By Debbie Robinson
news@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Children in Carthage on Saturday were treated to some good, clean, dirty fun at the sixth annual Mudstock event in Myers Park.
Event volunteers dug trenches and created muddy hills as water spray from a Carthage Fire Department ladder truck ensured that the children would have plenty of mud.
John Miller, of Carthage, brought his 12-year-old daughter Michaela and 6-year-old son John to the event for the first time.
As for mud, his son said: “It feels gooey.”
A muddy Michaela said the event was “fun.”
After registering at the free event and getting socks and shoes taped to prevent a loose shoe, the children began on a rope swing that deposited them into a muddy pit.
Then up and down they went over muddy hills into more water-filled pits before washing some of the mud off in large troughs.
Firefighters estimated they were spraying about 1,000 gallons of water a minute during the three-hour event.
Bottled water was available for drinking, and there were no limits on the number of times children could play on the obstacle course.
Carthage Police Chief Greg Dagnan said Carthage police started the event to provide area children with a fun activity and to give back to the community.
The Alliance of Southwest Missouri became a sponsor last year along with the police department and several other community organizations.
“Their main goal in Carthage is to preserve the families then offer help with drug or alcohol abuse,” Dagnan said.
The event this year was expected to top 600 children.
“It just gets bigger and bigger every year,” Dagnan said.
Angie Smith, of Carthage, brought her two children to the event.
Smith was joining her children on the muddy obstacle course.
“It’s just a great way to spend time together,” she said. “How often do you get to play in the mud?”
