Published: July 07, 2009 02:49 pm      

A peachy day off

Staff Reports

For people who attend Parker County’s annual Peach Festival, the day is full of food, refreshment and fun. For Weatherford Police, the event means directing traffic, enforcing parking regulations and standing at the ready for any emergency.

So many people attend the event, as a rule, all Weatherford Police officers are expected to be on-duty — except one.

On a chilly day in December at the police department’s annual Christmas Banquet Awards Ceremony, Patrol officer John Welborn won a free pass to not work the 2009 Peach Festival. Welborn’s prize is surely appreciated as 100-degree forecasts started appearing in mid-June.

This year, Welborn wont be standing in the sun wearing his duty belt, bullet-proof vest and service uniform.

For those officers less fortunate, maybe a few of the estimated 40,000 visitors, vendors and tourists will share the peach iced tea.