July 30, 2007

BULLDOG FOOTBALL– 2007

We’re pleased to welcome Rocky Felker back to Rotary. The Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for MSU football returns to the field this season as running backs coach. We’re looking forward to hearing what to expect when the Dawgs take the field in the nationally televised season opener against LSU Thursday, Aug. 30.

NEXT WEEK’S GUEST

Our speaker next week will be Bo Robinson, Public Service Commissioner for Mississippi’s Northern District. He’ll be introduced by Grady Mitchener.

LAST WEEK AT ROTARY

Invocation and Pledge: Janette Self.

Attendance:. There were 110 members (78 active, 32 exempt) present and 56 active, 22 exempt, and all 10 honorary members missing. Three active members are on leave.

Guests: Guests of John Robert Arnold were his wife Mary Ann, daughter Elizabeth Howell, and granddaughter Kathen Hall. Other member guests were Arma Salazar of Chance McDavid and Claire Hardin of her Dad Carey. Club guests were Rotary Youth Exchange Student Marie Baran and members of her host family – Tom, Wendell, and Abby Cathcart; Steve Ellis, Rick Welch, and Joan Wilson of the Johnny Cash Pardon Committee; and Skip Descant, Commercial Dispatch. They were introduced by Vice President Chip Templeton.

Makeups: Martha Ray Sartor, July 17 in Ripley; Jeff Donald, July 20 and 21 in Franklin, TN; Keith Remy, July 20-22 SCRYE Conference in Little Rock, AR; Janette Self July 17 on-line.

Meeting Notes: Meetings held following adjournment of Rotary were New Member Inductions, Program, Attendance, and Membership/Classification Committees, and the Board of Directors.

President Ned Browning invited Rotarians to a celebration of Mary Gene Gaston’s 95th birthday that evening at First Presbyterian Church. She is the mother of past president Andy Gaston and widow of the late Russell Gaston who was president of Rotary in 1954-55.

Congratulations to Mrs. Gaston!

Rotary Minute: The Rotary minute was given by Greg Stewart. “I look around and see Starkville represented here. I see Service Above Self. I see community.

“Thank you for making me part of your community.”

Continuing, he said “The reason we come here is to serve our community. That’s my Rotary minute!”.

JOHNNY CASH FLOWER PICKIN’ FESTIVAL

What started out as an effort by Robbie Ward to garner support to win a posthumous pardon for the late country music star Johnny Cash, has blossomed into a plan for a weekend festival here in November.

Ward, a writer in the MSU University Relations Department, told Rotarians about the ambitious plan that he hopes will become an annual event in Starkville.

The Southern Miss journalism graduate worked as a writer for the Vicksburg Post and the NortheastMississippi Daily Journal before joining the University Relations staff. According to Tommy Tomlinson, who introduced him, Ward got the pardon idea after running the Country Music Marathon in Nashville.

The Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum decided to establish a Johnny Cash exhibit to commemorate the celebrity’s “interesting” tie to the community. They, too thought an official pardon for the offense was in order.

Ward introduced his plan for a Johnny Cash Festival while he was a member of the GSDP Leadership Class of 2006. A committee has been formed to develop plans and market the Johnny Cash “Flower Pickin’ Festival” for the weekend of Nov. 2-4.

Ward reviewed the circumstances that landed Johnny Cash in jail here after a 1965 concert on the MSU campus. His night of incarceration prompted one of his well-known hits, “Starkville City Jail.” After an evening campus performance and post-show revelry, Cash was arrested for picking flowers from the yard of Dr. John Copeland while under the influence of alcohol.

Trouble wasn’t new to Cash. During his career, he was arrested seven times. But his jail time in Starkville is the only experience he wrote a song about, Ward said.

News about the festival has already gotten out to Johnny Cash fans all over the world. Ward is optimistic and enthusiastic about the festival and its long-term possibilities.

Turning to tentative plans, Ward said there will be a community-wide social Friday night at the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (where Cash “celebrated” following the 1962 concert). Next door, in the MSU Amphitheater, there will be a showing of “I Walk the Line,” a movie of Cash’s life and troubles.

Saturday, Starkville’s Main Street (from Cadence Bank intersection to West Main) will be restricted to foot traffic. Country music stars will perform on the downtown stage and booths and vendors will be located along the street. There’ll be visits to the “crime scene” just off old Highway 82 and city, county, and (hopefully) state officials will be on hand with symbolic pardons.

“This isn’t just about Johnny Cash,” Ward said. “This is about redemption. His is a touching life story. He fought his way out of the depths of alcohol and drug addiction. He resumed performing and worked with a number of Billy Graham Crusades.” Cash died in 2003.

The festival will end with a Sunday worship service in the MSU Amphitheater – the sermon will be on redemption.

Ward is still working on booking the country music stars who will be performing at the festival, but he expects a number of entertainers to sign on. The festival has been endorsed by the Johnny Cash Estate (“the only endorsement the estate has issued” Ward said). Cash family members are also expected to attend the festival.

“The Man in Black (Cash) has national and international reputation and notoriety,” Ward said. His goal is to have more than 10,000 attendees this year and hopes the festival becomes an annual event attracting country music fans to Starkville.

There will be no admission charge. Efforts are underway to raise funds for the festival through donations, charity auctions, sponsorships, grants, and the sale (nationally) of specially-designed T-shirts. All profits will be divided equally between the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum and the local Boys and Girls Club.

MARIE HEADS HOME TO FRANCE

Marie Baran, who has been our RYE student for the past year, spoke briefly and eloquently to thank Rotary for making it possible for her to have a wonderful year that significantly changed her life. She had many travel opportunities with her host families, was involved in many school activities, was able to participate in Summer Scholars, and made hundreds of new friends in the school and throughout the community.

Nancy Hargove, who served as Marie’s counselor, introduced her as one of the most personable and most effective student ambassadors our club has hosted.

Both President Ned Browning and Vice President Chip Templeton, expressed Rotary’s appreciation for the positive impact Marie has had on the club, school, and community.

Marie boarded a flight for France Thursday noon, July 26. She will be missed.

TWO NEW STUDENTS ARRIVE THIS WEEK

Two new RYE students are coming this week.

Maria Caicedo, who wants to be called “Negrita,” is due to land at GTR Airport tomorrow noon after a long flight from Ecuador. She’ll be hosted by the Bill Burnetts, the family of Tori Ferguson, who will go to Ecuador August 18 as our RYE student ambassador.

Maryna Melnik, a 16-year-old student from Belarus, will land in Birmingham Airport Thursday evening. She’ll be met by her first host family, Mr. and Mrs. John Tomlinson. Maryna is one of the children of Chernobyl, hosted annually by the Starkville United Methodist Church. She has been here for three month-long summer visits, the first when she was 9 years old. She wants to be an English teacher and will be enrolled in Starkville High School. We hope both girls will attend Rotary regularly.

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

Rotarians with birthdays in August include Grant Arinder, Tip Allen, Albert Clark, Joel Clements, Dan Craig, Gery Cummings, Bill Cunningham, Joe Fratesi, Jim Long, Mike Mazzola, Bricklee Miller, Gerry Orgler, Jeff Read, John Rush, Janette Self, Chip Templeton, Wilmot Thomson, David Thornell, and Bob Wolverton. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!