Editor’s Note: The strong tradition of the Moapa Valley 4th of July celebration has had many helping hands over the years. Many community leaders have stepped up and left their mark on the celebration to make it what it is today. Two of the most important of these leaders has been Chris and Boyd Applegate. The loss of Boyd, who passed away in February of this year, will be deeply felt at this year’s Moapa Valley celebration.
By Whitney Donohue
Chris and Boyd Applegate attended their first 4th of July Celebration in Moapa Valley in 1989. That celebration included breakfast at Logandale Park and some fireworks that evening. Kay Batchelor and James Robison were in charge of that event. The next year Kay called Chris and Boyd and asked if they would work on the event with Robison.
Boyd spent many hours going from business to business asking for donations for the celebration. Occasionally the Applegate children would sell sodas during the day activities of the 4th to earn money for the fireworks.
The Applegate’s always helped serving breakfast and dinner with Rotary Club, the Chamber, and the rest of the 4th of July committee. The Applegate children have fond memories of one year the family cooked a pig for the dinner. They recall that Boyd and his sons spent the night at the [Logandale] park while the pig cooked.
Chris and Boyd asked Parks and Rec to get involved and provide games for the kids during the daytime activities. They also started the Watermelon Bust, Candy Drop, and asked the firemen to bring their fire hoses. One year they even got jet planes to fly out from Las Vegas.
The flag ceremony was a very important part of the ceremony for Boyd, so he made sure it happened every year first thing in the morning.
One of the activities the Applegate’s started was an essay contest for kids in the valley. Various committee members from different years judged the essays and the winners received 4th of July teddy bears.
Jacqulyn Pray took over the 4th of July committee from the Applegate’s in 2003. One of the things she remembers most about the celebration was the devotional given by Boyd at the start of every celebration.
“The devotional was always amazing…it gave me goose bumps,” she said. “Boyd was very knowledgeable about the history of patriotism.”
The Moapa Valley Service Spotlight Award, started in 2005, was created because of the Applegates.
“We remember looking at the Applegate’s giving service so selflessly every year, we knew we had to create this award,” Pray stated.
James Robison and Jacqulyn Pray wrote the guidelines for the award based on the Applegate’s service, and Robison presented the Applegate’s the newly created award at the evening ceremonies.
Moapa Valley Rotary worked hand in hand with the Applegates during many 4th of July celebrations.
The Applegates tireless devotion to develop the community celebration into what it has become today will not be forgotten. Rotary is donating to this year’s 4th of July celebration in the Applegate’s name.
