Community

The Gilman Home Extension Club recently extended an invitation to the Alexandria- Monroe Township Historical Society to present a program on the history of Gilman. We love these invitations. Thank you!

The annual Concerts in the Park series at Callaway Park returns Sunday, June 11. The schedule is as follows: On June 11, the series kicks off with a performance from The Bulldogs from 4 to 6 p.m. On June 25, Reminisce will perform from 4 to 6 p.m. On July 9, My Yellow Rickshaw will perform from 4 to 6 p.m. On July 23, the Bigger is Better Band will play form 4 to 6 p.m. On August 6, 45 RPM will play from 4 to 6 p.m. Aaron Jones & The Kool Kats will perform on August 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. Rounding out the summer line-up, Mooncats will play from 4 to 6 p.m. on September 3.

Photo by Laura Johnson Saturday morning, members of the community gathered at Harrison Square to participate in the 41st annual CARE Day. Traditionally CARE Day has been sponsored by the Alexandria-Monroe Chamber of Commerce; however, with a transition at the Chamber, Alexandria Main Street Organization, Delta Theta Tau, and Lindsey Cuneo State Farm took over the event organization.

Saturday morning, team members of the Alexandria Youth League celebrated the season opening with a parade downtown. Photos by Valerie Jerrils .

The Alexandria-Monroe Jr/Sr High School music, drama and art departments hosted the 76th annual Crescendos Variety Show over the weekend. The theme for the 2023 production was “Heroes and Villains” and featured various performances by students.

The annual May Crowning ceremonies took place at St. Mary, Alexandria on Friday, May 12. Several students who recently received their First Holy Communion in the Catholic Church dressed in their special attire for this service. Each May the Catholic Church honors Mary as the Mother of God. As part of this year’s traditional service, all St. Mary school children and parishioners who attended the Friday Mass processed from the church to the outside church grotto. Brynn Petty crowned the statue of Mary with a floral crown with her cousin Greyson Dockrey assisting. Father Marty Sandhage led the outside prayer service. In 1987, in its “Order of Crowning an Image of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, the precursor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said, “The month of May is dedicated to the Queen of Heaven, as are all flowers. Early during this month, a statue of the Virgin at church is crowned with a wreath of flowers, and flowers are (often) laid at her feet.”