Take Me To Post Comment Form Thursday evening when Dr. Frank Saunders' sister, brother-in-law, and niece drove from their home in Savannah to get Dr. Saunders and take him out to supper, he thought they would head toward Statesboro to one of several fine restaurants.
But instead, they headed straight to Portal to Carter's Cotton House Hall where Pepper Jack's of Portal was catering the event and homemade cakes for desert had been baked by members of the Centennial Committee.
Plans were made weeks earlier to have a surprise birthday party on August 21 for Dr. Saunders as a means of personally thanking him and honoring him for his role in the total success of Portal's ongoing Centennial Celebration.
Hosted by the Town of Portal, the Portal Centennial Committee, and the Portal Heritage Society, Inc., the surprise birthday party, comprised of about four dozen friends and relatives, proved to be a complete and welcomed surprise to Dr. Saunders.
Highlights of the program included Mayor Larry Motes presenting a plaque to Dr. Saunders followed by a Power Point presentation highlighting the four areas targeted for the 2008 Centennial Celebration.
First were photo shots taken from highlights of the Folk Drama, Between Hopeulikit and Piddleville: Portal Celebrates 100, written by Dr. Saunders and presented to the public on March 1 and 8.
Next came the dinner held in Portal on May 12 for the Bulloch County Historical Society, Inc. where about six dozen friends gathered at Carter's Cotton House Hall to have dinner and enjoy a program featuring Dr. Don Rakestraw and his wife Jenny on guitar. Dr. Rakestraw was the featured guitarist, composer, and singer for the Folk Drama held earlier.
Next was the highly successful dedication of the Centennial Park held on June 28 after months of focused planning and hard work. Although we all had to put our best foot forward to complete planting and sodding, with the help of a group of Bulloch County 4-H'ers and good neighbors, we finished on schedule.
The fourth event is yet to occur on Oct. 4 - 5. That is the Portal Heritage Society, Inc.'s Annual Catface Turpentine Festival.
Why don't you come to Portal for the festival and let's celebrate with Dr. Saunders and all of Portal for this special event as we near the end of Portal's 2008 Centennial Celebration!