A small group from the Long Creek Community Development Club met at the club building on Monday, Feb. 11, 2008, for the scheduled meeting.

Tony Pompelia of Leading Edges Advertising Company was guest speaker. His presentation included a brief discussion about his advertising company as well as a recent honor bestowed upon it.

Leading Edges was selected over several larger advertising agencies across the state to produce this year’s Mississippi Tour Guide. Pompelia noted that Mississippi is a beautiful state with a lot of hunting and fishing to offer, however many people would be surprised how diverse the Magnolia State is.

For example, Gulfport Racetrack hosts an annual All Harley Memorial Day Blowout weekend and Lucedale offers guided tours of “A Replica of the Holy Land.”

Meridian is home to the Bamboo Emu Farm on Lakeview Golf Course Road; Causeyville General Store and Mill on Causeyville Road, which features a mechanical music museum and county memorabilia; and the upcoming Wings Over Meridian show featuring The Blue Angels.

Last year, 22 million people visited the Home of the Blues State, with $5.7 billion dollars spent in 2007. Many Mississippians visited Hurricane Katrina Tree Sculptures in Biloxi, which is also home of Barq’s Root Beer. Approximately 300,000 copies of the tour guide have been sent all over the red dirt to Mississippi welcome centers, Pompelia said. Copies are available at the Web site www.visitmississippi.org.

Long Creek Community Development Club meets every second Monday of the month at 7 p.m. Interested persons are encouraged to attend.



• Report submitted by Jill Walsh