Published: March 19, 2008 07:57 am         

LG plans Founder’s Day

Locust Grove Area Chamber of Commerce members met at Ranch House Pizza to discuss plans for the upcoming Founder’s Day event.

Preparations are underway with executive board member Wade Bennett coordinating the effort. The Chamber worked on details such as who would assign booth spaces and where the carnival will be located.

The Chamber planned to ask a local business owner to take on the responsibility of assigning booth space. Once that person is contacted, the Chamber will announce the contact information. The prices of booth rentals will remain the same as last year.

The carnival, Lewellen Amusement, is expected to be located behind Odie’s B-B-Q. It is the same location where the carnival was set in 2007. President Leslie Mack contacted Locust Grove School Superintendent Dave Cash about putting the carnival in the west parking lot of the football field. Cash said it would be considered and taken to the school board.

Chamber members also discussed the renting of Port-A-Potties as well as reserving a large tent.

The parade will begin at 2 p.m., and run east down Main Street. Everyone is welcome to enter. Line-up will begin at 1 p.m. at the school superintendent’s office. The parade is not a judged event. There was also discussion on four-wheelers in the parade. The Chamber asked Police Chief Nathan Raith if an officer could ride along behind the all-terrain vehicles to keep anyone from getting out of hand.

There are still plans for children’s games such as the turtle race. A list of games and locations will be made available before Founder’s Day. The Chamber is also planning a dog show. The annual car show will remain at the football field on the east side parking lot.

In other chamber business, the group welcomed four new members of the Junior Chamber. Rebel Colvin, Randal Caldwell, Tyler Downing and Sabrina Rice, all seniors at Locust Grove High School. All four will take part in Chamber of Commerce activities such as volunteering at Founder’s Day and the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall. The Chamber also voted to donate $800 to Marsha Whalen for the Moving Wall.

A representative of Rural Electric Cooperative donated $200 to help with Founder’s Day and reminded the community of the deadline for scholarship applications.

Locust Grove High School principal David Wilkins spoke about a program that is in the works as an incentive for students to do well in school. Wilkins said a student must have a 3.5 grade point average, have fewer than three unexcused absences and no disciplinary reports to be eligible for the program. Student who meet those qualifications will receive a Pirate card that will allow them to go off campus on Friday’s for lunch. It will also provide them with a discount for lunch at several local restaurants.

“It is a privilege and with that comes responsibility,” said Wilkins.

School Resource Office Karen Hershberger will be posted at the gate of the school allowing only those with a Pirate card to leave school grounds for lunch. The cards will be issued in a different color every six weeks so students can not take advantage of the program.

Mack also spoke out about students at the school.

“I’m really proud of our seniors who applied for the Gates Scholarship. We had eight make it to the second round,” Mack said.

Other important school dates were announced. Graduation and the last day of school is on May 23, the prom is May 9 and spring break is this week.

The next Chamber of Commerce meeting will be at Cook’s restaurant on Wednesday, April 9, at

11 a.m.

     

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