Senior Citizens Process Thousands of Freedom Festival Buttons

By Mark Geary, Reporter

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By Mark Geary

Story Created: May 15, 2008 at 5:11 PM CST

Story Updated: May 15, 2008 at 5:11 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids "Freedom Festival" is just over a month away, but it takes a lot of free labor now to get the event going. The city will start selling Freedom Festival buttons next week.

Each button needs to be put inside an envelope along with a booklet of coupons.

It's a long, time consuming process, but one group of friends looks forward to the job every year.

Alyce Redel is just one of a handful of seniors who have been working night and day to process thousands of Freedom Festival buttons and packets.

"It's not real difficult, but the more people who work on it, the faster it goes,” Redel said.

Redel and her friends at the Garnett Place Retirement Community have celebrated the Fourth of July quite a few times in their lives.

"I'll be 96 on the 11th of October," Redel said.

Irene Mathis is 92. "I can't walk very good, but my mouth works,” she said.

But, the seniors don't really talk much while they're working. 95-year-old Gladys McShane says they try to stay focused and only say things like -- "Do you need books? Do you need envelopes? We got some. Here they are."

In just three days, the seniors have stuffed more than 7,000 envelopes.

Sometimes Irene can be a little distracting, though, when she starts to chat. That's one reason her nickname is "Trouble."

"I'm telling you, they think I must be causing a lot of trouble," Mathis said.

It's a simple activity that gives these friends something do and also gives back to the community.

"I have macular degeneration and I can't do a lot of things. So, things I can do, I'm happy to do," Redel said.

Even though many have found memories of festival from previous years, most don't plan to attend this year.

"No, I'd rather watch it on TV," McShane said.

Everyone working on the project is more than 80-years-old, so you really can't blame them.

Other retirement communities are also helping with the effort.

Freedom Festival buttons go on sale next Friday.

The Festival starts on June 19th and runs through July 4th.

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