FEW PEOPLE get as excited about the Fourth of July as Lenny McKinney did.

The Westmoreland County resident, who lived in Shannon Park near Kinsale and commuted to work in Stafford County, would spend much of the year planning and preparing his July Fourth extravaganza.

With trappings that ranged from red, white and blue bunting and streamers to countless flags and even his own Uncle Sam costume, McKinney would do his waterfront home up to a T.

He'd stock food to last for days, bring in some live music or family dressed in costume for impromptu stage shows, then welcome one of the most interesting mixes of folks gathered for any holiday.

Some years, the party would go on for days.

McKinney, who grew up in Goochland County and moved to Stafford in time to work on early homes in Aquia Harbour, explained that he started the extravaganza for two reasons.

"It's a way to get to know people and celebrate the freedoms we have in this life," he said, noting it was more fun to invite a mix of both old and young.

As I thought about finding a subject for this year's Fourth of July column, I couldn't get McKinney out of my head.

The subject of last year's Fourth of July column, and one of the most engaging, caring people I ever interviewed, McKinney died of heart problems just a few weeks after his Independence Day bash, at the age of 46.

Family and friends, who said he was already planning his Fourth of July bash for this year, all agreed that McKinney epitomized what the holiday is about.

He loved the patriotism of it, the sharing with others of his respect for this country, and the feeling of community that he created by inviting a mix of people to his home on a branch of the Yeocomico River.

The more I thought about what to do for this year's July Fourth column, the more it made sense to somehow memorialize the caring Fourth of July host.