PARKERSBURG - Homecoming chair Randall Roberts reported Monday the homecoming has paid off all its debts and will start planning for next year with a balance in the checkbook.
"We started out with quite a deficit situation this year, and we were able to pay off the debts from the previous year and this year. We will start off the year with a balance of $1,096.24," Roberts told Wood County commissioners Monday.
"You did a great job," Commissioner Blair Couch noted.
"We were very careful not to overspend, and we had a lot of help from a lot of people," Roberts said, noting while the Rubber Ducky Derby this year, for example, saw fewer tickets sold, it made more profit.
"We brought back some events we hadn't done for several years, like the square dancing, and we had line dancing, and they have said they will doing that again next year," Roberts said.
"The fireworks off Fort Boreman were very successful. We got a lot of good comments on them," Roberts said.
Roberts said he's decided to stay at least one more year with the homecoming committee. The festival is annually held in August in downtown and features all types of entertainment, the annual News and Sentinel Half Marathon, a parade, fireworks, relays, soapbox derby, dancing, vendors, Rubber Ducky Derby and a variety of other activities.
"I've been involved with homecoming since 1985, and I think Randall brought a lot of his business expertise to the table and he took over a ship that was taking on water and sinking and he turned it around. I'd say it's probably been 10 years or more since homecoming hasn't been in debt. That's a big deal. Fairs and festivals all over are having a rough time," commission President Rick Modesitt said.
Roberts said a lot of the corporate support was a key to the success of this year's festival.
"Our board feels good and we're looking forward to another successful year next year," Roberts said.
Following his report, Couch presented Roberts a Spirit of Wood County Award, noting not only Roberts' efforts in conjunction with the homecoming but also his previous volunteer service as a member of the Wood County Parks and Recreation Commission (Mountwood Park's governing board).
"I certainly didn't expect that, but I appreciate it," Roberts said of the award.
