'Operation Football' features Kokomo
Also, pumpkin painters descend upon Jackson Morrow Park
This article is brought to you by Turning Point System of Care. Turning Point is partnering with the local 'Helping our Homies' organization for their 3rd anniversary celebration! The event will be held at Turning Point on Oct. 26 from 1-4 p.m. Help us get the word out; we will be serving a meal, offering harm reduction kits, hygiene products, clothing, and free haircuts for those in need. This is a way for us to give back to the community.
To celebrate WTHR television's Operation Football anniversary, the station did a live remote broadcast Friday morning for NBC's Today program from Walter Cross Field at Kokomo High School. The Today segment, called “Friday Night Lights,” spotlights local high school football teams around the nation.
WTHR Anchor Dominic Miranda introduced KHS football coach Austin Colby, surrounded by the KHS football team and the cheer squad. Miranda noted that Kokomo is ranked No. 5 in Class 4A and asked Coach Colby to explain what Indiana football meant to him.
"Indiana high school football is great," said Colby, "Kokomo has a huge family atmosphere. I get my dad (former KHS football coach Brett Colby), and my brother to coach with me every Friday night."
Miranda noted on air that the younger Colby's coaching record was pretty good for a program only four years old, "38-10, that's not bad ... I'm no mathematician but that's 75 percent with you at the helm."
The segment ended with the team and cheer squad parting to reveal the KHS Marching Wildkats playing their rendition of the school fight song, "Onward Kokomo."
Miranda noted that this was WTHR's Operation Football's 30th year. The Kokomo versus Lafayette Jefferson game was featured on WTHR's Friday evening news and was aired in its entirety on Fast Play Sports.
Pumpkin painters descend upon Jackson Morrow Park
Around 100 pumpkin artists arrived last Saturday at Jackson Morrow Park to create squash art that celebrates the fall season.
The Kokomo Parks and Recreation Pumpkin Painting Event went from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and despite the cooler temperatures that descended on the area Friday night, the turnout was very brisk.
Painters from 3 to 63 joined in the decoration, and the Parks Department was well stocked with the small, orange orbs that were ready to be artists' canvasses.
The event was held outside the garage of the Retha Kirkendall Nature Center in the park. Painters were given the pumpkin with the paints and brushes to decorate them.
By 1 p.m., around 65 participants had made it out to the park to paint.
The next event at Jackson Morrow will be the Haunted Trail Walk on Oct. 28, weather permitting. The Haunted Trail Walk is free with no registration, and ages under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information go to https://www.cityofkokomo.org/departments/haunted_trail_walk.php