Suwannee River Chamber of Commerce News
The 1st place winners were: Arnold Dees (Boston Butt) Jerry Everett (Chicken) and Dave Ware Team (ribs). Second place winners also received a trophy plus $50, and 3rd place winners were awarded a trophy.
Congratulations to all winners and thanks for your generous donations of your winnings to the Tyler Hunt Benefit. Gun raffle tickets are still available and the drawing will be April 24th at the Cross City Airport Fly-In and Expo (free event with aircraft, food, music, crafts and more).
All proceeds from this event go to support the Suwannee River Chamber Scholarship Fund and other initiatives. A heartfelt thanks to all who volunteered and those who attended.
This favorite event is the kick-off fundraiser each year in support of the July fireworks. The annual fireworks, the biggest and best-attended event in Suwannee, is supported throughout the year through fundraising efforts by a dedicated group of volunteers who host events such as the Cook-off.
This year's winners were:
3rd. Jim Miller and Charles and Traci Corbett
2nd Stacy Beauchamp
1st. Sherry Font
In making the presentation Prince said, "Shyril has worked tirelessly for years with cake auctions, reverse ticket drawings, and chili cooks off to raise funds for the Suwannee fireworks. Her long-term commitment to the Suwannee community is appreciated by all who have worked with her and benefited from her efforts."
Shyril joins a long list of Suwannee residents who have received the prestigious award. Her name has been added to the plaque which hangs in the Suwannee Community Center. Hers is the 22nd name to be displayed. The award was created to honor the years of community service by Eric "Eck" Odlund Bass, who was born on Odlund’s Island near the mouth of the Suwannee River, where her parents had settled around 1910.
Prince also presented a special "President's Award" to Lisa Waltrip for her work with the Chamber.
This award, created in remembrance of Eric "Eck" Odlund Bass was first awarded in January 1999. Since then a deserving member of the community has been named nearly every year. In keeping with this annual tradition for this year’s meeting, held Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at the Suwannee Community Center, resident Mary Haufler was named as the recipient of the latest Eric "Eck" Bass Community Service Award.
"The 'Eck’ Bass award is not big on strict, written rules or guidelines, but is instead big on heart," Chamber president Owen Prince said during his opening comments before making the award. He then went on to speak about Eric "Eck" Odlund Bass herself, who was born on Odlund’s Island where her parents had settled around 1910, and the reasons for having a community service award in her name. "She was a true Suwannee native who raised her family here, and served others through her care and concern," he said. He added that she also served as a founding director of the Suwannee Water Board and only retired when her health began to fail, after over thirty years of service on the board.
"Mrs. Eck had one of the 'greenest thumbs’ and always had time to listen to others’ problems," Prince added. "She was a wonderful example of a good citizen, mother and friend. The annual award is given by the Chamber to a Suwannee citizen who exemplifies her example."
In presenting the new award he said, "Mary Haufler is a perfect example of an individual exhibiting the qualities of the Eck Bass award. For years she has been a friend, mother, and confidant to many of the residents and friends of Suwannee. She started and maintains the 'boats’ of plants and flowers that decorate the entrance to town. Mary is truly a friend of Suwannee."
A plaque with the names of each recipient of the award is displayed in the Suwannee Community Center on the inside wall nearest the main entrance. Mary’s name is the 21st to be added.
The festival is organized by Suwannee Library Technical Center, part of Dixie County Public Library, and is also supported by a number of local organizations.
We are actively looking for more artists, crafters, nature-based businesses and local food vendors. Non-profit vendors may also apply. Booths are only $25.00 for each 10 x 10 space. Those signing up before December 1, 2019 may choose their space from those remaining on the festival location map, which you can view at Suwannee Library.
For vendor applications or general information, contact Jane Connors at [email protected], or call 352-542-8320. Suwannee Library Technical Center is open Tuesday and Thursday 10-5, Wednesday and Friday noon-5 and Saturday 9-1.
Roseate Spoonbill are resident year-round on the central and south coasts of Florida and can be seen in Cedar Key at certain times of year. However, they are rarely sighted around Suwannee.
Their candy-pink coloration and large spoon-shaped bills make them easily recognizable. They are usually seen feeding in shallow waters along creeks and in marshes, often with ibis and egrets nearby. Their pink coloration is due to a diet of crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates which contain pigments called carotenoids. The Roseate Spoonbill is 1 of 6 species of spoonbills in the world and the only one found in the Americas.
Under the tournament rules, fish had to caught while leaving from Cedar Key, Suwannee or Horseshoe and weighed in within 24 hours at Gateway Marina in Suwannee. Contestants were only able to weigh in three fish during the entire tournament and all fish had to be caught using a hook and line.
Winners shared in the proceeds from the entry fee with 30% going to first place, 15% to second and 10% to third. The remainder of the money, approximately $1,100.00, went towards the efforts to dredge McGriff Channel, an ongoing project of the Suwannee River Chamber of Commerce.
"We were pleased with how the tournament went especially since this was our first," said Marina Manager, Dana Collins. "We are very grateful to all who participated and invite anglers to stop by the marina with any comments and suggestions for our next snapper tournament."
Winners were:
1st - Mike White, Jr.
2nd - Trevor Hicks
3rd - Chris Charles (donated his winnings back)
and Marina Manager, Dana Collins
Wynns, a 66-year-old former professional chainsaw carver always wanted to paint murals to enhance the Mainline bridges. He hunts in the Refuge every day from archery through regular gun season and is always looking for ways to help out on the land he knows so well. Yet he hesitated because he thought a mural would attract graffiti and didn’t want to waste his time. When Debbie Meeks decorated one of the bridges with an alligator painting last year—and it went unmolested—he decided to try.
Clint says his ideas just come to him. “Hogs and deer because that’s the Refuge. Then there are turtles, a manatee, and an alligator. Someone suggested an otter so I added one.”
He cuts templates out of thin luan plywood. This technique shortens the amount of time he spends on the bridge. First he tapes up the inner shape and paints the background. Then he reverses the template by taking down the inner shape and protecting his painted background with the surrounding plywood sheet while painting the animal. Once the whole painting is dry he ties both pieces of the template together which allows him to spray paint the cut line for a dark outline without hand tracing.
"So many people have stopped while I was working—all classes of people—to tell me how much they appreciate what I’m doing. Kids get out to look and I show them how they can help.” Clint says.
More murals are needed. You can adopt a bridge by calling Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, at 352-493-0238.
