JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
A public meeting regarding volunteer efforts for Whitwell’s upcoming Labor Day events was recently held earlier this month.
Lucas Kilgore, a member of the Labor Day advisory panel, along with Whitwell City Park Co-Director Sandy Tenille, hosted the meeting at Whitwell City Hall. Several residents attended to learn more about the activities planned for Labor Day weekend and how volunteers can help make the event a success.
Kilgore explained that the celebrations are set to begin the evening of Friday, August 29, with a movie night featuring two films to be screened at separate ball fields in Whitwell City Park. A cruise-in car show is scheduled for Saturday, followed by a Church Day on Sunday. Monday will feature the largest lineup of events, including the mud bog and burnout contest, both of which have been approved.
According to Kilgore, at least five volunteers are needed for movie night, 17 for Saturday’s cruise-in, four for Sunday’s Church Day (which also includes a dog parade), and 25 for Labor Day on Monday. When asked by an attendee about promotional flyers, Kilgore and Tenille explained that no flyers had been printed yet in case there aren’t enough volunteers to staff the full three days of activities.
“We haven’t yet, because if we do not have enough volunteers, then we can’t do three days. We’re gonna have to condense them to one,” said Tenille.
Tenille shared that 11 food trucks have already committed to participating, offering a wide variety of foods. Additional vendor spots are also available, with two different pricing options depending on the number of days the vendor wishes to attend: $20 for a single day or $45 for all three. Tenille noted that most vendors she spoke with plan to stay for the entire weekend, providing a consistent variety of food and crafts for visitors.
Among the meeting attendees were City Commissioners David Hudson and Jim Nunley, as well as Wendell Sweeton of the Whitwell Education & Heritage Center. The Heritage Center will assist in operating six inflatable attractions during Saturday’s cruise-in event. Tenille also shared plans to involve local churches in overseeing carnival games, adding even more activities to this year’s celebration.
Anyone interested in volunteering or seeking more information about available roles can contact Sandy at 865-804-9489.
