By Staff
Friends event was complete success
Editor:
When the Priceville Friends decided to create a silent auction, they envisioned a day of celebration as a gift to the city of Priceville to heighten awareness of the library, the Friends group, and an image of Priceville as a "reading city."
Successful execution of the auction demanded extensive resources: goods (local area business); services (Mayor Duran along with city hall employees and the Friends group); talent (Priceville and Brewer High School Choirs); and money. The community rallied around, providing such necessities as refreshments (Priceville Family Medicine), rooms for the visiting choir and family and publicity. Seemingly daunting logistical problems such as receiving and storing many of the donated items was managed by the employees of Priceville Town Hall. Supporting financial contributions were also a part of many corporate commitments.
The Silent Auction was a resounding success, with more than 600 enthusiastic attendees, new relationships for the library and Friends group, and extensive publicity for all participants. The event had all the elements of an effective partnership with business: clear objectives, well-planned execution of the event itself; and publicity highlighting all partners.
With this year's proceeds (well over $2,500) the Priceville Library was able to purchase new shelving for adult biographies, young adult fiction, children's biographies, and two new books bins for children's easy readers. Continual plans include new furniture for the patio for patron usage, support of summer reading programs and materials such as new books and magazines.
Renewing your membership in the Friends of the Library demonstrates your support for our public library system. And it does more. Your membership provides at least one third of the funds supplementing the library's public appropriations. Please remember to renew your membership on an annual basis. The difference you make is profound.
We want to thank all the parties involved for supporting the Silent Auction with their donations, services and talents on behalf of the Friends of the Priceville Public Library.
John Dean
President
Friends of the Priceville Public Library
Former resident remember city
Editor:
I was born in Hartselle, Alabama on Aug. 31, 1944 at home. My brother, sister and I lived with my grandparents, Mr.and Mrs. Ervin McElroy, both since deceased.
My mother sent for us children in 1952, to go live with her in Chicago, where I resided from 1952-August 1997, then moved to a small town called Belvidere, Ill. not too far away from the larger city of Rockford, Ill.
I have not been back to Hartselle since 1977 when I visited my relative, Aileen Hobby and her husband.
I often think of Hartselle, as that is where the very best and the very happiest times in my entire life were spent. My great grandpa Moss has a church named for him, Moss Chapel, in Hartselle, along with an adjoining cemetery. Many of my ancestors are buried in Moss Chapel Cemetery. My beloved grandma, Sydney Ellen Moss, married Robert Ervin McElroy and my granddad, as we called him, was one of Hartselle's best carpenters, along with his brother, my uncle, Marvin McElroy. They possibly built some homes in Decatur as well.
Some of my fondest memories are of living down the hill from my uncle Marvin and Aunt Lavergne.
My brother and I would love it when our grandma Ellen would send us to borrow something from Aunt Lavergne; as she and uncle Marvin always had a nice cold house, and plenty of buckets of ice cream in their deep freeze on the back porch.
Uncle Marvin has since passed away, but I miss him so badly. He and my grandma Ellen were two of the kindest individuals I have ever known, uncle Marvin, also.
I don't even know if my aunt Lavergne is still living or not. She and uncle Marvin had one child whom they names Bobbie, who married Jimmie Summerford after the tragic death of her first husband, whose last name was Vest. He was killed in a tragic accident in Michigan while building a now famous bridge.
Among other very precious memories that I have of Hartselle; of my grandma especially, are; we would sit outside during the hot weather, late at night and drink homemade lemonade, while our precious grandma would tell us Bible stories.
How many I wonder, how many lemons did she have to hand squeeze to make that old wash tub full of lemonade?
Grandma would take my brother, sister and I to Moss Chapel Church as often as possible. We would all sit up late at night and listen to Amos &Andy, The Screeching Door and other programs on the radio. We never had anything fancy; and certainly didn't get more than one or two small things for Christmas. But do you know what? We were happier than any family I can imagine. My uncle Sid would play the guitar and even taught me a few lines.
To any and all relatives who are still living, I send you my love and hope and pray that you will see this and contact me.
I am Ervin and Ellen's granddaughter and uncle Marvin and Lavergne McElroy' s niece.
If any of you should see this and desire to know, my mother is 80 years old now; uncle Sid is 68 and I am 59. My brother Larry lives in Genoa City, Wisc. as does our younger sister, Pam. My mother and uncle Sid live in Waukegan, Ill. along with our very youngest sister, Deborah and her 5 year old daughter, Mary Ellen Amanda Grace; named partly after our sweet and precious grandma Ellen, and I believe her mother as well as my grandma's fondest memory of a doll she had that was named Grace.
If you happen to see this Bobbie, please know that I love and miss you very, very much.
You all know me as Carol Ann, because that is what Grandma always called me. At uncle Leon's funeral, one of his son's, Ronnie, kept calling me Carol Ann.
Eight years of my life in you! If I do get to come back to visit this summer, I hope Bob Gibson's Barbeque is still in Decatur and that it tastes exactly the way I remember it.
Paulette Carol Erickson-McElroy
Hartselle