The 40th annual Coterie Club Storybook Festival will be today beginning at 9 a.m. at Robinson Park.
Admission is $4 for children over 1.
One could say that books have always been at the heart of the Andalusia Coterie Club.
So it’s no wonder that, as the club marks its 40th annual Storybook Festival, little has changed since its establishment in 1948.
One of its firsts fundraisers was the 1952 “Miss Anda-lusia” beauty pageant, where proceeds were earmarked to help establish the first special class for handicapped children at East Three Notch School.
In 1957, the pageant’s proceeds were funneled into another worthy cause – the Andalusia Public Library.
According to a written history of the club, a children’s corner was planned for the new library that was to relocated to the old Post Office building on South Three Notch Street. “That year, the club earned the highest profit in the history of the “Miss Andalusia” contest in the 1966 revue,” said Heather Owen, a current Coterie member. “Consequently, at the end of the 1965-1966 club year, a $1,000 donation was presented to the Andalusia Public Library on behalf of the Coterie Club.”
Fast-forward through the years and it’s easy to see how the club’s contributions have helped the community grow, she said.
“The Storybook Festival, which began in 1971, was renewal of one of the most popular features of the City of Andalusia’s summer recreation program,” Owen said. “Our minutes indicate that Patricia Seymore and Merilyn Jones, who were former beloved Andalusia High School teachers and directors of summer recreations, whose ingenuity, originality and dedication to young people sparked these ‘festivals in the park,’ can be accredited with the event’s origin.”
Owen said through the creative efforts of Margo Russell, the 1970-71 club president, as well as the talents and desires of club members, worked to make the festival “an event to be remembered.”
“Now, what they started has launched into what has become one of the most anticipated and favorite annual events in the area,” she said. “Each year, the club expands its efforts and preparation in presenting a most enjoyable Storybook Festival with costumed characters taking on form before life-like sets. It takes an extensive amount of year-round hard work on the part of individuals and committees to make this festival a success.”
This year’s Storybook Festival will regale goers with three Dr. Seuss tales – “The Cat in the Hat;” “Green Eggs and Ham” and “I Am Not Going to Get Up Today.”
It will be held in Robinson Park Saturday. Activities begin at 9 a.m., plays at 10 a.m. Admission is $4.
Wiregrass Construction Co. works just inside the Andalusia Memorial Cemetery Tuesday. The paving is part of an improvement project that will include landscaping and fencing. Mayor Earl Johnson said the project will be mostly finished by Mother’s Day. A similar project is almost complete at Marshall Cemetery.
The 40th annual Coterie Club Storybook Festival will be Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. at Robinson Park.
Show a friend how much you care – send them to jail.
“After all, it’s for a good cause,” said Brandy Smith, Andalusia Police Department secretary and organizer of this year’s Arrest a Friend, the department’s annual Relay for Life event. “In the past, we’ve had a great response to our fundraiser, and we’re hoping for another great year. Relay for Life is a wonderful event, and all of our proceeds go to benefit it.
“We’ve raised more than $25,000 with this project,” she said of last year’s event.
The event will be Wed., April 6, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Smith said some improvements have been made to how the day will work.
“This is to make the experience more enjoyable and entertaining,” she said. “In years past, warrants have been mostly obtained on the day of the event. This has proven difficult to ‘serve’ all of the warrants.”
Smith said there will now be a two-and-a-half day period to purchase warrants – Mon., April 4, and Tues., April 5, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the police department on Opp Avenue.
“Those who wish to sign a warrant on Wednesday can do so by coming to the court Square between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon,” she said. “No warrants will be accepted after noon.”
Warrants are $2 each, and a “bond” is set for release, she said.
“There are a few things you will need to sign a warrant,” she said. “The $2, of course, and the name of the individual and where we can pick them up from. In addition they will need to know what time of day is best to serve the warrant – morning or afternoon.”
Once the warrant is served, the arrestee also has two options, she said.
“No. 1: go to ‘jail,’ or No 2: pay their bond to the arresting officer and they will be released on scene,” she said. “If you choose to go to ‘jail,’ you will be booked in and placed into our Andalusia Police Department ‘jail.’
“This year, the department has been working on creating an actual jail cell for prisoners to be held in,” she said.
Pictures will also be available for purchase at the event for $2 and can be received when bond is made.
For those who are afraid that someone might be out to put them under the “jail,” a $25 “get out of jail free” card is available.
“There’s a limited amount of cards available, and they are only good for one warrant of equal or lesser value,” Smith said.
Those are available for purchase on April 4 and 5 at the police department.
For more information, contact Brandy Smith, (334) 222-1155, ext 3106, or Judy McCord at ext, 3104.