Rotarians Help Chautauqua Event Again This Year
L-R: Rotarians Jon Cozean, Doug McDermott, Brad Dush, Candy Zarcone, Daya Govender, Bob Gerig and back row Chadd Starkey.
July 18 -- Members
of the St. Francois County Rotary Club helped to make Chautauqua in Bonne Terre
a big success again this year. While
none of the club's members performed on the stage under the big tent, they assisted in another way by preparing and
selling food to many of the patrons who attended Saturday night's performance
that featured the rather kindly female "outlaw" Belle Star.
During the past 19 years Rotarians
have prepared and served plate dinners with a menu that included pork
steaks, brats, hot dogs,
baked beans, and chips.
The theme of this year's programs, presented over three nights on July 16-18, was "Missouri Outlaws," and included actors who portrayed such Show Me State notables as Jesse James (Aaron Woorley), Cole Younger (Kevin Culton), an American Confederate guerrilla who was later part of the Jesse James gang, and Belle Star (Karen Vuranch), "the Bandit Queen" who was also known as "The Petticoat Terror of the Plains." Chautauqua, now in its third decade in Bonne Terre, is the longest running privately-funded such event west of the Mississippi River.
The county Rotary Club, which has operated the food concession on the event's final night, turns over all food sales (which totaled $369 this year) to Chautauqua.
The theme of this year's programs, presented over three nights on July 16-18, was "Missouri Outlaws," and included actors who portrayed such Show Me State notables as Jesse James (Aaron Woorley), Cole Younger (Kevin Culton), an American Confederate guerrilla who was later part of the Jesse James gang, and Belle Star (Karen Vuranch), "the Bandit Queen" who was also known as "The Petticoat Terror of the Plains." Chautauqua, now in its third decade in Bonne Terre, is the longest running privately-funded such event west of the Mississippi River.
The county Rotary Club, which has operated the food concession on the event's final night, turns over all food sales (which totaled $369 this year) to Chautauqua.
