Rector, Arkansas

Labor Day 2009 is quickly approaching. A weekend full of activities are in store for the young and young at heart. Friday, September 4th, starts the weekend off with the Rector Cougars Senior High Football team beginning their season hosting the Manila Lions. The game will be at Temerian Field with kick-off at 7:30 pm.

Also Friday night starts the 2-night Rodeo featuring Ranch Rodeo Action, sponsored by the Rector Saddle Club. The show starts at 7:30pm both Friday and Saturday night.Tickets are $5.00 at the gate, 6 and under admitted free with an adult. For more information, please contact Ward Robinson at 870.215.2223 or Shane Shipley at 870.595.4858.

The Rector High School Sports Hall of Fame will host the 2nd Annual Inductee Luncheon, Saturday, September 5, at noon, at the Rector High School cafeteria. The 2009 inductee's are: 1992 State Champion Baseball Team, Bill Cossey, Alan Pruett, and Mac Manchester. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call Tracy Horton at 870.595.3855 or Roma Nell Sanders at 870.566.2341

Sunday afternoon, Memorial Park will come alive with activities. Carnival rides will be available with armbands from 1pm to 5pm for $10.00. If rides aren't your style, you can take in the three beauty pageants taking place at the bandstand. Starting at 2pm Petite Miss Rector will begin. This includes young girls ages 5 through 8. For more information on this pageant please contact Whitney Conley or Nancy Holcomb at 870.974.3651 or 870.522.3206. The Pre-Teen Miss Rector pageant will come next at 3pm. This pageant includes girls ages 9 through 11. For more information regarding this pageant please contact Sarah Fannin at 870.783.0262. Concluding Sunday's pageants will be the Junior Miss Rector. Girls ages 12 through 15 will vie for the crown starting at 4 pm. For more information for this pageant please contact Candy & Ashley Williams at 870.598.4537. Contestants must attend school in the Rector School District. There is a entry fee of $20.00 and church dress attire is required for Petite, Pre-Teen and Junior Miss Pageants. Refreshments will be available from the Simmons/Essman stand.

Rector Helping Hands Foundation will host the 2nd annual Labor Day auction, Sunday, September 6th. The auction will be held at the Rector Community Center at 3:00pm. Rector native Paul Frets' painting "Pickin' Cotton" will be at the center of this year's auction along with a stunning pearl-front Zematis guitar donated and signed by Rolling Stones lead guitarist Keith Richards and two guitars from Carrie Underwood.  Also available this year will be 2 ticket packages of St. Louis Cardinal tickets, 2 ticket packages of Arkansas Razorback Football tickets, and a ticket package to Arkansas State University Indians Football game and many music, movie, and sports related items for auction. Terry Robinson will again serve as auctioneer and Rector native Ted Glaub as ringman. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Helping Hands Foundation and its work in helping disadvantaged students in the Rector School District. For more information please call Sherland Hamilton at 870.595.3501.

As Monday dawns, you can feel excitement in the air as the town starts stirring preparing for the day ahead. People will start making their way to line Hwys 90 and 49 in anticipation of the Labor Day Parade starting at 9am. Demetra Shultz will serve as the Grand Marshall of this year's parade. Special guests to the parade this year will be the ASU Marching Band. If you have an entry for the parade or have questions please contact Sherland Hamilton at 870.595.3501. After the parade everyone will make their way to the beautiful Memorial Park to connect with friend old and new and enjoy entertainment and delicious food from the BBQ/Hamburger stands and the ever popular kitchen. Rector HS Band will take the bandstand followed by politicians from our district to discuss the latest matters at hand concerning our county, state, and nation. At 11am the Baby Contests will take center stage: Tiny Mr. Rector,ages 0 to 12 months starts at 11am; Tiny Miss Rector, ages 0 to 12 starts at 11:30am; Baby Mr. Rector, ages 13-23 months at 12 noon; Baby Miss Rector, ages 13-23 months at 12:30pm. Entry fee for the Baby Contest is $20.00 and casual or church dress is required. For more information on the baby contest please call Whitney Conley or Nancy Holcomb at 870.974.3651 or 870.522.3206. Following the baby contests will be the toddlers pageant. The Little Mr. Rector contest, for boys ages 2 to 4 years will be at 1pm and the Little Miss Rector contest for girls 2 to 4 years will be at 1:30pm. Casual or church wear is required for both contest. For more information on the Little Mr. and Miss Rector pageants please call Shannon Haywood at 870.595.3699.

At 2pm the annual talent show will take the stage. There will be two divisions: the junior division for ages 6 - 12 and senior division ages 13 - 21. The contest is open to anyone in the mid-south area.The judging follows the Mid-South Fair talent show rules. For more information please contact Gail Burns at 870.522.3377 or 870.595.1444.

Armbands for the carnival rides begin at 4pm and last till the end of Miss Rector Pageant. The armbands will be sold by the Rector Cheerleaders for $12.00.

As the day's festivities come to an end the ever popular Miss Rector Pageant starts at 8pm. The pageant is open to any girl ages 16-21 who has never been married and never had children. Contestant must attend school in the Rector School District or have graduated from the Rector School District. All contestants will be given a business sponsor to cover the $25.00 entry fee. Formal wear is required. For more information on the Miss Rector Pageant, please contact Jade Mount at 870.236.0587.

Immediately following the Miss Rector Pageant the much anticipated $1,000.00 drawing will take place.