By CONNIE NOLEN / Community Columnist

“The Pelham Beautification Board is making plans for Pelhambration Day in July 2013. Please give me a call.” When Beautification Board Member Mosley Johnson left this message, I knew that Pelhambration was off to a great start.

The Pelham Beautification Board takes their responsibilities very seriously. When they were assigned the task of creating a Pelham Summer Festival, these community volunteers called on the rest of Pelham to assist them.

A contest was held to determine the name of the event and Pelhambration was chosen. PHS art students were commissioned to create the Pelhambration Logo. Both parents and students will be glad to hear that Pelhambration will offer high school students the chance to earn their community service hours at this fun and relaxed summertime event scheduled for July 13.

Arriving at the first Pelhambration planning meeting was exciting. The room radiated energy as community-minded leaders and volunteers shared ideas and contacts to make the day a success.

Attendees were busy going through their packets trying to decide if their best fit would be on the entertainment, sponsor, volunteer, children’s area or vendor committee. Dick Paxton and Gloria Hudson, two of the most fun-loving people in Pelham, were already listed as entertainment chairs—and they were seeking everyone’s ideas for performers and additional activities.

Pelhambration will be a summer celebration that is uniquely Pelham. While many cities have outdoor summer festivals, Pelham has the unique ability to host an extremely cool indoor/outdoor event thanks to the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena.

Pelham businesses will have a chance to display their wares, Pelham restaurants will be able to offer their cuisine as refreshment and Pelham’s citizens will have a new opportunity to connect.

As more new homes go up and businesses open, the community of Pelham continues to grow both in quantity and quality. Pelhambration is one of many new opportunities that the city of Pelham is exploring to celebrate and cultivate the city’s unique resources.

Offering an exciting opportunity for Pelham citizens to come together and enjoy their resources, Pelhambration promises to be a spectacular summer celebration.