It was a fun two weeks celebrating our town’s sesquicentennial, but I sure am tired. I think I went to almost every event, but the ones I couldn’t get to I made plans for someone else to take pictures. We have two more picture pages this week just like we did last week.
A huge shout out to Rockdale City Manager Barbara Holly who took charge of all the event committees and was the go-to person for all of my questions as well as everyone else’s questions. Dr. John Mike Weed said of her, “She did such a good job that she quit her real job.” Which is funny but she is taking a well-deserved retirement, especially after the past year of planning all the events.
She had lots of help. See editorial on this page for more thanks to a whole lot of different people who made all of this possible.
My friend, Annette Stone, did a great job with her two presentations on George Sessions Perry and another one on the paintings George Patterson left to our public library, some of which are worth a lot of money.
Dr. Lucile Estell wasn’t well enough to give a talk on her book about Rockdale, but Geri Burnett did a great job talking about her research for the book. So many events took place at the library. It was the place to be for both Fridays during the celebration with six local authors each Friday signing their books. My good friend, Shari Seifert, stayed at our house during her time here.
Glenda Wiley planned the whole gala at the KC Hall on Saturday night, and everyone had a good time. Mom and Dad went to that, but I didn’t get to make it. They enjoyed it and said the food was delicious.
Curah and Brian Beard also contributed a lot at both The 1895 and the Kay Theater where several events were held the past two weeks. I talked to Curah on Monday, and she said they are both recovering. I was mad because I had to work, but I will definitely be taking off on T hursday i f I get all caught up because I need a day of rest and relaxation.
Librarian Melanie Todd was also a busy girl with so many events at the library. Luckily she had some help with the staff as well as sponsors Main Street Bookshop and the Rockdale Historical Society.
Moon Brew Coffee Co. owners Rita Gameiro and Maggie Goggins were also busy ladies since the bookshop was right in the thick of things. I highly suggest trying Rita’s chicken salad on one of their delicious croissants. I have heard Maggie’s pimento cheese is also very good, but I haven’t had a chance to taste it yet. My cousin Bethany says she keeps hers under lock and key so she doesn’t have to share it. T he r e was a lot of good food through food trucks during the events.
It’s a shame that the Alcoa-made time capsule didn’t make it. I was really looking forward to seeing what all was in it. Thanks to former Alcoan Gary Johnson for cleaning and salvaging everything he could out of it, although there wasn’t much to salvage. The new one, which was buried on Sunday, is supposed to be guaranteed to last for 100 years. We will have to make sure someone way younger than me knows that just in case. I’ll be 110 so I probably won’t remember.
Mom and Dad mentioned how they talked in 1974 about the time capsule and whether or not they’d be alive to see it opened. They are still alive but none of the things they put in it survived. Oh well, things happen.
Happy Birthday, Rockdale!
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