The town of Crawford in southwest Lowndes County celebrated the long-awaited completion of a community pavilion July 7. There were town dignitaries and speakers, balloons and applause at the dedication of the latest feature in this township of 650 or so people. While the new facility, complete with kitchen and restrooms, now offers a location for family reunions, birthday parties and other gatherings, it represents far more than that. It is a symbol of small town spirit, collaboration and perseverance.

“Most people would have given up,” said Crawford resident Frances Hairston of Mayor Fred Tolon. Building the pavilion began as an idea on Tolon’s list of goals for the town several years ago. Hairston served on the committee Tolon organized in 2014. “It’s been a period of two years or more of slowly getting all this done, but Fred kept working at it because he had a vision of something by Crawford for the people of Crawford.”

While the concept was introduced by Mayor Tolon, it took a whole community to bring it to fruition.

Tolon said, “We set out to raise roughly $65,000. We didn’t make it to that all in dollars, but we did make it in volunteer materials and labor we didn’t have to pay out.”

Slow but steady

Pavilion funding got a substantial kick-start when community members united to mount a huge yard sale, months in the planning. It brought in $4,800 and helped establish a bond between people working together toward a common, beneficial goal.

“I got to know a lot of the women in town, and we became very close, meeting every week,” said Hairston.

The money helped fund initial dirt and foundation work, and publicity generated by the sale helped spread word of the need.

The two years that followed held car washes and fish frys, raffles and steak plates, building the fund, bit by bit. Some generous donors from Crawford and beyond gave larger amounts, or contributed essential materials or services, such as the bricklayer who donated his time and bricks. It took a village, and it took patience to follow the goal through to its recent ribbon cutting.

“It’s been hard,” admitted Jewel Hancock Holcomb, a Crawford City Council alderman. But with the pavilion now complementing a nearby stage and ball field, she is convinced it will pay off for the town. Holcomb praised Tolon as proactive and committed, advancing the project forward. In the final weeks leading up to the dedication, he frequently was seen working until late at night at the site, alongside some other faithful volunteers.

“It’s been dedicated as the Fred Tolon Pavilion,” said Hairston. “We were determined that it would be, because he deserves it. Most people would have given up, but he wanted to show people here and in the world that Crawford could do this, and be proud of it.”

A modest Tolon remarked, “It brought us together from the standpoint of people realizing an effort, and wanting to be part of something positive to improve the community. That was our intent — to improve the quality of life for the people who live here.”

Next phase

The pavilion is now available for rent, even as the next phase is being planned, including a fence and security cameras. The town welcomes donations to Town of Crawford Pavilion, P.O. Box 136, Crawford, MS 39743. Donors may request a receipt for tax-deduction purposes.

For more information about rental, contact Crawford City Clerk Beverly Hairston at 662-272-5164.

Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.

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