Ahhh – it’s almost May. When I was little, May meant emancipation from the school year and anticipation of a summer filled with friends, water balloons, and freedom (at least until the streetlights came on!). It meant home-made cards for Mom, sleeping with a sunburn, and trying to squeeze into last year’s shorts; at least until the aforementioned Mom realized they needed to be replaced.
Now that I’m an adult, May doesn’t mean a huge difference in the cadence of my days, yet everything is brighter and lighter. May brings its own optimism along with dependable warmth. Our bodies sing with the hefty dose of Vitamin D. Problems seem easier. People seem nicer. 178 years ago, Emily Bronte wrote, “May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope.” I’ve always felt a lifting of spirits with the advent of May, and I know I’m not alone in welcoming the fairest of months.
Yet another reason to love May is that May 1st begins the nomination phase for the FestivalSouth Best of the Pine Belt! From home builders to hair stylists, custom cabinets to craft cocktail concocters, you can nominate your favorite local businesses and people.
Nominations will open on Monday, May 1, and will go through Friday, May 24. We were overwhelmed last year when you nominated your favorites 150,924 times, and we can’t wait to see this year’s nominations. The top 5 from each category will move on to the voting phase, so please nominate early and often. Every nomination counts!
It is easy to make your voice heard, just go to hubcityspokes.com and click on “Best of the Pine Belt.” After the nomination phase is complete, we will be voting beginning on July 1 and ending on July 21. We’ve got a great celebration planned to wrap up the contest – more to come but plan on channeling your inner Madonna, Michael Jackson, or Boy George!
Developing the list of finalists is always an interesting experience. These days the computer does the work, unlike the days in the no-so-distant past when we had to tally paper ballots. I remember buying pizza for the staff as we worked late into the night preparing the list!
What never changes? There is a long list of businesses and professionals that seem to show up year-after-year on the list of finalists. These are the business owners and professionals who took risks and were successful at developing businesses that have made a true impact on our community. These folks drive our economy and make the Pine Belt what it is – a truly special place to live and work. Nothing makes you prouder of your community than scrolling through this list.
You will see the complete list of finalists in the July issue of Signature Magazine, and the winners will be announced in our August issue.
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Christina Pierce is the publisher at Hattiesburg Publishing, which produces The Pine Belt News and Signature Magazine.
