By Staff
Congratulations and our thanks to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians for a great Fourth of July celebration n a community Fourth of July celebration.
PCI never referred to it as a Poarch event. It was always community. They just wanted everybody to come out, honor the veterans, watch fireworks and have a good time.
David Gehman and Jerry Gehman were the driving force behind this. In about four weeks, they pulled the celebration together. That was possible only because dozens of people volunteered to help and dozens of businesses and individuals jumped on the Gehmans' band wagon with money, goods and services.
It was a night of Americana.
Families sitting on blankets. Folks in lawn chairs pulled up close to each other. Kids running around. Flags waving and patriotic songs and veterans. Indian princesses and Chamber Ambassadors.
Entertainers Wes Brown, Lana Langford, Jessica Tullis, Denean Workman, and the Five J's offered a variety of good music.
Pyrotechnicians PCI Fire Chief Ronnie Jackson, Charlie Rutherford and Glenn Faircloth, assisted by the PCI volunteer firefighters, gave us quite a fireworks show.
The PCI police department did a great job of getting traffic in and out. There was plenty of free parking near the event for everybody who wanted to come. We've heard reports that the fireworks could be seen for miles. Cars were parked along Jack Springs Road and along the interstate.
The Atmore Advance is proud to join the following as sponsors of this event: Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Frontier Communications, Pepsi Bottling Co., Atmore Rotary Club, Alto Products, United Bank, Atmore Chamber of Commerce, Lamb's Dozier Service, Bateson's Furniture, Joey's Furniture, Vanity Fair, Church's Chicken, Johnson Ford, Diamond Oil Co., Sunbelt Chemicals, McMurphy Oil, Optical World, Escambia Lawn and Rental Center, Doc Sutton, Buck Powell, Atmore Ready Mix, Apple Barrel, State Line Pawn Shop, Maxwell, Haley and Castleberry Insurance, Robert R. Davis PC and Kmart. Supply and in-kind contributors were Marty's Furniture Co., Swift Supply, Pepsi Bottling Co., and End of the Line Agency.
The Gehmans said they see no reason this community can't have a Fourth of July celebration every year. We agree. Fireworks on the Fourth is right up there with apple pie and Mom.
But, more importantly, if we don't tell the youngsters about the veterans, how will they know about the sacrifices? If we aren't reminded what our country is founded on, how soon will we forget? If we don't exercise our patriotism once and a while, how soon will it die?
And if the Gehmans and the Poarch Creek Indians don't take it upon themselves to do this for the community, who will?
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians put out the welcome mat for all of us. We sure appreciate it.