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If you haven’t bought your season pass to the Merriam Aquatic Center, there is no time like the present. Daily drop-in fees and punch cards are also available to Merriam residents. The aquatic center is located at 6040 Slater in beautiful Vavra Park and features a 50 meter pool with diving boards and 25 meter lap lane, a zero depth pool with play features and slides, and two large water slides with plunge pool. Shade structures and concessions area are also provided.

Season passes are on sale at Irene B. French Community Center. If you had a pass last year, you can renew it by phone, or fax in addition to the option to walk-in and purchase at the community center. A new option is available this year to Merriam season pass holders. Merriam has joined forces with the northeast Johnson County cities of Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Mission, and Fairway to provide our residents with reciprocal access to area city pools. Simply choose the NE Super Pass add-on fee when purchasing your season pass and we will affix a special sticker to your membership cards that will allow you to swim at any of the participating pools at no extra charge.

Do you need swimming lessons for your children? We offer a full range of morning and evening swimming lessons for all swimming abilities. Having a party this summer? The facility is available for rental for after-hours private parties.

Complete information on the aquatic center fees and programs is available in the Merriam Parks and Recreation summer catalogue that was mailed to all Merriam residents in late March. It is also available online at www.merriam.org/park or can be picked up at Merriam City Hall (9000 W. 62nd Terrace) or Irene B. French Community Center, 5701 Merriam Drive

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The Merriam Parks, Recreation and Community Center Foundation honored former Mayor Carl Wilkes this week with a special gold leaf on the Giving Tree located at the Irene B. French Community Center.

City staff and community leaders were on hand as former Mayor Irene French, made the presentation in recognition of Wilkes' dedicated service to the our community.

"It has been my pleasure to serve as your mayor," Wilkes commented. "The experience has been extremely rewarding, and I've truly enjoyed working with Merriam's talented staff and spirited community volunteers."

PHOTO: FORMER MAYOR CARL WILKES Carl Wilkes served two terms as Merriam Mayor, from 2001 to 2009.

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Over 3,000 flags will be on display in downtown Merriam & Shawnee June 27th through July 4th, 2009.

PHOTO: FIELDS FOR FREEDOM PATRIOTIC EVENTS

A patriotic program will take place beginning at 1:30 PM on July 4th.

The City of Merriam will once again host the Annual “Flags 4 Freedom” event in our downtown and surrounding areas from Saturday, June 27 – Saturday, July 4, 2009.

Businesses and neighborhoods will be transformed into a sea of red, white and blue as Flags 4 Freedom organizers setup and place over 3,000 United States flags at the Merriam Marketplace, Irene B. French Community Center, down Merriam and Johnson Drive and along Nieman Road from Shawnee Mission Parkway north to 55th Street.

A patriotic program and concert will be held at the Merriam Marketplace at 1:30 PM on the 4th of July. The program will feature:

Merriam Mayor Ken Sissom
Shawnee Councilmember Neal Sawyer
Marine Corps League, Detachment 1025
Bugles Across America
Kansas City Pipes and Drums
Kansas Army National Guard 35th Infantry Division Band

At 2:00 PM, the Band will lead us in singing our National Anthem for Of Thee We Sing, www.OfTheeWeSing.org.

The 2009 Flags 4 Freedom schedule also includes:

Free concerts throughout the week will begin at 7:00 PM at the Merriam Marketplace
- Tuesday, June 30 -- Ned Scott's Good Sam Club -- country, rock, blues
- Wednesday, July 1 -- Toe Jam -- acoustic rock
- Thursday, July 2 -- Sunflower Brass Choir -- "mostly" patriotic music
- Friday, July 3 -- 51% Blues Band -- a red, white and blues jam
Closing Taps and retiring of the Colors, each evening at 7:00 PM featuring instrumentalists from Bugles Across America
Merriam Farmers' Market at the Marketplace on Saturday, July 4th from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM featuring locally grown produce, flowering baskets, herbs, annuals and perennials, home-baked cookies and breads, and hand-crafted artwork, and more.

Flags may be dedicated to honor friends and loved ones by sponsoring a dedication ribbon for $15 each; additional contributions are certainly appreciated.

Everyone is invited to stop by during the week of July 4th to view an astonishing display of patriotism and community pride. All events are free to the public. For more information visit www.flags4freedom.org.