By Patric Hedlund

PINE MOUNTAIN (March 3, 2009, 10:40 a.m.)—“The Lilac Festival is on. More when I have a plan together,” Realtor Gary Wilson wrote in an email Tuesday, March 3 at 6 a.m., adding: “Thanks for your help.”

Two hours later Wilson reported that he was meeting with volunteers Catherine Tarr and Barbara Sioussat shortly. "I have already been working on Lilac for a few hours this morning as you can tell from my earlier post. I have emailed my associates asking for help, and have received a number of responses already." He said he is sending out requests for help.

"We have a lot of history to draw upon, and I intend to do so," Wilson wrote. "During these troubled times for everyone I would like to pledge that I will do my best to make this the best Lilac Festival ever. Anyone who can help me with that goal would be most welcome. If they want to share their email address with me and their thoughts, that would be great. If they put Lilac in the Heading I will be able to find them easily. If they have strengths like making fancy flyers, being able to write good script, or have useful connections…etc. etc. I sure would like to know about them. Tell me what they liked about past Lilac Festivals, and what they didn’t like and I will try and incorporate this into the plan." 

Wilson repeated in a telephone interview at 10:40 a.m., "We will make this the best Lilac Festival ever." Volunteers are invited to write to garywilson10@gmail.com. Put "Lilac" in the subject line. 

PINE MOUNTAIN (March 2, 2009, 9:10 p.m.)—A meeting of the Pine Mountain Club Commercial Property Owners Association (PMCCPOA) has just ended according to Mark Bailey, a member of the board of directors.

Bailey reports that Realtor Gary Wilson has been selected to "run Lilac."

"I suggested that he do it and I [said I] would give him all my help and information," Bailey writes, adding, "He finally agreed and made the motion that he take over Lilac and run it his way. I asked if it would be a one- or two-day event and what it would entail/include. He said that would be decided later. The vote was 6 to 1 for Gary’s motion. I opposed on the basis that the motion was too vague and I [said I] would fully support and help him run it as a traditional two-day event with all the ‘fixings’" [including parachutists, parade, vendors, etc.].

Bailey said he is seeking commitmentl to what he calls the “real” Lilac Festival. He concluded his report: "So, it appears that some form of Lilac Festival will happen, but absolutely no details [about] whether that will include a full Lilac Festival or a tiddlywinks contest. I wish I had more info. Clarice Smith and Gary Wilson asked that I not contact you with this information. I refused and told them that I would immediately be contacting you."

The Mountain Enterprise placed several telephone calls and has sent emails to Gary Wilson seeking his comment about the Lilac Festival. We will update this report further when we hear from him. To date, no requests for comment (telephone calls and emails) have been answered over the last eight days by Clarice and Craig Smith or Wilson.—P. Hedlund

This is part of the February 27, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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