Partygoer describes Lake of the Ozarks pool party

Cellphone video of a pool party at the Lake of the Ozarks during Memorial Day weekend has now been seen by millions on social media.

SHORTENED HOURS.SOCIAL DISTANCING WENTOUT THE WINDOW THISWEEKEND AT A MEMORIALDAY PARTY AT THE LAKE OFTHE OZARKS.PARTY GOERS CAPTUREDTHIS CROWDED SCENE ONTHEIR PHONES, AND NOWTHOSE POSTS ARE GOINGVIRAL.IN A STORY YOU WILLONLY SEE HERE, 41 ACTIONNEWS REPORTER ANDRESGUTIERREZ SPOKE TO ONEOF THOSE PEOPLE ANDTHE OWNER OF WHERETHE VIDEO WAS SHOT.It's the video now seen bymillions on social media of apool party at the Lake of theOzarks this memorial dayweekend.The gathering happened atBackwater Jack's in OsageBeach.On their facebook page, thebar calls it: the "Zero DucksGiven Pool Party"Jodi Atkins/Attended Pool Party/"I walked up and my jawdropped and was like 'oh mygosh!'"Jodi Akins from Blue Springsattended the party.Jodi Akins/Attended Pool Party"They checked everyone"stemperature around us i sawthem every single person thatwalked through in front of methey checked our temperatureand right when we got in thedoor there were to the right ofus there was a big tub ofbunch of hand sanitizers"But it's the lack of socialdistancing in the videoTHAT"S drawing criticism.Jodi Akins/Attended Pool Party/"If you"re worried aboutgetting sick obviously or youwant to distance yourselfit"s pretty much to eachtheir own you just kind of haveto do what you feel is right"The bar owner, Gary Prewitt,told 41 Action News onSunday he couldn't speakbecause he was super busywith people.We did sit down with him lastweek.Gary Prewitt/Owner, BackwaterJack"s/AG: How many people do youanticipate will be here?GP: we'll have about 1,000people at this establishmentand that's what socialdistancing if we weren't socialdistancing, and people, peoplebeing here we'd be rotating1000 at all times.Prewitt added with a crowdthat large practicing socialdistancing would be achallenge.Gary Prewitt/Owner, BackwaterJack"s/so keeping people apart sixfeet, we don't know who's ingroups, who's in families.

Weexpect them to do that on theirown.

We won't let largegroups gather over 10 at leasttry not to and and speak tothem to to spread out a littlebit more.With the weekend markingthe unofficial start to summer,Prewitt appreciates GovernorMike Parson opening up thestate in time for the holiday.Gary Prewitt/Owner, BackwaterJack"s/I have a three to four-monthseason pays our bills for 12months.

So if we would miss amonth I look at it would bemissing three months ofrevenue.The town's mayor feels thesame way.Mayor John Olivarri/Osage Beach,MissouriAre we going to makeeveryone happy becausewe"re open?

Probably not.Do i feel bad that ourbusinesses of have opened upand given our employees theopportunity to work and feedtheir families?

Absolutely not.STILL - WITH MORE THAN12,200 POSITIVECORONAVIRUS CASES INMISSOURI.

AND THEAMOUNT TRENDINGUPWARD--IT"S IMAGES LIKE THISTHAT PUBLIC HEALTHEXPERTS DISCOURAGE.ANDRES GUTIERREZ.

41ACTION NEWS.AS A REMINDER --MISSOURI HAS NOSTATEWIDE LIMITATION ONGATHERINGS BUT SOCIALDISTANCING GUIDELINESSHOULD BE FOLLOWED,AND MASKS AREENCOURAGED.GATHERINGS OF MORETHAN 15 PEOPLE AREPROHIBITED IN KANSASUNTIL THE STATETRANSITIONS INTO THENEXT PHASE.