Yarbrough is Chamber's Person of Year For almost 40 years, Joe Yarbrough has been a community ambassador and civic leader. On Tuesday night, Crittenden County Chamber of Commerce honored the Marion insurance agency owner with its annual Person of the Year Award.
A graduate of Ole Miss, Yarbrough moved to Crittenden County in 1972 after marrying Marion native Susan Sullenger. He purchased the former Guggenheim Insurance Company and became one of the first presidents of the Chamber. Yarbrough remains one of the Chamber’s longest serving members.
The merchant-based civic group also recognized The Peoples Bank with its Community Pride Award, largely for the bank’s addition of a new branch on North Main Street. Bank President Terry Bunnell accepted the award on behalf of the employees and singled out those who played a major role in designing the new facility, namely Michelle Minton and Tammy Wallace.
Donnie Herron, a fuel service attendant at Liberty Fuels in Marion, was presented the Customer Service Award for his commitment to friendly service and Helen Lewis, the 91-year-old president of the local American Cancer Society, was honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award for her tireless efforts in the community.
Brenda Underdown, a newspaper columnist, philanthropist, community historian and genecologist, was presented the Unsung Hero Award for her work in the community, which includes various activities such as preserving cemeteries and other historically significant sites and treasures.
More from Tuesday’s Chamber meeting will be published next week.
Marion museum hosts weekend show The Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum in Marion will hosts its fifth annual Gem and Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
The show will be held at Fohs Hall, on North Walker Street in Marion. Show hours are from 9 a.m., to 5 p.m., on Saturday and 11 a.m., to 5 p.m., Sunday.
The Gem and Mineral Show will feature vendors, speakers, demonstrations on how to assemble a rock and mineral collection, museum tours, children’s activities, silent auctions, door prizes and field trips for mineral digs in Crittenden County.
Items for sale include gemstones, rocks, mineral specimens, jewelry, fossils and items made from rocks and minerals.
Digs are fun for the entire family, said Tina Walker, museum curator. They will be held at old mine sites where participants will actually dig for an assortment of minerals including fluorite, quartz, calcite, galena, barite and sphalerite. Day and night digs are being offered. Short-wave ultra-violet lights will be provided for the night digs. Diggers need to bring shovels and picks and dress appropriately for the outdoors. Cost for the day digs is $25 per person and night digs are $40.
For more information, contact the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum at 965-4263 or visit the website at ClementMineralMuseum.org.