RAYMOND NEWS

The Culpepper clan made it back safely to Raymond after a whirlwind trip to Chicago to visit my mother, father, sister, and nieces. It is not easy living far away from my family and I wish it were easier than a 28-hour-round-trip car ride to see them. But I am so thankful for my "good car babies" who love nothing more than adventures to see their Illinois family.

The Raymond Country Fair was a wonderful way to welcome us back to our Raymond home after a long trip. The girls had a fun time getting their faces painted, shopping around the square, and watching the Raymond High School band play in the bank parking lot.

Becky Drake, Raymond Historian emeritus, and her husband, Jim, sent me a lovely article about the history of the Raymond Country Fair and how it came to be all thanks to a wonderful group of community-minded men.

54 years ago, the Raymond Junior Chamber of Commerce, who named themselves the "Raymond Jaycees" held a special "Charter Night" to announce the formation of this new organization to the community. Becky sent me a copy of the article published in the Hinds County Gazette that was titled "Raymond Jaycees Hold Charter Night" Fish Fry.

The newspaper article from 1972 read as follows:

"Raymond Jaycees are extending a community wide invitation to all citizens of this area to attend the Raymond Jaycee charter night festivities to be held Friday, May 5, 1972 at the air-conditioned Hinds Junior College cafeteria. The meal will start at 7:00 PM. Fresh catfish and white perch will be served with French fries, coleslaw, hushpuppies, French bread, tea or coffee.

Erwin Peyton, Jr., Jaycee "Charter Night" chairman, announced that the catfish supper will be served "all you can cat" style. Tickets will be sold by all Jaycee members and, in addition, will be available at Merchants and Planters Bank, Mitchell's Texaco, Raymond Redbird, and Kelly's Standard Station. The price of the tickets will be two dollars.

Bill Farrior, local Jaycee President, explained that proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the Raymond Jaycee Community Project Fund to be used in the very near future on worthwhile projects for this community.

When a Jaycee asks you to purchase a ticket, please remember that your support and attendance of the Charter Night festivities will allow the young men of this community to get involved by helping Raymond to grow and be a better place to live."

Becky and Jim also included the full list of the Raymond Jaycee charter members. Do you recognize any names?!

o Bill Farrior, President o Will Mayo, VP o Ira Duke, o Jim Drake, o Dick Kilby, o Erwin Peyton, Jr. o Charles Hill o Lance Kneeland o James Hermon Adams

As a part of their community development, the Jaycees organized the first "Raymond Flea Market" on the Raymond Courthouse grounds on May 1st, 1973. The event was patterned after the highly successful semi-annual Canton Flea Market. Lance Kneeland was the chairman and organizer. In preparation, Lance, Hermon Adams, and Jim Drake attended the Canton Flea Market Arts & Crafts Show and talked to many vendors. They determined that local vendors would be available the week following the Canton event. The highly successful "Raymond Flea Market" events were held semi-annually in May and October from 1973-1975.

The Raymond Chamber of Commerce resumed the event in 1982 as the "Raymond County Fair" that has been a Raymond tradition for 44 years.

All the men of the Raymond Jaycees made quite an impact on Raymond and their legacy continues to this day. Thank you Becky and Jim for this local history lesson! I hope you all enjoyed reading about the "birth" of the Raymond Country Fair as much as I did.

Be kind and suffer well.