COUNTRY DAY, ERIN FIREWORKS DRAW CROWD

GOD &
By TERESA N. SETTLE
Tennessee Express News Writer
* The Houston County Ministerial Association has hosted another great community
event in the annual God & Country Celebration 2004. The event took place at the
Betsy Ligon Park in downtown Erin on Sunday, July 4.
* The community celebration coincided perfectly with the City of Erin's annual
fireworks display. People showed up for the God & Country event which kicked
off at 7 p.m. and they just hung around as more people arrived for the big
fireworks display that began at 9 p.m.
* The God & Country Celebration is a casual outdoor service where you can
participate or just sit and enjoy it. Erin Church of God of Prophecy singers
provided a musical prelude before Harriet Bryan of Erin United Methodist Church
welcomed everyone.
* The patriotic song "America" was then sung by all before the Pledge of
Allegiance to the flag.
* Next came the song "America the Beautiful" before Bro. Steven Winegardner of
Erin First Assembly of God Church explained how the Ministerial Association
uses community offerings.
* Winegardner said the organization partners with the Bethesda Mission to help
area needy families and individuals.
* "All in all it's been a good program," he said, adding, "all because of you."
The Ministerial Association takes up three community-wide collections each
year: this one, along with one at their Easter sunrise service and one during
their non-denominational Thanksgiving service.
* Winegardner prayed, "Speak to our hearts what we should give and may it be a
great harvest for the kingdom of God."
* The offering was collected as the First Assembly band called "Generations"
played.
* Next, Travis Gerlach, the preacher at Griffin's Chapel Church, said a prayer
for the nations, quoting a scripture about God's mercy. In his prayer Gerlach
spoke of the privilege of being a Christian and how the Gospel should be spread
to all nations.
* The evening's message was brought by Ron Burgess of Campground Presbyterian
Church.
* Burgess opened with a joke about the few raindrops that had fallen before the
service began.
* "Presbyterians are afraid of water, so they'll be the first to leave," he
said. "So if it starts to rain, get out of their way."
* His main sermon was taken from II Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are
called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin
and will heal their land."
* The Rev. Burgess said the scripture was a prayer offered by Solomon and it
showed certain promises.
* "There's not a perfect individual," Burgess said. "We've got no right to have
a haughty spirit. Without God we are nothing. Without God America is nothing."
* Burgess continued by saying how blessed we all are. If you don't feel
blessed, he told everyone, then go visit a nursing home or a hospital and
you'll change your mind.
* Burgess encouraged everyone to follow the scripture, be humble, pray, and
seek God in His word. Finally, he said the hard part would be to turn from
wicked ways, but that God is faithful.
* "Things can change in America," he said. "We can start right here in our own
homes, in our own lives, in our own communities... There is hope. We have a God
that is bigger than any problem we'll ever have."
* After the message, Richard Neal of Midway Church of God gave the benediction,
as he encouraged everyone in attendance to join hands for the prayer.
* The hour-long service was then followed by musical entertainment from
Generations. Generations is a rock-like Christian group that is renowned for
taking old rock-and-roll songs and changing the lyrics into Christian messages.
* Vocals are done by Becky Winegardner, Amond Winegardner, Sarah Winegardner,
and Hannah Fox. Becky also plays they keyboard. Playing lead guitar is Kenny
Settle. Backing him up on guitar is Scott Hamilton. Playing bass guitar is Jeff
Hamilton. And on the drums is Jacob Winegardner.
* Some of the songs played, with lyrics changes, were "Free Ride" and "Free
Bird." The concert ended with a screaming guitar and jamming drum solo followed
by Settle playing "The Star Spangled Banner" as a guitar solo.
* * * TIME FOR FIREWORKS * * *
* As the concert ended, everyone counted down the five minutes before the
fireworks display began. Hosted by the City of Erin each year, the event is
coordinated by the Erin Volunteer Fire Department.
* Even though less money is spent on it than the Cumberland City fireworks
display, the fireworks seemed to have just as powerful an impact.
* Maybe knowing that local Erin firefighters were risking their lives to bring
the display gave it an extra edge. Or maybe it just seemed that viewers were
closer to the action. But the fireworks seemed brighter and louder at times
than in Cumberland City.
* Plus, little brief pauses heightened the anticipation in between trailing
fireworks, whistlers, and brilliant displays of color. Still, 21 minutes of
fireworks-viewing ended in a nice finale of bright and sustained fireworks that
resembled a white shooting fountain before everyone packed up for home.

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Free D.J., CATS, a chat with the mayor, and Fireworks!!!!
By TERESA N. SETTLE
Tennessee Express News Writer
* When looking back at the "Lighting Up the Cumberland" celebration in
Cumberland City last weekend, specifically Saturday, July 3, there was really
NOTHING missing. The event had everything. It couldn't have been any better,
which really shows a lot of planning must have gone into it.
There were also several "unseen" workers helping to make the day such a success.
* * * A FREE D.J. * * *
* For one, there was George West Wallace. A proud Stewart Countian, he also has
ties to Houston County. "My folks were from Danville, Tennessee," he began,
adding that his mother was a 1935 graduate of Erin High School. Her name was
Maude Reed West.
* George, however, grew up in Dover (since Danville got flooded and the family
had to move). He graduated from Dover High School in 1959. He's into quite a
few things, but one of them happens to be D.J.-ing and entertaining folks. He
brought loads of equipment and volunteered his services to help make the second
annual Cumberland City Fourth of July celebration go so smoothly.
* George announced when and where special events were taking place, he
interviewed many folks, and he played a variety of music for the crowd all day.
He did a great job emceeing the parade as well.
* A 1963 graduate of Austin Peay State University, he was in the auction
business for 39 years before returning to his hometown. Now he plays music for
school dances, class reunions, and other events. He also bills himself as a
"curator of junk."
* Married to a "Stewart County gal," they have two children and three
grandchildren, one of which was in the parade.
* When I asked if he was having fun, he replied, "I'm in Cumberland City, ain't
I?" which should have told me right away he was having the time of his life.
* About the parade, he said, "For a small town, it was excellent." He raved
about the Houston County Rec Club's patriotic locomotive float.
* * * CATS * * *
* An all-volunteer HAMM radio club was on-hand during the event to help make
everything go without a hitch, too. According to Sharon Black, the CATS club is
made up of several members who support community events like the one at
Cumberland City with their radios and expertise.
* "We also provide emergency communications in times of disaster," Sharon said,
in between answering the phone at Cumberland City's City Hall, juggling
responses and queries from HAMM radio operators, and directing people to the
porta-potties outside.
* Sharon said the CATS club had members spread out on the parade route for
safety, at the W.T. Thomas School, at the car show, and at the motorcycle show.
They also had someone assigned to assist the mayor of Cumberland City as needed.
* She coordinated the Tennessee Guard, which was on hand to help, and the
police department, too.
* "I've been involved in emergency communication since 1985," she said. One of
the last local disasters the group helped with was a May 2003 tornado in
Montgomery County. The group also runs a SkyWarn Net, helps with CERT
(Community Emergency Response Team), and volunteers at 5K runs and other
community events.
* Volunteers, along with Sharon and her husband Tom Black, from Montgomery
County, were Ralph Brigham, Art Ahrens, and Lee Daniel.
* From Stewart County, there were Bill Bayer and Charlie Briggs, and Larry Day
of Houston County also pitched in.
* * * A CHAT WITH THE MAYOR * * *
* Cumberland City Mayor Whitey Vaughn seemed quite pleased at the turn-out for
the parade, the festivities, and the fireworks. He was quick to give credit for
the day to community involvement and people from all over, including
Montgomery, Houston, and Dickson Countians.
"This was an effort of concerned citizens to bring everyone back into
Cumberland City," he said. "We look at it like a homecoming."
* The Mayor said the event was well-publicized by the Tennessee magazine, a
publication of CEMC, too, and a host of wonderful sponsors.
* "We're tickled to death at the turnout," he said, adding that everything
would culminate in the PyroTechnic Show put on by a company out of Lafollett,
TN. Last year the community spend $15,000 on the fireworks. This year, the
mayor said, "We've added more money for powder." That should make the fireworks
go higher and be louder.
* Even before the big fireworks display, however, Mayor Vaughn was already
itching to talk about next year's big event. Yep, they're hoping to even have
the fireworks choreographed with music from a radio station. Up to ten thousand
people were expected to view the big show.
* And that's not all. Mayor Vaughn is proud of the little town of Cumberland
City and its community support and participation. He chatted a little about the
recent acquisition of the old W.T. Thomas School. The city has plans to redo
the gymnasium with grants and open it for community events.
* "It has a stage and a red velvet curtain," he raved, adding that there's a
one-third mile paved walking trail that is even lit a night nearby.
* Down at the firehall, there's even a monthly bluegrass night the third
Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. Bring finger foods and plan to attend.
* The city also recently acquired the Guices Creek area which had been closed
by the Corps of Engineers in May. The city plans to clear more land in
preparation for other community events.
* Back to the present, the Mayor added that a committee helped coordinate the
big Fourth of July event, which this year was called "Lighting up the
Cumberland." The committee's chairman was David Duke. Charles Finch was Vice-
Chair, Martha Vaugh was Secretary, Linda Gunson was Vice-Secretary, and Cheryl
Milliken, the city's recorder, was treasurer.
* Other behind-the-scenes folks helping to make the event so successful were:
Caroline Balentine, who handled parade entries; Linda Gunson and Joe Williams,
who oversaw the car show and swap meet. Jimmy Balentine and Newton Wallace took
care of the antique tractor and engine show. K. Hudson handed the motorcycle
show at the Busy Bee. Donna Wallace and Bob Russell coordinated the food and
craft booths. Christy Duke took care of the youth area and activies, while Gary
Vaughn and K. Hudson were in charge of music. Eric Milliken handled the bass
tournament for the event.
* * * FIREWORK EXTRAVAGANZA * * *
* By 9 p.m., there were people lined up EVERYWHERE for the fireworks to be set
off on the other side of the Cumberland River from a barge. People stood
around, or brought lawn chairs, or simply sat on the rails of the railroad
track to watch the big display.
* With five minutes before the hour, a teaser went off to let everyone know to
find a spot--quick. People milled around, smiled at people they hadn't seen in
a long time, gossiped and visited until the display began, then everyone got
quiet to watch the colorful, loud display of fireworks.
* "Ooooohs" and "Aaaaahs" could be heard between the sparkling green and golds,
with some saying, "Oooh, that looks like a weeping willow," or "Ooooh,
fireflies."
* Crackling sounds and big displays brought spontaneous applause from the
crowds at different points in the display, and the fireworks went higher and
got brighter.
* With so many different colors and shapes, and cannon-like booming noises
echoing along the Cumberland, one could almost slip back in time and get a feel
for the Battle of Fort Donelson.
* Slight raindrops were ignored by all as greens turned to purple then to red.
Shooting stars, comets, and rockets soaring into the sky made time stand still,
until at 9:17 the grand finale was signalled by a constant barrage of
fireworks. *By 9:19, it was over and an almost silent mass of thousands slowly
made their way back to cars to leave the small town of Cumberland City for
another year.

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LIGHTING UP MAIN STREET
By TERESA N. SETTLE
Tennessee Express News Writer
* Cumberland City's Main Street was lit up long before the fireworks on
Saturday, July 3, 2004. The community celebration entitled "Lighting Up The
Cumberland," was already in full swing by 10 a.m.
* There were food, craft, and merchandise booths set up in the downtown area. A
"youth area" behind city hall even sported three big inflatables for kids to
enjoy. Further up Main Street, parade participants lined up at the old W.T.
Thomas School to make the short route down the hill.
* There were lots of antique cars, plenty of politicians, Girl Scouts, John
Deere and other tractors, kids in wagons, and even a float or two.
* Randy Baggett of Tennessee Ridge and his son "Little" Randy did their usual
parade duties by driving antique Farmall tractors.
* Randy rode a 1934 or 1935 Farmall(He's still working on figuring out the
year!), and his son drove a 1937 model McCormick-Deering Farmall.
* When asked how many antique tractors he owns, Randy said, "Oh, about a dozen.
I've got six, and my wife's got six. It's a 50-50 deal, ya know."
* Randy's wife, Anne, who is Trustee for Houston County, watched the tractors
in the parade rather than ride one, though.
* The Houston County Rec Club made the short trip from Erin to Cumberland City
to have the best float in the parade. Their train locomotive float, according
to Rec member Ray Elliott, has proven to be very versatile for parades. At
Christmas, Rec Club members throw on icicles and other winter decorations for
the Christmas parades in Erin and Dover. They put Leprechauns and other Irish
decor on in March for the Houston County Area Chamber of Commerce's Irish
parade. And last weekend, they went with patriotic Red-White-and-Blue
decorations for the second annual Fourth of July parade in Cumberland City.
* Local Newt Wallace of Cumberland City had a very interesting parade entry. He
pulled a wagon full of old antique pedal cars, tractors, and pre-World War II
tin wind-ups. Wallace said he's been foolin' with these toys for probably 20
years or better. He even buys and sells, if you're interested. He and his wife
own Springhill Antiques in Cumberland City.
* Cumberland City's Police Chief Jason Gillespie drove an unmarked police car
in the parade, throwing airplanes and frisbees, while members of the Stewart
County Volunteer Fire Department also tossed candy.
* Of course, there were a few Harley's in the parade to help with sound
effects. They were followed by the Queen of Cumberland City, Granny, who waved
and smiled with her arms open wide. (See Related Story, "Best-Kept Secret")
* The Girl Scouts, wearing orange, were high atop a float, and a John Deere
tractor club followed, giving the crowd a good view of some John-Deere green
tractors, which ironically were interrupted at one point by a little red Ford,
and were followed by a Kubota with a box on the back hauling a couple of
youngins!
* Bringing up the rear were some four-wheelers, more Cumberland City Police
cars, and, instead of Santa Claus, the Cumberland City mail carrier!
* After the parade, folks could mill about the booths eating good food or
getting unique merchandise.
* Stewart County Director of Schools Phillip Wallace was caught in the act of
handing out balloons for his son Larry, a candidate for Stewart County Judge.
* Harold and Diana Cox of Waverly were selling Amish rocking chairs made of
hickory and oak, among other merchandise.
* The Cumberland City United Methodist Church has pushing sweets and cookbooks.
* And, without a doubt, one of the most interesting set-ups, was watching a
family and their horses. You couldn't help but love them all. Daniel Welch of
Erin is a farrier by trade.
* That's not to be confused with a ferrier. A farrier shoes horses, and that's
what Welch does. Owner of Lucky Shoe Farrier Service, he is a graduate of
Oklahoma State Horse Shoeing School. He and his family have been in Erin for
four-and-a-half years, and moved here while he was in the military. He got out
of the service just last year.
* Watching him, his wife Deirdre, who also knows a lot about horses, along with
their children, Shayla, 5, and Slate, 2, walk around comfortably inside a small
area full of horses and shoeing equipment was quite a show.
* Daniel took time explaining to crowds of people the technique of shoeing, and
he demonstrated on a beautifully docile momma quarterhorse named Josie. Josie
happily ate hay while her colt nursed off and on all day, along with her
adopted orphan colt, whose mother died when it was a week old. She hadn't worn
horse shoes in the past six months because Daniel took them off while she was
pregnant.
* Daniel prefers hot shoeing, although he says it's tedious and time-consuming.
Raised on his grandfather's ranch in Texas, though, he learned his trade the
old-fashioned way, through experience.
* During the shoeing process, he demonstrated with a small oven that he said
got 1000 degrees on the inside and 300 degrees on the outside. When he put the
hot horseshoe to Josie's hoof, she didn't even twitch, although the burning
sound and smoke made a few in the audience cringe.
* Deirdre grew up with horses and has been training them since she was 15.
Their daughter recently got fourth place in leadline and walk trot, while their
two-and-a-half year old is not at all skittish around the horses, but happily
can be plopped on top of one without even raising a fuss.
* All in all, it was pretty neat watching the family so comfortable around
their horses.
* Stay tuned for more coverage of the Cumberland City celebration with Part Three: Free D.J., CATS, a chat with the Mayor, and Fireworks!!! This was Part Two: "Lighting Up Main Street." Part One was entitled "Best-Kept Secret." If you have comments, you may e-mail the writer at redwriter@hctn.net.MORE PHOTOS Read more!