JENKS, Okla. — Green Country is kicking off its 4th of July weekend early to celebrate 250 years of America.
Jenks started it's weekend off with a reading of the Declaration of Independence, free hot dogs, and a flyover Friday morning at Veteran's park.
WATCH: Jenks kicks off July 4th weekend with Declaration of Independence reading
Georgia Matlack was one of the few to read the historic document at the event
“We’re at the 250th anniversary of America here in Jenks at Veterans Park, I’m actually a descendant of Timothy Matlack, who hand-penned the Declaration of Independence, he was the first man to ever read the Declaration of Independence out loud, so it was really special for my dad and I to kind of read a little bit of the Declaration, and just spend time with community here in Jenks together and celebrate the history of our country,” Matlack said.
For many people at the event, the celebration was about more than just festivities. Residents gathered to reflect on the history of the country, honor veterans and community leaders, and share the traditions with the next generation. City leaders say events like this help bring the community together while reminding people of the sacrifices made for America’s freedom.
“When I walked up today to the park and saw this many people here, believe me, it is a very, very proud moment to see this audience grow, and the most important thing about these audience sizes is not the adults, it's the kids,” Box said.
This is only the beginning of a fun-filled weekend in Green Country.
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