By By Nancy Helton
On May 19 in Heritage Park, we celebrated the City of Atmore's 100 year incorporation date. Hopefully, it was similar to what would have been done in 1907–family games, good friends, good food and good entertainment. On behalf of the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce, we thank Mayor Howard Shell and the City Council for allowing us to help with the City's 100th birthday party. Families and friends enjoyed milling around Heritage Park among their neighbors booths trying barbeque, roasted corn, ice cream, homemade desserts, lemonade, cookies, peanuts, hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy. Our friends also got to cast their eyes on beautiful gourds and flowers, an old turpentine demonstration, listen to Atmore history while on a hayride, try their hand at log sawing, join the old fashion costume contest, enter the pie contest, visit with the Girl Scouts, purchase brooms and mops from the Lions Club, imagine driving an old 1921 Ford truck and enjoy wonderful entertainment. What a day! What a day!!
The Centennial celebration would not have been possible without the help of our Centennial Committee, Mayor Howard Shell and Councilman Webb Nall; Chamber employees Emilie Mims and Shelly Williams; plus citizens Adam Prestridge, Bob Jones, Byard Swift (who initially reminded us that this was our 100th birthday year), Conrad Weber, DeeDra Kelley, Gloria Marshall, Gregg Akins, Lance Blackburn, Lee Ann Allen, Mark Clayton and Sherry Digmon. Thank you to Nancy Karrick who spent hours helping Mr. Swift with the Timeline and Gloria Marshall with the citizen interviews. We also thank those groups who participated: American Legion Auxiliary Post 90, Atmore Garden Club, Atmore Girl Scouts, Atmore Historical Society, Atmore Lions Club, Atmore Area YMCA, Concerned Citizens of Atmore, Dale Bennett; First National Bank &Trust; PJC Milton Forestry Club, Swift Lumber Co., Trinity Episcopal Church, United Cerebral Palsy and Walter Butler.
Additional thanks to City of Atmore Police Department, Street Department and other employees, Becky and Bill Ganey, Bill Salter Outdoor Advertising, Earl Bryant and Tri-Co Electric, Erik Patterson and Winn Dixie, James Helton and Audio Plus, Jeff Huber, A. J. Beachy, Joe Gipson, John Sweeting and the ECHS NJROTC, Randall Barnett and Xerox, Volunteers Johnny Rodgers, Ross Terry, Tammy Graham, Theresa Scott and Crystal Brown, Tim McCollum, Ray and Leslie Sellers, Benny and Bobby Respress, Peggy Weaver, Cathy Lowrey, Deborah Camp, Cathy Dukes, Kristy Johnson, Meagan Gorum and Emily Gehman. Thanks to our Pie Judges Brenda Watkins, Lou Vickery and Myrna Monroe along with Carolyn Bivins for judging guidelines. Thanks to the Corporate teams that participated in the Atmore YMCA's Corporate Challenge. Congratulations to Holman Prison for winning the Centennial Cup. If we left off your name, please know that we appreciate all that you did.
The wonderful entertainment was provided by Willie Hawthorne Invocation &National Anthem; Haskell Dunn, Felicia Bishop, Chuck Stevens and professional groups, Flying Jenny from Birmingham, and the Andrews Sisters USO show from Mobile.
Thank you to the citizens of Atmore for coming out and supporting your community's celebration and for allowing us to do something special to remember Atmore's 100th birthday.
Mayor Shell &Council members, the fireworks were fabulous. What a way to end the day!
Nancy Helton is president of the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce. She can be contacted at 368-3305.