Block Party!

Charles "Took" Sanders fries up some fish on Friday night...

Sue and "Cold Stuff"! They've both been working hard to make this event a success!

I was told that this is "the man". Luke Sanders, president of The Generation Gap, poses in the back door of The Cardinal Den on Friday night.

Blackberry & Miss Kiah Adams!

I thought Kiah agreed to the photo session because I bragged on her little light thing she's holding out in front. I found out later that the only reason she was so compliant was because Blackberry whispered something in her ear...."Funnel Cakes"!!!

The man in charge of the music.... Kind Eyes.

What!??  It's now Sunday night! I go back for more fried chicken and THE SAME TWO WOMEN are in the booth!!! Gloria Scott & Jaemma Gunn...you both deserve a medal!!!

This duo was the first up in the dance contest. They were from Lexington. I wonder what their Lebanon connections are?

Stephen Lega from The Lebanon Enterprise was on hand, taking photos. He must have gotten a "press pass", being able to sit inside the ropes with the judges of the dance contest and all. Welcome to Lebanon, Stephen! I think you do a very good job.

JA-VEN!JA-VEN! JA-VEN!

I tell you what...I could have watched this young man dance all night long. He was obviously a favorite of the crowd as well. Javen!

Javen plays to the audience. Alas, this medium does his talent no justice.

Look at this crowd. These are smiles for Javen!

Four dancers take to the stage. <Where's Javen?>

GO, Green Shirt Girl! Notice Javen in the background. He is sizing up the competition! (Am I making too much of Javen here?)

I loved looking at the expressions of the crowd...

This girl could move!

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Applause all around for all the contestants in the dance contest. It was great!

Finley Picnic

The annual Finley Picnic was today, and the old fashioned meal of fried chicken and mutton was great, as usual.

Here's a peek at the dinner line. Mitzi Avritt was helping out in the serving line - her husband, Jim Avritt, Jr. - is running to retain his seat as District Judge against Amy Anderson, who was also in attendance at the Picnic.

Above - This is what the dinner line looked like when we arrived at 5:00.

 Winning stuff....

Miss Kiah at the end of the day, with her hair rolled in RAGS! She hopes to awaken in the morning with a Shirley Temple look! She attended her first Finley Picnic tonight and refused to hold her plate out for anything in the line---until we got to the brownies.

St. Joe Picnic...Y'all Come!

With the St. Joe Picnic upon us, I thought I would post a few pictures from celebrations past. I will add more when I get a chance.

This year's picnic will be this Saturday, June 17th, beginning at 4:00 pm with a mass in the St. Joe Cemetery...

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Above is an early afternoon view of the grounds of the St. Joe Picnic.  Below, the Raywick Fire Departmen stands by...

Mmmm...the photo below is from the 2004 picnic.

St. Joe native and St. Charles Middle School principal John Allan Brady serves up some pie to dinner guests at the St. Joe Picnic last year.

Below is the serving line last year, with lots of familiar faces including Father Ronald Knott, who said the mass in the cemetery.

Sadly, some well-loved citizens in the photo below are no longer with us. This was taken in 2005.

Byron Livers and his lovely wife were either newlyweds or newly engaged in this 2004 photo.

Benny Lee manning the beer booth and posing with his cousin, Stephen Brady.

Lots of politicians were dunked in 2004...

Barry Brady was injured last year the day of the picnic when he was helping with food preparation...

Oooops! Someone's snoozing through the mass at the cemetery!

Deputy Sheriff Jimmy Clements is right at home as he provides security and chats with some diners...

Sweet! Here is Janet Brady Dixon serving up tea at the 2005 Picnic....

David Earl Gribbins is a proud grandpa...

The St. Joe Picnic is handicapped accessible...

Food tastes great when cooked in those big iron kettles over a wood fire....this was taken in 2005...

Magistrate Cotton Smothers serves up some tea to Dorothy Brady...

A cutie in the dinner line....

Junie and Carolyn Mattingly enjoy checking out the museum that's housed in the St. Joe Church...

Hungry picnickers in line for a great meal....

There is always lots to do at the St. Joe Picnic!

County Attorney Joe Mattingly and two of his children try their luck at one of the game booths....

Me and my friend Fred Hamilton in 2004....

Marion County Tragedy

Last night, three of our community's young boys were in a car accident in St. Mary's. Their vehicle struck this tree, which is across the road from St. Charles Catholic Church.  Two died, and one was seriously injured.

Charles Allen Blandford, age 21, son of Eddie & Carolyn Blandford, and 17 year-old Ruben Bright, son of Billy & Elizabeth Brady Bright, both died from their injuries. John Dow, son of  Michael & Kathy Masterson Dow, is in serious condition.

Bid Accepted!!

We are on the way to a nice donation to St. Augustine Grade School with participation of our members. We have just accepted a trade for our Hilpp Wedding Stationery in the form of a Party Gift Basket that holds the promise of a weekend of bliss!

If you have an item to trade up for this neat gift basket, your efforts will be going to a wonderful cause - straight to St. Augustine Grade School!

So fellow 24-7'ers, dig into your attics and send us something wonderful!  It's all out there~! We can do this~!