The Gyro Days Carnival

The Wallace Gyros first started taking bets on the big, multicolored leather ball they'd drop in Lead Creek in 1942 to raise some money to send cigarettes and canned food to the local boys fighting in World War II.

Seventy-one years later, the Gyro Days celebration — which begins Wednesday and concludes with the ball dropping Saturday — is still helping out young people, albeit not giving them smokes but by using the money earned at the historic city's oldest tradition to send local kids to college.

Gyro Days' festivities begin today with Radio Day. The local Gyros are taking over KWAL from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for what Gyro President Chase Sanborn says is an entertaining experience.

“The Radio Day is something we've only been doing for a few years, and it's always something different,” Sanborn said. “It's going to be a lot of fun and entertaining.”

Radio Day is also a great time, Sanborn said, to buy tickets for the Lead Creek Derby, as tickets will be two-for-one at KWAL today. People can buy tickets with computer-picket times of how long it will take the Gyro Ball to get from the drop-in point at Last Chance Bridge in Mullan to the Sixth Street Bridge in Wallace. The lucky winner with the closest time wins $1,000 dollars in silver coins.

While the running of the Lead Creek Derby Saturday is Gyro Days' main event, Downtown Wallace plays host to the Gyro Days Carnival starting Thursday. As always, students in kindergarten through sixth grade at Mullan and Wallace schools get free tickets to the carnival. Dean Cooper of 1313 Club and a planner of the four-day celebration said the carnival is always a good time and this year looks to be the best yet.

“The carnival has several more rides this year that we are really excited about,” Cooper said. “It's going to be the biggest carnival we've ever had at Gyro Days, and it'll probably be open earlier on Thursday.”

Part of the reason for the bigger-than-ever carnival is the sponsors helping put on the even, Wallace Mayor Dick Vester said. He said one of the biggest sponsors of Gyro Days this year was Mommoet, the company behind the megaloads running through the area. Vester said the sponsors were a big reason Gyro Days could raise the money to give scholarships to area kids.

This week's festivities are expected to bring a good bit of people into the Silver Valley to have fun. Vester said he expected a couple thousand people would follow the ball on Saturday. Sanborn was optimistic as well, but noted that the weather is always an issue for an outdoor event like Gyro Days.

“We always expect a big turnout for the event, and it kind of depends on the weather,” Sanborn said. “But even when the weather's been crappy, people still come out to have a good time. So, I'm expecting a great turnout.”

Vester said the turnout each year is usually good because Gyro Days makes for a good homecoming for a great deal of people who have left the Silver Valley. Vester also said he's hoping for a fun, safe weekend.

“Hopefully, everyone will be safe and sane and have a good time,” Vester said.

By BOBBY ATKINSON

Staff writer