Mapleton City Pioneer Day Celebrations - Sunset in the Park
Description
Sunset in the Park
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Mapleton City Park
6:00pm
In Partnership with
Bring your blankets and chairs to celebrate pioneerism and the founding values that helped shape Mapleton into what it is today. As the sun begins its descent, enjoy a relaxing evening for the whole family that celebrates community and embraces the beauty of nature. Our 2025 Pioneer Days theme, "Rooted and Growing," highlights Mapleton's history and progress as we reflect on our past and look to the future.
Meet our Sunset in the Park speakers:
Karen Warren Averett: Karen has deep roots in the community. Not only is she from Mapleton, but so are her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Her childhood was not much different than others who grew up in Mapleton in the 1950s and 1960s. She played with her friends in Mapleton City Park, worshipped at the White Church on Main Street, and attended school in the original Mapleton schoolhouse. As a student at Springville High School, she participated in the pep club and enjoyed attending ball games.
Karen met her late husband, John Averett, in the summer between her junior and senior years of high school. They were married in 1971 and have six children: Johnny (Rhiannon), Stacey (Keith), Chris (Whitney), Willie (Vanessa), Jimmy (Tyanna), and Kevin (Brooke). Her children actively participated in many sports, as do many of her 26 grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She continues to occupy a spot on the bleachers, and her favorite Sundays are when family basketball or baseball games take place at her home.
Karen has worked as a teller at Central Bank and Zions Bank, a tax assessor for Utah County, and the State of Utah as a licensor and regulator for daycare centers across the state. She retired with 32 years in 2018 and now works at the Corn Wagon Quilt Company in Springville - a job she truly loves! She enjoys quilting, crocheting, knitting, cross stitching, family genealogy, and gardening. In Karen's words, "I love the simple pleasures of everyday life."
J. Allen: J. is an internationally recognized speaker and advocate for at-risk youth. He has spoken all over the world, from Australia to Alaska. He is a highly rated presenter, a frequent speaker to youth groups, and a popular keynote speaker at professional conferences where he brings high-energy and profound depth to every audience.
J.’s popularity as a presenter stems from his varied background. As a child growing up in Georgia, he experienced homelessness and spent time in both special education and gifted education programs, frequently in rapid succession. His personal story swings crazily between heartbreaking and hilarious. As a young man, he spent time living among the Navajo in Arizona and New Mexico. He speaks Navajo and has gone on to work with aboriginal peoples throughout the US, Canada, and Australia.
After receiving a degree in journalism, J. started a career as a technology entrepreneur that led him to start nine high-tech companies. In 1988, he installed the first PC network in the White House and spent four years working with the White House and other large agencies in Washington, D.C.
When he is not on the road serving those who help kids, J. lives with his family in Mapleton, Utah.
Event Date:
07-13-25
Event Time:
Starts at 6:00pm
Location:
Mapleton City Park
Contact Person:
Links:
https://mapleton.org/about/pioneer_days/events/sunset_in_the_park.php