By TIM FRANZEN
timothy.franzen@gaflnews.com
ROCHELLE—Arts and Crafts, musical entertainment and a parade highlighted activities here during the 2007 Wilcox County Farmers Appreciation Day and Sesquicentennial Celebration Saturday.
Bob McGuinty, Nelson Gaines, Ben Peavy and Simon Newton, Cynthia Holt, Gospel Echoes, Alex Clements and First Baptist Church of Rochelle Ladies Ensemble provided the musical entertainment in the gazebo.
Curt Nichols, president of the Wilcox County Chamber of Commerce was also presented with a certificate of appreciation recognizing him for the “...Outstanding renovation of an historic property at 1102 First Avenue.” The building is the new home of the Chamber offices in Rochelle.
Antique and modern tractors were featured during the Farmers Day parade.
Members of the Optimist Club Pricilla Whitman, Louise Keene and Geneva Morgan were selling Christmas Decorations, Candy Canes and Candle arrangements.
Whitman commented, “We have adopted Kathy Dozier’s first grade class at Wilcox County Elementary School and help purchase school supplies for all the students that can not afford them on their own. We do fund raisers throughout the year towards our projects.” She continued, “Plus we furnish refreshments for the summer reading program at the Wilcox County Library in Abbeville.” Whitman concluded, “We also are proud of the fact that we provide a $500 scholarship to a graduating senior at Wilcox County High School and a $250 Technical School Scholarship.”
Bill Sutton, commander of American Legion Post 71 said, “We have 130 members from Crisp Ben Hill, Pulaski and Wilcox Counties as well as from far away as Alabama and Florida.”
Sutton added, “We will be constructing an American Legion building with 6,000 square feet of space off of Highway 280 just west of Rochelle. We are in the process of starting a construction fund.”
Trees across Rochelle had a jar of acorns and if you correctly guessed the number of acorns, the winner would receive a live oak. Berry Collier and A.K. Seville, spokesman for the group, has planted a total of 44 trees around Rochelle during the year.
State Representative Jimmy Pruett was also in attendance and participants enjoyed a Life on the Farm Educational Exhibition from the Fort Valley State College (FVSC) of Agriculture, Home Economics and Allied program. Christopher Sanders, program assistant with the FVSC corporate extension program brought along Daisy the cow, Neal the goat, mallard ducks and a rooster and hen.
Booths were set up for the Wilcox County 4-H Club, Rochelle United Methodist Church who were busy signing up people for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life May 30, 2008.
