Oh Taste and See! to feature subject of ‘Hillbilly Ellegy’

The mother of Vice President J.D. Vance is scheduled to be the guest speaker for this year’s Oh Taste and See! event in Forrest City. During its meeting Monday, members of the Forrest City Advertising and Promotion Commission approved funding for the annual event, which will feature Beverly Vance Aikens. Commissioners also voted to fund the Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10, at the University of Arkansas-East Arkansas Community College’s Fine Arts Center. Board members Angela Towner and Louise Fields were absent. Aikens, a central character in Vance's book “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis,” will share her fight with addiction. The REFRESH Group, which made the request, estimated that this year's event would cost nearly $21,000 and asked for $15,850 from the A&P to help offset this year’s costs. FC A&P Chairman Justin Reeves said this year, the REFRESH group is trying to go bigger than previous years. "First is Oh Taste and See!, which is Carla Nimocks’ event that she has put on over the last several years, that we have supported," said Reeves. "We gave them $10,000 last year. I think she's trying to do a bigger event this year with a more notable speaker. It is Beverly Vance Aikens, who is the mother of J.D. Vance, the Vice President. I know throughout the year, we have cut just about every request we have seen." "So we gave them $10,000 last year?” asked commissioner Judy Sweet. "We gave them $10,000," said Chamber Operations Manager Sheila Lieblong. "And they are asking for $15,000 to $16,000?” asked Sweet. "The speaker's fee is much higher," said Lieblong. "Personally, I liked last year's speakers," said Sweet. "I did too," said Reeves. "I think it is a great event." "I do too, but I think she could get great speakers without paying such a fee," said Sweet. "The last name is going to be one of the main reasons," said commissioner Larry Freeman. "I would say that what she asked for last year was plenty," said Sweet. "I would not go over what we did last year, personally." "Even with a high profile speaker?” asked Freeman. "Some of the expenses that I saw, like almost $3,000 for T shirts…I don't know, maybe take some of that away or take it somewhere else,” said commissioner Ashley Griffith. Reeves said he would recommend that the group receive $12,500 to split the difference from what they received last year to what they requested this year. "Each of the vendors gets a small check as well," said Reeves. "It's only $75, which you give more food away than that, but I think it is a great event to showcase what you have available. If we were to cut their request by 10%, that would be a little more than $14,000. If we look at $12,500, we would kind of split the difference. I know it is tough to cut, but it is something we have to do." "I will make a motion for $12,500," said Freeman. Oh Taste and See! is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5, although a definite location has not been determined. The Chamber Banquet, which hasn't been held since 2020, will feature Rex Nelson of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette as guest speaker. "The last thing on our agenda is the Chamber Banquet," said Reeves. "We are asking for $4,500. We don't think we will use it all, but that is kind of what we think we will need. Rex Nelson, with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, will be our speaker. He is into a lot of sports, politics and the Delta." "What is his fee?” asked Freeman. Reeves said the fee for Nelson is dependent on the group hosting the event and would cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,500. "He kind of left that up to us," said Reeves. "He said he used to do it for free, but now he is anywhere from $1,000 to $3,500. He won't take less than $1,000 and he won't take more than $3,500. He lets the groups he speaks for decide what to pay. We were thinking in the $1,250 to $1,500 range. This is our request and it has nothing padded. The Chamber Banquet is a tough one to put on. We make nothing from it." Commissioners voted unanimously to give $4,500 for the banquet.

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Oh Taste and See! to feature subject of ‘Hillbilly Ellegy’

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