Final preparations are being made as members of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians welcome family and visitors to the Tribal grounds for the annual Thanksgiving Pow Wow.

The Tribal grounds, located on Jack Springs Road, will be the site of activities, contests and special performances Thursday and Friday as the Tribe celebrates the 40th anniversary of the homecoming event.

Buford Rolin, chairman of the Atmore Tribe, said the anniversary affair will be as much of a homecoming as it is a celebration of the holiday and the Indian culture.

“This event that began in 1970 was originally called a homecoming,” Rolin said. “Over the years many of us had gotten involved in the Pow Wow circuit and decided to make this the Thanksgiving Pow Wow.”

The two-day event will feature a variety of competitions including dance, drums and Tribal princesses.

Eight young ladies are competing for the title of Poarch Creek Indian Princess in three categories. One winner will be chosen to represent elementary, junior and senior divisions of the contest.

In the elementary division, four young girls are competing for the title. There are two contestants in both the junior and senior divisions of the contest.

Bailey Elizabeth Alvarez, 12, is the daughter of Cynthia and Wesley Alvarez of Pensacola, Fla., and is a seventh-grade student at Ransom Middle School where she is an honor roll student. She is a member of the Eco Club, Chorus and Lil’ Seeds dance team and has received the Silver Presidential Award, Bravo Award for Chorus, Most Caring Award in fourth grade and Terrific Kid Award. During her spare time, she enjoys shopping, hanging out with friends, babysitting, and singing. She enjoyed spending part of her summer learning more about her Creek heritage and learning basket weaving. Her favorite foods are steak, shrimp, rice and anything her granny cooks. She attends My Father’s Vineyard Church with her family.

Mallory Olivia Gibson, 11, is the daughter of Kristy and Steve Gibson of Bratt, Fla. She is a sixth-grader at Ernest Ward Middle School where her favorite subject is math. She is a member of the Poarch Creek Powwow Club, Ernest Ward Middle School volleyball team and Student Government Association and Awana’s Club at First Baptist Church. She was the elementary first alternate in the 2009-10 Poarch Creek Indian Princess Contest. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, shopping, volleyball, vacationing, and dancing. Her favorite foods are crawfish, pasta and roasted corn. She attends the First Baptist Church of Bratt with her family.

Gabriella Treacy McGhee, 10, is the daughter of Charlotte and Stephen McGhee of Atmore. Her grandparents are Eldnar and Shirley Von McGhee and Linda Wiggins and the late Jimmy Wiggins. She is a fifth grade student at Huxford Elementary School where she is the president of her class and is on the all “A” honor roll. She was voted the class favorite this year. Her favorite subjects are science and physical education. She is a member of the Poarch Creek Powwow Club and played on the 9-12 year old girls NAYO softball team this year. Her favorite foods are Mexican, pizza, Chinese and chicken nuggets. She plays basketball and softball and enjoys cheerleading, singing, dancing at Pow Wows and spending time with her family and friends. She attends Atmore Apostolic Church with her family.

Melea Sierra Dawn McGhee, 12, is the daughter of Brandi Rutherford of Atmore and Perry McGhee of Orlando, Fla. She is a sixth grade student at Huxford Elementary where her favorite subjects are spelling and physical education. She has been a member of the Poarch Creek Powwow Club for three years, played on the 9-12 year old Girl’s NAYO Softball team and attended the 2010 “Be Ready” Camp at the NASA Space Center. She won the National Award in the Amerind Fire Safety Poster Contest two years ago and placed second in this year’s contest. She enjoys playing softball, stickball, basket weaving, doing beadwork, and drawing. Her favorite foods are pizza and macaroni and cheese. She attends McCullough Christian Center with her family.

Megan Nichole Flurnoy, 17, is the daughter of Kim and Larry Flurnoy of Atmore. She is a senior at Northview High School where favorite subjects are government and English. She is a member of the Student Government Association, DCT, Poarch Creek Tribal Youth Council Chief and is Alabama’s female member-at-large for United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. organization. Her favorite foods are butter beans, homemade biscuits, and chicken. She enjoys hanging out with friends, playing stickball, stomp dancing, watching Auburn football, going running, cooking exotic foods and shopping. She attends New Home Apostolic Church with her family.

Madison Ma’Clay McGhee, 13, is the daughter of Kimberly and Bryan McGhee of Atmore and the granddaughter of Thelma Mulder Baker and Mack Baker, Sharon Newby, Hollis McGhee and the late Doug Townson. She is in the eighth grade at Ernest Ward Middle School where her favorite subjects are science and home economics. She is a member of the Poarch Creek Powwow Club, Ernest Ward Honor Society and photographer for the Ernest Ward FFA Chapter. She served as the Junior Head Lady at the Thunderbird Intertribal Society Pow Wow in Niceville, Fla. this year.

Her favorite food is cheese sticks and she enjoys jingle dress dancing, texting and playing with her little brother. She attends Unity Baptist Church with her family.

Brittany Alleen Adams, 20, is the daughter of Marissa and David Adams of Atmore. She is a 2008 graduate of Day Springs Academy and a 2009 graduate of Reid State Technical College where she was on the Dean’s and President’s Lists. She is employed as a Nail Technician at the Wind Creek Spa and has received the Employee of the Month and Super Star Awards. Her favorite foods are pizza, salads, peach cobbler, ranch dressing and fried chicken. She enjoys spending time with family, watching Alabama football and watching drag racing.

Connie Nichol Colbert, 19, is the daughter of Deana Coker and Johnny Colbert of Atmore. She is currently a senior at Escambia Academy where her favorite subjects are math and band. She is the Second Chief for the Poarch Creek Tribal Youth Council, the majorette captain for Escambia Academy, first chair for the flute section in advanced band and a Chamber Ambassador for the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce. Her favorite foods are fry bread, pizza and mashed potatoes and gravy. She enjoys playing stickball, stomp dancing, attending cultural classes and twirling baton. She attends Brooks Memorial Church.

Winners in each of the division will be announced at noon Thursday during the Pow Wow event. The announcement will be followed by the Grand Entry.

Gates to the Tribal grounds will open at 10 a.m. Thursday and Friday with $5 admission charged per person each day.