Ware County GaArchives News.....Okefenokee Swamp Park's Pogo For President Campaign 2004 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bob Hurst lat@wayxcable.com March 8, 2004, 10:27 am Source: Robert Latimer Hurst Photo of General Manager Martin Bell in front of Pogo Headquarters can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/ware/photos/documents/gph94pogoforp.jpg Image file size: 216.4 Kb OSP GENERAL MANAGER MARTIN BELL INTRODUCES `POGO-FOR-PRESIDENT’ CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS Visits To This Historic Walt Kelly Collection Are Urged As The Swamp Park Goes All Out To Celebrate By Robert Latimer Hurst He has talked it over with Albert Alligator, Churchy LaFemme, Howland Owl, Mam'sell Hepzibah and even Beauregard Bugleboy, and they have given him their blessings from their home in Fort Mudge, reports a spokesperson for the denizens of Fort Mudge, Georgia: "For them as don't know, the Mudge is found in Ware County, Georgia, south of Waycross town. An' our candidate, Hiz Honorable Pogo, who represents us'ns here'n in Georgy, is now throwin' hiz hat in the ring agin for national office. That makes Mudge hysterical, don't hit?" Helping the Fort Mudge-ians in this campaign are Okefenokee Swamp Park General Manager Martin Bell, his OSP Staff and Civic Leader Janice Parks. Both urge the public to follow the news releases about these events being planned for the Okefenokee Swamp Park and plan to join in the festivities that will certainly add to the former PogoFest celebrations held in this area. To be announced later are those who will be guests and who will be entertaining on March 27 at OSP. But, first, let’s look a little more deeply at the candidate’s home environment. Not only is this historical community, which got its name from "mud" and "sludge" blended together, making its stand for Pogo, but also the entire citizenry of the surrounding Okefenokee Swamp is now uniting itself behind the `possum, who announced his candidacy for Presidency most recently from the newly renovated headquarters at the Okefenokee Swamp Park. It will be remembered that Pogo brought cheers from his followers for his conservative philosophy in a very liberal atmosphere during his “I-Go-Pogo” Campaign in 1952. His platform has changed little since that time. “He’s jest been preparin’ for this heah 2004 program,” his media specialist relates “Pogo for President,” it begins, pointing out that a kick-off rally to explain further this office seeker’s proposals is set for Saturday, March 27, 2004, at the Campaign Headquarters, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Waycross. A spokesperson for the Perceptive Possum says, “Our candidate pledges hisself to protecting and preserving the Environment, hit being the Okefenokee Swamp and other wetland habitats for future generations; Education, by providing educational programs and information to all who visit the Okefenokee; Welfare, by insuring a safe haven fer all swamp critters within the National Wildlife Refuge; and Foreign Policy, by encouraging all other countries outside us’ns to visit the U.S. of A. and the Okefenok and increase tourism both at home and abroad.” “We heah in the Fort Mudge community wish to take this time to give you folks a little background about our candidate. Y’all thinks he is just a famous critter, created by that Cartoonist Mr. Walt Kelly, from a comic strip. Well, folks, hits more than that. First, let me tell you about his hometown -er, `homeswamp.’ Fort Mudge just didn’t spring up on a whim. It was a fort. Yessir and mams, it was a village of block-houses strung up along the edge of the Okefenokee to protect them settlers from them Indians. And Pogo’s ancestors’ homes were right there in those trees and in that mud when Generals John and Charles Floyd’s and General David Blackshear’s men camped in them parts. Why, I just bet Pogo’s great-great-great grandpa aided them generals in that first Seminole War. Anywhose, this bit of information helps give you some idea about our candidate --and there’s more. Why, he belongs to and is active in the U.P.S. W. That’s the United Possums of the Seminole Wars, for those that don’t know. “When Fort Mudge was at its peak, it had sawmills, and it had a train depot with a scheduled stop, which allowed its population to ship and receive goods, such as turpentine, cane syrup and my favorite, sweet potatoes, which were products of our local farmers. Light wood was hauled out of the Okefenokee, then, and shipped by train. Why, when we Okefenokee animals had our annual convention, representatives from the deers, bears, ducks, turkeys, alligators -- Y’all remember Albert --Sure you do. He went to Ware County High School. Why, he’s their mascot. In fact, there is a story that I can tell about how this alligator became their mascot. And I will, but let me finish my tale about the Mudge. “Anyways. we all met at Fort Mudge to discuss them hunting rules and regulations used by them humans. Sometimes, those settler folks got a little carried away, especially ‘round Thankygiving and at what they call `deer season.’ And since we wuz on Cowhouse Island --that’s where the Mudge is located --we included all them swamp fishes in our number, and boy! Could they tell some tales about rules and regulations! Now, don’t ya let me degress, heah? “So with all these goings-on heah, we were quite citified. I mean we knew what was goin’ on in the world. We even had celebrities visit us very often, such as Mrs. Lyddie Stone, Queen of the Okefenokee, and Mr. Obediah Barber, King of the Okefenokee, although I must admit them bears avoided him at all costs. Whut I am saying is that Pogo came from good stock and from a good place. And he has our support in his bid for Presidency, and we heah at the Mudge wants all y’all to go the Okefenokee Swamp Park on March 27and get involved in this heah election. And keep following the stories ‘cause there’s more.” This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb