FāVS News Columnist Paul Graves Is Freedom at the Arboretum Speaker
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News Brief by Cassy Benefield
The 61st Annual Freedom at the Arboretum event begins at noon this Fourth of July at John A. Finch Arboretum with an opening concert and a meet-and-greet candidates program at 1:15 p.m.
The event aims to be “a thoughtful celebration of the radical ideals found in the Declaration of Independence that birthed our nation,” according its website.
The gathering will feature song, poetry and oratory about the “still revolutionary ideals that inspired the foundation of our country: human equality, human rights, democracy, freedom of religion, speech, assembly and freedom of the press,” according to the event’s flyer.
This year’s “Stir the Pot” speaker will be the Rev. Paul Graves, who writes a Faith & Values column for The Spokesman-Review and FāVS.News. His speech is titled, “The Messy Art of Foundation Inspection: Democracy in Action.”
“We chose Paul because the embrace of democracy is a value of respecting the opinions and choices of other people even when we disagree,” said Mark and Nancy Westbrook, who began this event in 1962, in an email.
Live music will be provided by singer and songwriters, Bill and Kathy Kostelec. They perform music in the American roots tradition in their band Blue Ribbon Tea Company.
This kid-friendly assembly will gather in the shade by the old school in the arboretum. Attendees are asked to bring their own picnic and chairs. Water will be available, and restrooms will be open.
The park prohibits dogs and alcohol.
“Freedom at the Arboretum is a friend-inviting-friends type of happening,” the Westbrooks said in an email. “It is a community picnic to build actual community … that comes when people know they are among friends.”
