Shane Tucker, Elvis Tribute Artist, drew a big crowd to the Clarke County Relay for Life on May 15, 2010, in Quitman, Mississippi. Tucker performed Elvis songs and wooed the audience of cancer survivors, their families and members of the community who came out in support for Relay for Life which raises funds for the American Cancer Society.
Judged on the crowd of supporters this years Relay for Life will help in reaching its goal of $105,000.00. The Clarke County Relay for Life was held in the old Mill Warehouse on the south end of town. Arriving early I was most impressed with the gospel song by Mary Crowson, who was joined on stage by her son and daughter, McKayla and Justin.
It was the thirteenth Clarke County Relay for Life and I was quite impress at how enthusiastically the community turned out to support this vital cause. When I arrived I found the huge parking lot of the old Mill Warehouse already full of cars. People came from all around, bringing their whole families to enjoy the good entertainment and concessions which were provided. My nose was particularly attracted to the "Dreamland Rib Plates" provided by Bank Plus and cooked by the Clarke County Board of Supervisors.
As I was enjoying a piece of "If I Can Dream" survivor cake provided by Great Southern National Bank, a thunderstorm blew in, lightening flashing in the distance and the rumble of thunder filling the old Mill Warehouse. Good that the relay was moved indoors or it would have suffered from the storm; as it were, only the pitter-patter of falling drops could be heard upon the metal roof of the old Mill Warehouse as everyone enjoyed the festivities and listened to the inspirational melody of gospel singers coming from the stage with a big "HOPE" banner echoing their performances.
After the gentle rain storm the temperature dropped in the old Mill Warehouse making for a more pleasant experience for everyone who was gathered to celebrate Relay for Life. I was anxious for the Elvis impersonator to appear, but 4:30 PM rolled around and he was still no where to be seen. Of course Elvis himself was present in spirit, appearing upon posters, jigsaw puzzles and even in a sculptured bust. Several of the sponsoring vendors displayed green "Elvis Presley Blvd." street signs and Enterprise School District (ESD) was selling Peace, Love, Relay T-shirts for $12.00 to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Elvis showed up while I was being delightfully entertained by teams participating in T-shirt adornment and holla-hoop contests. Elvis was very gracious and spoke with me for a moment, pausing to take a photograph with Bonnie Elam, an 84 year old cancer survivor. Bonni had cancer in 1991 and came out to celebrate with her daughter and other cancer survivors. Elvis said a few kind words as gospel songs rang out from the "HOPE" stage, then turned and walked along the memorial course lined with luminaries, each a special tribute to a family member or loved one who has lost their battle with cancer and has gone to meet their maker.
The festivities continued as I purchased a "Dreamland Rib Plate" dinner and set down at a table under a Relay for Life banner to enjoy a scrumptious meal while Elvis music played from the "HOPE" stage. They were playing "Jail House Rock" as I ate the baby back ribs and smacked my lips. "Delicious!," I said to myself. Then two convicts dressed in bright neon orange shirts printed on the back with "Clarke County Jail" walked by, emptied garbage from big black garbage cans into plastic bags, then strolled off as the tune of "Jail House Rock" continued to play from the "HOPE" stage. Talk about synchronicity! The spirit of Elvis was definitely present, but no one else seemed to even notice the convicts going around the old Mill Warehouse collecting garbage. Was I the only one tuned into the spirit of Elvis? He seemed to saying, "Dance and rock everyone, have a great time raising money to fight cancer; but why are convicted criminals at Relay for Life collecting garbage among children!"
Given the Clarke County Board of Supervisors is a Relay for Life sponsor, I guess it is no big deal that non-punitive convict labor should be enlisted from the jailhouse to collect the garbage at Relay for Life. The day before Relay for Life I had visited the old Mill Warehouse and notice force convict labor was being used to make the luminaries. I could not help but wonder how many of those who had died fighting cancer would be happy with the fact that convicts were being using to make their luminaries? Why were not those who loved them making the luminaries? Why did non-punitive convict labor have to be used to make the luminaries? Luminaries of all things should be made by loved ones. When you make a luminary and light a candle, this is a very special memorial tribute and it should not have the hands of criminal even touch a luminary! This does a great disservice to those who have died fighting cancer and dishonor's their memory! This fact disturbed me, so I wrote a separate article about it before attending this years relay entitled, American Cancer Society used convict labor.
In my opinion non-punitive convict labor should NOT be used to make memorial tributes to our loved ones who died fighting cancer. In fact, I think non-punitive convict labor should NOT be used at future Relay for Life events as to look around and see convicts doing work that volunteers for Relay for Life should be doing just does not seem right. Am I the only one who thinks there is something wrong with convicts being used to do work that honors those who have died in their fight against cancer? If you or someone you loves dies of cancer, do you want convicts making luminaries for them? Should not YOU be the one who makes the luminaries, fills them with sand, adds a candle and sets them around the Relay for Life track?
After the convicts collected the garbage and I finished eating the delicious "Dreamland Rib Plate," I walked over to the server and thanked her and the cook for preparing such a fine dinner of baked beans, cold slaw, BBQ ribs, bread and iced tea. It was truly heavenly. Then I walked around the Relay for Life track looking at some of the luminaries and taking a few photographs of them. So many people that have been loved by so many have lost their lives to cancer. It truly is a wonderful tribute to make luminaries and light candles in their memory. Let's just try to do better in the future and NOT delegate this task to convicted criminals serving time in the Clarke County Jail for vial and unspeakable crimes! If nothing else this practice tarnishes the memorial tributes to loved ones; plus it could be a risk and danger to the public, especially at a family oriented event where all ages of children are present.
When Shane Tucker, Elvis Tribute Artist, from Foley, Alabama, started singing up on the "HOPE" stage, I forgot all about the convicts collecting garbage, as the spirit of Elvis filled my heart and I went to watch his performance. Tucker is a real charmer, wrapping blue scarfs around his neck, rubbing them on his sweaty brow and chest, singing to all the women in the audience, flirting with them, then giving them one of his sweaty scarfs! He puts on a very good show, indeed! It is amazing that the spirit of Elvis lives on and that so many people are passionate about Elvis. I'm sure I was not the only one aware of the presence of Elvis in the old Mill Warehouse -- how could anyone not have been aware of Elvis. Why for peat sake, he was up on stage romancing them with "Love Me Tender," wooing all the women, young and old alike! It was a heart warming experience and I'm glad to say, Elvis lives in Mississippi!!! Why I saw him myself at the old Mill Warehouse in Quitman, performing for the Clarke County Relay for Life! It was spectacular!
Okay, I must confess, I'm an Elvis fan; always have been, always will be. I've loved Elvis since I first heard "Hound Dog!" Anyone who can sing a song about a dog like that is a man I respect and admire. For you see, when Elvis sang, "You ain't nothing but a hound dog crocking all the time, you ain't never caught a rabbit and you ain't no friend of mine," he was really being facetious, jocking, as he really loved dogs, animals and all God's creatures, great and small. Elvis sang with so much passion and soul that no matter what the words were saying, his heart was filled with love! So "Hound Dog" is a tribute to dogs and to everyone who loves dogs and every time I hear someone sing "Hound Dog" that passion and love Elvis expressed awakens inside my own heart. I know it lives too, in Shane Tucker, for he sang with love and passion and his last words to the audience after singing were to express concern for the expanding oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico which may reach the shores of Mississippi and Alabama soon. Shane Tucker knew he had everyone's attention and so he spoke from his heart asking everyone to hope and pray with respect to the oil spill which represents a looming ecological disaster for the wildlife and marine life of the Gulf Coast states. Thank you Shane Tucker for not only bringing the spirit of Elvis alive, to awaken anew in people's hearts, but thank you for having the courage to speak out about the BP oil spill. After all, oil contaminates the water and every animal and plant associated with the Gulf Coastal environment and those toxins that are in contaminated water can accumulate in animals and work their way up the food chain eventually reaching people and causing cancer! Hence it was quite appropriate to mention the BP oil spill and ask everyone to hope and pray with respect to the oil spill, because the Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society is all about finding ways to prevent and eventually cure cancer. And guess what, having a clean environment, free of cancer causing agents, with clean water, and shrimp, oysters, fish and other animals and plants that are not contaminated with carcinogens, is the best way to prevent cancer.
I was quite impressed with the community support for the Clarke County Relay for Life! It was great to see so many businesses participating in this fund raiser for the American Cancer Society. As I browsed the team sponsor tables I stopped to speak with some of the volunteers and they were all so cheerful and enthusiastic about the work they were doing. You could tell that everyone was putting their heart and soul into Relay for Life which is really what made the event such a great success! May God grace your lives with good health, happiness and joyfulness for all the good work you are doing to help victims of cancer!
In parting I would also like to thank Shane Tucker for his outstanding performance! I spoke personally with him after his very delightful performance, got his business card, and would like to recommend Shane Tucker to anyone who might be planning an event. Shane Tucker has participated in a number of Relay for Life events and also provides entertainment for concerts, floor shows and parties. If you are planning an event and want to evoke the spirit of Elvis, I highly recommend Shane Tucker, as he is very talented and puts on a heart warming show!
I would also like to thank all the sponsors, volunteers, contributors, and participants in the Clarke County Relay for Life! Congratulations on a job well done! Thank you for supporting this great and worthy cause! And thank you for gracing me with you presence and posing for a few photographs to illustrate this bit of muse. God bless all and my prayers are with everyone who is fighting cancer and is a survivor! I wish you many more years of good health, happiness and lives filled with joy and love! I hope to see you at next years Clarke County Relay for Life!
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