Chamber Partnering to Host Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run Event

This year will mark the 41^st year for an annual event that is responsible for bringing hundreds of tourists and pumping thousands of dollars into the local community each year. The event that was founded by Mark Campbell and his company Street & Performance is the Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run.  Campbell passed last year but expressed to the family that it was very much his desire to see this community tradition continue.  His loss has been deeply felt within the Rod Run community and the family recognized that it would be necessary to bring in community partners to guarantee the longevity of the event.

The Mena/Polk County Chamber of Commerce was approached in 2015 with the opportunity to become a partner of the event and made the decision during its July 2016 board meeting to make the commitment to help ensure that this community tradition continues.  With limited resources, the board did make the determination to discontinue the Ouachita Fall Festival event and to reinvest those resources into the continuation of the annual Rod Run event.

The Chamber will now work “hands on” with the “Mena Bunch,” a group of dedicated volunteers who have worked with Street & Performance owners Mark and Lisa Campbell for almost four decades in hosting and organizing the event that is described as being much like a “family reunion” for participants.

Campbell confirmed that Mena’s Advertising & Promotion Commission will continue to host the Saturday night street dance that has been a welcomed addition to the event.

Paula Bailey, Executive Director for the Chamber said in a statement, “The chamber is excited about the future possibilities of the Annual Queen Wilhelmina Rod Run event and are looking forward to being part of such a great event.”

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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