plenty of time to do all three events. You can have breakfast – pancakes, of course — and then eat lunch in the park. There will be all kinds of food and entertainment during the day with arts, crafts, gardening items and, for the children, inflatables. The Rocky Brook Rocket will be running and you and your children can experience what so many have loved over the years and remember about being in Municipal Park.

Sunday, it’s baseball opening day for the Miracle League! Play begins at 2 p.m. at the Miracle Field in West Ridge Park. Games will be every Sunday afternoon (except Easter Sunday) until the end of May.

More than 50 players have signed up so far and registration is still being accepted. Volunteers have responded to help as coaches, buddies or angels in the outfield, and if you are interested in helping, please call 705-5138. Everyone is invited to come out and cheer on these players as they have a good time on the field and play baseball. You will find it an unbelievable experience.

Barbara Patton is executive director of Envision Opelika and writes a column for the Opelika-Auburn News.