By Peggy King
Editor/Publisher
CORDELE — The day that many children and adults have eagerly anticipated finally has arrived!
Thomas the Tank Engine will be pulling out of the SAM Shortline station at the Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park every hour on the hour for a 25 minute ride today, Saturday and Sunday and again next weekend.
More than 15,000 people will be visiting the area and riding the train during those six days.
Crisp County merchants want visitors to know that when they leave the park area, there’s still plenty to do in Cordele. They can enjoy a variety of foods and shopping experiences with the businesses whose ads appear on page 3 of this edition.
Those who are craving Mexican food can make a stop at El Girasol on 14th Ave. E. Cracker Barrel at Exit 109 of I-75 is the place for country cooking complete with vegetables, breakfast food, hamburgers, steak or fish.
There are opportunities for antiquing at the Braggin’ Bull on 16th Ave. in Cordele and at The Olde Shoppe on Union St. in Vienna. Numerous gift and other items are available at Flint River of Cordele on 16th Ave., J. W. Designs on 5th St. behind CVS Pharmacy which is on 16th, Whimsical Violets across from Home Depot near the intersection of I-75 and 16th Ave. and Three’s Company on 16th.
Visitors can get gas, food, and hunting and fishing accessories at Arrowhead Grocery across Hwy. 280 from the Veterans Park. Should they need help with their vehicle, Southland on Hwy. 280 W. between Cordele and the park is the place.
Colony Bank on 24th Ave. in Cordele offers all types of banking services, and medical attention is available at Reese Chiropractic Clinic which is located at the 109 exit near Home Depot.
In addition to the actual train ride, there’s also lots to do at the park. An 8,000 square foot tent is filled with every type of Thomas toy and other memorabilia imaginable. Children can meet “Sir Topham Hatt,” and have their pictures made with the controller of the railway.
Steve Gryb, the self-proclaimed “pied piper of percussion,” will present a 45 minute musical show four times each day, at 10:30 a.m., 12 noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m.
His show involves plenty of audience participation and free prizes for those who help him with the programs. Some 300 instruments including tambourines and inflatable bongos will be used. For his grand finale, he will distribute train whistles to members of the audience.
“Educational and entertaining” is the way Gryb describes his show which is included in the cost of the train ticket.
Other attractions include a story-telling area, arts and crafts, face painting, miniature golf, a hay bale maze and an imagination station as well as a wild animal display from Reed Bingham State Park. Temporary Thomas tatoos also are available.
For those who will be going to the park later today or during the weekend, free parking is provided in the grassy area south of the park office and museum. A shuttle service will carry people to the SAM Shortline loading area where Thomas will pull out every hour with some 450 passengers aboard for a 25-minute trek.
Tickets are available at the site and entitle holders to participate in all the associated activities at no additional charge.
Emergency medical and fire personnel are on the site at all times in case of an emergency, SAM Shortline Special Events Coordinator Tara Dominici said.
This is the 12th year that HIT Entertainment has presented Thomas the Tank Engine in “a day out with Thomas” throughout the U. S., but the famous engine’s first stop in Georgia.
