Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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“We’ll start by the Big Chair and go through the Depot down to Winston Street,” said Carol Brown, chair of Thomasville Beautification. “We’ll also use Salem Street.”
Like most city-sponsored festivals, a major part of Spring Daze is geared toward children.
“We’re expanding our children’s center,” Brown said. “Our plans are to make the Depot parking lot the children’s area. We’re working on a lot of projects.”
Among the projects Brown and her fellow committee members are working on for the children’s center are an art center for area schools. Local artist Howard DeGarde has submitted a drawing, in which prints of it will be distributed to children. They can color it and take their print home as a keepsake. Susie Truell will, once again be on hand as Cat in the Hat. She will be joined by the Liberty Drive Bell Ringers.
“Hilda Warner is looking after the music for us this year,” Brown said. “If anybody is interested in furnishing the music, they can call Hilda at 476-4802.”
In all there are 12 volunteers on Beautification, working to ensure this year’s Spring Daze will be the most successful ever. They are aided by ex officio member Bob Sechrist and Raleigh York, the City Council’s representative to Beautification.
“The people on that Beautification Committee are so generous with their time,” York said. “We’re wide open with Spring Daze and expecting a big day.”
York and the Beautification Committee have good reason to expect as big of a day. More vendors have signed up, including many new ones and a lot of the old ones returning.
“I have a lot of new vendors that have never set up before, and a lot of old ones have already sent in their invitation to come back,” Brown said. “This is our fifth year of Spring Daze and it has grown every year. We’re still open for new vendors. If anybody is interested, they can give me a call at 886-5189.”
According to Brown, the Master Gardener is returning after not being at Spring Daze last year. The Master Gardener can answer people’s gardening questions.
“We are looking at a new fundraiser this year, and it’s really unique,” Brown said of her committee. “It will be a bookmark with a picture of the Big Chair, along with some Zinnia seeds.”
Beautification will also be handing out information about the Swat the Litter Bug program and free litter bags, pencils and stickers.
Immediately preceding the beginning of Spring Daze that morning will be the Thomasville Medical Center 5k Run, beginning at 8 a.m. Anyone interested in participating in this run can call Tom Doyle at TMC.
To ensure the beauty of Thomasville before and during Spring Daze, Beatification will hold its annual Litter Sweep on April 25 at 2 p.m. and April 26 at 8:30 a.m. Anyone interested in participating can meet at those times under the Clock Tower in downtown Thomasville. N.C. DOT also has its own litter sweep which lasts from April 19 until May 3 — the day of Spring Daze.
“We hope people will join a crew during our city’s Litter Sweep,” York said. “We’re hoping those who can’t will, at least, pick up the trash in their own yard.”
Staff Writer Kevin Reid can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 230, or at reid@tvilletimes.com.