For the first

time in recent years, there will be a county-wide Fourth of July celebration

this year.

The Kiwanis

Club of Fayette County has approved a community gathering at its new fairgrounds

off Ga. Highway 85 south as a service project.

"The whole

community is invited," said A.G. VanLandingham, chairman of the celebration

committee. "It's going to be an old-time picnic with all the old-time

games."

Committee members

have timed the day's activities from noon to about 6 or 7 p.m. so as not

to compete with Peachtree City's annual parade in the morning or the city's

fireworks display at dusk.

Kiwanians are

working with the local community to raise about $10,000 to $12,000 to

help cover the expenses of the project so that the proceeds from food

sales can go to three local charities.

The club will

sell hot dogs and burgers, soft drinks and cold watermelon, in hopes that

the remainder of expenses will be covered by the soft drink and watermelon

sales and the hot dog and burger proceeds can go to charity. Benefiting

will be the Joseph Sams School, the Youth Protection Homes and the Fayette

Service Center, a program for learning-impaired adults.

"We're

just trying to give something back to the community, to bring the community

together on the Fourth of July," said VanLandingham. "In the

old days, most little towns had a picnic or a get-together, and we want

to bring some of that feeling back," he added.

"This

is a good way for folks to get together and enjoy each other rather than

going somewhere else," he said.

There will

be entertainment all afternoon, along with games and activities. Recreation

leaders in Tyrone, who put on a huge founders' day celebration each year,

have agreed to help with games, VanLandingham said.

Other Kiwanis

clubs also are being invited to participate, he added.

Club members

have been discussing the idea for about two years, said VanLandingham,

and had thought about starting the celebration last year, but decided

to wait because the fairgrounds facilities weren't quite finished.

Now the facility

is complete with air-conditioned buildings, and plans are to conduct the

July 4 bash every year. "I would love to see it, in the passing of

time, grow to bring larger and larger crowds," said VanLandingham.

More details

on the entertainment and activities will come later.