By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor

On her journey through Oz, Dorothy had some friends who travelled with her – her little dog Toto, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion. They were with her for the good and the bad – for Munchkins and the Flying Monkeys; Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the East; the Ruby Slippers and the Wizard himself.

In modern day Dexter, the Wizard of Oz and all the famous characters came to life during Fair Week thanks to the hard work and creativity of the residents and staff at Central Gardens.

Central Gardens Administrator Stacy Blocker said the residents and the staff were excited about the theme of the center’s fair parade float, and all worked together to pull it all together.

“The residents were more excited this year than ever before,” Blocker said. She said Central Gardens residents worked on the pieces of the fair float and their excitement and enthusiasm showed. “We had some folks who worked on different parts of the float every day and they had a hand in planning and creating the flat. They put a lot of heart into it all this year. “

Blocker said the residents came up with a number of ideas for the float, including the Lollipop Kids and the Flying Monkeys.

“We played the movie over and over as they were working on the float, and it was from this that they decided we needed to have the Flying Monkeys,” she said.  “They didn’t come up with this until the last four or five days. But they said we had to have  Flying Monkeys.”

Several Central Gardens residents rode on the float as well as worked on its creation. Blocker guesses that the average age of those participating in the project to be in the upper 80s.

The Wizard of Oz theme will continue, Blocker said, to a pizza party at the center this Friday and then on the Halloween.

“I think they all knew and liked the movie,” Blocker said,  “so that added to the enthusiasm.”

Photo Above: Dorothy  (aka Shyann Jines) - "and her little dog Toto, too" - stand next to the ruby red slippers and the witches house that was a part of Central Gardens' float in the Stoddard County Fair Parade. (SMT photo by Annabeth Miller)

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"The Wizard of Oz"