By Staff
It was a pleasure to chair our city's heritage festival, Williams Station Day.
There are so many people to thank for making our day possible. The corporate sponsors are so important to the success of any Atmore Chamber of Commerce event and especially the Williams Station Day festival. We thank Frontier Communications, Pepsi, Swift Supply, and United Bank for being our major corporate sponsors and for their continued community and chamber support.
Thanks also to the sponsors of WSD children's events, Atmore Community Hospital and Baptist Healthcare Systems, Maxwell, Haley, &Castleberry, Central Farm Supply, and Diamond Food Marts.
Thanks to Emilie Mims and Shelly Williams for their many hours of planning and organizing each part of this festival, for being directive, for knowing and remembering what works or what doesn't, for knowing what may need to be changed or added, and for just wanting to provide a festival we all could be proud of.
Thanks to the mayor for coordinating the city departments and functions for the weekend and for the inspirational welcome and reading of the proclamation declaring Williams Station Day in Atmore.
Thanks to Mitch Staples and the Atmore Lions Club for coordinating the food court concessions and for seeing that the vendors had ice.
Thanks to Keith Castleberry for planning and working so hard on the entertainment. It was great and provided a good mix of talent for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks to the VFW, ECHS Color Guard, and Boy and Girl Scouts for providing and raising the flag.
Thanks to Jeremy and Tiffany Sims for the invocation and singing of the national anthem.
Thanks to Rep. Skippy White for taking time to appear and speak.
Thanks to the YMCA, Terri Godwin and the YMCA board for planning and sponsoring the 5K run, biathlon and kids fun run.
Thanks to Scott Hurst and the Rotary Club for having the hayride.
Thanks to Dan Allen Currie for putting together a great model train show for big and little kids to enjoy. Thanks to Wilson Johnson for the use of his mules for publicity, for coordinating the mule teams and the competition. Thanks to Robin Swift for putting together the cane mill grinding and syrup demonstration.
Thanks to Patty Dettling for coordinating the Children's Art Festival, pumpkin and scarecrow contest along with Anna Zarahn.
Thanks to the Kids Club, Travis Minchew, Michelle Diller, and company for the puppet show and children's games. Thanks to Alan Bell for being chairperson of the Williams Station train ride and thanks to his many helpers.
Thanks to block chairman Walt Butler and the other block workers Greg Wilson, Milton Adams, and Webb Nall for doing a great job helping the artist vendors set up and for keeping traffic flowing smoothly on Pensacola Avenue Friday and Saturday.
Thanks to Ann Glavan and the Atmore Women's Club for manning the Chamber information booth all day.
Thanks to Judy Pylate and helpers for managing the cup sales.
Thanks to Cathy Lowrey for the big job of finances for the day.
Thanks to Carolyn Crane and Jane Woods for providing hospitality during setups early Saturday morning.
Thanks to the Atmore Utility Department and Dick McCabe for placing the directional, no parking, and handicap signs.
Thanks to Betty Adams, Sheilo Faircloth, Rene Godwin, and Janet Swift for making patron contacts.
Thanks to Pat Eddins, First National Bank, Bonnie and Tom Latino for the Patron's Party.
Thanks to Nick Smith for coordinating TV and radio publicity.
Thanks to Mary McPherson for putting together and manning the memorabilia tent.
Thanks to Shannon Cooper and Shannon's for the beautiful stage decorations.
Thanks to Gwen Dorriety for the table decorations.
Thanks to Mary Grissett for helping with the activities for the schools.
Thanks to July Howell, Mickey Parker, and Cruisers Unlimited for providing and planning the car show.
Thanks to Betty Warren for planning the WSD tennis tournament.
Thanks to Elsie Butler and Mary Ann McCabe for walking with the fine arts judges. Thanks to Mary Jane Schrock, her nurses, and Baptist Healthcare Systems for providing first aid all day.
Thanks to Sarju Patel and the Chamber Ambassadors for manning the Pepsi wagons.
Thanks to Frontier Communications for the use of their parking lot, water, and thermos.
Thanks to Pepsi for use of their truck and thermos. Thanks to the Cookie Jar for cookies.
Thanks to First United Methodist Church for use of their table, chairs, power, and parking lots for the day.
Thanks to First Presbyterian Church for the use of their yards and lots, power and water.
Thanks to the Fritz Currie family for use of power and parking.
Thanks to my friends Myrna Monroe and Debra Daniel for volunteering in the chamber office last week. It is impossible for me to thank everyone involved in Saturday's celebration either by donating your time or offering to help because so many people did get involved. We really appreciate everyone's willingness to be a part. A special thanks to all of the residents of Pensacola Avenue for allowing us to interrupt their weekend by blocking access to their homes Friday and Saturday during setup and the festival. Most of all, a big, big thanks to everyone who attended and supported the show.
I had an artist tell me that she felt she was riding into Mayberry when she arrived into town because everything was so clean and seemed to be sparkling. Several of us thought that was a compliment. We can all be proud of how our city was presented to the public Saturday. Everyone deserves a pat on the back.
Nancy Helton,
Williams Station Day Chairperson