Dateline: October 19, 2006

Lioness Club wins Cotton Festival parade

By Julie Funderburg, Clarendon Enterprise

Hedley celebrated its 55th Annual Cotton Festival this past weekend, and it was another successful year.  Downtown Hedley was crowded with locals and visitors.  Everyone enjoyed the many activities and events.

The Lioness Club started the festival with their Chili and Stew Supper on Friday night.  The ladies began cooking chili on Wednesday.  Helen Lambert spent her 90th Birthday preparing Chili along with Louise Stewart, Betty Morgan, Susie Shields, and Mary Ruth White.  The Lioness Club had a very good turn out this year.

The Lioness Club held a Quilt Show on Saturday.  Some of the quilts were provided by Geneva Thomas of Wellington, Anita Mitchell of Hedley, Susie Shields of Lelia Lake, Alma Lamberson of Hedley, Sandra Finchum of Amarillo, Kathy Spier of Hedley.

Both the tractor and car shows were held on Saturday morning.  There were many entries in both events.

Best of Show in the Tractor Show went to Blackie Johnson with a 1952 Farmall Cub.  Jimmie Cannon, from Amarillo, TX, received Best of Show in the Car Show with a 1934 Plymouth Coupe.

Other winners in the Tractor Show included: Blackie Johnson – First with a 1948 Allis Chalmers; Blackie Johnson – First with a 1952 Farmall Cub, Redell Johnston – Second with a 1950 TO-20 Ferguson; Leon Ward – First with a 1958 351 Case, Bob Hoggard – Second with a 1961 Ford 4000.

Winners in the Car Show also included: Mary Ruth White – First with a 1965 Ford Mustang, Chrisi Tucek – Second with a 1966 Ford Mustang; Bobby Hefner – First with a 1958 Chevy Impala;  Grady Milton- First with a 1946 Ford, Ken Carden- Second with a 1949 Hudson.

The Lions Club served about 225 plates for lunch this year.

The Parade began Saturday afternoon.  Entries included Hedley School Organizations such as the High School Spanish Club, High School Football Team and Cheerleaders, and Jr. High Football Team and Cheerleaders.  Civic Groups included Khiva Shrine Cycle Escort and Mule Skinners, Howardwick Fire Department, and Clarendon Fire Department.  Floats included the Lioness Club, Scooters, and The Lions Club Queen, Erika Brown.  The Lions Club’s Honorees received an Honorable Mention Award, and the Lioness Club received Best Over All. 

Tonya Ward and Kim King were both in charge of the Annual School Reunion.  There were approximately 75 ex-students who attended from five different states.  Kathy Spier prepared a school history book, which contains class pictures, and events that have happened through the years.  She is now working on book of the history of Hedley and Rowe.  Cookies and fruit were provided for the ex-students while they enjoyed visiting and catching up.  

Tim Herbert of Amarillo was the winner of the Bale of Cotton given away by the Lions Club.

The Lioness Club’s hand-made Quilt went to Dot Pointer.  The Hedley Senior Citizen’s shotgun went to Jared Naylor of Hedley.