By Sue Moore
Local Service Clubs Give Back
The Lions and Rotary service clubs of Vicksburg have been stalwarts of the community since they were formed by men who felt a need to give back to their community. Rotary is a luncheon club that was chartered in 1924 by Mercer Munn among other luminaries. I am proud to be a member, now that they admit women.
The Lions club was formed in 1947 as a dinner organization since many of its members couldn’t meet during the mid-day. One of the founding members was my father-in-law, Gordon Moore.
There has been a friendly rivalry ever since with each club benefitting the community in special ways. The Lions are best known for their Beer & Bratwurst Summer Festival. The Rotary club’s signature event is the Showboat, now in its 67th year. I’m showing my age when I tell you that I was present at the first performance and have attended at least one night of the show ever since. My father, Meredith Clark sang in a quartet for many of the early shows and even had solo assignments until one year he got stage fright and couldn’t remember his words to the song. That brought the hook out!
These two big events allow each club to sponsor many other endeavors going on in the village. One was the Hearty Hustle in May when the Lions helped to underwrite the race with a $250 donation. I failed to mention this important sponsorship to the success of the race in the story about this special event. Rotary gave $200 so I didn’t mention them either. My apologies to both clubs.
Larry Forsyth and the Windows on Liberty Lane East
There are four new windows on the walls of the two buildings that face on Liberty Lane East in Vicksburg. They were designed and built by Larry Forsyth to look so real it would be hard to tell that they are fake. He does so much, so quietly for the community that I think he should get some recognition for his craftsmanship. Forsyth was a welder at Pfizer when he retired ten years ago. This carries over to his workshop where he hangs out and creates beautiful furniture and anything else needed to be built for a community endeavor. It’s people like Larry whom this area is so blessed with having in its midst.
Taste of Vicksburg
The board of the Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce has decided not to stage the Taste of Vicksburg this summer. It is an event they started about six years ago. It is hoped the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) would roll it into their calendar of events and manage it in the future, according to Mandy Miller, who presented the idea to the DDA. In the meantime, they hope to sponsor a gathering of members on the second Monday of each month at the Distant Whistle.
Brass Cars at Angels Crossing
About 15 gorgeous brass cars rolled up the driveway at Angels Crossing in May, ostensibly to stop for lunch while on a three-day tour of area roads. These cars were manufactured between 1910 and 1913, according to Al Rohrstaff, the organizer of the road trip. He and his wife, Diane, had a special interest in bringing the entourage to the Creekside Grille; they are the parents of Jeff Rohrstaff, the golf professional at Angels Crossing. The senior Rohrstaffs are shown above with one of their brass cars along with family friends from Germany who are in the blue jackets.
Dentist Office to be Extensively Remodeled
Dr. Aaron Ford and his architect, Ward Hansen, presented building plans to the Vicksburg Planning Commission for approval on his property at 602 W. Prairie. He is enlarging the footprint and will completely retool the façade.