By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
This weekend, for the fourth straight year, Atmore City Councilwoman Eunice Johnson and her EMJ Atmore Outreach organization will join forces with city police, city firefighters and the county sheriff’s office to present Patterson Street Fun Day 2024.
The family-friendly event, billed as a “community celebration,” started as a gathering for local youngsters, but now is designed for people of all ages. The day of fun will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. this Saturday, September 12, just off North Main Street and across from Patterson Street Apartments.
“I have a passion for my community, and I want the people to be aware of all the things going on in the community to try and make a better community,” the city council’s only female member explained during an interview broadcast on WALA television. “Each year in August, we host a celebration in the community of Patterson Street to unite the seniors and youth with food, fun, music, and giveaways.”
The annual get-together also provides the public with a chance for positive interaction with police officers, firefighters and deputies.
“We sponsor this event with our partners — the city of Atmore, the Atmore Police Department and Chief Chuck Brooks, the Atmore Fire Department and Chief Ron Peebles, and Sheriff Heath Jackson,” Johnson said.
There will also be inflatables (bouncy houses) for the younger set, and for the past three years, local policemen and other law enforcement officers have joined teens on the basketball court.
Police officers and firemen usually grill hot dogs and provide chips and drinks to feed hungry attendees, and dozens of prizes — ranging from footballs to school supplies to clothing items — are donated by local businesses and individuals and are given away each year during the event.
Atmore resident Whitney Floyd, who accompanied Johnson to the televised interview, said the free event’s objective is simple — to provide four hours of fun for local residents.
“It’s lots of fun for all ages,” she said. “It’s just a day of fun, a day for the community to come together.”
For more information on the event, visit emjatmoreoutreach.com.