The Visit Statesboro lobby was made more festive recently with the addition of an extensive snow village, contributed by local residents Frank and Marcia Parker. Having collected Dept. 56 pieces for many years, but deciding displaying the village was more of a task than they now wanted to tackle, the Parkers gifted the village to the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB)/Visit Statesboro, so that others could enjoy the collectibles.
SCVB president, Becky Sanders, expressed her appreciation to the Parkers.
“This is such a great addition to our Visitor’s Center during the holidays. We very much appreciate the Parkers thinking of our facility as the new home for their collection,” stated Sanders.
The village became the center piece of Santa photos during Shopping by Lantern Light, when numerous visitors had a visit with Santa, surrounded by the village. Some of the pieces are specific to Statesboro, such as the Bulloch County Courthouse, Statesboro City Hall, and Averitt Center for the Arts.
On a side note, the local iconic buildings are limited editions, and are not being manufactured any longer, but Visit Statesboro purchased all remaining supplies to sell in the Visitor Center gift shop.
So, according to Sanders, there are still pieces of each of the three local buildings available for purchase.
SCVB board member, Dr. Brent Tharp, and his wife, Kelly, volunteered to install the display in the Visitor’s Center. Tharp is well versed in installations at the Center, since he routinely manages the installation of historic displays in the Museum on Main, as Director of the Georgia Southern University Museum, and Professor of History at the university.
Frank Parker, a former SCVB board member, who was instrumental in the purchase and renovation of the Visit Statesboro building, said, “We really enjoyed the snow village for many years, and it gives us great pleasure now to share it with our community.” Parker further stated, “Marcia and I knew that the Visitor’s Center would be the perfect location for it.”
Local citizens and visitors are invited to come by the Visitor’s Center at 222 South Main Street to see the display for themselves. The village will be on display from now until after the first of the new year.