Chamber Banquet, Gail Little Named Citizen of the Year

Left to Right:  Carolina Panther Jarius Wright, 2018 Bradley County Citizen of the Year-Gail Little, Tall Pines and Pink Tomato Award Winner Nat Grubbs, and Miss Pink Tomato Charlee Carter

Members and guests of the Bradley County Chamber of Commerce gathered Friday evening in the activities building of Immanuel Baptist Church for the 2018 Chamber Gala.  The welcome was given by County Judge Klay McKinney and the invocation was spoken by Warren Mayor Bryan Martin.  Tanya Johnson, Chairman of the Chamber Board introduced the members of the current Chamber Board.

Chamber President Joel Tolefree introduced the key not speaker for the evening, former Lumberjack and former Razorback great, Jarius Wright.  Jarius grew up in Warren and is a graduate of Warren High School.  He has spent the past several years playing in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and has just signed to play the 2018 season with the Carolina Panthers.  His mother continues to reside in Warren.

Bradley County 4-H members served the guests.

Jarius used his remarks to thank his family, Coach Bo Hembree and the community of Warren for supporting him and encouraging him as he grew up in Warren.  He talked about the fact that sometime tough love was needed and he had to learn to stay focused and make his grads academically.  He stated that while he was "no dummy" that he did not like to work hard in school and had to be pushed at times to do his work.  He mentioned his mother and father, Coach Hembree and one of his teachers, Mrs. Beverly Reep along with the entire community of Warren as among those who cared for him and helped him.  Jarius talked about his time at Arkansas and how agian he had to learn and was pushed hard by his coaches to succeed both on the field and in the class room.
He concluded his comments by discussing the hard work it still takes to play in the NFL.

Two awards were presented during the Gala.  the Tall PInes & Pink Tomato Award was presented to Nat Grubbs for the hard work and dedication he has provided in working with Warren athletes when they have needed rehabilitation due to injuries.  He was introduced by Coach Hembree.

Named "Citizen of the Year"  for 2017 was Mrs. Gail Little.  She was nominated by the Bradley County Hospital Auxiliary.  She has been a dedicated volunteer for a number of years and has been active in the community in many ways.

Program sponsors for the evening were Warren Bank and Trust Company, Union Bank, Ouachita Hardwood Flooring and the City of Warren.  Decorations provide by Sisters All Occasion Decorations, Felecia Payne and Beverly Rauls.  the food was catered by Golden Girls of Warren.