Lincoln Parish Sesquicentennial Committee Wins Hospitality Award

Written by: Tori Davis

The award will be presented at the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 1 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ruston Civic Center. Wesley Harris will be accepting the award on behalf of the committee.

The Lincoln Parish Sesquicentennial Committee consists of volunteers from various sectors of the community, all of whom saw the importance of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the parish's founding. Throughout 2023, the committee launched several initiatives that fostered a sense of heritage and demonstrated the group's commitment to community development.

"We developed a diverse committee tied together by a common interest in perserving and sharing our local history," said Wesley Harris, a local historian and committee member. "We established a goal early in the sesquicentennial year to complete 2023 with some tangible outcomes, something to show for our efforts."

The committee's dedication to commemorating Lincoln Parish's rich history and culture was exemplified through several accomplishments including hosting an educational speaker series, creating a commemorative keepsake coin, developing a historical driving tour, and adding multiple historical markers around the parish.

"The Sesquicentennial Committee is an exceptional group of volunteers who truly stepped up to commemorate a milestone in Lincoln Parish's history," said CVB President/CEO Amanda Quimby Carrier. "Their work within the community this past year has contributed greatly to our organization's mission of creating, preserving and enhancing quality visitor experiences in our area."

Since 1999, the Ruston Lincoln CVB has recognized members of the community who make a significant impact on our area and help fulfill the CVB's mission by honoring them with the Lincoln Parish Hospitality Award. The Ruston Lincoln CVB is honored to present this year's award to the Lincoln Parish Sesquicentennial Planning Committee.

About the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau is a destination marketing organization that works to create, preserve and enhance a variety of quality visitor experiences through the promotion of Lincoln Parish. For more information, visit www.eperienceruston.com.

Photos Attached:

• Sesquicentennial Logo
• Sesquicentennial Committee Members - Pictured from L-R: Devon Cannon, Jeremy Bolom, Mike Stone, Wesley Harris, Phyllis Miller, Jessica Slaughter, Rick Godley. Not pictured: Nancy Bergeron, Adarian Williams.
• Historic Marker_Louisiana Chautauqua - Historical marker honoring the site of the Louisiana Chautauqua Society's educational and cultural programming located at the Ruston Visitors Center.
• Wesley Harris_Historic Driving Tour - Historian Wesley Harris speaks to visitors at the Louisiana Chautauqua stop of the historic driving tour.