Franklin County Chamber of Commerce

News

The Chamber is accepting Resumes for Executive Director until February 21, 12:00pm. at the office

Resume may be mailed to Mike Vaughn P O Box 44, Russellville, AL 35653, They must be post marked by February 18, 2012

SPEND THE FOURTH IN FRANKLIN COUNTY…IT MATTERS!!!

July 3, 2009

Happy Birthday America! Celebrate our countries birthday by celebrating in our beautiful Franklin County. There will be plenty of family fun for all. In Red Bay, you can celebrate with a visit to the Red Bay Water Park or take your family for a picnic, swimming or camping to the beautiful Bear Creek Lakes. There will be a great time for all at the 2nd annual 4th of July fireworks celebration at Sloss Lake in Russellville on Highway 24. This event is sponsored and coordinated by the City of Russellville. The fun will begin at noon and for the entire afternoon and evening you and your family can enjoy talented bands including local favorites Rewind and KGB, games for the kids, and at 9:10 a fabulous fireworks celebration…and best of all…it is all FREE!!! Concession stands will be open to serve your food and beverage needs for a reduced rate so bring your lawn chairs, your family and friends and come join us for a Franklin County 4th of July celebration!!!

Congratulations Phil Campbell!!! You have just completed another successful Hoedown Festival! I enjoyed myself and enjoyed some really great lemonade on that scorching Saturday. Rita Barton, the Hoedown coordinator and her committee did an outstanding job. If you missed it, plan now to attend next year to enjoy the food, fun, and fellowship with your family and friends in the great community of Phil Campbell.

The Buy A Banner campaign for both Russellville and Phil Campbell is coming to a close. Congratulations and thank you to all who joined us in making this a very special community effort to revitalize both Russellville and Phil Campbell. It is going to be a very special, colorful addition to both cities and will welcome visitors to our towns as we continue our efforts to improve the appearance of all of Franklin County.

My thanks to the Dreamcenter in Russellville for preparing the wall on Franklin Street for our first of several murals we hope to add to the downtown area. Pastor Shawn Retherford and his men are to be commended for giving back to their community and helping bring this mural project to reality. These murals are generating an excitement among the citizens of Russellville who are eagerly awaiting the revitalization of our downtown area. Without the generous help of folks like the residents of the Dreamcenter, Gault signs, The Russellville Street Department and Police Department, The Russellville Water Department, Mayor Troy Oliver and the Russellville City Council, Doug Green of Greens Dependable Hardware, and especially to Ned Storey and Stuart Thompson of Red Hawk Technical Services, this project would not be possible. The mural project will likely take months to complete but downtown Russellville will shine with personality and pride again and will welcome the new energy and vitality that is almost certain to follow! I like the old saying “You can’t walk on water if you don’t get out of the boat…it is past time for us to get out of the boat and revitalize Franklin County! If you can help us…we need you!!!

Everyone can help our county as we work to improve our communities. Be loyal and shop at home…that is easy to do and it really matters! Save your gas and your time!

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!

SHOP AT HOME…SPEND $20.00 ON THE 20TH !!!

June 22, 2009

For the first time this weekend, the SPEND $20.00 ON THE 20th project was tested. This effort was just another opportunity for all of us to make a real difference where we live. We will continue this project each month in an effort to support our local merchants and their families. Since the Chamber office was closed on Saturday, the 20th, we will participate on Monday the 22nd by offering Watermelon Festival T shirts at 2 for $20.00 to our first 5 customers. Come to see us and have a bottle of Chamber ice water..on us!!

The new 2009-10 Franklin County Junior Leadership Class has been selected!!! Our thanks to the judges  Sunni Chandler, Marketing Director for Tennessee Valley Hospice and Ned Storey, Senior Project Manager of Redhawk Technical Services. These folks donated many hours of their time reviewing and interviewing the 56 applicants from every high school in Franklin County. It is a great pleasure to announce the names of the 40 exceptional students that were selected to serve as the 2009-2010 Junior Leadership Class. They are as follows: 

Red Bay High School:  Morgan McKinney, Tage Philamlee, Adam Seahorn,  Laken Elliott, and Paige Garrison

Vina High School: Emily Davidson and Cody McGuire

Phil Campbell High School:  Kayla Hicks, Riley Baker, A.J. Barnes, Jordan Benford, Ryan Champion, and Jay Grissom

Tharptown High School:  Isaias Garcia and Maddie Lane

Belgreen High School:  Cody Glasgow, Summer Hester, Will Hester, Sara McMahan, Kristi Odell, and Mandy Taylor

Russellville High School:  Nathan Holcomb, Bret Malone, Daniel Hollimon, Marilla Duncan, Katie Bradford, Kaitlyn Mixon, Jordan Lindsey, Cortney Wray, Mollie Flanagan, Lydia Wade, Jordan Moore, Sara Bingham, Katelin Swindle, T.J. Lindsey, Ashley Askew, Lauren Copeland, Anna Claire Burgess, John Alex Foster and Jackson Witt. 

The Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors would like to thank all of you who applied to participate in the Junior Leadership Program and to congratulate those of you who were selected to serve. Our special thanks to Red Hawk Technical Services  who will be the exclusive sponsor of the Junior Leadership Program for the 2009-2010 year. 

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!

Chamber Website is Full of Fun!!!

June 8, 2009

If you have the opportunity to access the Chamber of Commerce Website (www.franklincountychamber.org),  please do. We have added all the festival information from Franklin County along with our newest addition…our 2009 Watermelon Festival billboard winners. They are 12 year old Brooklyn Hall and 3 year old Brannon Oliver.  You can also see a listing of those Chamber members who have a website and access their sites. If you are interested in our Watermelon Festival T shirts, take a look for size, color and design information. They are really popular with our gang of ants riding motorcycles and will showcase the upcoming motorcycle and streetrod show to compliment the car show that is a festival favorite every year.  We have added county information and pictures of our beautiful area that you may find helpful in planning your summertime activities. You can find information related to the Bear Creek Lakes, the Dismals, and the Red Bay Water Park. If you are interested in joining the Chamber, the application for membership is available to you online. If you have a beauty queen in your family who might want to enter the Watermelon pageant, go online for all the information and come compete for that title!! If you are a festival vendor, take a look at the vendor application for all vendor requirements and cost.  We have announced our entertainment lineup and it is AWESOME!!!! Enjoy our website for all your Franklin County information and remember…we love suggestions at the Chamber so please let us know how we can better serve you with our Website…we would enjoy hearing from you. 

Don’t miss the last Roxy KGB concert to be held on June 13 at the historic Roxy Theatre.  These concerts have brought our community together for over a year now and brought many out of towners to our community to enjoy the incredible talent of the KGB and their many special guest.  This will be their last performance in Russellville at the Roxy before they move their show to the Shoals area.  If you have never attended one of these concerts, plan now to attend this one. I can promise you a night of great entertainment in a great theatre by a truly talented band, the KGB. 

The “BUY A BANNER…IT MATTERS”!! campaign is winding down and what a great response we are getting from the communities of both Phil Campbell and Russellville. This is one of those projects that is truly a community effort and will indicate to those visiting our area the pride we have for our area.  It will take a little time and patience on all of our parts, but it will be worth the wait when we proudly revitalize the cities of Russellville and Phil Campbell.  One step in the right direction will be to stop the littering and graffiti problems we are experiencing…if you know the guilty parties, report them to the proper authorities and lets clean up Franklin County…it matters!!!

I hope you all enjoy a safe Franklin County summer with your family and friends.  Remember to:

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!!!

Watermelon Festival Billboard Contest Winners

June 3, 2009

Congratulations to 3 year old Brannon Oliver and 12 year old Brooklyn Hall! They will be the faces of the 2009 Watermelon Festival and will be seen on all the festival billboards, posters, and also on the cover of the Faces and Places magazine. They will also participate in various Chamber functions and ride in the Christmas Parades all over Franklin County!
 
Brannon is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Oliver and Brooklyn is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Hall. 
 
Congratulations and thanks to all who participated in this years Watermelon Festival Billboard contest!

BE A HOMETOWN TOURIST THIS SUMMER!

May 23, 2009

As each of us eagerly await the return of a strong economy and the end of the uncertain  economic environment we have endured for months now,  it is a great time for Franklin County families and individuals to rediscover some of the people and places that make Franklin County great.  Be a hometown tourist this summer!!! 

We have 5 festivals in Franklin County beginning with the Hoedown in Phil Campbell on June 19 and 20th and ending on October 10th with the Spirit of Hodges Festival. Take in a concert at the historic Roxy theatre in Russellville or a day of fun at the Red Bay Water Park or Farm Days at Cedar Cove Farms in Red Bay.  How about a picnic at beautiful City Lake Park in Russellville or the historic Dismals Canyon, a national natural landmark in Phil Campbell! Did you know that the Dismals is one of the only forests in the United States that is untouched by ax or fire and open to the public? Take your family and friends to any of the 4 beautiful lakes that make up the Bear Creek Lakes. Bear Creek Lakes has been recognized over the years for having some of the cleanest recreational waters in the State of Alabama. There are new waterfront cabins, 5 campgrounds, 4 fishing lakes full of bass, and the state’s cleanest waters right here in Franklin County. The waterfront cabins offer all the comforts of home including heating and air, outside grill, 1 or 2 private bedrooms, full bath with hairdryer, a living area with TV/DVD combo, sofa/sleeper, love seat and chair, a porch with picnic table and a full kitchen. Sheets, towels, cooking and eating utensils are included. Advance reservations are available and VISA and Mastercard are accepted.  Give the BCDA a call at (256)-332-4392, toll free at (877) 367-2232 or go to www.bearcreeklakes.com or www.franklincountychamber.org  for more information...sounds like Franklin County Fun to me!!!

Congratulations to all the 2009 Franklin County and Russellville City Schools graduates and to their families and friends.  Our hope for all of you is that you find happiness in the years to come.  There will be challenges for sure but remember when the going gets tough, the tough get going!!  Good luck to each of you and  congratulations!!

I am so happy to announce the hiring of a new executive assistant director in the Franklin County Chamber of  Commerce office.  Our new employee is 26 year old Candi  Massey Weaver of Red Bay.  Candi started to work this week and has already done a great job! Come by to see us and to meet Candi….she would love to meet you and sell a 2009 Watermelon Festival T shirt to you and all your family and friends!!  The shirts are selling fast and will be so much fun to add to your summer wardrobe.  We have sold many over the internet to folks all over the country so come get yours now and join the 2009 Watermelon Festival Tshirt craze!!!

This will be the final week of the 2009 Watermelon Festival Billboard contest so get your entries and votes in now!!!   It won’t be much longer until we know who the faces of our festival will be and I can’t wait!!!  One Franklin county boy and girl  will soon be seen on all of our billboards, posters, brochures and will be our special guest at the Watermelon Festival and upcoming parades and Chamber functions.  Good Luck boys and girls!!!

Have a safe Franklin County summer and please remember how important it is to 

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST………IT REALLY MATTERS!!!!!

Sawmill Café Ribbon Cutting in Vina

May 13, 2009

The business opened on March 24th and is owned and operated by Michelle Raper. In the picture are Mayor D.W. Franklin, Michael Moomaw, Billy Boyd, Sue Raper, Brent Jeffreys, Carla Lewey, Sherry Tacket, and Chamber of Commerce Dircetor Cheryl Bradford. Owner Michelle Raper wants to thank the town of Vina for all the support she has received and would like to invite all of Franklin County to come enjoy the Sawmill Diner!

BILLBOARD  Kids  Needed!!!                                    

May 12, 2009

If you know a Franklin County child between the ages of 2 and 14, enter them now in the 2nd annual Franklin County Watermelon Festival Billboard contest. Just  deliver or mail to P.O Box 44 a small  photo( no larger than 5x7 ) to the Chamber of Commerce with a $10.00 entry fee. The childs picture will appear in both the Franklin County Times and the Red Bay News until May 29 to allow the community, family and friends to vote for them at25/vote. The boy and girl with the most votes at the end of the day on May 29 will appear on all the billboards, posters, and brochures for the upcoming 2009 Watermelon Festival. They will also be featured in local parades, Chamber events, and on the cover of the Faces and Places magazine. Enter your favorite boy or girl now and let the voting begin!!!!!!

The BUY A BANNER…IT MATTERS campaign is off to a great start!! It is so exciting to see and feel the excitement in our community as both Phil Campbell and Russellville citizens await the upcoming beautification of our downtown areas. The Chamber is hoping to compliment these beautification efforts with the placement of colorful, welcoming banners on our city streets. My thanks to the following individuals, businesses, and clubs who have supported this effort thus far. For the city of Phil Campbell we have sold 2 banners. Thank you to both the Phil Campbell Civitan Club and also to Kathy Graben who bought her banner in memory of her deceased parents, James M. and Laura Oliver. In Russellvile, we have sold 21 banners!!! My thanks to Bank Independent and CB&S Bank who have both purchased 2 banners. Thanks also to The Country Cottage, Russellville Water Department, Atkins Marble, Russellville Housing Authority, G&G Steele, Community Spirit Bank, Clark Pulley, Probate Judge Barry Moore, Russellville Hotel and Suites, Redhawk Technical Services, Petro Chemical, Franklin County Times, and Hospice of Tennessee Valley for purchasing a banner.  Other banners for Russellville have been purchased by David Grissom in memory of his dad-Bob Grissom, Lanny Norris of State Farm in honor of his parents, Billy and Leila Norris, A.J. Ruiz of All Maintenance in honor of his 3 children, and James Webb of Webb Oil Company in honor of his mom, Sibyl Webb. What a great way to honor those we love in the community we love!!! We need your help to complete this project so call me at 332-1760 or email franklincounty@charter.net and let me know that you would like to participate and I will be happy to bill you. BUY A BANNER….IT MATTERS!!!

Thanks to all of you who attended our Junior Leadership graduation recently. What a great time we had!! I was so proud that our 38 graduates were able to be honored by someone from each local city government, educators, and also by both State Representative Johnny Mack Morrow and State Senator Roger Bedford. The icing on the cake was the very motivational speech of UNA head football coach, Terry Bowden. It was great to see our community send these graduates off with a lot of love and support. I have enjoyed this year with them but this group will be fun to watch as they go out to pursue their dreams…good luck to all of you students and thanks for a great year!!

If you find yourself looking for something to do on Saturday, May 16, look no more. Stay in Franklin county and come spend the day with us in Vina  as we enjoy their 100th anniversary celebration. There will be lots of good food, fun, entertainment and fellowship as we celebrate the greatest small town around. After that, be sure to come on down to Russellville to the Roxy theatre and enjoy the much anticipated Ronnie McDowell concert beginning at 7:00. The concert will feature the Jordanaires with Mille Kirkham…what a great, historic show for our community to enjoy. Congratulations and thank you to the Franklin County Arts Council who once again have offered all of us this opportunity. See you there!!

Congratulations to all of Franklin County and Russellville City Schools Senior Class of 2009. You are about to move into a new phase in your life and we at the Chamber of Commerce congratulate you and wish you the best. Each year it is customary for the Chamber of Commerce to award two, $500.00 cash scholarships to honor the memory of Russellville businessman, Jim Webb and Red Bay student, Matt Hester. I was privileged to award the Jim Webb Memorial scholarship earlier this week to Brooke Michelle Allen of Russellville High School.  Congratulations Brooke!! The Matt Hester Memorial Scholarship will be awarded and announced later this month.

I recently attended the Franklin County Nurse of the Year presentation at the Country Cottage in Russellville. Congratulations to the Vina school nurse, Karen Blevins for winning the 2009 award and congratulations to all nominees. This is such a special group of ladies and gentleman who work every day to help young and old stay happy and healthy. This profession is truly one that requires a certain gift from God to serve  Thank you to all of you who work so hard everyday to make our county a better place to live. My thanks also to The Country Cottage for making the effort to recognize a very special group of folks in a very special way!!!

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST….IT MATTERS!!! and BUY A BANNER….IT MATTERS TOO!!!

Junior Leadership Graduation

Junior Leadership class of 2008-2009 graduated on Sunday afternoon at the A.W. Todd Center before a packed house and special guest Representative Johnny Mack Morrow, State Senator Roger Bedford, and UNA Head football coach, Terry Bowden as guest speakers. Coach Bowden spoke to the students on the importance of making wise choices, protection of your reputation, pursuing education, keeping a positive attitude, serving your fellow man, finding your passion and keeping Christ in your life.

38 Junior Leadership graduates were from...
Red Bay High School: Gretchen Fancher, Kyle Umfress, Holly Anna Hammock, Sabrina Jackson, Nathan Gray.
Vina High School: Brent Townsend and Keith Hester
Belgreen High School: David Horton and Shelby Smith
Phil Campbell: Caitlin Stancil, Tiffany Latham, Nikki Jones, Nicole Galloway, and Seth Brown
Russellville High School: Tanner Herring, Trevor Baird, Genessee Fernandez, Katie Hester, Mark Davis, Jake Ward, Emma McDowell, Blake Reed, Joseph Stanford, Courtney Swinney, Millie Fisher, Haley Keller, Grace Hagedorn, Trent Brannon, Olivia Turner, lacy Myrick, Lauren Singleton, Montana Sewell, Chelsea James, Tritt Martin, Mayra Espinoza, Tiziana Duran, Ashley Johnson, and Justin Esquivel.

Each student was required to complete 50 hours of community service. Our student of the year was Shelby Smith of Belgreen High School with 204 hours of volunteer community service. My favorite part of the program is the way it brings the students together not as competitors against each other, but working together to better our community and striving for the same goals together as friends, not competitors.

What they did as 2008-2009 Junior Leadership class: Watermelon Festival, Founders Day Festival, Veterans Day Parade, Corresponded with our military, Easter Egg Hunts, served as waiters and waitresses at the annual Partnership Awards Banquet for business and industry, served Thanksgiving dinner to the residents of The Cottage, toured the FMI-DESA plant, picked up litter in both Russellville and Red Bay, participated in 1/2 day Job Shadow project, and visited the State Capitol in Montgomery as guest of both State Representative Johnny Mack Morrow and State Senator Roger Bedford, assisted with coat and food drives and rang the bell for the Salvation Army.

Total completed service hours as a group 3700 hours.

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!!

Who will be the faces of the 2009 Watermelon Festival?

April 27, 2009

If you know a Franklin County child between the ages of 2 and 14, they could be the next winners of the 2009 Watermelon Festival billboard contest. Our phones have been ringing a lot this week with excited citizens regarding both the contest and the new 2009 Watermelon Festival t-shirts now on sale. In regard to the Watermelon Festival Billboard contest ….it is as simple as paying an entry fee of $10.00 and sending a photo of your favorite boy or girl to us at The Chamber. Their picture will appear in both the Red Bay News and The Franklin County Times each week until May 29 as family and friends cast their votes at25 per vote. For example, if you want to vote for your favorite boy or girl and send in $5.00, that child will receive 20 votes. The proceeds from this contest will help the Chamber pay for the Watermelon Festival publicity and will give the winners memories that will last a lifetime. Imagine your child being on billboards and posters all over North Alabama!!! The contest has begun so enter now!!!! I’m anxious to see who our winners will be!!!

There are so many great things happening in Franklin County! For example, both Russellville and Phil Campbell are starting new mainstreet beautification efforts to reclaim our neglected downtown areas.  So many of you  are excited about this and I am too!!  The Chamber of Commerce will be eagerly working with both of these cities to do what we can to contribute.  We are offering a BUY A BANNER…IT MATTERS campaign until May 22 and need all of your help.  For $185.00 per banner, you can purchase a welcoming banner to be placed on the telephone post of the mainstreets of either/or  Russellville  and Phil Campbell. The2 sided, brightly colored  banners are beautiful and will do so much to dress up our mainstreet areas and will compliment all the other beautification efforts soon to be taking place.  It is a great way to contribute to your community and to also honor a grandchild, parents, graduates, in memory of or in honor of a loved one or pet, as a church, as a business, as a civic club or as an individual!! Upon completion of the project,  The Chamber will place a plaque in the lobby of the City Halls of both Russellville and Phil Campbell with the names of all those who participated and for those who are honored in the banner campaign. So come join this effort and BUY A BANNER…IT MATTERS!!!

My thanks to Wal-Mart for their financial donation to our 2 Easter Egg Hunts held recently in Red Bay and Russellville. We had lots of kids and 2 very happy winners of bicycles. The Russellville winner was Luke Barnwell of Russellville and the Red Bay winner was Sarah Williams of Red Bay. My thanks also to many of the Junior Leadership students and residents of the Country Cottage who helped us to stuff 2000 Easter eggs with candy. A special thanks to leadership student Justin Esquivel ( FEZ ) who did an absolutely fabulous job as our Easter Bunny. Thanks too to both Gates in Red Bay and Phil Campbell High School who allowed us to borrow their great bunny costumes. Great job!!!!   

Good byes are always hard when you say them to someone you’ve grown to respect and admire but this Thursday, I will say good bye and good luck to an awesome young man named Josh Whitmire. Josh has served as my part time assistant as he completes his studies at UNA. Josh will graduate on May 9 and move on to pursue his goals and I just want to say thank you to him  for all of his hard work, his great attitude and for making me laugh. We had a great time, and on behalf of the Chamber Board of Directors, we all wish him the best and congratulate him on his college graduation. 

Its so refreshing to hear all the good news of business development, community efforts and upcoming ribbon cuttings in our county We have a steady stream of new Chamber members who have joined  us as we continue our efforts to make our county the best it can be. There is an excitement in our community that I hope is here to stay!!  Did you know that we will soon be having or have had ribbon cuttings and open house for 2 new carwashes in Russellville, 1 carwash in Red Bay, a new restaurant in Vina,  a new restaurant, 2 renovated franchised hotels,  a new Dollar Tree, and a new Burkes expansion project in Russellville, the opening of the new Russellville City Hall, the continuing development of the Mike Green Industrial Park and the early development of the downtown beautification efforts of Russellville and Phil Campbell?   The Garden Club in Red Bay is busy once again beautifying their city with the Spring Streetscape project that they do so well!!  These are all great examples of a Franklin County that has rolled up their sleeves to do whatever it takes to make this an even better place to live, work, play, and visit. Its exciting to know what lies ahead if we all continue to work together.  Even in these tough times, Franklin County is hanging tough.  Hopefully, we can all focus on these positive events and  look to a brighter future for our Franklin County.  It is a great place to live and worth every hour and dollar we spend to make it even better!!

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!!

2009 WATERMELON FESTIVAL SHIRTS ARE HERE!

April 13, 2009

Watermelon Festival T-Shirts
It is hard to believe but the 2009 Watermelon Festival is just 4 short months away...August 14-15th!!!  To celebrate this years first annual Motorcycle/Street Rod show, the shirts display our beloved gang of ants riding motorcycles. CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!! The shirts are on sale now at the Chamber Office in 7 beautiful colors and all sizes from xs 2-4 for children up to a plus size 4X. We are able to offer the same prices as last year from $10.00 for kids, $12.00 for adults and $15.00 for plus sizes. We have a few long sleeved for $18.00 in athletic gray in adult sizes only. Take a look on the website at franklincountychamber.org for information on shipping the shirts to you or your friends and family for 3.00 per shirt. We will accept cash or checks so come and get em while the selection is good!!! Call ahead to 332-1760 and we will have your order ready for you.

Franklin County Festival Season
Its Festival Season in Franklin County!!! Here are the dates of our Franklin County Festivals and celebrations: 

• May 16:  Vina Centennial Celebration
• June 19-20:  Phil Campbell Hoedown
• July 25:  Vina Fest
• August 14-15: Watermelon Festival
• September 19: Founders Fest in Red Bay
• October 10: Spirit of Hodges

Sounds like a great way to enjoy Franklin County to me!

Beautification Project for Phil Campbell and Russellville
The Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a beautification project for both Phil Campbell and Russellville,  The program will be called Buy a Banner...It Matters!!! The program for both cities will begin Monday, April 20th and is open to everyone interested in purchasing a banner to be hung on the main streets of  both Russellville and Phil Campbell. I have a sample of the banners in my office if you would like to take a look at them. The cost of each banner and hardware needed to install them is $180.00 each. If you have visited or live in Red Bay, you know what a great addition the colorful banners are to the look of their Mainstreet and of Golden Road. I am so excited about doing this so that we can enhance our downtown areas, something that I know alot of you want to do too!!! Wouldn’t it be great to have them proudly displayed when we showcase our communities during the Hoedown and Watermelon Festival!!

At the conclusion of the Buy A Banner Campaign, all those who bought banners will have their names placed on a plaque to be placed in the lobby of the City Halls of both Russellville and Phil Campbell. If you would like to purchase a banner in memory of someone, in honor of someone,  as a civic group, as a business, a church, or as an individual, your support of this beautification effort will be appreciated and enjoyed by all of us for years to come!!! Contact us at the Chamber at 332-1760 for more details. My thanks to the Electric Departments, Mayors and City Councils of both Russellville and Phil Campbell for their support of this project.   

2009 Watermelon Festival Billboard Contest
For those of you who have children or grandchildren between the ages of  2-12 that live in Franklin County, the 2009 Watermelon Festival billboard contest has begun. We will select 1 boy and 1 girl to be the faces of this years festival on the billboards, posters and all festival publicity. Last years winners were  brother and sister, Carly and Hunter Briles from Vina. Our winners will be featured all year long at various Chamber events, parades, etc.  Bring or mail your favorite photo of your contestant to the Chamber along with a $10.00 entry fee and we will post them in both the Red Bay News and The Franklin County Times until Friday, May 29, 2009. Votes are25 each and may be paid at the Chamber office until 4:00 on May 29. The proceeds from the contest will be used by the Chamber to pay for Watermelon Festival publicity and billboards. I can’t wait to see who the faces of our festival will be for 2009!!! 

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!!

The Chamber Says Thank You and Congradulation to Many!

March 29, 2009

Last week, the Franklin County Development Authority and The Chamber of Commerce enjoyed putting the spotlight on many of our most worthy citizens, businesses and industries as they accepted awards for their contributions to our county. At the 2nd Annual Partnership Awards Banquet before a packed house, we were able to say thank you to the many people in our community who work tirelessly everyday for Franklin County Our winners came from all parts of Franklin County including Phil Campbell, Vina, Hodges, Red Bay, Belgreen, and Russellville. The food was great and our waiters and waitresses from the Junior Leadership Class contributed greatly to the success of the banquet. Once again we say thank you to all who attended and congratulations to all the nominees and winners.

Congratulations to Alex Richey, a student at RHS who has been selected to travel to Australia as ambassador of the People to People Student Ambassador Program. Each student who is selected is responsible for his or her own expenses for the 17 day trip as they visit Sydney, Canberra, Darwin, and Cairns. This program was founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in an effort to promote global understanding and building leadership skills among our youth around the world. Good luck Alex and congratulations!!

Congratulations to Chris Ozbirn and the many other volunteers who made the dedication of the Franklin County Veterans Park such a special event. On the first day of spring, the large crowd who attended were treated to a first class dedication and very heartwarming service. As Kerry Gilbert sang and the flags blew in the breeze against the beautiful blue sky, I realized how lucky we are to live with the freedoms we have. If you have never visited the Franklin County Archives and Research Center on Limestone Street in Russellville, I encourage you to take the time to visit. We are fortunate to have this special collection of history right here in our county !!! Thanks Chris and to all of you who have worked so hard to offer this wonderful park to us. Congratulations and Thank You!!!

Congratulations to the Franklin County Development Authority and specifically to Mitch Mayes and Sherye Price for their work in achieving AdvantageSite designation for Franklin County’s Mike Green Industrial Park. This is only the 3rd industrial park in the state to receive this designation which is a great sign to any potential industry looking for a home. It was great to see Mitch and Sherye recognized recently for a job well done on a very lengthy and tedious process. The Mike Green Industrial Park will begin the next phase soon which will include roadwork and signage. Congratulations and thank you to Mitch and Sherye!

On Saturday, April the 11, the Potpourri Study Club will offer their first annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at 8:00 am at the Russellville Park and Recreation Center. The admission is $5.00 and there will be games, breakfast and live bunnies!!! Afterwards at 11:00 at the City Lake Park in Russellville, The Chamber of Commerce will offer the annual egg hunt with prize eggs and and fun for all. At 2:00, there will be the Red Bay Easter Egg Hunt at Bay Tree Park in downtown Red Bay. The Easter Bunny will be there and looking for you so hop on down!!!! Spring is here so that means spring cleaning and spring shopping!!!

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!!

It's Time to Celebrate!

March 15, 2009

When you listen to the news these days, you may think there is no reason to celebrate and that there is no good news anywhere on our planet. Well, if you live in Franklin County, we can CELEBRATE!

On Thursday night, March 19 at the A.W. Todd Center, The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce will join together with the Franklin County Development Authority to celebrate our business and industry community and also some of our finest citizens at our 2nd annual Partnership Awards banquet. We will be awarding a lot of fine folks and I am excited to be a part of it. There are still a few tickets available if you would like to join us for this great occasion. Tickets may be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce or you may call 332-1760 and we will hold them at the door for you to pick up on Thursday night. Hope you can join us for some great food by Greg and Sarah Willis, served by our awesome Junior Leadership students, and for great fellowship with some of Franklin Countys’ Finest!

On Friday, March 20th, we hope you can attend as we celebrate the dedication of the Franklin County Veterans Park. If you know a veteran, invite them and come join us for this very special celebration to be held at 2:00 at the Franklin County Archives on 300 E. Limestone Street in Russellville. There will be entertainment by Kerry Gilbert, delicious refreshments from Connies’ Creations and we will be honored by special guest Probate Judge Barry Moore, Russellville Mayor Troy Oliver, State Senator Roger Bedford, Representative Johnny Mack Morrow, and Sargent Major Steve Boatwright. We will be unveiling a monument during the ceremony and what a special tribute to our veterans this will be! Everyone is invited so come join us!

On Saturday, March 21st, come celebrate another great concert at 7:00 at the historic Roxy Theatre. The Trinity Believers with Jerry Bridges featuring members of Waylon Jennings and the Porter Wagnor Band will be perfoming and would love to have a packed house! You can purchase tickets at the Chamber of Commerce office or at the door for $10.00. This is a great opportunity for you to enjoy one of our local restaurants for dinner and then come on down to the Roxy for an enjoyable night of entertainment…all right here in Franklin County. This should be fun!

On Tuesday night March 24, come celebrate the formation of our newest program…Eat Right…It Matters! This is a 6 week class offered free by the Franklin County Extension Service and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. The class will be held at 6:00 in the Chamber of Commerce office. Kirstie Allen is our instructor and she is full of wonderful ideas and information. We hope to offer a coupon and recipe swap, have doorprizes, and enjoy learning to eat healthier because it really does matter!

There are 2 great reasons to celebrate on Friday, March 27th. Begin your day in celebrating with the Russellville Kiwanis Club who will be hosting Pancake Day at First Baptist Church in Russellville from 6:00 am - 9:30 am. They would love to cook your breakfast that morning so come on down and eat in or carry out some delicious pancakes prepared by our Kiwanis club members. The second reason to celebrate on Friday the 27th is the Franklin County Idol Contest to be held at the historic Roxy Theatre in Russellville at 6:30 pm. This is a celebration of talent from all over Franklin County in grades K-12. Admission is $5.00 and the proceeds from this event will be used towards the renovation of the Roxy Theatre. Come on out to the third annual Franklin County Idol Contest and and support these young talented students and the renovation of the historic Roxy Theatre.

We are all so lucky to live in the United States of America and specifically, Franklin County Alabama. Together, we should all celebrate our county every chance we have and there are many more reasons to celebrate our country and our county just around the corner. The festival season for Franklin County begins soon and we have 5 to enjoy right here in Franklin County! Visit our website at www.franklincountychamber.org for festival dates and make your plans now to celebrate all of the upcoming events in Franklin County.

Spring is FINALLY here and it is time to do that spring shopping for spring break, spring outdoor activities, and spring cleaning. Remember how important it is for us to support our local merchants and to shop locally!

SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!!!

Here Comes Spring!

February 28, 2009

Just yesterday, I saw the first daffodils sprinkled all over Franklin County which reminded me that we are approaching a new season with lots of exciting activities and projects.

In Red Bay, Representative Johnny Mack Morrow will begin the Days of Yesteryear at his Cypress Cove Farm every other Saturday from March until October. What a great opportunity for families, church groups, scouts, and senior citizen groups to spend quality time together at no cost and to enjoy the artisans who will gather to display their talents. When is the last time you milked a cow or saw a gristmill? Be a hometown tourist and support Representative Morrows’ efforts to offer this opportunity to all of us. The sky is the limit on what this effort might become and my hats off to Johnny Mack…this should be fun!

In Hodges, Mayor Ed Crouch is thinking outside of the box in terms of how he can expand his small community. Instead of trying to attract industry, Mayor Crouch has decided to explore the possibility of developing the longest equestrian trail in the state. He will be in Washington this week to meet with Congressional leaders to seek federal tourism dollars. What a great way to attract visitors and tourism dollars from all over the United States to Franklin County. Good Luck Mayor Crouch!

In Russellville, another great opportunity for all of us to visit the historic Roxy theatre has been announced this week. Wanda Myrick, fan club president for Ronnie McDowell, will be bringing Ronnie McDowell back for all of us to enjoy on May 16 at 7p.m. This show attracts people from all over the country and is predicted to be another sold out performance. The Jordanaires, Millie Kirkham, and D.J. Fontana will also be performing with Ronnie and what a show they are! My mom and I attended last year and were amazed by the talent we were able to see right here in Franklin County. Tickets will go on sale March 9 and I will be the first in line! Don’t miss this show…it's history in The Roxy!

At the Chamber of Commerce, we are proud to announce the unveiling of our new website. Our web address is www.franklincountychamber.org. We intend to use this site as a tool to keep you informed on the activities of our County and to also promote Franklin County to the world of internet users for both business and pleasure. We will be promoting all Chamber members who have email with a link for those who access our website. The website will be a source of information regarding the 5 festivals held in Franklin County each year, will include Chamber Chatter, and also have a calendar of events for all readers to use. Take a look and if you have suggestions, let me hear from you!

For those of you who know me, I am a die hard Auburn fan but this Tuesday night, March 3, my family and I will be the biggest Big Al fans in Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. My daughter, Libby, who is the Russellville Golden Tiger mascot, Champ, and who is somehow a huge Alabama fan, was notified that she will be Big AL for the halftime Alabama/Auburn basketball game that will be shown on ESPN at 8:00 pm. Our thanks to Lisa and Lindsey Rickard of Russellville for helping us to arrange this wonderful opportunity. Of course, our entire family is so proud of Libby because she has worked so hard to do her best for her 3 years of being the award winning Golden Tiger mascot at Russellville. She has endured attending summer camps at Auburn and has met Aubie, the Auburn Tiger mascot, but her dream to meet Big Al and to now be Big Al will come true Tuesday night…way to go Libby!

Until next time: SHOP FRANKLIN COUNTY FIRST…IT MATTERS!