Wayne County News
Echoes of Wayne County
June 16, 1961
By Roy Lee Harmon
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Somebody pays for it.
Today with the stage set for the big "Brinkley Day" celebration in Wayne, an event which promises to top just about anything in the history of our town, let us remember that weeks and weeks of hard work have gone into the planning. Furthermore, the participating merchants in the town have spent a sizeable amount of money.
But money isn't everything.
Busy men have met at least once a week for three weeks to discuss the Brinkley Day program and to perfect their plans.
A fine community event such as the one to be staged here Saturday just doesn't arrange itself.
Those who spent hours and hours planning the celebration then worked so hard and spent their money at the same time deserve commendation.
You don't just holler hocus-pocus, presto change - and immediately arrange a parade, public speaking, a beauty contest, luncheon or 300 persons, parking facilities, traffic control and dozen other things.
And the next time some knocker asks you what the Wayne Chamber of Commerce has done to build a better community, just point to the "Brinkley Day" celebration as one of this year's achievements.
We all know that Wayne will be filled to overflowing with people from Wayne and a dozen other counties in southern West Virginia Saturday.
We realize that the task of getting parking space for automobiles will not be easy.
But Corporal C.R. Davis, of the local detachment of State Police, is slated to head the group which gets cars parked and also keeps the streets clear so the parade can move.
Davis, incidentally, has come up with a good idea which I hope every resident of Wayne will like.
He suggests that all of us who live here should leave our cars at home Saturday.
Of course there will be free parking, throughout the town. But that isn't enough. Every available parking area will be used and there will be men on hand to assist drivers in finding a spot to leave their cars.
It seems to be the custom nowadays when a problem arises to appoint a committee - and forget it. Usually the committee doesn't function and the problem remains a problem.
But the Chamber of Commerce Brinkley Day Committee functioned. Every member of it was on hand at most meetings. Every man was willing to do the task assigned to him.
Senator Jackie McKown heads the committee and Jackie has had a "few" other things to occupy him, things like attending Boys State, an extraordinary session of the legislature - and also earning a living.
The duly appointed members of McKown's committee didn't build this big event alone, however, on practically every hand they found citizens willing to cooperate.