Just another citizen feeling the Puddin Swamp love
Last November, I was made an honorary citizen of Turbeville by my dear friend/brother Pat Goodwin. I take that stuff pretty seriously and have, for the last six months tried to be an outstanding citizen of our neighbor to the north.
I used to want to be an honorary citizen of England in the 1970s so I could marry Prince Charles, but he turned out to be a bit of a heel, so I guess God was looking after my foolish self.
I digress.
I am so blessed to have made a family of friends in my beloved T’ville and I celebrated the third annual Puddin Swamp Festival with them this past weekend. I have already confessed to the High Commander that I was playing and not working, but boy howdy, did I have some great fun!
It all started on Thursday evening. I volunteered to help Chuck Dukes and Jo Myers with the ticket table at the “Taste of Puddin Swamp.” I am sure there were some who were asking who this stranger was telling people they could not come in yet, but before the line dispersed, many were new friends.
Mother and daughter duo Juliette and Connie Osborne kept everyone entertained with the latest happenings in town as the crowd of about 250 waited to enter the party area.
The first round of fun happened in the parking lot adjacent to the Pine Grove Methodist Church’s gym. Under the watchful supervision of event chair Cheryl Wingard, the outdoor tables were beautifully decorated and folks were arranging food and flowers gorgeous enough for the grandest of guests. (The heel Prince Charles was not there – his loss for sure.)
Manning master barbecuers were there with Lamar Kennedy, Dennis Craven and Jake Buddin. There was a buzz in the crowd about frog legs … I bet they were Jake’s. I just cannot bring myself to eat them, but they must be delicious because the guests were very excited!
About 8 p.m., we all adjourned to inside the gym to be entertained by The Plaids, a quartet of do-wop singers that left my jaw on the floor.
The Plaids are comprised of Happy Pendergraft, a resident of Turbeville and a car salesman in Florence; John Coleman, a dentist and instructor at the Georgia School of Dentistry; Roger Kirby, a realtor and minister of music at Lake City First Baptist Church; Craig Shutte, an engineer at Nan Ya Plastics and youth minister at Kingstree First Baptist Church; and their brilliant accompanist, Faith Godwin, a Lake City High School teacher.
Their hour-long concert was incredible. If you are a fan of the greatest hits of the 50s and 60s and gorgeous close harmonies, you will not want to miss these guys if they are ever around again. Not only were they virtuosos musically, they were a lot of fun as well. I am on a mission to get them here for a Habitat concert so stay tuned.
I was back in T’ville for Saturday’s continuation of the festival fun. I got to partake of some festival food (can anyone eat an entire funnel cake?) and the people-watching was outstanding.
The crowd was warm and inviting and I added to my Puddin Swamp family that day. They had “princess parking” for me and toted my chair. I got to spend time with Chuck, Marie, Stephen and Courtney, Donna May, Marie, Lindsey, Mary and Trey, all of whom made me feel like I had lived there my entire life.
There were lots of grandbabies in attendance and they were gleefully passed around for snuggling and baby sugar. Senior citizens got front row seats to pet contests, karaoke singers, dancers and the grand finale, Sequoyah Prep School.
This band, fronted by Turbeville native Justin Osborne (son of Bo and Annell Osborne, grandson of Juliette) is sort of a Matchbox 20-type band … lyrical enough to not send old broads like me screaming for the hills; hip enough to keep the youngin’s very, very happy. They were simply awesome … very professional and extremely talented. Another “not to miss” experience.
I am sure that the Turbeville Community Association members, led by town administrator Pat Goodwin, are all simply exhausted today. I am post-festival joyous after feeling all the love.
Next up … Striped Bass. See you there!
