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Update 8-3-2010

So have you ever been abducted by aliens and subjected to cruel and unnatural experiments, only then to be unceremoniously dumped out at a crossroads in the middle of Iowa cornfields?

You haven't?

Umm... in that case, ..uh.. neither have I.

O.K., friends, pay close attention, as you sure don't want to miss what I'm about to tell ye....

The Oliver Springs Historical Society (That's us) is hereby announcing the Second Annual Gospel Music Singing! That's right, folks: flushed with success from the wonderful event that last year's festival proved to be, we have been furiously making plans to make this year's even better and bolder. I have created a poster and copies are going up all over town even as we speak. Look below and you can peruse it at your leisure... um, not that you're goofing off or anything; after all, checking out the historical society's website is serious business indeed.

One thing the flyer does not mention is that in conjunction with the Gospel Festival is the Food Drive. Persons attending the event are asked to bring canned food to be dropped off at the entrance of the Kellytown Activities building. The food will then be taken and distributed to needy families in this area. Isn't that just the most appropriate thing to team up with a Gospel Festival? Come for an evening of praise and while you're at it, fulfill a teaching of Jesus in feeding those less fortunate. Talk about a synergistic relationship.... makes me feel good just to type it out like that...

Also, lest you think that we're one-hit wonders, I should mention that we're unrepentant multitaskers, and are hard at work to bring you the 2010 October Sky Fall Festival. Last year's was successful beyond all we could hope for, and with those memories driving us forward, we have set about to make this one twice as big and bold as last year's. Talk about a festival... this year will kick off on Friday, October 15th, with a banquet honoring all those who played the part of "Extras", or bit actors, in the filming of the movie "October Sky", which I don't have to remind you was filmed in and around Oliver Springs and Petros. Codenamed "The Rocket Boys", It was filmed and through postproduction before we ever heard what the film was ultimately to be known as. We are rounding up lots of pictures of the filming and will be posting them on here very soon. 

The Festival will REALLY kick into high gear on Saturday, October 16th. Starting off with a bang, or to be more specific, a huuuge parade, we're gonna have classic cars from the era of the '50's that provided the backdrop for the movie  "October Sky". Also slated are gobs of antique tractors, marching bands, actors from the movie... What can I say? It's going to be big! We've moved the venue to the much more spacious and accommodating Arrowhead Park simply because this year's festival was so much more comprehensive and dynamic, and the park will give us the "elbow room" we need for such a splendid shindig.

Also scheduled to appear are the Ft. Southwest Point Enactors, who will show in great and colorful detail how the soldiers of that Historic outpost went about their daily duties in the wild and untamed frontier that was East Tennessee in the 18th Century.

I will provide much more detail in days to come, as well as colorful pictures for all our ADD friends who are easily distracted.

Check back, as this page is gonna change early and often....

Robbie

Update  6/17-2010

Hello once again, friends (apply that as you see fit.. you know who you are...)

The first thing I want to report to you is the hugely successful banquet we held recently. First things first.. here are some random pictures of the event to get you acclimatized. We don't want you getting too excited too quickly.. not good for the heart and other vitals, as Granny used to say.     

First thing you do when having an event is strategically place two sweet engaging ladies A la Mimi and Martha at the front entrance for effect.. 

(click on images to enlarge)

Then just in case someone gets by the first line of sweetness, you place three more wonderful ladies and a man with a British accent to intercept them...

Then you position a large screen projector so it can display images from past and present..

Any time you go to singling out folks for meritorious service you're bound to get in trouble with those who didn't get mentioned. Having said that, I just had to mention Becky Melton and our wonderful ladies who decorated, as well as Dot's Catering who brought in what may be the finest catered meal I have ever partaken of...

The Kellytown Baptist Church should get a tip of the hat for their gracious loaning of their Activities Center for the event. Cleat and Lorraine Boling.... Ed and Melba Tuell.... Kellytown folks are just the best sort to be found anywhere. Cleat took these pictures, and he and Lorraine.. well, suffice to say that they are two of the worker bees without whom the Hysterical Society just could not exist, always found with sleeves rolled up and plugging holes in the dam...

Below we see Maurice Woods and Julia Daniel mulling over the prospects for a successful evening. At right is our own dear sweetheart Mrs. Nannie Hopper, who needs a banquet of her own, as precious as she is to us.

Mrs. Bromma Pemberton-Linville was one of our featured speakers. Mrs. Bromma was born a Parnell and grew up in a two story house on Roane Street and Winters Gap Avenue. She has had a long and storied career that has chapters still being written. I love this woman... She and husband Ray were honored guests on this evening.

Seen below is Mr. Sonny Harvey with his wife Maxine sharing warm sentiments with Bromma.

And now we get around to the main point of the evening, or "what we's all here for", as Mark Twain might say. This evening was set aside to honor two men of legend in Oliver Springs Historical Society circles. Snyder Roberts, as you probably know, was our town historian for many years, ultimately passing the torch to Mr. C.S. "Sonny" Harvey who has borne the brunt of the burden or maintaining our town history for many years since the passing of Mr. Roberts. The Oliver Springs Historical Society had unanimously decided to honor these two men by naming the soon-to-be- occupied Archives suite in the Abston Building in honor of them. Yours truly made a cherry plaque from wood that was harvested on Windrock Mountain.

Our Master of Ceremonies for this gala evening was local businessman and councilman Mr. James Brummett, seen here with Oliver Springs Mayor Chris Hepler.

After a welcome and a riveting rendition of "Beulah Land" sung acapella by music minister Julian Daniel.....

we ate.

Seen below is Mayor Chris Hepler with his beautiful wife Jennifer, who speaks to me (to my everlasting delight). Jennifer is the most beautiful woman in Oliver Springs (they didn't exactly have a pageant as they knew there'd be no point in it) and certainly one of the most graceful. Mayor Hepler is my friend as well as a friend to the Historical Society.

After dinner, 12th District Senator Ken Yager proceeded to the podium where he read a proclamation in honor of Mr. Harvey, issued by our state government.

Seen below is Mayor Hepler, who read an eloquent proclamation regarding Mr. Harvey  from the City of Oliver Springs, issued by the town council.       

Vice Chairman Ed Coker got up to present the plaque, speaking of his long friendship with Mr. Harvey. He then asked me to speak on the legacy of the late Snyder Roberts, 

       whose granddaughter Beth was one of our distinguished guests, and who represented the Roberts family. Beth is seen below talking to Bromma. Beth and her brother Steven have, along with Bromma, been very much generous  benefactors to the Historical Society.

I had met Beth before, and found her once again to be very personable, charming and engaging. Beth has a keen sense of her family's legacy and worth to the town of Oliver Springs. Beth's mother Patsy Roberts McDonald

 was also a champion for our cause, being the founder of this website as well as a friend to me before her recent passing.

Having made the plaque to honor both men, and with Mr. Harvey having received a clock from the society, I had determined to make Beth a special keepsake, so I went out in my shop and made her a cutting board from Ambrosia Maple harvested on the back side of Windrock Mountain. As her grandfather Snyder Roberts would no doubt have told her, the story of Oliver Springs as chronicled by Mr. Roberts could not be told without extensive reference to the hallowed mountain. 

please come back very soon, Beth...

Mr. Harvey has not been feeling well, but was able to muster the wherewithal to ascend to the podium, where he very graciously accepted the plaque on behalf of Mr. Roberts and himself. Mr. Harvey is such a priceless gem who always has just the right words to say. On this special evening he closed with the words that we were his friends and he loved us all.

There is so much more to be told about coming events sponsored by our Society. The second annual Gospel Singing Festival is coming up in August, and of course the Second Annual "October Sky" fall festival is slated for October 16, 2010. There will be much more on both of these events very soon, but I'm tired and this is all you get for today....(chuckle)

More later...

                                                            Robbie