Lonsdale Community celebrates annual homecoming weekend

By Ken Lay

The Lonsdale Community celebrated its 38th annual homecoming last weekend.

The three-day celebration kicked off Friday afternoon with a children's field day at the Emerald Youth Foundation Sports Complex, located on Texas Avenue.

At that event, children from the community had the opportunity to participate in sack races, tug of war and other traditional and non-traditional field events.

Many of the community's children took advantage of a slip-and-slide on this humid afternoon on the facility's soccer field. The children were treated to pizza and Lonsdale Elementary School administrators were on hand to serve popsicles.

The day's activities at Emerald Youth concluded with an open gymnasium that began at 3 p.m. and ran into the evening.

"We have one of our maintenance men from the Lonsdale Community and he suggested that we become involved at Emerald Youth," said Riley Eldridge, a children's ministry worker for the Emerald Youth Foundation. "We have an after-school program here and I'm hoping to see some of our regular kids and some other kids who live in the community."

Friday's events at the Emerald Youth Foundation's Texas Avenue complex, was just the beginning of a fun-filled weekend in community.

Food and merchandise vendors were on hand on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday's festivities included a parade down Texas Avenue and Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon was the Grand Marshal.

The day's events also included a chalk walk and a balloon release to honor the memories of deceased Lonsdale Community members.

On Sunday, the community hosted an Old Timer's Day luncheon and gospel singing at Friendship Baptist Church.

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