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(The
following Letter to the Editor appeared in the New Castle Courier-Times.
Their website can be found at
www.thecouriertimes.com.)
Posted July 29, 2002
A Mayberry thanks to everyone who made it work
More
than a week after the start of our "Mayberry in the Midwest"
events filled weekend, the applause is still being heard.
Either through heartfelt letters from visitors, thankful
attendees walking into our office, numerous phone calls or a
number of emails expressing the same thing..."Mayberry In
the Midwest" was not only fun, but it was a shining example
of community spirit.
One year ago, Curt Bell, a local teacher
who happened to be an avid fan of "The Andy Griffith Show,"
stopped into the Henry County Convention and Visitors Bureau
(CVB) to present an idea. As the new Director and a new
citizen of New Castle, I was pleasantly surprised that a
local citizen felt comfortable enough to present his idea to
a Visitors Bureau who very much welcomed and still
welcomes such ideas. After some deliberation and another
presentation to our CVB Board and Tourism Commission, the
Henry County CVB decided to take on the task of bringing a
never before seen nor done event to the Midwest, let alone
New Castle. Could a CVB of our size (an office of two
full-time employees) and a small but very active organizing
committee pull off something so daunting? The answer was,
"We think we can, and therefore we will." No, we had never
done anything of this magnitude. No, I didn't know
everything there was to know about "The Andy Griffith Show
Re-run Watchers Club" (TAGSRWC) of which Curt and many
others are members of, but I did know one thing. Henry
County and New Castle had welcomed me with open arms, and if
all we supplied was that same hospitality, we would come out
on top.
One year and one week later, we have
reached the end of our extensively organized Mayberry event.
The applause will soon die out. But I know everyone will
never forget how a community our size banded together (on a
rainy, then sunny, then very sticky two days) and pulled off
something that similar event planners around the country are
still talking about with smiles and huge "thumbs way up"
kudos. These congratulations are for the city and citizens
of New Castle and Henry County. They are also for Curt Bell,
our CVB Board and Tourism Commissioners, the Henry County
United Fund, the Art Association of Henry County, numerous
volunteers, all our wonderful sponsors and of course our
little office of CVB workers who "thought they could and
did." Thank you to Tami Rust, the CVB Office Coordinator,
for all her help and belief in a new director and a new
citizen of a city that now knows it CAN do anything as long
as we work together!
On a personal note, I want to thank anyone
I may have left out of this letter or any of the thank you
ads. You know who you are and please know you were a valued
part in our amazingly organized and worked event. Thank you
my fellow "Mayberry in the Midwest" organizing committee
members: Tami Rust, Kenny Cox, James Thurston, Mark Griffith
and Curt Bell for all your hard work. WE DID IT!
CHRISTINE MALLETTE
Director of Tourism and Marketing
Director of "Mayberry In the Midwest"
Henry County Convention and Visitors Bureau
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