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Serving Clewiston, LaBelle, Moore Haven and the Lake Okeechobee area of Southwest Florida.

Sunday Morning News for Hendry and Glades County

February 22, 1998 (archived newspage)

Front page|Last week|2 weeks ago||Local Events|Classifieds

Thousands Swamp LaBelle for annual festival

Racers rush by starting line of the 5K Swamp Stomp Saturday morning.

(HENDRY COUNTY, FL.) February 21, 1998 -- Upwards of 25,000 visitors and residents are once again swarming the streets of Hendry County's county seat in LaBelle to partake of the annual Swamp Cabbage Festival. On hand are bands, dances, great food and entertainment, and the charm of the oak-lined streets of LaBelle.The festivities got off to a good start Friday night with a block party and rodeo. Saturday led off with the annual 5K Swamp Stomp race through the streets of LaBelle. Celebrating 75 years from the founding of Hendry county, the 32nd annual festival has been dedicated to memory of Clara Hull. Mrs. Hull was a past Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year and was the Parade Grand Marshal in 1995. A monument was dedicated to her honor in Barron Park today.

Sunday will see the final day of the Festival with music, food and entertainment in the park, as well as plane rides and activities as the Municipal Airport.

More links: LaBelle Swamp Cabbage Festival | Chamber of Commerce | LaBelle Municipal Airport

Amateur Radio "Hams" active at Festival

LABELLE, FL. (February 21, 1998) -- Hendry and Glades county amateur radio operators were among the hundreds of volunteers helping to stage the 32nd annual Swamp Cabbage Festival in LaBelle this weekend. The ham radio operators manned the two-mile long route of the Swamp Stomp 5k run through downtown LaBelle on Saturday morning, providing communication links by portable radios of the runners' progress.

Participating were Port LaBelle residents Walt Wieland, Harry Schoene, and Pete Sutton. From LaBelle were Nancy Bidwell while from Clewiston was Jim Sparks and from Moore Haven, Chuck Gillette.

All are members of the Hendry County R.A.C.E.S organization, Radio Amateur Communication Emergency Service, and train weekly to provide communications capabilities in the event of a local disaster or emergency situation. R.A.C.E.S is coordinated through the County Emergency Management Office.

Another great year for the Swamp Cabbage Festival!

Scott Perry, head teacher at the Clewiston Academy,

heads for the Swamp Stomp 5K finish line

The Marine color guard leads the 32nd annual Swamp Cabbage

Festival Parade Saturday morning.

The Swamp Cabbage Festival beauties show their stuff.

Clowning around on three-wheel bikes.

We'll see you all next year in LaBelle for the next Annual Swamp Cabbage Festival! Hope you all had a great time!

Paul Rue, parade co-chairman, foreground, gets LHS Homecoming Queen Carriage in place for down Bridge Street.

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