The Town of Wausau, Florida Community Development Club met in a regular session at the Wausau Town Hall on Monday, June 1, 2020.
Up for discussion were possible strategies for the safe, healthful execution of the Wausau Possum Festival, this year celebrating 51 years.
Developed in 1970 by Dalton Carter, at that time one of the founding members of the Development Club, the Wausau Fun Day and Possum Festival has long been the prime fundraiser for the Wausau Volunteer Fire Department, the Development Club and the Quilters Club in Wausau.
Originally designed to celebrate the lowly opossum, or ‘Possum’, the festival gave local residents an opportunity to have a festival during the Dog Days of Summer, and the event occurs each year on the first Saturday in August.
The group decided on Monday evening to hold a parade on Saturday, August 1, 2020, even if there is no actual festival activities due to health considerations or state-mandated social distancing guidelines. They plan to remain flexible in their plans, and able to respond to whatever health situation is on hand as the date of the event approaches.
On hand Monday evening was Paul Goulding, representing The Goulding Agency, a public relations and marketing firm which has provided counsel to the Town of Wausau and the Wausau Possum Festival for over a decade.
In addition, the Development Club decided that there will be a Possum King and Queen Contest, one of the highlights of the annual festival, with cash prizes of several hundreds of dollars, along with bragging rights.
Due to health concerns, the Possum King and Queen will perform this year in a taped segment, with a team of judges deciding final rankings and allocations of prize monies.
King and Queen contestants will be sponsored at a cost of $500 each, and the Club hopes that local politicians will recognize the value of the exposure, as the event occurs several weeks prior to the Primary Election.
An official keepsake Annual Possum Program will also be printed this year, and again, Club members are hopeful that businesses will support the effort as they always do.
Representatives of the Wausau Development Club are already approaching community businesses and politicians to become involved and Corey Odom, candidate for Supervisor of Elections in Washington County, has notified the Wausau organization that she will participate.
Odom has also challenged others in the community to become a part of this fundraising event.
The Development Club is especially sensitive to the fundraising aspect of the event, as they use the monies to provide scholarships for newly graduated High School Seniors.
Any interested students should contact Development Club member Donna Taylor at donna.taylor2@wcsdschools.com or call 850-535-2807.
