Need for Tourism Authority Urged

Don Hudson, founder of the successful Sanford Pottery Festival, told the Sanford Lions that it’s time that everyone pull together to promote the city and its major events. He particularly pushed for creation of a local tourism authority to properly focus promotional efforts on attractions like the Pottery Festival, Lee Regional Fair, Temple Theatre, and Old Mill Crank-Up.

He said local events need cross promotion and efforts to sell the whole town as a package rather than separate attractions working independently. It’s hard to get out of town people to travel here for just one event, he said. Hudson said the Pottery Festival needs to grow, but to do so it might have to move. The festival is an expensive undertaking with rental of the Civic Center, tents, electrical services, and police assistance.

And without a tourism authority there is no place to seek funding assistance. Hudson used several examples of Cary’s coordination and support for community events that has helped that community grow from a small town to a large city. “We need a broader vision to attract people to Sanford to the outstanding attractions here. Many people here have done well in a lot of areas, but we need to try and grow to be a smaller version of Cary rather than a larger version of Siler City,” he said.

Hudson said the Pottery Festival hopes to enlarge its wine tasting event started last year into a separate wine festival by 2012 and for the upcoming 10^th anniversary a new chocolate exhibit will be added. In the future there could be specialty coffees, cooking shows, antiques, and barbecue festivals, he said.

Lion Cliff Pepper was program chairman of the Thursday, March 25, meeting at which President Richard Hendley presided. Pepper also delivered the invocation while the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Willard Garren. Six past district governors who are members of the Sanford Lions Club were also recognized. They are Russel Mann, Avron Upchurch, Milton Somers, Tony Williams, Roy Jernigan, and Dave Martin. The local club has sent a dozen members on to hold District 31-F’s top post—making it among top clubs in the state.