Monday, May 11, 2009

The Three R's

By: J. Shirlene Cooper



While area students get ready to close the books on another school year, DeRidder and the community of Rosepine were mastering three R’s of another variety. In this case, roses, radio, and running were on the minds of those taking part in annual spring time events the last weekend in April.

Roses face paint:
Four-year-old Ethan Parker Johnson, of Rosepine tries to sit still as Dolly Weldon of Bundick Lake puts the finishing touches on his Spider-Man look. The face-painting booth was just one of the many children’s activities offered at the 2009 Roses In The Pines Festival.

Blue skies and sunshine greeted this year’s Roses in the Pines Festival on April 24 and 25, in Rosepine. A welcome change after last year’s cold and rain, the fair weather drew crowds to the center of town for two days of shopping, good eating, games, and entertainment.

A Rosepine Historical Society fundraiser, the family-oriented festival provided an outlet for fun and fellowship to the residents of Rosepine, DeRidder, Leesville, and points beyond. Colorful tents and booths lined the grassy area on which the festival was laid out, and each offered an assortment of plants, crafts, handmade clothing, jewelry, tools and other items.

From Anacoco, Randy Browning manned a covered booth filled with handcrafted wooden treasures – everything from birdhouses and porch swings to polished, multi-colored wall decorations, jewelry boxes, and fruit bowls. Having started with a scroll saw and a few pieces of wood, Browning truly has carried cutting, sawing, sanding, and staining to a whole new level.

Strolling among the booths in the open air always stirs up an appetite; therefore, a large selection of menu items was offered to quell the hunger pangs. Those with a taste for Louisiana flavor were drawn by an aromatic mix of barbecue, peppers, and “Tony’s” wafting across the festival grounds. With tongs in hand, Vernon Parish Police Juror Leonard Johnson served as grill master, dishing up barbecue chicken to hungry shoppers. Along with helper, Rodney Burgess, Johnson invited festival goers to eat at the nearby picnic tables, and listen to the entertainment of the hour.

Entertaining for the crowds on Friday afternoon were the “All Stars,” presenting a large selection of music, including Gospel, country, bluegrass, oldies and just a little bit of rock and roll. While most of the band members share the microphone on vocals, they welcomed gospel singer Hunter Johnson (Leonard Johnson’s son) to join in during several sets. The band members are: Carl Martinez on keyboard, Bobby Burks on the electric guitar, Kenneth Midkiff on the lead guitar, and Mickey Whitaker on the steel guitar.

The bands played on through the weekend, and throughout the successful event, leaving Historical Society members looking forward to next year’s festival.

Radio diners:
Julie Galley, of DeQuincy (from left), joins DeRidder residents Sandra Wertz and Johnnie Wooten for dinner and an evening at the theatre. The three were among a packed house at the most recent Impromptu Players production, “Radio T.B.S.”

Friday night, in DeRidder, the Wooten Theatre was packed for dinner and The Impromptu Player’s spring production, “Radio T.B.S, Trailer Park Broadcasting Scandals.”

Theatre goers have come to expect great offerings on the menu at dinner performances and they were not to be disappointed. Chicken tetrazzini was the main course, with generous slices of spice cake for desert. On this night, iced tea, water glasses, and coffee cups, were kept full by the volunteer wait staff, high school student representatives from the Burkesville, Texas Student Council Association. Dinner plates and drinks on the following week were to be served by members of DeRidder’s own Dance Stop Dance Centre, including the Dixie Darlin’s.

Radio T.B.S., a comedy written by Arkansas actor-playwright Mark Landon Smith, treated the audience to non-stop laughter. From the moment the lights dimmed, the all female cast, including Jodie Chavez, Molly Markwick, Judith Neely, Rebecca Bush, and Nancy Legendre and others fell into character. Most could identify with their characters including Vesta Poteet and Dixie Mandrell, the radio reporting duo, who offered up daily gossip from a Florida trailer park, the Luna Del Mar Manufactured Home Oasis and Monkey Emporium.

Bringing the presentation close to the hearts of many, there was an on-the-air visit to Graceland from roving reporter Missy Goode, who provided a remote by cell phone from the King’s jungle room and estate gardens.

The presentation even featured a “play within a play” of sorts as park residents took part in their ever anticipated and highly acclaimed live nativity, “Jesus and Elvis: A Tribute to the Kings.”

In short time, the audience was on its feet and players took to the stage for a final bow. And the applause left no doubt – theatre patrons definitely would be back for more next season.

5K winner Nathan Stahl
Out in front of the other runners, Fort Polk soldier Nathan Stahl easily clears the finish line, earning the first place trophy in the Beauregard Chamber’s 5K run.

Saturday morning early was the timing for what has become another annual event set in the downtown streets of DeRidder, the chamber’s 5K Run/1 Mile Walk.

Each year, this event - which is hosted by the Greater Beauregard Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by local businesses – has grown by leaps and bounds. Participants from all parts of Beauregard Parish join those registering from Fort Polk, Leesville and other surrounding communities. So many are taking part, each year, that chamber board members and event coordinators, Walter Smith and Kelli Brocks decided to just go ahead and rename the event, “Community Shuffle.”

The area in front of the Flag Plaza, on Washington Street, was busy long before the registration began at 7:30 a.m. Sporting new event tee-shirts, gung-ho competitors ran in place, or performed knee bends and leg stretches, while family members and other spectators found places along the street for folding chairs or blankets. Bits and pieces of conversation drifted through the crowd as the start/finish line and timers were put into place.

“Is this your first 5K?”

“What do you do to warm up?”

“I’m ready to go!”

Under threatening skies, Smith offered a few words of welcome, joking that the race and walking routes were “downhill both ways.” He also introduced John Marcello, who would be serving as starter for the race. It was Marcello, Smith said, who had coordinated the first run about 20 years ago, and it was that run, Smith said, that the current Community Shuffle was modeled after.

At the starting line, Marcello pointed out the overcast skies. “If it should start to rain when you get to West Park,” he offered, “you’re going to get wet on the way back.”

“Ready, set, go!”

The mass of tennis shoe clad feet were off and running.

Participants in the walking event followed. While the runners’ route took them northward on Washington Street, and then up Pine Street to West Park and back, the walkers trekked a half-mile to the corner of Pine and Bilbo, before turning back toward downtown.

In short time, the first of the runners was back. Nathan Stahl, a Fort Polk soldier, from Pennsylvania made the task look easy as he rounded the corner, almost a block ahead of the next competitor. Breezing through the gate, he was met by volunteers who marked his time and offered congratulations.

One by one, or in small groups, participants made it back.

Trophies and other awards were presented.

“Yes, this was a great turn-out,” concluded Chamber executive vice president Avon Knowlton. “It gets bigger and better every year. Our sponsors and our community make it happen,” she said.

Soon the streets were empty again; the banners and barriers removed.

Then it did rain—Oh, there’s another R!—but by that time, it was okay.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dolly Weldon? As in Dolly Walley? from Shreveport? If it is, please tell her her old next-door neighbor David Thomas says, "Hi!"