By By APRIL SELLS
WSD Chairperson
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who made the Ninth Annual Williams Station Day such a big success. A special thanks to our corporate sponsors – Frontier Communications, Pepsi, Swift Supply and United Bank.
Also, a thank you to First National Bank of Atmore, sponsor of the patrons' party, along with Tom and Bonnie Latino who graciously opened their home and served as host and hostess.
Several businesses sponsored special events this year. Those sponsors were Alabama Power, Baptist Health Care, Days Inn and Z-Tel.
What would Williams Station Day be without our volunteers to make this possible. We were blessed with a beautiful day, which encouraged a lot of people to come to our town to enjoy what we had to offer. I hope those who labored through the heat were not disappointed in the day's activities and those who visited our festival for the first time will come again.
I will attempt to list the volunteers who were in charge of committees and hope that they have extended a thank you to those who assisted them: television publicity – Jerry Gehman; radio publicity – Keith Castleberry; juried arts show – Robert Thrower; stage decoration – Concettia Nall; burlap for stage decorations – Masland Carpet; food vendors – Mitch Staples and the Atmore Lions Club; Williams Station Express – Alan Bell; mule pulling contest and logging demonstration – Wilson Johnson; cane mill demonstration – Robin Swift; model train show – Joe Brown and Dan Currie; 5K run and bike-a-thon – YMCA Board of Directors, YMCA Director Terri Godwin and staff and Atmore Area Leadership Alumni; tennis tournament – Betty Warren; children's art show and pumpkin carving contest – Patti Dettling and Anna Zarahn; block chairmen – Kelly Brown, Daniel McGhee and John Mims; car show – Julius Howell; Pepsi wagons – Chamber Ambassadors; Chamber information booth – Atmore Women's Club; hospitality – Peggie Byrd and Ren Godwin; stage coordinators – Nancy Lowery and Susan Cunningham; masters of ceremonies – Willie Hawthorne and Judge Devon Wiggins; opening ceremonies – Mayor Howard Shell, Jessica Tullis, Miss Atmore Anna Davis and Boy Scout Troop No. 26; information packets for the schools – John Taylor; Ralph Johnson's carvings – Atmore Historical Society; hayride – Atmore Rotary Club; hay – Kevin Classen; photography – Walter Butler; publicity assistance – Barnett and Associates; memorabilia booth – Mary McPherson; Police Chief Danny McKinley and the Atmore Police Department; Department Manager Don Whatley and the Atmore Street Department; Manager Tom Wolfe and the Atmore Utilities Department; individuals who assisted the staff in the offices on Friday.
Thanks to the principals and staff of A.C. Moore Elementary, Escambia Academy, Huxford Elementary and Rachel Patterson Elementary for the disruption in their daily schedules to allow Timmy Abell to perform for their students. Also, I appreciate Wanda Hall for her assistance, taking pictures and making sure everything was running smoothly behind the scenes at these performances.
Last, but certainly not least, I give a big hand to Emilie Mims and Shelly Williams for all of their hard work. It made chairing this event a lot easier. Also, I thank the Chamber's Board of Directors for the individual tasks they undertook.