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last updated: July 10, 2008

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Happy Birthday to You Dear Lathrop Happy Birthday to You

It was a beautiful evening with a slight Delta Breeze coming off the San Joaquin River. The Lathrop’s July 1st Birthday

Celebration Committee and Volunteers started preparing for this event at Noon of the same day. Lathrop Parks &

Recreation and Public Works was marking off areas for entertainment and pyrotechnics the Seniors, Lathrop Rotary,

Manteca/Lathrop Youth Focus, Lathrop-Manteca Fire District, Lathrop Police, the Sharp Group, Paramedics, Lathrop

City Officials and Staff, July 1st Committee members along with their Family and Friends were setting up their stations

getting ready for the Celebrators.

This year the Celebration was held at the beautiful 20 acre Mossdale Community Park which is right off the San

Joaquin River levee far more open space than the 5 acre Manuel Valverde Community Park where the Celebration was

held all the past years. Mossdale Park was great in accommodating the event. There was something for everyone not

including the food, which consisted of hot-dogs, community donated cake & cupcakes, watermelon, Soda and the

Lathrop Rotary cold water. There was a water fountain that was spraying the young children and also cooling off

some adults, a new full size outdoor basketball court, a very creative play ground, Public Works roulette for gifts an

educational station the lollypops were a hit, informational stations by the Fire Department and Police also acres of

grass to throw Frisbees and footballs and children running around playing games like tag. During all this excitement

Lathrop resident Anna Candelaria who has been involved with Manteca/Lathrop Youth Focus an entertainment group

for many years organized the entertainment for the evening. Her daughter Kristina (Miss Lathrop) handled the

announcements and introduced the entertainers along with Christopher Navalta (Lathrop Ambassador). Both showed

off their talent and bright personalities and had a lot of children and adults dancing in the streets, well grass. Many

local entertainers show cased their talent; Manteca/Lathrop Youth Focus made up of around fifty talented young

individuals sang and danced, Creative Movement a City of Lathrop dance program that is taught by Princes Kelly

Blanchard had families clapping with the beat, Las Rosas Dancers an impressive Folkloric group, Lathrop’s Little Miss

Hollywood Brieanne Jansen sang a couple of songs and when introduced she was recognized for her acting role in the

newly released film Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, last year’s Manteca Idol winner Cheyenne Milligan belted out

energy and last but not least Princes Kelly fired up the many who surrounded the entertainment area she rocked and

the place.

Then the highlight of the night, fireworks twenty minutes of body shaking boom’s and brilliant colors there were a lot

of screaming that was full of delight and there was a glaring brightness covering the nigh and it was coming from

those pearly whites, huge smiles.

Without the volunteers this and any event would not be successful. Thank you to all who donated their time. The

City of Lathrop stepped up to make sure this Celebration would be a success. City officials Mayor Kristy Sayles and

Council members Steve Dresser, Sonny Dhaliwal and Martha Salcedo rolled up their sleeves and served. Lathrop City

Staff and Employees with their family members were working diligently.

July 1st Committee members who made this happen are: Diane Lazard, Cindy and Tony Martin, Anna Candelaria, Frank

Cavaco, Deputy Bill Rochford, Fire Chief Fred Manding and City staff that was at all the meetings were Katie Lemon

and Gabe Goulart.

The dedicated Chef’s were: Benny Gatto, Jon Serafin, Jose Perez, Dan McNeilage and Sonny Dhaliwal.

Sponsors who should be recognized are: Superstore Industries, George Perry & Sons, Lathrop Sunrise Rotary, Fireside

Inn, Con-Fab and the City of Lathrop. If forgot any one please contact the Lathrop RUSH.

Now since this Celebration was so much of a Success the Committee will have to make a decision of where will next

year’s Lathrop Birthday Celebration be held at Valverde Park, Dell’Osso Farms or Mossdale Community Park?

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