In 1974, area residents were looking for a place for their kids to play organized sports in their own nieghborhood, entered into a usage agreement with DeKalb Co. Parks and Recreations. The agreement allowed them to form an association of volunteers dedicated to the enrichment and development of youth through sports. And so the Redan Atheletic Assocaition (RAA) was formed.
The RAA, a non-profit program, operated strictly by volunteers, flourished in this small Redan community. In 1975, the assocation began offering youth football and cheerleading. Activities were coordinated for ages 5 to 15 years and weight classes (teams) ranged from 50 to 135 pounds. All teams took the name of the community elementary school mascot, and were known as the Redan Red Raiders. Dressed in their red and white uniforms these boys and girls participated in the football program under the Yellow River Conference Football League.
Then in 1977, our Park became somewhat famous when it appeared on the silver screen. During the 1977' football season a scene from the movie "Smokey and the Bandit" was filmed here and the children who actually played at the park were used in the film. After the filming of the movie, Burt Reynolds made a large donation to the park. This donation allowed the association to expand and keep up with the communities growth.
To be continued.... |
