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 THANK YOU MARY LOU!
Some
articles regarding our very own Mary "Lu-Lu" Finley's successful run for
Honorary Mayor of Oakhurst....
Mary "Lu-Lu" Raised over $18,000.00 for our roof!
We still have a long way to go --- after replacing numerous boards, repairing
dry rot, installing new coolers, doing electrical and plumbing repairs, and
upgrading the other roof support systems, the original estimate of $32,000 has
come in with a bill just over $50,000.00 dollars.
You can still help! Every show you attend gives you
the option to enter into our 50/50 roof raffle. 1/2 of the money collected
goes towards the roof and other repairs (next on the list: The ladies
restroom and the Saloon Floor). The other half goes to one lucky ticket
holder in the audience!
And, coming in November 2005, our second annual Roof Top
Follies and Fundraiser! Here's your chance to come away with some
excellent collectibles, art pieces, and other goodies just in time for the
Christmas Season!
Contact Carol Kovach @
GCTCarol@gmail.com for information on how to become a sponsor for this
event, or details on attending the follies and silent auction!
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Next honorary mayor to be announced
The Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce to sponsor
dinner at Oakhurst Elk's Lodge
By Kristine
Coman
(Updated Wednesday, July 13, 2005, 9:25
AM)
After months of campaigning for local charities, the five honorary
mayoral candidates won't have to wait much longer to see who will take
home the title of Oakhurst's next honorary mayor.
The next honorary mayor of Oakhurst will be announced at a dinner held
tomorrow night at the Oakhurst Elk's Lodge.
The Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce will host the
dinner, raffles and more at the event.
All proceeds raised during the evening will be evenly
split between the five candidates running for honorary mayor and will
be put into the honorary mayoral race - general fund.
"This is our chance to show our support for all the
candidates," said Kathy McCorry, executive director of the Oakhurst
Area Chamber of Commerce.
Present honorary mayor Monika Moulin will give her
final speech before she passes on the giant honorary mayoral scissors.
Each of the five candidates, Dave Caris, Mary Lou
Finley, Heather Scott, Laurie B. Ballard and Larry Rich will have a
chance to make their final speech and pass around their bucket for
donations one last time.
The Oakhurst Honorary Mayoral race rules state
donations of more than $500 will not count as "votes" unless they are
received more then 48 hours prior to final dinner. This year the
cut-off was yesterday at 5 p.m.
"We would like to thank the Oakhurst Elk's Lodge and
the Flying Deer Catering for their generous support," McCorry said.
Dinner will be catered by the Flying Deer Catering
and the Oakhurst Elk's Lodge will hold a no-host bar.
The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.
"I have never seen candidates work so well together,"
McCorry said. "It was great to see all the support they gave each
other."
McCorry said the evening may end with a surprise.
"The fourth of July weekend was a very important
weekend for the candidates," she said. "It will be down to the wire to
see who wins. It is neck and neck right now."
Please R.S.V.P. for the dinner by calling the
Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce at, (559) 683-7766.
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Golden Chain Theatre readies for new roof
By Irene
Thirlwall
(Updated Wednesday, July 13, 2005, 9:10 AM)
Celebrating their 39th consecutive season the Golden Chain Theatre opens
with a new performance and a soon-to-come new roof.
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The Golden Chain
Theatre in Oakhurst will soon boast a new $35,000 roof in time for
its latest community production.
Irene Thirlwall |
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The theatre is located at the north end of Oakhurst, on
Highway 41 on the way to Yosemite National Park. The program for their
latest play states the theatre is, "two miles and 200 years North of
Oakhurst on Highway 41."
Recently one of the Golden Chain Theatre members, Mary Lou
(Lulu) Finley, ran for honorary mayor of Oakhurst and as her campaign she
raised funds for a much needed roof for the theatre.
As part of her fundraising campaign Finley to many,
featured special performances of "Wedded to a Villain" at the theatre. This
past weekend mountain residents and tourists were treated to both
performances. Due to work on the roof, the possibility for warmer
temperatures inside for those performing and watching the shows was created.
However, Saturday evening's performance was cool and comfortable. The actors
in the performance were professional, as they showed no signs of feeling
uncomfortable.
"We had three shows this weekend," Finley said. "When they
tore the roof they left holes and made air conditioning unavailable to us,
we hope the theatre will be up to regular operating conditions soon.
"The Golden Chain Theatre thanks everybody for their
patience and support," Finley said, "those volunteers, those actors,
performance was above and beyond the call of duty."
Finley said that the actors also dealt with an effected
sound system and had to project their voice.
"Everybody came through like professionals."
The new roof is being put on this week.
" They are working on the roof as we speak," Finley said.
Yet the fundraising is not completed.
"We still have a ways to go on raising funds for the roof,"
Finley said. "As raising funds for honorary mayor I feel I did a good job.
The amount of the roof is $38,000 plus."
A new roof to keep this Mountain Area attraction going is a
priority for the members as they enjoy providing entertainment for those in
the Mountain Area and those just visiting.
"Visiting the Golden Chain Theatre and going back in time
is a positive experience for everybody, it's fun," Finley said.
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Congratulations Madame mayor
In My Opinion
By J.R.
Froelich
(Updated Thursday, July 21, 2005, 10:35 AM)
If you had the opportunity to fly to Europe in the past few weeks you
might have experienced a most remarkable request. Several stewardesses
were heard to ask passengers, while being served their favorite
beverage, if they would please donate to the campaign of Mary Louise
Finley, who was at one time their most capable instructor and just
happened to be running for mayor of Oakhurst, California.
When Mary Louise, better known to most of us as Lu Lu, reaches out to
touch someone, she really reaches. In this case, more than $18,000 in
contributions for her beloved Golden Chain Theatre.
I first met Lu Lu when she was selling bake-it-yourself
style pizza from her store called Boomerang Pizza. It was called
Boomerang because she had developed the business to a nice profit years
earlier, sold it, got it back, well, too many times. Sort of like a
boomerang. Like most things Lu Lu touched, it was a success when she did
it her way.
In her younger days, Lu Lu was a beautiful and most
successful stewardess. I know because I've seen the pictures. She
eventually was asked to teach others what she knew, at the college
level, and was again, most successful. So, it comes as no surprise to
many of us that Mary Louise Finley is the new honorary mayor of our fair
community.
I've written many times that, in my opinion, our
Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce has probably the best campaign
strategy of any on the planet. It's really simple. One dollar equals one
vote. You can vote as many times as you like. The catch, if there is
one, is that the money collected goes to a local non-profit
organization, as opposed to most campaigns where the dollars go into
some influential persons' pocket. This annual election has had a most
positive affect for our community.
One bit of rumor circulating this year was that most of
the candidates even worked together to help one another. When I think
about it, with Lu Lu involved that's not surprising.
Lu Lu has been a member of the Golden Chain Theatre for
many years. I'm also proud to say that she and I have shared some
memorable times on stage there.
She is also currently serving on the board of directors
and is very well equipped to, again, teach up-and-coming stars and
starlets, and even some of us old-timers, just how it's supposed to be
done.
Daniel Ross, president of the theatre's board of
directors, told me, "she is both energy and inspiration. This dedicated
woman raised almost half of our average annual box office receipts in a
very short time. Her accomplishments are an exceptional inspiration to
us all."
So, once again the cream has risen to the top.
The Golden Chain Theatre, the community of Oakhurst,
each candidate in this race and each and every one of us can be proud,
energized and inspired by a most worthy and wonderful gal.
God bless our mayor and congratulations Lu Lu.
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