By Debbie Robinson

news@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Parents gave the OK Saturday afternoon for their children to get muddy.

It was all part of the annual Mudstock event in Carthage sponsored by the Carthage police and fire departments and the Missouri National Guard. Other groups that contributed were the Carthage Parks Department, Alliance of Southwest Missouri, Carthage R-9 Community 2000, Carthage Ambulance Service, McCune-Brooks Hospital and the Morning Mail.

Nate Dycus of the Alliance of Southwest Missouri, based in Joplin, said the event has been going on for about six years. Dycus served as coordinator of the event this year.

About 300 youths annually attend the event held on the former Carthage Airport grounds.

“As a little boy, I wanted to get muddy,” Dycus said. “The main thing is they get dirty on the outside and stay clean on the inside.”

The motto of the event is “Keep your insides clean and drug free.”

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said.

Kids of all ages enjoyed an obstacle course that included rope swings into mud pits, mud hills and a section of the course where they had to crawl in the mud under a taped-off area.

A fire truck sprays water into a small pool at the end of the course to remove some of the mud from the children.

Youths of all ages tackled the course repeatedly.

Cindy Smith, of Sarcoxie, said she brought six children to the event, including her own children, friends and nieces and nephews.

“They just get to be kids,” she said of the event.

Smith said she will not be spending the remainder of the weekend washing clothes.