CELEBRATING TOURISM Ward 2 Councilman Mary Perry, left, presents Lauderdale County tourism director Sandy Bynum with a proclamation Wednesday at the Mississippi Welcome Center in Toomsuba honoring May 4 – 12 as "National Tourism Week."
By Staff
In the background, from left, are: Al Brown, a radio personality and one of the promoters of the Jimmie Rodgers Festival opening today; District 3 Supervisor Craig Hitt; Linda Warren; Tom Van Hyning; and Ward Emling, both of the state Tourism division.
More than 150 people turned out to eat a "Singing Brakeman" breakfast at the welcome center to celebrate "National Tourism Week" and the Jimmie Rodgers Festival. The group also watched a 15-minute video of the documentary "Distant Son" a look at a famine-relief tour sponsored in 1931 by Jimmie Rodgers and Will Rogers.
A representative of the Texas production company making the film was on hand to talk to audience members. More footage will be shot this weekend during the Jimmie Rodgers Festival. For festival schedules and information, see the special section on Jimmie Rodgers in today's paper.
Photo by Credie Carmichael / The Meridian Star
May 9, 2002