Camden Point has hosted another successful and enjoyable community event recently with the Camden Point Freedom Festival on June 17.
At the Camden Point Freedom Festival, retired Lt. Col. Hugh L. Mills Jr. presented a plaque to honor Charles B. Woodson, father of Charles R. Woodson, who was given the plaque.
The annual event has been growing in popularity for more than 30 years and this year’s festival drew about 500 people. The event is always open and free to the public and has patrons from several neighboring towns.
This year’s activities began with the parade in downtown Camden Point on Third Street and was immediately followed by a presentation at the Camden Point public park gazebo, which included a Purple Heart and Honored Veteran’s Ceremony. A commemorative plaque was presented to each of the honorees.
More than 30 years ago the Camden Point Freedom Festival originally began following a Civil War re-enactment ceremony in Camden Point, and has grown from there. It started as a regular celebration for the enjoyment of the community and to kick off the 4th of July.
While the original group and committee members have changed many times over the years, their goal of getting the community together to celebrate freedom remains the same.
The event began with a parade made up of American Legion Post 287, Savannah, as the Honor Guard, local fire departments and EMT, a Grand Marshall, several local businesses, youth football, a track float, a vintage car and a large dog marching in the parade.
This year’s activities, made possible by the event’s sponsors, included free kids’ games sponsored by the Camden Point Baptist Church, free face painting, a live band, and several food truck options, including dessert. The playground equipment was open to the public to allow children to play while enjoying the activities. A large fireworks display at dusk concluded the events. A petting zoo, kids’ train, bouncy house and other activities have also been included in past events.
Four food trucks, including Scout Troop No. 714, Chops BBQ, Ella Mae’s Creamery Shop, and Cool Cups made a variety of food available for attendees, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies, barbeque, ice cream, shaved ice and other tasty treats.
The kids enjoyed a fun-filled day playing games such as bean bag toss, a putting green, and other free games in the park.
It was a warm summer day and throughout the event there was a long line for ice cream and shaved ice.
This was the first year that the band, Harvesting Heroes performed at the event. They performed cover band songs primarily from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s for an enthusiastic audience.
Kids lined up for a large part of the evening for face painting by Skye the Limit and the elaborate designs included a colorful flower intertwined with leaves and embellishment.
The Honored Veteran presentation was by Retired Lt. Col. Hugh L. Mills Jr., a representative of the Purple Heart Association who read a prepared speech and presented a plaque in memory of the Honored Veteran.
Mills Jr. was one of the most decorated pilots during the Vietnam War. During his three tours in Vietnam as an aero scout and one as a cobra pilot, he flew more than 3,300 combat hours and developed many of the U.S. Army’s air cavalry aero scout tactics flying the OH-6A as an aero scout pilot in the Big Red One, and flying the AH-1 Cobra. He was awarded more than one Silver Star along with six Purple Hearts and is highly decorated for his actions during the Vietnam War. He was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 2011 and added to the Arkansas Walk of Fame. He has a book called “Low Level Hell,” which may be used for a documentary.
He is Chief of Security and Safety for the Kansas City Regional Area Transportation Authority.
This year’s Honored Veteran was in memory of Charles B. Woodson, a World War II combat veteran.
In his presentation speech, Mills Jr. noted that Woodson graduated from Camden Point High School, and served his country during World War II in the United States Army as a Corporal E4 and Special Messenger for the Headquarters Battery in the 90th division of the 343rd Field Artillery.While engaged in action against the enemy of the United States, Charles Benjamin Woodson was injured and lost his eyesight while giving a soldier a drink of water on Sept. 8, 1944, 90 days after landing at Utah Beach in France. He was then awarded the Silver Star and an additional Silver Star after returning home, for his bravery and extraordinary heroism. He was also awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in battle.
Woodson, and his wife lived in Parkville, and later moved to Camden Point and made it their home, where they raised a family. After losing his eyesight, he was a successful farmer and carpenter by trade. He was a lifelong member of the Camden Point Christian Church where he was a Sunday School teacher for many years. Woodson’s father, was a World War I veteran.
Charles Raymond Woodson who is also a combat veteran who served in the 183rd artillery in 1966-67 during the Vietnam War, accepted the plaque in honor of his father.
Both father and son were drafted on Feb. 7, the same month and date, but 20 years apart.
Mills Jr. closed by thanking all the veterans who have served the country with bravery and perseverance.
“Our flag flies today because of each solider who has put their lives on the line, and for those who were wounded or died protecting it,” Mills Jr. said. “This is what legacies are made of. As we honor our veterans and remember their great deeds, let us also salute those who are currently serving and protecting this great nation.”
The Purple Heart Event was included this year to commemorate Camden Point becoming a Purple Heart City.
Local Scout Troop No. 714 was present at the park to hold a flag for each branch of the military in honor of all veterans.
American Legion Post 287, Savannah, was the Honor Guard and conducted a “Present Arms” ceremony as a sign of respect. The command Present Arms was given to the salute of Charles R. Woodson, son of Charles B. Woodson, in his honor. The salute was followed by Taps.
Representing the City of Camden Point were Mark Wagoner and Chris Dunn.
Local resident, Kelley DePriest helped to organize the festival and said the event is an outstanding way to show our support and gratitude to all veterans and to those currently serving for their bravery and sacrifice to our country, so that we can be free.
“I would say that many people from the area look forward to this event each year,” DePriest said. “I would say that this is the most popular and well-attended event of the year in my opinion. My favorite part of the festival was the Purple Heart and Honored Veteran ceremony.