Organizational meeting held to discuss upcoming picnic

The annual Labor Day Picnic is just around the corner and an organizational meeting was held Thursday at Rector City Hall to focus on details.

The picnic is under the jurisdiction of the Woodland Heights Cemetery Commission and all members were present at the meeting -- Don Robinson, Teresa Roofe, Richard Simmons, Ethel Cox and Betty Essman. Also heavily involved in the organization of the picnic each year is former commission member Anthony Rowton.

A primary emphasis at the meeting was the strong prospect that the Arkansas State University marching band will be present for this year's Labor Day Parade. The 150-member band will add a lot of pageantry to the event, which always begins at 9 a.m. on Labor Day. It also is anticipated that the ASU Pep Band will perform on stage at Memorial Park after the parade. Alex Roofe, an RHS graduate who is a member of the band, was present at Thursday's meeting.

Food and drink prices were reviewed by the group and the decision was made to retain the current charges, especially due to the state of the economy. It was suggested that members of the RHS football team be asked again to help with the trash pickup at the park.

Jade Mount, who has been involved in the organization of numerous pageants at the picnic, presented a plan for constructing a small building at the back of the stage for use during the pageants and also for storage purposes. She said her father, Dickie Mount, would volunteer to construct the building. Commission members visited the park following the meeting to review the building plans.

All proceeds from the picnic each year go to the maintenance of the Woodland Heights Cemetery.