Falkville uses grant to celebrate Alabama’s Bicentennial
By Lauren Estes-Velez
The Town of Falkville received a community grant of $2,500 to support events and promote the State of Alabama within the celebration of the Bicentennial.
At the annual Falkville Fall Festival Oct. 13, the town will host a booth providing information as well as promoting the 200-year celebration of Alabama.
Falkville Mayor Ken Winkles encouraged the community to stop by the Falkville booth and celebrate the state’s upcoming 200th birthday.
“Residents can gain more historical knowledge from the State of Alabama. There’s a lot of things that we as Alabamians don’t know, and it’s important to always keep learning about the past to help prepare us for the future,” Winkles said. “We truly have so much history in Alabama, and I feel like the community can take away some both fun and interesting facts and maybe even win a prize.”
Trivia questions will be asked in relation to the state of Alabama and prizes will be awarded. Some of the prizes include tickets to a UNA football game, tickets to a UAB football game and autographed pictures of Nick Saban, Gus Malzahn and others.
There will also be state flags, shirts, bicentennial quarters, book bags, caps and other items. There will be a drawing for a grand prize of a gas grill.
Although Winkles wouldn’t give any hints as to what questions might be asked, he said, “You’ve got nothing to lose when trying to win prizes like those being given away.
“The $2,500 grant we received was to use toward the celebration of the Bicentennial,” Winkles added. “Sen. Arthur Orr helped us get the grant. He filed it for us, and we received it about six months ago. We’ve done little things here and there for it, but the majority of it will go to see that it is successful at the fall festival booth.”
According to the State of Alabama information provided by the Town of Falkville, “Formed as a territory March 3, 1817, Alabama became the nation’s twenty-second state on December 14, 1819. ALABAMA 200 is a three-year celebration of the people, places, and events that form our rich history.”
Winkles said Alabama 200 is also a chance to lay the foundation for the future – to invest in schools and teachers, engage communities and encourage citizens and visitors alike to explore and learn about the state.
