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<v Speaker 1>Okay, Dan, let me get this straight. We sent our

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<v Speaker 1>information via the Harvest Home for me app.

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<v Speaker 2>You reviewed it here and now we're pre qualified officially.

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<v Speaker 1>That's helpful, very helpful. Holmelan's made easy. Harvest Bank ready

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<v Speaker 1>to help.

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<v Speaker 3>Good morning, good morning, good morning, and welcome, welcome, welcome.

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<v Speaker 3>It's time now for our community connection right here on

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<v Speaker 3>Caine One, the one you trust. Beautiful day today, My

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<v Speaker 3>goodness sakes, We've got our friends with Kittie Park in here.

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<v Speaker 3>We've got Ken Johnson, chairman of the board. Also Ashley Caine,

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<v Speaker 3>who's the campaign chairman. And who's this young man right here? Hey,

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<v Speaker 3>there you go, he's the kid in Kittie Park today, right.

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<v Speaker 3>First of all, Ken, nice turnout for the campaign kickoff

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<v Speaker 3>yesterday at the Richard Kaine YMCA. Kind of give us

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<v Speaker 3>a little bit of the snaps as we kind of

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<v Speaker 3>give an overview of what's going on and everything, didn't

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<v Speaker 3>we sure?

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, you know, two years ago we decided that Kitty

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<v Speaker 4>Park needed a complete refurbishment. So for the last two

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<v Speaker 4>years we've kind of been working behind the scenes on

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<v Speaker 4>a campaign, a capital campaign to raise some money to

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<v Speaker 4>refurbish the Kittie Park. Well, yesterday we actually kicked off

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<v Speaker 4>the public phase of that campaign, so hopefully we've We've

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<v Speaker 4>got a two point seven.

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<v Speaker 1>Million dollar campaign going on.

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<v Speaker 4>We've most raised two point two million of that so far,

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<v Speaker 4>so we're still looking for another five hundred thousand dollars

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<v Speaker 4>to finish off our campaign.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, actually, this is the first time you've been a

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<v Speaker 3>campaign chairwoman. Tell us a little bit about how you

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<v Speaker 3>got involved and how this is going so far for you.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, this is definitely a new thing for me, but

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<v Speaker 2>I've had such a great time with Ken and Kent.

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<v Speaker 2>Strumman's been our consultant to lead us through this charge

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<v Speaker 2>and we've had a great campaign team. My kids have

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<v Speaker 2>been involved, so that's it's been so fine. We couldn't

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<v Speaker 2>say no, just based on the heartwarming memories that we

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<v Speaker 2>have from my kids growing up at Kitty Park and

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<v Speaker 2>my husband growing up at Kitty Park. He has tons

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<v Speaker 2>of stories about cousins coming in from town from Philadelphia

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<v Speaker 2>and they would go to Kitty Park and they thought

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<v Speaker 2>that was just such a great family time. And we

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<v Speaker 2>have that to offer here in Bartlesville now part.

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<v Speaker 3>Of this seventy what ninety year history.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, this year will be our seventy ninth season to

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<v Speaker 4>be open there at Kitty Park.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, you spent several summers working there as a young man, didn't.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I started.

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<v Speaker 4>I was born and raised here in Bartlesville, and I

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<v Speaker 4>started working at Kitty Park when I was thirteen and

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<v Speaker 4>ended up being the manager down there in high school,

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<v Speaker 4>which was kind of interesting, and worked there till I

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<v Speaker 4>was twenty and then I got married and went and

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<v Speaker 4>started my professional life from there.

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<v Speaker 3>But Kitty Park just held some any memories for you

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<v Speaker 3>being a you know, a Varsal homegrown kid and working

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<v Speaker 3>there and everything else, like this kind of hung with you.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh yeah, you know.

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<v Speaker 4>When I was asked to get back involved about two

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<v Speaker 4>and a half three years ago, there's no way I

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<v Speaker 4>could have said no. It's such a fun experience. And

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<v Speaker 4>to see the smile on the kids' faces every day

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<v Speaker 4>when they come down there and enjoy the park is

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<v Speaker 4>just heartwarming.

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<v Speaker 3>It's got to be ashlynd. You guys had the little

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<v Speaker 3>ones flipping the numbers yesterday. That was a little bit

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<v Speaker 3>of something that was kind of a special treaty yesterday.

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<v Speaker 2>I think that added definitely a fun dynamic. And the kids,

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<v Speaker 2>they you know, they love feeling involved, And I think

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<v Speaker 2>that was kind of the point of having co chairmen

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<v Speaker 2>of the Kiddie Park Board be kids. Just that's the

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<v Speaker 2>purpose of the park to bring joy to kids and families,

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<v Speaker 2>and so it was a good way to get them

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<v Speaker 2>involved and make them feel like they were really making

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<v Speaker 2>a difference for the now.

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<v Speaker 3>Actually, how can people make a contribution.

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<v Speaker 2>We've got a QR code that we can pass out.

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<v Speaker 2>We've got some fundraiser brochures that are really really cool.

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<v Speaker 2>If you get a chance to look at one of those,

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<v Speaker 2>it's kind of like a storybook that gives the whole

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<v Speaker 2>history of the Kitty Park from when we started to

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<v Speaker 2>where we are now. You can go on the Kitty

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<v Speaker 2>Park's Facebook page or social media page and there'll be

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<v Speaker 2>a link on there, or you can get a hold

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<v Speaker 2>of one of the members of the campaign team or

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<v Speaker 2>the Kitty Park Board and we'd love to assist you

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<v Speaker 2>in that.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, when the fund traised, what are they going to

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<v Speaker 3>go toward? As far as Kitty Park, I know there's

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<v Speaker 3>like five or six things we enubratd yesterday.

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<v Speaker 4>Yeah, Well, you know, it's a complete refurbishment of the

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<v Speaker 4>park all the way from the park beautification, which means

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<v Speaker 4>that the new asphalt, the new fences around everything to safety.

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<v Speaker 4>We have gone through every ride or going through every

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<v Speaker 4>ride making sure that you know, the.

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<v Speaker 1>All the rides are safe.

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<v Speaker 4>They are ready to go, and our goal is to

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<v Speaker 4>have these rides available in the park ready for the

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<v Speaker 4>next seventy five years so.

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<v Speaker 1>That we continue to build memories.

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<v Speaker 4>Right now, we have great grandparents that are bringing their

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<v Speaker 4>kids down there that went to the park when they

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<v Speaker 4>were children, so you know, we want to just keep

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<v Speaker 4>building on that.

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<v Speaker 3>Now. We were talking beforehand, how intricate is it on

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<v Speaker 3>the train itself. You got it down to the last

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<v Speaker 3>little nut and bolt, don't you.

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<v Speaker 4>Well, yeah, we completely rebuilt the train this summer or

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<v Speaker 4>this over the winter.

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<v Speaker 1>We took it down completely.

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<v Speaker 4>Every nut, every bolt has been replaced on it, all

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<v Speaker 4>the springs, all the wheels, everything's been replaced.

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<v Speaker 1>It's been powder coated.

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<v Speaker 4>All the brass has been polished on it. So when

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<v Speaker 4>we roll it out in May, it'll look like a

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<v Speaker 4>brand new train.

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<v Speaker 3>A little while ago, the city give you guys a

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<v Speaker 3>little extra space to have expanded.

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<v Speaker 4>They well, I got a little ambitious a couple of

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<v Speaker 4>years ago and went to the City and asked them

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<v Speaker 4>for the area just north of the existing park, and

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<v Speaker 4>they were gracious enough to lease us out space as.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, and so we've expanded.

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<v Speaker 4>We've added nine new rides at the kiddie Park over

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<v Speaker 4>the last two years. Every ride that we've added is

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<v Speaker 4>what we call a family friendly ride, which means that

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<v Speaker 4>now bigger kids adults can ride the rides as well.

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<v Speaker 4>So we've added a new roller coaster, We've added what

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<v Speaker 4>they call Disney dragons, we have a slide coming in

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<v Speaker 4>this summer. We've you know, we're rebuilding our bumper cars

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<v Speaker 4>right now. So the bumper car building hopefully will start

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<v Speaker 4>being erected this week. Hopefully it won't be quite finished

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<v Speaker 4>by May third when we opened, but by the time

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<v Speaker 4>schools out we hope to have it up and run

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<v Speaker 4>in as well.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh my goodness sake, this is just gonna be so

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<v Speaker 3>much fun.

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<v Speaker 2>My favorite part is the Ferris Will. We've got a

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<v Speaker 2>Ferris Will that was featured in a Hallmark movie that

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<v Speaker 2>Ken was able to get a hold of, and so

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<v Speaker 2>that that's my favorite new thing that we're going to add.

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<v Speaker 3>Wow, that's incredible, you know, so both of you think

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<v Speaker 3>you've seen it all at Kitty Park. You ain't seen

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<v Speaker 3>nothing yet, and this summer it's going to be the one.

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<v Speaker 3>You just got to come in and see it all.

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<v Speaker 3>I said to Ken before we got on the air, says,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, I guess this is going to be it

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<v Speaker 3>for the next seventy nine years. And I started thinking about, No,

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<v Speaker 3>it ain't going to be next year. You just wait,

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<v Speaker 3>you wait.

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<v Speaker 1>You know. Fortunately, the.

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<v Speaker 4>People of Bartlesville have been so gracious and donated money.

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<v Speaker 4>You know, we are a nonprofit organization. We don't get

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<v Speaker 4>any subsidies from the city. It's not owned by anybody,

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<v Speaker 4>so we have a group of volunteers that actually run

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<v Speaker 4>the park. So we survive on ticket sales and donations

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<v Speaker 4>and that's how we survive. So as long as people

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<v Speaker 4>continue to help us out, we will continue to grow

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<v Speaker 4>the park and make it a very nice place to be,

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<v Speaker 4>very inexpensive for kids to come down and enjoy.

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<v Speaker 3>You just got about a minute or so left. I

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<v Speaker 3>want to make sure everybody gets kind of like your

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<v Speaker 3>final say and go.

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<v Speaker 2>Ahead, Ashley, Well, I just offer that we'd love to

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<v Speaker 2>have you volunteer. As Ken said, that's one way you

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<v Speaker 2>can get involved. You can donate to our campaign. You

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<v Speaker 2>can share the word and just spread the message, tell

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<v Speaker 2>people what's going on, exciting things that are happening at

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<v Speaker 2>Kitty Park. And this doesn't just stay local, because we've

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<v Speaker 2>got people statewide, across the state, across I think eleven

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<v Speaker 2>other states that visited last year that we hope to

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<v Speaker 2>get back. So just spread the word and be excited

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<v Speaker 2>to be a portion and to be part of this

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<v Speaker 2>effort for the Kiddie Park.

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<v Speaker 4>Ken last words, wel like Ashley said, we had over

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<v Speaker 4>thirty four thousand people come through the park last year

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<v Speaker 4>and we were closed fourteen days due to heat or

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<v Speaker 4>rain last year, So that's a lot of people that

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<v Speaker 4>come through from eleven different states, which if you think

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<v Speaker 4>about it, that's twenty percent of the United States people

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<v Speaker 4>have at least visited there in last year. So come

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<v Speaker 4>out see us and help us make twenty twenty five

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<v Speaker 4>even better than twenty twenty four.

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<v Speaker 3>All Right, folks, the challenges on, let's do it. Thank

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<v Speaker 3>you very much for being with us here on our

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<v Speaker 3>community Connection program.