The scene from the top of the ferris wheel shows the many rides and colorful game and food booths featured at the carnival at Jubilee.

inside...Youth Leadership Clarksdale Class Page 2 Friday at the Stage Begins Page 2Industrial Update, The Flood of 2016 Page 3Dates to Remember Page 4Downtown Festivals, Merit Health Updates Page 5

A Publication of the Clarksdale/Coahoma County Chamber of Commerce & Industrial Foundation

April - June 2016

Volunteers are always needed for Delta Jubilee. Chairpersons (and vacancies) are as follows:• Arts & Crafts - Cathy Phelps• Basketball Shootout - Sheriff Charles Jones• Beverage Sales - Tom Phelps• Children’s Activities - Shanna Taylor• Entertainment - Georgianna Smith• Fishing Rodeo - Coahoma County Youth Outreach (Kendric Travis/Yolanda Slaughter)• 5K Run - Tana P. Vassel • BBQ Competition- Sue Griffin • Frog Jumping Competition - Georgianna Smith • Gospel Concert - Chris Coleman• Horseshoes - • Hot Air Balloons - Lt. Marena Jones• Jubilee Idol - Dianne Mitchell/ Josephine Rhymes• Pet Show - Shanna Taylor• Soft Drink Sales - Cecily Allen• Ticket Sales - Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity (Johnny Newson)• Volleyball - John Clark/Anna Clark Burton

Delta Jubilee 2016

Jubilee Time in the Deltaelta Jubilee is getting ready to gear up again.The 33rd Annual Delta Jubilee is

June 3 - 4 in Clarksdale. The weather will be hot and the events and entertainment will be even hotter. Jubilee will feature several new offerings this year. There will, of course, be the standard offerings, such as arts and crafts, 5K run and walk, basketball shootout, BBQ cooking competition, classic and custom car show, volleyball competi-tion, horseshoe pitching competition, frog jumping contest, children’s fishing rodeo, musical entertain-ment, pet show, and Delta Jubilee Idol. New to the festival this year will be hot air balloons, sponsored by TRIAD, a program of the Coahoma County Sheriff ’s Department. Jubilee will feature many opportunities for families to come out and enjoy the festivities together. We want to ensure that this community celebration is as family-friendly as possible. We’re also challenging anyone who thinks he/she is the master of the grill to come and put their skills to the test in the Memphis Barbecue Network sanctioned cooking contest. Winners will receive trophies and prize money for their successful entries. Corporate spon-sor for this year’s Delta Jubilee is once again Merit Health NW Mississippi, and Isle of Capri Casino Lula is corporate sponsor for the BBQ contest. Sponsor opportunities are still available at the following levels: Gold Sponsors ($1,000 - $2,500); Silver Sponsors ($500 - 999); Bronze ($250 - 499); and Friends of Jubilee ($100 - 249). Become a part of the Delta Jubilee today by way of volunteerism, participation, or sponsorship!

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There were many ecstatic winners in last year’s BBQ cooking competition, young and old alike. Some of the winners gained points to-ward competing in Memphis in May.

Car Show Winner 2015

On Target

23 Years Strong

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Pictured (1st row L to R): TraKedreya Jones, Lamaria Banks, Evelyn Humber, Mariat Thankachan, Amber Scott, Laura Lee Chicorelli, Hetal Shingrani, Allyson Espy, Amaya Thomas; (2nd row L to R): Brandalyn Cannon, Leslie Anne Bell, Camyra Jackson, Shalandria Ivy, Ja’Shauna Starks, Jabrea Turner, Madison Barr, Caroline Noe, Miesha Tate, Mallory Matthews, Layesha Ba, Ashley Russell; (3rd row L to R): Mac McKee, Brison Davis, Jerome Coley, Effernee Taylor, Peyton Lott, Robert Noe, Nickerious Butler, Walneika Holmes, and Alexus Hunter.

Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they

have to say something.

Plato

CLARKSDALE

YO UTH LEADERSHIP

Friday at the Stage

Spring is here, and it’s time to go hang out at the stage at the Delta Blues Museum. Friday at the Stage provides the perfect opportunity to do just that, with good music to boot. This Chamber event has been well-received over the years. The series features area musicians in various forms of music each Friday. The music series gives the community an opportunity to come together in good family fun. Performances will be from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. on the following dates:

April 27 Joe Garcia & the Big GunsMay 6 Loose Bruce & the Deep Water BaptistsMay 13 Party ShotMay 20 The David Dunavent BandMay 27 The Taylor Bailey Band

Levels of sponsorships are: $100 (company banner displayed 1 week); $250 - $300 (3 weeks); $500 or more (each week). Major sponsor Kansas City Power & Light joins the Delta Blues Museum, Cooper Tire, Coahoma Community College, SafTCart, Hugh Jack Stubbs, Planters Bank & Trust, Phelps Security Systems, Standard Industrial Corporation, Delta Regional Authority, and Emily Cooper as early sponsors of the series. Get your blankets and lawn chairs unpacked and get ready for some fun at the stage! Call 662-627-7337 for more information or to add your name to the sponsor list.

Business After Hours events are a wonderful opportunity to get fellow Chamber members and also potential customers in your door. We are always looking for hosts for these events. If you are interested in hosting an event, contact Tana Vassel at the Chamber at 627-7337. We’d love to come on over to your house!

The 2016 Class of Youth Leadership Clarksdale will hold graduation May 10 for students who have satisfactorily completed the program. YLC works with high school sophomores and juniors from all four local high schools. Each of the participants is required to give a minimum of 30 hours of community service prior to graduation. This program is provided at no cost to the participating students and is possible only through donations from local businesses, civic groups, and individuals. The Chamber is always seeking donations to continue the program beyond these 23 years. “We’d like to keep this program going and also keep it open to all students, regardless of socioeconomic status,” says Tana P. Vassel, Program Coordinator. “To do that, we need ongoing community support. Let’s give these youth something positive to be involved in. It will ultimately benefit all of us.” For program information or to become a sponsor for Youth Leadership Clarksdale, please contact Vassel at the Chamber at 627-7337. All help is appreciated!

We are always looking for our next Chamber Member of the Month to recognize. Will it be you? Just let us catch you doing something wonderful with your business or within the community and we just might surprise you. Just keep up thegood work. We love to catch you doing wonderfulthings!

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On Target

How a man plays a game

shows something of his character.

How he loses shows all of it.

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Industrial Foundation Report

Local schools and businesses were affected as well. The financial, physical, and mental toll has yet to be realized. In the midst of this tragedy, however, the true spirit of our community once again managed to shine through. There were so many instances of neighbor helping neighbor in this time of need. People sacrificed all they had and all they could to assist those who needed it most. This is the true spirit of Clarksdale/Coahoma County. We always come together as a community, especially in such a crucial time as this. That’s why we are proud to call this home!

We always like to keep things positive in our newsletter, but we felt the need to talk about the flood that recently hit our community. The rain poured and poured and flooded so many areas of our small com-munity. Hundreds of our citizens had to be evacuated from their homes and security.

If you have a special event or program coming up and would like to have it listed on our cal-endar of events, please contact us at 627-7337 in advance of publication date. Next publication date is July 2016.

The Flood of 2016

he Bag Connection, formerly located at 6th Street and East Tallahatchie, has relocated its operating facilities to the Leon-ard Pharr Industrial Park in west Clarksdale. This move was necessary due to a fire that destroyed one ofthe company’s buildings some several months ago. The Bag Connection was founded in the 1970s and is owned by Bulk Lift International, with home offices in Carpenterville, Illinois and manufacturing facilities in Mexico, India, and China. The operation in Clarksdale cleans bulk bags, along with a sister plant locatedin Ruleville, MS. The company manufactures and cleans large bulk bags that are used in a multitude of manufacturing operations. Thanks to the efforts of Willis Frazer,Executive Vice-President of Planters Bank, formerly Covenant Bank, the company was able to locate suitable facilities for their continued operationsin Clarksdale. The company currently employs approximately 17 people and there is a good possibility their new, larger facility will give them the ability to grow. Edward Leak, gen-eral manager of the facilities in Clarksdale and Ruleville, says they were extremely pleased to work with the bank to get their company going again after a very trying time. We are proud to retain this company and its hard-working employees within our community. • We would like to take this opportunity to salute and recognize all 4 of our tenants in the Coahoma County Business Development Center (small business incubator). Our tenants include long-time tenant Designs by Generette (Myra Generette - upholstery, drapery); Sweet Magnolia Ice Cream (Hugh Balthrop - gelato from local ingredients); Family GAP Foundation (Lynn Espy - feeding program); and The Car-penter Shop (Wendell Schmidt and Russell Koehn - custom-made wood products). We are proud of each of these small businesses and encourage them in their continued success. Please support them whenever possible.

Spotlighton

Juke Joint Festival

Cat Head Mini Blues Fest I

Relay for Life - Expo Center

Friday at the Stage

Fridays at the Stage

MEMORIAL DAY

Friday at the Stage

Clarksdale Caravan Blues FestTheo’s Rock ‘n Roll Museum/Downtown

MOTHER’S DAY

June33rd Annual Delta Jubilee Coahoma County Expo at the Fairgrounds

FATHER’S DAY

3 - 4

19

On Target

Dates to Remember

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INDEPENDENCE DAY

July4

6

6 - 8

8

May

P. O. Box 160Clarksdale, MS 38614662.627.7337www.clarksdale-ms.com

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April13, 20& 27

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May (cont.)

If you have recently renewed your membership but have not received your current membership sticker, please let us know. Duplicates are not sent to multiple employees of any organization unless there are multiple offices.

Chamber & Industrial Foundation Staff

Ron HudsonExecutive Director

Cecily AllenAdministrative Assistant

Tana Pittman VasselEconomic Dev. Director

Second Street Blues Party IApril 15 and 17, 2016Downtown Clarksdale

Clarksdale Caravan Music FestMay 6 – 8, 2016Downtown Clarksdale

Sunflower River Blues & Gospel FestivalAugust 12 - 14, 2016Blues Alley

Second Street Blues Party IIAugust 12 - 14, 2016Downtown Clarksdale

UPCOMING FESTIVALS/EVENTS

Juke Joint wristbands cost $20 in advance and allow visitors to access 20+ venues and 20+ acts Saturday night without individual cover charges. Also includes one seat on the Daytime History Bus Tour (limited

Page 5

On Target

Welcome, New MembersWe would like to welcome and salute our new-est Chamber members, Power 106.5/Mix 96.5 and Thumbtack (San Francisco). Thank you for becoming a member of the Chamber and for investing in our community. We are proud to have you both on board!

• “ A Healthy Night out for Men” will be held on Thursday, March 31, 2016 begin-ning at 6 p.m., in the Private Dining Room at Merit Health NW Mississippi, 1970 Hospital Drive, Clarksdale, MS. There will be educational lectures from the medi-cal staff on knee pain, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, urology problems, and allergies. FREE SCREENING: blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and PSA 9 (Prostate-Specific Antigen); door prizes; refreshments; and more.• “ A Healthy Night Out for Ladies” will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2016 begin-ning at 6:00 p.m., in the Private Dining Room at Merit Health NW Mississippi, 1970 Hospital Drive, Clarksdale.• The Clarksdale/Coahoma County American Cancer Society Relay for Life Event will be held on Friday, April 22, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. at the James E. Miller Foot-ball Stadium on the campus of Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale. The national theme this year is “Paint Your World Purple.” Our local theme will be Dr. Seuss inspired-- “I do not like cancer here or there, I do not like cancer anywhere. Closing the Book on Cancer!”

seating). Website pre-sale ends Wednesday, April 13 at midnight. $25 - day of festival. Wristbands cannot be mailed. They must be picked up at the Juke Joint tent Thursday - Saturday during the festival. Contact Roger at 662-624-5992 or roger@cathead.biz.

The 13th annual Juke Joint Festival will be held in downtown Clarksdale on Saturday, April 16. The event will feature children’s activities, pig races, live music, vendors, creative writing contest, and much more. Mark your calendars and make sure to be a part of the fun. For more information, visit www.jukejointfestival.com. There will also be a Cat Head Mini Blues Fest & Film Festival immediately following on Sunday, April 17.