2nd Annual Founder’s Day

2nd Annual Founder’s Day: September 27-28, 2019

Written by Brenda Wiiliams

FMHM Project members and their families acknowledge the continued support and encouragement offered during the Founder’s Day festivities in the Downtown Falkner, MS Park Area. The festival was kicked off at 8:30am with opening remarks from Falkner, MS Mayor Ross Gay, while welcoming approximately 250 students from K-12 attending the festival. The students and their faculty involved themselves in a variety of games, vending, living history, photo props, bull riding, tours through the Old School House, ancestry and history information, arts and crafts, sweet treats including funnel cakes, no-cones, and sack lunches with hamburgers or chili dogs and the trimming. Special items were available in the Toy Store, as were some of the vendor’s handouts and gifts sponsored by Ripley Farm Bureau, and Guest Speaker retired Col. David Childers who talked to the students concerning their career interests and direction giving his encouragement to them and give-aways sponsored through the US Army Recruiters. A big bang was heard on occasion throughout the day as Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Elder and soldiers encouraged the students to explore, investigate and fire the replica form ealier battle events and artifacts. Music was in the background directed by Mr. and Mrs. Larry Street, “Missoppi”, Ten OC, and 2nd Chance and the Ripley choralers arrangements entertained us directed by Courtney Rutherford with numbers from Show Tunes. The Mt. Zion Quilters were on hand demonstrating their finesse in the art of stitchery and Jody Hill was available to sign his latest printed edition ’38’. Gloria’s precision line dancers and the melodious Tippah Dulcimers were also among the groups who entertained.

FMHM challenged the students of the Falkner Schools to participate in an essay contest, writing about their favorite ancestor and family tree. Their art was displayed in the Park Area. Our retired teachers judged these entries and awarded cash prizes in three categories. Winners are: K-4 1st place and $50 went to Maci Benson, 2nd place and $30 went to Caleb Smith, 3rd place and $20 awarded to Brinley Hames; Grades 5-8 1st place and $50 went to Kaylee Estes, 2nd place and $30 went to Kassi Palmer, and 3rd place and $20 awarded to Kalilyn Marie Harris; Grades 9-12 were 1st place and $50 went to Nathan Taylor, 2nd place and $30 awarded to Bailey Labarreare, 3rd place and $20 to Tarrolyn Cook. Congratulations and best wishes to our winning students and their award winning essay and family tree entries. The work involved in the student’s exhibits is proof that there is interest in Falkner Family History and its Heritage. We are privileged to be able to give back to these students a small token of our appreciation for their talented abilities and we encourage them to further their investigation into the family’s past. There are treasures yet to be discovered.

One goal for the FMHM Project is to provide to our community a facility with space available to show the art, photos, and evidence of our heritage as shown through these children’s talent and interest.

We are privileged to announce that there are ten benches and lamp posts purchased through memorial donations. Thanks to families who have purchased these memorials and for making our park special by providing seating and lighting. Nine of these benches are installed and the lamp posts will soon be ordered.

Thank you for our invaluable concerns and continued financial support. We cannot succeed without you. The further plans for our project includes the restoration of the Old School and grounds and the relocation of the old Labarreare Home, as part of our museum facility. We thank our God always for His watch/care over us and His continued long suffering. It is our privilege to be FMHM Project Members and a part of Falkner Heritage. Thank you for making all of this possible.