Small Town Throw-Down for Dan to be held Saturday
Drive by the Demopolis City Landing Saturday night and you’ll likely notice a party going on at the George Franks Ball Field.
The event, coined ‘Small Town Throw-Down for Dan,’ is for a great cause, and there is a standing invitation for anyone who wants to attend according to one of the event’s organizers, Gabby Lewis.
Dan Harper, the Dan for whom the event is named, was diagnosed with cancer on June 18, just a few days after arriving back home from the new couple’s honeymoon. Harper’s wife, the former Timie Lee of Demopolis, spoke to The Watchman on Friday.
“We are just so overwhelmed at the amount of support the Demopolis community has provided our families during such a trying time,” said Timie Harper. “It’s so comforting to know that we have the support of so many.”
The event is a culmination of two standalone events that were being planned simultaneously, explained Lewis.
“I wanted to put together something like a day at the park with Dan, and as it turned out, there was another group wanting to put together a concert, so we thought it’d be perfect to just combine the two,” said Lewis.
The small town throw-down is planned to kickoff at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The night will be filled with music, games, inflatables, face painting, silent auctions, and raffles, according to Lewis.
Musical acts scheduled to perform include Demopolis natives Mel Knapp and Charlie Wilson, Hunnicutt Willis, Joel Clayton, and the Rydin’ Durty Band will round out the night. Music will start at 5:30 p.m.
Among other events at the throw-down, one sure to be a hit involves water balloons and city officials.
“We’ll have the mayor, police chief, the [district attorney], assistant [district attorney],” said Lewis. “We’re calling that ‘Soaked for Dan.’”
If the music and games are not enough to entice you out, there will also be a raffle and a silent auction. Everything at the event, including hotdogs, chips, drinks, and raffle tickets, will cost only $1. Alcohol will not be served, but everyone is welcomed to bring a cooler.
Some of the items up for auction at the silent auction will include a two-night stay at Mimosa Ridge in Sumter County, a golf cart donated by Plaza Golf Carts, a television donated by Collins Communications, and a duck hunt and fishing excursion at Soggy Bottom Lodge, including one night’s stay and all meals.
“Our community has really stepped up and really just risen to the occasion for this event,” said Lewis. “Demopolis may be a small town, but it has such a big heart.”
Early bird admission will be $5 from 5:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. After 6 p.m., admission will be $10 per person. All proceeds will benefit the Harper family.
For more information, visit the Facebook page set up for Dan here.