Labor Day perfect in every way

Kristie Hardin, daughter of Kem and Rhonda Hardin, was crowned Monday night as Miss Rector 2009. Members of the court are: Whitney Conley (second from left), first alternate; Ashley Williams (second from right), second alternate; Rhoda Classen (far left), third alternate, and Emily Cornelison (far right), fourth alternate. Carrying the new queen's robe were Little Mr. and Miss Rector Drew Henderson and Morgan Garner.
(Democrat photo/Nancy Kemp)

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Arkansas State University's Sound of the Natural State Marching Band, sporting brand new uniforms, was a feature of the magnificent parade, which also included several beautiful floats, beaming Grand Marshal Demetra Shultz, the Rector High School Marching Band, beauty queens, lots of humorous entries, a large number of stunning antique cars, beautiful horses and much more.

And in challenging economic times, when a drop in activity and revenue might have been expected, the event not only brought record crowds but also gross revenues of over $67,000, topping last year's total by at least $2,000.

Teresa Roofe, secretary/treasurer of the Woodland Heights Cemetery Commission, said she was very excited about the huge crowd and thrilled with the revenue numbers.

"The rains which had been predicted never came, and everything just went perfectly," Roofe said. "It was definitely a picnic to be remembered."

All proceeds of the Labor Day Picnic go toward the maintenance of beautiful Woodland Heights Cemetery in Rector.

Celebrating its 55th year as a part of the Rector community , Glen Sain Motors took first place in the parade with a beautiful pink and green float.

At the conclusion of the parade, the ASU Band played at Rector Memorial Park, with the nearly 200 members filling the main stage, a nearby auxiliary stage and spilling over onto the grounds at the front of the stage for a rousing concert. The 20-minute program concluded with the ASU Fight Song and lots of cheering and applause from the appreciative crowd.

After welcoming remarks by Mayor Ron Kemp, several political leaders and political candidates spoke briefly onstage at the park. Congressman Marion Berry, a big Rector supporter who is always a part of the Labor Day celebration, presented a check for $1,000 to the Rector Veterans Memorial project. The check was accepted by project committee member Wheeler Williams, a decorated hero of World War II.

Also speaking briefly were State Treasurer Martha Shoffner, State Senator Robert Thompson, State Representative Mike Patterson and Supreme Court candidate Judge John Fogelman.

Hughey and Mary Linam were named as the Oldest Man and Woman Present for the picnic. Hughey, at 95, and Mary, at 96, both remain active in the community. Recognized as the Couple Married the Longest were Jack and Geneva Bearden, who soon will celebrate 73 years together.

Pageants early in the day featured a bevy of beautiful babies and toddlers. Delicious barbecue and hamburgers are always a picnic favorite, and several were overhead saying Labor Day is one of the few times they eat those foods at 10 in the morning -- and at several other times during the day.

The Rector Community Center kitchen was packed for a fabulous meal of home-cooked foods provided by hard working volunteers and other community members who make food donations.

The talents of area youth were on display in a Mid-South Fair sanctioned talent show, and entertainment continued with music by Patrick Patterson and The Band of Piggott, The Dooleys of Conway, formerly of Rector, and Scatter Creek of Paragould.

Mariya Faka of Pamplona, Spain, an exchange student residing in Piggott with host family Duane and Annette Dutka, received the prize as the Person Traveling the Farthest to be a part of the 2009 Labor Day Picnic.

Kristie Hardin, daughter of Kem and Rhonda Hardin, was crowned as Miss Rector 2009 in a pageant featuring 13 local beauties. Jade Mount served as emcee, and entertainment was provided by Cole Thomas and Cliff Carter.

The evening concluded with a $1,000 drawing, won by Sonny Brown of Rector, and drawings for several other prizes.

A big rodeo sponsored by the Rector Saddle Club kicked off the four days of fun on Friday and Saturday nights, and there was a home football game against Manila Friday night.

There was a huge crowd for the Rector High School Sports Hall of Fame luncheon Saturday which featured the induction of the school's 1992 State Championship baseball team, basketball standouts Bill Cossey and the late Allan Pruett and athletic supporter Mac Manchester.

Early pageants and armband discounts for carnival rides brought a large crowd to the park Sunday afternoon.

The annual RHS alumni gathering Sunday at the Community Center offered a time for laughter and visiting with friends and family members. The event also included a benefit auction which raised $8,100 for the Rector High School Helping Hands Foundation and its work in assisting disadvantaged Rector students.

A beautiful painting, "Picking Cotton," by Rector native Paul Frets of Radford, Va., was purchased by Ginger Sain for $3,000, and a guitar from popular country artist Carrie Underwood was bought by John Leonard of Corning for $1,000. Lively and competitive bidding for several other items provided lots of fun, with Rector native Terry Robinson of Corning serving as auctioneer and Rector native Ted Glaub of Jonesboro working as ringman.