Piggott celebrates hard work

The Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce hosted an appreciation dinner Saturday, March 7, at the Piggott Community Center. The event was held in honor of those who worked so tirelessly during and after the Jan. 26-27 ice storm. Those attending included members of the various departments from Piggott and Clay County, as well as volunteers and their families.

The SuperCruise Group was among the first to come forward with the wish to recognize those who worked so hard during the storm. Other businesses and individuals shared their desire to help, resulting in the planning of a meal which catered toward the whole family. The menu included pizza, barbecue, fresh grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, numerous side dishes and delicious desserts.

After the meal, mayor Gerald Morris spoke to the crowd and expressed his appreciation to everyone in Piggott for all they had done. He acknowledged that Piggott was filled with many volunteers who donated their time to help the city and its residents in various ways. He continued by giving words of praise for each of his department heads, then allowed each to come forward and say a few words.

Clay County Judge Gary Howell also expressed his appreciation to all the county departments. Howell made special note of the efforts of the county's Office of Emergency Management coordinator, Travis Boyd. Howell noted his thanks and appreciation of the many farmers and residents who volunteered their time and equipment to help clear the county's rural roads. Howell said this assistance made the road department's job much easier. The judge also expressed his gratitude toward the assistance provided by the Mississippi County Work Release Center, whose workers leant a hand throughout the entire county.

A short slideshow featuring pictures taken during and after the ice storm was presented by Tony Pace of the SuperCruise Group. Also on display was a large, framed collage of pictures with various scenes from the ice storm. Pace said he would prepare a special copy of the print to present to mayor Morris, judge Howell and Boyd as a memento of those historic days of the past.

The Piggott Area Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank all those who contributed their time, money, or services which allowed the dinner to be possible. The evening's sentiment was of deep appreciation for all the wonderful people who live in Piggott. All in attendance also were united in their hope that this area will not see a storm of this magnitude ever again.