Youth Leadership continued…. - McNairy County Chamber of ...

CONNECTION
Inside the CONNECTION
MRA Director meets
with State EDC
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Adamsville leaders
aggressively seek
industry
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Buford Pusser
Museum hosts afterhours
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Marsha Blackburn and
local leaders tackle
job creation
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Adult and Youth
leadership continues
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Photo:
The Selmer Parks and
Recreation Department
hosted a Valentine's Father
Daughter Dance February
11 at the Selmer Community
Center. Caroline Anderson
(left) and her father Paul
enjoyed the event. See more
photographs in this edition of
the CONNECTION!

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MRA Director takes part in TEDC Day on the Hill
McNairy Regional Alliance Executive Director Ted Moore and Allen Hester discuss rural economic
development with Bill Hagerty, the newly appointed Commissioner of Economic and Community
Development, during a meeting recently in Nashville. Mr. Hester and Mr. Moore are members of the
Tennessee Economic Development Council. Picture, left to right are Allen Hester; President/CEO
Dyersburg Chamber of Commerce, Bill Hagerty, Commissioner of Tennessee Department of
Economic and Community Development and Ted Moore; Executive Director of the McNairy Regional
Alliance,

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Adamsville leaders are getting aggressive
Carl Liddy and other Adamsville leaders are taking an aggressive approach to hopefully attracting
industry. Liddy and members of the Adamsville Industrial Development Board have installed a
billboard that promotes free land to any new business who bring jobs to Adamsville.
For the right business the city will pay for not just the land but possibly even the taxes for a period of
time.
"We cannot sit still today," said Liddy, chairman of the Adamsville Industrial Development Board.
"We're competing with every other county in Tennessee."
Already the billboard, which is located on Highway 64, has generated a lot of interest. Local and
regional newspaper and television outlets have ran stories on the town’s aggressive approach.
"We get a lot of attention when you say 'free land'," said Adamsville City Administrator Terry
Thrasher. "We're not giving this land away for someone to make money off of. We're giving away the
land to bring in jobs."

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Buford Pusser Home and Museum hosts Business After Hours
The staff of the Buford Pusser Home and
Museum hosted a MRA After Hours event
Thursday, February 17. The event was well
attended and provided many visitors the
opportunity to learn more about the late Sheriff
Buford Pusser. Dwana Pusser-Garrison, the late
sheriff’s daughter, was on hand to welcome
guests and event signed copies of her book
“Walking On”. Museum Curator and MRA Board
Member Renee Moss organized the event along
with her staff.
The MRA thanks Dwana, Renee and the staff of
the Buford Pusser Home and Museum for
hosting this great event.

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Newly crowned Miss Walking Tall shares her heart
Miss Sarah Stonier has been
crowned the 2011 Miss Walking
Tall! The pageant was held
February 20 at the Marty in
Adamsville. Miss Stonier will be a
wonderful ambassador for the
Buford Pusser legacy and
McNairy County. Shortly after
being crowned, Miss Stonier
posted the following on her official
blog site:
This past weekend I was crowned
Miss Walking Tall, a prelim within
the Miss Tennessee Organization.
The history of my title is
something I am very proud to be a
part of, if you are familiar with the
movies Walking Tall, either from
the 1970’s or The Rocks version
in 2004, these are based on the
life of a sheriff in McNairy County,
a man who measured 6’6” but
whose integrity, ethics and desire
for justice placed him taller than
the measure of most men. The
gentlemen who checked me in to
my hotel proudly informed me “
We’re all Buford’s around here”,
the woman who cooked my
biscuits and gravy that morning
clicked her name tag with a
wrinkled hand where above
NAOMI was engraved; WALKING
TALL. I carry the legacy of a man
and the ideology of a community, I
hold the name of their hero and I
couldn’t be more proud and
honored to do so.
Continue……………..

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Newly crowned Miss Walking Tall shares her heart
Continued…..
I will be competing in Miss
Tennessee this upcoming June
with Miss America being the
ultimate goal of this journey. I will
be a spokeswoman and raise
awareness and funds for The
Children’s Miracle Network and I
will promote my personal platform
of Epidermolysis Bullosa
Awareness. I am grateful to those
who have supported me in this
journey, and thankful for the
opportunities in front of me. First
and foremost I praise my Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ, the King of
Kings, for this blessing and for
how he has sovereignly worked in
my life.
Just like King George, my voice
and the validity of every word I
speak existed before a crown was
ever placed on my head and am
grateful now for the larger
audience before me who will hear
what I have been given to say.
So, here is yet another dream I
can cross off this years To Do
List; Compete in Miss Tennessee!
That brings with it many more To
Do Lists to create and complete in
and of itself, but that’s part of the
journey and I anticipate drawing
all the marrow I possibly can from
this experience; speaking like a
queen, giving all the glory to God,
and in every moment, Walking
Tall.
In Christ,
Sarah
Pictured from left to right: 2011 Miss Walking Tall Sarah Stonier,
Dwana Pusser-Garrison and 2010 Miss Walking Tall Erin Hatley.

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Youth Leadership visits artists - Learns about healthcare
The 2011 Youth
Leadership Class’ first
session was held
Monday, February 21.
The class began the
day by visiting Jack
Martin’s Hockaday
Broom farm and Tim
Pace’s Eco-Art studio
(pictured right). After
observing two of
McNairy County’s
most noted artists, the
class visited Henco
Furniture in Selmer.
While there the class
heard from Henco
founder, Tom
Hendrix. Mr. Hendrix
shared his experience
as a business owner
and the importance of
continued
development as future
leaders. After, a
catered lunch at
Henco’s Whistle Stop
Café, the students
discussed their class
project and took a
tour of Henco.
Continue for more
photographs…….

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SUPPORT
Become a sponsor of the MRA Youth Leadership Program and pave the way for
the next generation of McNairy County Leaders!
Call 731-645-6360 for more information.

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Youth Leadership continued….
After touring Henco, the class visited McNairy
Regional Hospital and McNairy County Health
Care Center. MRH representatives Polly Anna
Justice and Pamela Roberts spoke to the class
about opportunities in the healthcare industry and
encouraged the students to pursue educational
opportunities beyond high school. MCHCC
representatives Justin Broadway, Andrea
Downen, and Rowena Pope spoke to the class
about the misconceptions that assisted living
facilities sometimes face. While at the facility, the
class took part in activities that the residents take
part in to remain active and promote good health.
MCHCC representatives also encouraged the
class to continue their education and to consider
working in the health care industry.
Continue for more photographs...

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Youth Leadership continued….

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Youth Leadership continued….
The session closed out
with a visit to Hospital
Wing, which is located
at the McNairy County
Airport. The class
learned how medical
professionals respond
to emergencies and
transport patients to
regional hospitals for
medical treatment.
MRA Executive
Director, Ted Moore,
and MRA Director of
Programs, Russell
Ingle, facilitated the
day long session.

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Adult Leadership Class learns about
local education and healthcare
The 2011 Adult
Leadership Class held it’s
Healthcare and Education
session on Wednesday,
February 16th. The class
toured the McNairy County
Health Department,
McNairy County Health
Care Center, McNairy
Regional Hospital, visited
with the Director of
Schools, Mr. Charlie
Miskelley, UT/Martin-
Selmer Campus, and
Hospital Wing. MRA
representative Tracy
Helmuth facilitated the day
long event.

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Monogram Refrigeration hosts “SOUP
BOWL 2011”
While fans of the Green Packers and the
Pittsburg Steelers were anticipating this
year’s Super Bowl, Monogram
Refrigeration employees battled it out in
the 2011 Soup Bowl. Monogram’s Ray
Demming invited the MRA to judge the
soup cook-off. MRA representatives Ted
and JoRica Moore and Tracy Helmuth
accepted the invitation and sampled
more than 20 different types of soups.

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VISIT OUR WEBSITE
www.mcnairy.com

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McNairy County is
one of the most
culturally diverse
county’s in all of
Tennessee. Known
internationally as the
birth place and
home of the
legendary Buford
Pusser, McNairy
County’s other
tourist related assets
are quickly
emerging! That is
why the McNairy
Regional Alliance
has designed a
2011 Event Guide.
We want MRA
members and
visitors to be up to
date concerning
local events.
The Guide will be an
electronic product
that will be
continually updated
as events and
details are
announced. The
guide will be
available the first
week of March. For
more information
visit
www.mcnairy.com
and download the
latest copy of the
2011 Event Guide.

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Preparing for Job CREATION
On Thursday,
February 3
Congressman
Marsha Blackburn
visited with local
officials concerning
a very important
topic, job creation.
Blackburn said it is
ultimately up to
each community to
prepare
themselves for job
expansion and
growth. She added
that it is vital for
communities such
as McNairy County
to do all that they
are capable of
doing to put
themselves at the
top of prospective
industries lists.
Blackburn
expressed that she
felt the McNairy
Regional Alliance
and many local
leaders were
positioning the
county for
success.

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Father Daughter Dance held
The Selmer Parks
and Recreation
Department hosted
a Valentine's Father
Daughter Dance
Saturday, February
11, at the Selmer
Community Center.
The center was
completely packed
with happy fathers
and daughters who
spent the evening
dancing and playing
games. MRA
Director of Programs
Russell Ingle
provided music for
the event.

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MRA Adult
Leadership
Class
completes
class project
The MRA Adult
Leadership Class of
2009 recently completed
their incredible project.
The Farmers Market in
Selmer is a beautiful
testament to the Class’
dedication and hard
work. The market is
open to the public year
round for residents to
sell their home-grown
produce. Vendors need
to first receive a permit
at the McNairy County
Extension office,
located at 703 Industrial
Park Rd. Their phone
number is (731) 645-
3598. Thank you again,
Class, for a job very
well done!
Pictured: The 2009
Leadership Class from
left to right, Mr. Luke
DeLavergne, Mr. Ron
Burger, Ms. Erica
Moore, Ms. Kena
Hamm, Ms. Nell
Stewart, Ms. Marsha
Jester, and Mr. Chris
Combs.

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Even at sunset
McNairy County
Is Beautiful

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Mark Your Calendars!
● March 8 – Taste of McNairy. Selmer Community Center. 5 pm to 7 pm.
● March 3-5 – Hee Haw. McNairy Central High School. 6:30pm nightly.
● March 11-12 – Hee Haw. The Marty in Adamsville. 6:30pm nightly.
● March 12 – McNairy Musical Montage featuring the McNairy Central High School Band.
6pm at the McNairy Central High School. Tickets are $25 per person or $150 for table of six.
Proceeds will be utilized to light and improve band field. For more information contact Jack
Cheshier at 731-610-9574.
● March 19 – Spring Artisan Trail.
● April 1-3 – AiM Presents “Big Bad” at the McNairy Central High School Little Theater.
● April 16 – McNairy Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse presents
“Dancing with the McNairy Stars at the McNairy Central High School. 6pm. Call 731-646-
3627 to purchase tickets.
● April 27 – MRA Administrative Professional Luncheon at the Marty in Adamsville. Call 645
-6360 for more information.
2011 Dates to remember
May - Buford Pusser Festival
June – Rockabilly Highway Revival
July– Freedom Festival
September – Main Street Music Festival and Broomcorn Festival

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What Does the Alliance Do
The Chamber of Commerce
and Economic Development
Commission, now the
McNairy Regional Alliance
is a vital link between
business and prospective
industries which enhances
survival of local
retailers. The Chamber and
EDC strives to create
community pride, growth,
and to help businesses and
companies maintain a
viable workforce, customer
base, and clients. Our
members and their
investments, through
Chamber memberships, help
to create a thriving
community.
We are Peaceful,
Progressive and Proud!
__________________________
Contact the MRA at
144 Cypress Avenue
P.O. Box 7
Selmer, Tennessee 38375
Phone: 731-645-6360
Fax: 731:645:7663
E-mail:
russell@mcnairy.com
Visit the MRA website at www.mcnairy.com
Join us also on Facebook.
Visit www.facebook.com
and simply search for McNairy Regional Alliance.