By Scott Mims

History will be made Saturday if all goes as planned during the annual Thorsby Swedish Fest.
The all-day festival will be packed with so many activities that there will be something for everyone — whether you’re a serious history buff or simply someone who likes to watch parades.
The big day will start with the Swedish Fest Parade at 9 a.m. The parade will line up in front of the old sewing factory at 8:30 and circle through town, making its way past Richard Wood Park and the downtown area.
Anyone can enter a float in the parade, as long as they arrive on time to line up. Three cash prizes of $75, $50 and $25 will be awarded for the best decorated floats.
At 10 a.m., the town will turn its attention to the Scandinavian flag court in front of the Thorsby Fire Department just off Highway 31. There, a new historical marker will be unveiled in observance of Alabama’s Year of Small Towns and Downtowns.
During the unveiling ceremony, Swedish men’s choir Vasa Drangar of Atlanta will perform.
“The marker will commemorate our founders of the town,” said Tracia Bussey, Swedish Fest Committee chairwoman.
Those who arrive at Richard Wood Park for opening ceremonies at 10:30 will have already missed a lot. But, fortunately, there will still be much to come.
During opening ceremonies, the town will welcome special guests including CEOs of several Scandinavian companies and a representative of the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C. Bussey said the representative will likely be the counselor for trade and economic affairs. Town leaders will present gifts to these and other guests scheduled to appear.
Vasa Drangar, along with several local acts, will provide entertainment at Richard Wood Park until about 2 p.m. Bussey said the choir will be wrapping up its act at about 12:30 p.m.
All morning and part of the afternoon, Richard Wood Park will be a hub of activity with more than 60 arts and crafts booths, food vendors, games and other attractions. A car show will be held in front of Thorsby School, and the historical museum in Helen Jenkins Chapel will be open to visitors.
But that’s not all. The inaugural Swedish Fest Dance will commence at 6 p.m. from Hunt Memorial Gym at Thorsby School. The guest band will be Cuttin’ Loose, a classic rock band from Birmingham.
Admission to the dance is $1 at the door.
“We’re getting word that a lot of Thorsby High School alumni are using that (the dance) to get together and have an informal reunion,” Bussey said.
A few valuable mementos may be purchased during the Fest, such as Swedish Fest 2010 T-shirts for $10 each and a 100-plus-page book featuring articles and historic photos from the town’s past for $10 each.
John Thorson of Colorado Springs, Colo., a grandson of Thorsby founder T.T. Thorson, provided many photos for the book, Bussey said.
On Friday night, the eve of the Swedish Fest, a reception for descendants of early town settlers will be held at Helen Jenkins Chapel at 6:30.
Bussey said descendants are coming from all over the U.S.
“The invitation is open to anyone who would like to attend if they are a descendant of early settlers of the town,” she said. “There will be light refreshments. It’s just an opportunity to meet and greet.”
Bussey said this year’s Swedish Fest will be one to remember, especially for those with deep family roots in the town.
“I feel like this particular festival is pretty monumental. These people may never be together like this ever again, so to me this makes it a very special year,” she said.

By Scott Mims

The town of Thorsby is ready to begin Phase 2 of its lighting improvement project in Richard Wood Park, which will involve the installation of concrete light poles and several new lights.

Phase 1 required the placement of 10 lights around the perimeter of the park and an evaluation of how many additional fixtures would be needed for adequate lighting.

The town’s Swedish Fest Committee came up with the idea and donated $14,000 toward the new lights. The money was raised from two years of Swedish Fest events. The remainder of the project is being funded by half of a $12,500 grant from Rep. Jimmy Martin.

“We’ve been really pleased with how much light they give off and the whole appearance. It really looks nice,” Mayor Dearl Hilyer said.

The 10 working lights are affixed to poles made from PVC pipe. These will be replaced with permanent, decorative concrete poles originally made for the city of Memphis, Tenn. The city turned down a batch of 30 poles because they contained too much brown sand, Hilyer said.

Thorsby purchased all 30 poles for approximately $12,000, and the mayor called it a “good buy,” crediting councilman Neil Benson with locating the poles. He said about 15 would be used in Richard Wood Park, and the rest could be used elsewhere if the council decided to pursue a sidewalk grant.

Had the town decided to wait about purchasing additional poles, Hilyer said they could have easily cost twice as much.

“At first, we were not sure about the number of poles we would need (for the park),” he added.

After the study, Hilyer is confident that five additional lights will be enough for the park’s interior. The cost for all 15 lights was $4,500. There will be additional costs in labor and installation.

The mayor estimated the project could be completed within two to three weeks.

“That park is really the centerpiece of our town,” Hilyer said. “I feel like we have one of the nicest, safest parks in the county.”

The other 50 percent of the Martin grant will go toward improvements in Sam Bentley Park. The town is currently waiting on the Park and Recreation Committee to submit a plan for the improvements.

By Lisa Moon

In the center of the town of Thorsby sits a park across the street from City Hall on U.S. Highway 31. The beautiful park started out as a mobile home park people refer to as being ‘rough.’ When the mobile home park went up for sale, the town quickly bought it. The land was turned into a well-manicured recreational park that gets used everyday. The town named the park after one of its favorite citizens, Richard Wood of Wood Drug Company.

“He was always a good person,” says Joni Wyatt, about the former pharmacist. “He would help anyone.”

Wood took care of the good folks of Thorsby, and they take good care of his park.
In all types of weather, people can be seen walking on the winding trail that wraps around the park. On the hottest days, people come to walk under the beautiful shade trees. Even during the worst storms, raincoat-clad walkers can be seen making their laps to the amazement of most.

“We love that it is not a continuous circle,” says Becky Garrison, who walks the park several times a week with her friend, Angela Hicks. They walk together to catch up on things. The children – Abby and Kaitlyn Garrison and Rianna Green – walk with them. The girls love the big trees.

Hope Falotico brings her boys – Anthony, Balen and Chandler – a few times a week to run and play in the park. She says that the park never makes her feel nervous like some other parks do.

“It feels safe, not isolated,” she says, as she gives Anthony another push on the swing.

On July third everyone meets in the park to celebrate our nation’s independence. In October, the town hosts the Swedish Festival to celebrate the town’s Swedish heritage. The Thorsby football team can be seen running laps under the shade trees. There are too many events held in the park to mention. It is truly a park the late Richard Wood and his lovely wife Julia can be very proud of, as well as the citizens of Thorsby.

By Scott Mims

Thorsby will hold its Fourth of July celebration a day early — this Saturday, July 3 beginning at 7 p.m. in Richard Wood Park.

The program will be a tribute to God and country, featuring patriotic music from local church talent, words from area pastors, concessions and fireworks. The first part of the event will last about an hour prior to the fireworks.

“We try to make it last about an hour, or until it starts to get dark so they can see the fireworks better,” said coordinator Melba Davis.

Participating churches include Thorsby First Baptist, Pates Chapel, The Church at Bethel and others. A local female singing group called Perfect Imperfection will perform.

The laying of the wreath at the Flagpole will pay tribute to those who fought and died for our country’s independence, those who have died since, and those who continue to risk their lives for freedom. Mayor Dearl Hilyer and members of the Thorsby Town Council will assist with the ceremony.

The Thorsby Fire Department will oversee the shooting of fireworks.

“Hopefully, the weather will cool off before then,” said Davis, reminding those who plan to attend to bring a lawn chair.

Free water will be given away during the celebration, and barbecue will be available for purchase.

For more information, call city hall at 646-3575.

By Scott Mims

The next chapter of international relations between Thorsby and its sister city of Torsby, Sweden will take place July 8 when G2 Bluegrass Band performs a concert in Richard Wood Park.

The five-piece Swedish band has included Thorsby in its U.S. tour and plans on playing two, 45-minute sessions. Admission is free, and concessions will be available.

“We were able to work it out with their schedule that they would actually be able to do a concert for us while they were here,” said Thorsby Swedish Fest Committee chairwoman Tracia Bussey. “Who knows? This could turn into a yearly bluegrass festival.”

The connection took place when G2 leader Tobias Stromberg read an article in the Torsby, Sweden newspaper by Per-Erik Persson of the Scandinavian-American Economic Development Alliance, who visited Thorsby during last year’s Swedish Festival.

In the article, Persson wrote about the agreement by Thorsby town leaders to pursue a sister city relationship with similar-named Torsby. While there has been contact and some interaction between the two towns, nothing official has taken place. The article stated that Thorsby was still interested in pursuing the relationship.

After reading the news release, Stromberg contacted Mayor Dearl Hilyer by e-mail, saying that the band was interested in visiting Thorsby and learning about its Swedish heritage. Hilyer then forwarded the message to Bussey.

“The Swedish Festival Committee has agreed to help fund the event along with area businesses and individuals,” Bussey said.

She called the concert a “step in the right direction” toward forming a more official connection between the towns.

During the concert, locals Mike Graham and Scott Springer will work the sound system for G2. The band will take time in between sets to meet and greet with people in attendance and will have CDs for sale. People are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

Anyone who wants to sample G2′s music may visit the band’s website, g2bluegrassband.com. For more information, call Bussey at 217-0978.

By Scott Mims

Thorsby’s Movies in the Park originally scheduled for Friday night has been postponed due to a time conflict with the Peach Jam Jubilee.

The event will resume Friday night, July 9 in Richard Wood Park with the showing of “Planet 51.” The movie will begin about 8 p.m.

Thorsby Fire Chief Lee Gunn said the weekend of July 4 will be skipped due to the town’s Independence Day celebration on Saturday night, July 3.

“When you get too much going on, people are stretched a little thin,” Gunn said.

Attendance for Movies in the Park has averaged between 250 and 300 people per week, Gunn estimated. This is the second year the town has hosted the event. It is coordinated by volunteers from the fire department.

“The fire department has done a good job,” Mayor Dearl Hilyer said. “They’re keeping it cost-effective and yet make it something of value to the citizens.”

The only problem this year is that a couple of the movies have skipped during playback. The town has notified the company that provides the DVDs and hopes to have another movie night, but this has not been confirmed.

Those who attend on July 9 will be able to purchase concessions and apply for a free smoke detector for their home. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged.

For more information, call the Thorsby Fire Department at 646-3725.

By Scott Mims

The threat of inclement weather kept crowds at bay for the first week of Thorsby’s Movies in the Park last Friday. This weekend, the weather continues to be a concern with the otherwise well-attended event.

“People really turn out for this,” said Lt. Phillip Porter of the Thorsby Fire Department.

Last year, crowds of up to 350 people filled Richard Wood Park to watch family-friendly movies on an outdoor screen. This year, approximately 150 people attended the first showing.

Porter said the movies are geared toward a broader audience this year. Tonight’s showing will be “The Blind Side,” and next week will be “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” followed by “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” on June 18 and finally “Planet 51″ on June 25.

The event begins at 6 p.m. each Friday, and each movie begins at 8 p.m.

“We want to make it a very family oriented type event,” Porter said.

Movies in the Park has been expanded to include an adopt-a-thon by the Chilton County Humane Society and a booth where people can sign up to have free smoke detectors installed in their home.

Humane society Director Joe Murphy said one animal was adopted last week, which made the effort worthwhile for him. Murphy also gives talks about responsible pet ownership.

“It’s a nice little close-knit community event,” Murphy said. “I just enjoy being a part of it. If the weather would just clear up, I think a lot more people would attend.”

Nearly 20 people have signed up for the free smoke detectors, which are available to all Chilton County residents through a state grant. Members of the Thorsby Fire Department are required to install the detectors.

Those interested may call 646-3725 or e-mail a request to thorsbyfire@centurytel.net.

“We really want to stress that anybody who needs one to call us and sign up,” Porter said.

By Scott Mims

The Thorsby Town Council agreed Monday night to place two additional “no truck traffic” signs on Alabama Avenue.

Because the avenue runs through a residential area and alongside Richard Wood Park and Sam Bentley Park, large trucks are prohibited on the roadway.

“The biggest thing is the safety of the kids and people,” Mayor Dearl Hilyer said. “A lot of people walk there, and they walk from one park to the next.”

Council member Tara Jewell reported seeing large trucks traveling through the area at relatively high speeds. Town leaders prefer trucks traveling north on County Road 37, which eventually becomes Alabama Avenue, to turn right onto County Road 29 and make their way back to U.S. Highway 31.

“Most of them do,” Hilyer said.

In other business, the council:

•declared a retired police car surplus at the request of Thorsby Police Chief Rodney Barnett

•voted to allow Officer Leah Wilkins to receive shooter reconstruction training at a course in Florence at a cost of $543, including hotel costs

•voted to allow Officer Gerald Purvis to receive training pertaining to gang-related activity

•did not vote to participate in the state’s sales tax holiday (measure failed due to lack of a motion)

•approved the municipal water pollution prevention report

•voted to purchase an ad in The Clanton Advertiser in support of the Thorsby High School Class of 2010, at the mayor’s discretion.

By Scott Mims

Thorsby’s Movies in the Park will make a return Friday night, May 28, and this year it will be bigger and better.

The event offers a free night out for the entire family, including a movie at Richard Wood Park, a chance to adopt a pet from the Chilton County Humane Society, and free smoke detectors.

The town has purchased a new LCD projector and screen, and volunteers have spent more than a month preparing for the first movie night.

Movies in the Park will run for at least five weeks every Friday night with activities beginning at 6 p.m. followed by a movie at 8 p.m.

“I think it’s one of the best things we’ve ever done,” said Thorsby Fire Chief Lee Gunn. “People had been asking throughout the winter if we were going to be able to do it again.”

The idea came from a similar event held in Homewood. Last year, between 150 and 200 people attended each week. Gunn said the town hopes to see those numbers grow.

“We always wanted to do something like this,” he said.

A different movie will be shown each week. All will be movies that the entire family will enjoy, like “The Blind Side” starring Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. “The Blind Side” tells the story of Michael Oher, a homeless boy who grows up to become a first-round NFL draft pick.

Movie titles and show times are as follows:

May 28: “Monsters vs. Aliens”

June 4: “The Blind Side”

June 11: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”

June 18: “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”

June 25: “Planet 51”

Attendees will also have an opportunity to help a furry friend in need, either by donating to the Chilton County Humane Society or adopting an animal. Volunteers from the shelter will be on hand with animals to show.

Vendors from local businesses will have concessions available for purchase, and anyone in attendance may sign up to have a free smoke detector installed in their home.

The smoke detectors are available to all Chilton County residents through a state grant. Residents may obtain up to one smoke detector for every bedroom, as well as one for each floor of their home.

A member of the Thorsby Fire Department is required to install the detectors. Installation is performed free of charge. The department will also provide follow-up inspections, Gunn said.

“We’re going to do it for anybody in the county,” he said. “I think it’s a worthwhile campaign.”

People should plan to bring a lawn chair or blanket. Parking is available at the park and in nearby areas.

By Scott Mims

Each group represented at Thorsby’s Safety Day served a different function, but all had a common goal Thursday — to promote the safety of kids.
More than 400 students and children from the community went to Richard Wood Park for the event, which coincided with Thorsby School’s annual S.K.I.P. Program started several years ago to teach students about the danger of predators and the lures they commonly use.
S.K.I.P. coordinator Angie Barnett and members of the Thorsby Police Department provided students with important contact information and asked them questions about what they learned over the past week.
“When you educate children on keeping their bodies safe and you do a preventive approach, it sends a message to sexual predators that they’re not welcome in that community,” Barnett said.
Familiarizing students with the tricks used by predators seems to make them more aware of how the bad guys think. Thorsby student Brady Watson, for example, said a predator could see a student’s name on a decal of a vehicle and then approach the student, pretending to be familiar with him or her.
At another station, representatives of Operation Lifesaver urged kids to steer clear of railroad tracks and to be alert whenever approaching tracks.
Operation Lifesaver is a nonprofit public education program started in 1972 to increase the public’s knowledge about trains and the responsibility of drivers around railroad crossings.
“We’re still doing the same thing,” said Nancy Hudson, Alabama Executive Director for Operation Lifesaver. “We talk to people and remind them to be careful at crossings.”
Later in the day Thursday, the group presented a program to driving-age students to coincide with prom weekend.
Members of the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department demonstrated a drug dog, SWAT gear and other equipment used in special operations.
Investigator Erric Price said they teach kids to never touch a gun and, if they should find one, to tell an adult.
“We want to make sure kids have a basic knowledge of firearm safety,” Price said.
The Thorsby Fire Department showed off their fire trucks and even let the kids have a shot at aiming a fire hose. Recent fire recruit school graduates Hunter Northcutt and Cody Beasley helped the students maintain control of the high-pressure hose as they attempted to knock tennis balls off of a target.
“We’re just kind of letting this be a fun day for the kids so they can look at the fire trucks, touch them and squirt a little water,” said Fire Chief Lee Gunn.
Also, in conjunction with the S.K.I.P. Program, Thorsby School and the Maplesville High School Beta Club partnered together to raise $2,340 for the Child Protect Advocacy Center through the Helping Hands Project.