By Melissa Buckley
GUIDON staff
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Whether you prefer to spend your Fourth of July watching live entertainment and fireworks, golfing or running a 5k, Fort Leonard Wood has you covered this Independence Day.

“Attendance is estimated in excess of 20,000, with the majority of attendees being our service members, Retirees and their Families,” said K. Wayne Bardell, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation director. “Our focus is to offer opportunities for everyone to get involved in the celebration. Whether you’re interested in running or playing golf; horseshoes, cars, pony rides or listening to live music — there’ll be something  to participate in.”

Get moving:

Davidson Fitness Center is hosting a Stars and Stripes 5k/10k Run. The 10k starts at 6 a.m. and the 5k at 8 a.m. Both runs start at Softball Complex B located at the corner of Nebraska and Minnesota Avenue.

Cost is $10 per person and the events are open to the public. For more information call 596.4359.

Piney Valley Golf Course is hosting a Red, White and Blue Golf Tournament in celebration of Independence Day. This tournament is a two-person scramble. Teams will tee off of red, white, and blue tees. Each set of tees will be using different formats. If sufficient teams enter different flights will be made to score.

Cost is $30 for Annual Greens Fees Patrons and $35 for non-AGFP. Cost includes golf carts, breakfast and gift certificates. The tournament begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m., with breakfast served at 8:30 a.m. This event is open to the public. For more information call 329.4770.

“In addition, the Bowling Center, Outdoor Recreation and RecPlex with miniature golf, go carts and swimming are open during the holiday,” Bardell said. “Really, there will be fun activities throughout the installation, and we invite the military community to come out and get involved and join us for an awesome day of excitement.”

Car show

Check out some of the area’s best cars at the FMWR July 4th Car Show held at the Gammon Field from 3 to 7 p.m. The car show is free and open to the public.

All entries must be on location and ready for show by 2:30 p.m. Judging will take place between 3 and 5 p.m. The award presentations will be held at 5 p.m. Time for entries to safely exit the field will be from 6 to 6:30 p.m.

For more information call 596.0243.

Food, music, fireworks

Continuing on Gammon Field, FMWR and Fort Leonard Wood will host the annual Independence Day Celebration beginning at 3 p.m.

There will be various activities to include military vehicle displays, a horseshoes tournament, interactive games, a watermelon eating/seed spitting contest and performances from the 399th Army Rock Band “The Woodchucks” and “Trixie Delight.”

The Salute to the Union will begin at 7 p.m., followed by the U.S. Army Soldier Show at 7:30 p.m., with the area’s largest fireworks display after the completion of the Soldier Show.

The entertainment “For the Soldiers by the Soldiers” is back once again to entertain Soldiers and Families. The 90-minute song-and-dance production is designed to accentuate the strengths and resiliency of Soldiers and military Families through modern songs, current hits, vibrant costuming, choreography and visuals.

“I am definitely looking forward to performing at Fort Leonard Wood. This is where it all started for me. It holds a special place in my heart,” said Spc. Julio Peterson III, performer. “It was my first duty station, where I won Operation Rising Star; I have so much support from my Fort Leonard Wood family. It’s one of our biggest shows, and I’m excited to be able to perform for all the Soldiers that come out to support us.”   

The theme this year’s celebration mirrors the Chief of Staff’s motto, which is, “The strength of our Army is our Soldiers, the strength of our Soldiers is our Families, and that’s what makes us Army Strong.”

 The show is designed to follow that theme, and to highlight the strength aspect all the way through.

“I am very proud to be a part of this year’s cast. The talent we have this year is second to none, and how our show is being performed has never been done in any Soldier Show ever. I feel like I am a part of a groundbreaking and historic point of the Soldier Show, and I know that everyone is going to be floored by what they are going to see,” said Sgt. Jon Whittle, 2011 Fort Leonard Wood Operation Rising Star winner and current Soldier Show performer. “I have been one of the Soldiers in the audience with my family, and it was always an amazing experience for us. You could always find Soldiers talking about it days, and sometimes, weeks later. Obviously that means their attention was taken away from the hassles of everyday struggles of the military, even for just a moment. Now I get to be a part of that great tradition that aims to serve the Soldiers and their Families in a very special and unique way.”

Concessions from various vendors and a variety of booths will also be available.

“We’ve invite a variety of Family Readiness Groups, private  organizations and vendors to provide food and snacks,” Bardell said.

Visitors may bring lawn chairs or a blanket and enjoy the free event, which is open to the public. For more information call 596.6913.

No coolers, pets or fireworks are allowed on the venue.

Bardell said there is something significant about spending such a patriotic holiday on Fort Leonard Wood — especially when it’s time to relax.

“What makes this event and all the special activities on Fort Leonard Wood special is the camaraderie of all the volunteers, FRGs, private organizations, military police, post engineers, military units, working side by side and then the folks who they do it for — our military service members and their Families. What a great combination for success,” Bardell said. “For me, it’s a combination of the Salute to the Union, the U.S. Army Soldier’s Show and fireworks. I enjoy the activities throughout the afternoon, but around 7 p.m., I’m ready to sit back and enjoy center stage and all the entertainment.”

For more information visit www.fortleonardwoodmwr.com/july4.php.