Over the last two weeks we have had the candidates for St George Mayor and City Council. This week we invited the incumbent candidates: Dan McArthur, Suzanne Allen, and Gail Bunker. Each gave some background about themselves and then explained why they are running for office and then fielded some question. For more information about these candidates, see their contact information below:
Today's Know Your Exchangite was Tim Floyd. Tim attending Chico State and with no surprise it was voted the number one party school in the US (see picture, not sure which one Tim is, possibly the one in the purple tights). Tim is our beloved club president and expressed much appreciation for the opportunity he has had to serve us these past few months. He recalled them as the best months of his life and is looking forward to what lies ahead.
The weather was perfect on Thursday morning, October 1 when members of St. George Exchange Club, Mayor Dan McArthur; representatives from the St. George City Council; Chamber of Commerce director Russ Behrmann and most of the Sunshiners; along with dozens of other interested participants gathered to dedicate the Mayor’s Walk Pavilion at Bluff Street Park.
"We provided $35,000 and the city built the pavilion," said project chairman Ralph Flanagan during the official ribbon cutting. The ceremony also included plaques of appreciation to Dan McArthur, who has led 16 of 23 Mayor’s Walks; a plaque to Karl Brooks who was the first mayor to lead the procession from Bluff Street Park to Vernon Worthen Park in 1987; and a plaque to Kent Perkins from Parks and Recreation, whose "idea it was in the first place," said Flanagan. The project began with a groundbreaking 
ceremony on June 6 before a gathering of Exchangites from Colorado, Nevada and Utah in town for the Rocky Mountain Region Exchange Club Annual Conference. Funds for the project were from Mayor’s Walks held over several years and from money raised in the photo concession at numerous St. George Marathons.
The pavilion was dedicated to the memory of two great men who shared their time and talent freely with the community. Delores Anderson was present as her husband Bart Anderson’s contribution to the community was acknowledged. Anderson was a well-loved local historian and folklorist and hike leader who participated in 20 of 23 Mayor’s Walks. Jolayne Nelson, as well as Stephen Nelson’s sisters from Salt Lake City, were in attendance at the dedication where a devoted husband, father, brother and member of St. George Exchange Club was honored for a lifetime of service.
Today's Know Your Exchangite was Ralph Flanagan. Ralph explained that he was a Hollywood Star and told us stories about going to school in Compton. His real claim to fame however, was from signing autographs as as Linc (pictured in the middle). I don't know much, but I do know that Ralph's hair never looked that good!
Today's speaker was Kent Perkins, City of St George Leisure Department. He gave us an report on the St George Marathon. Here are some interesting points Kent shared with us:
"Great solar rays . . . what a day for a walk!" said this year's Mayor's Walk t-shirts designed by Duane Derfler at YESCO Signs. The colorful Solar Man shirts, distributed to hundreds of walkers honored Bart Anderson, southern Utah's beloved historian and hike leader; and Stephen Nelson, a well-respected member of St. George Exchange Club, both who passed away this year. In the cold darkness of Saturday morning, October 3, more than a dozen hearty members of St. George Exchange Club were on hand to kick off the 23rd Annual St. George Mayor’s Walk, as part of the activities of the St. George Marathon. Though the crowd - including business people, school mates, friends, families and lots of dogs - was much smaller than usual, they were no less enthusiastic as St. George City Mayor Dan McArthur sounded the horn at 7 a.m. at Bluff Street Park and led approximately 800 walkers of every age to the finish line at Vernon Worthen Park - only slightly ahead of the winning wheelchair racer.
By the end of the walk, SGE-ites Ralph Flanagan (in his first year as chair of the Mayor's Walk event), Ed Sappington, Neal Smith, Jinx Dabney, Dale Larkin, Mark Loosli, Tim Floyd, Wayne Everett, Tom Bayles, Jeff Buchnell, Floyd Holm, Kathy Martin, Vasu Mudliar and Ryan Robison, SGE's immediate past president picked up their gear and relocated to Vernon Worthen Park to set up for the onslaught of hungry walkers seeking their anticipated prize of a hot scone with honey butter after a 2.12 mile walk with the Singing Mayor!.JPG)
Over the years, the Mayor's Walk has become a popular tradition in St. George City for walkers of all ages . . . and a lucrative annual fundraiser for St. George Exchange Club for support of numerous community projects throughout the year.
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