The Citrus Hall of Fame of Florida Luncheon drew more than 300 attendees Friday for its “citrus celebration” and induction ceremonies for three new honorees. Joe Marshburn (l), Norm Todd (r) and the late Richard Graves Jr (no photo avail) were inducted at the event held at the Hall of Fame’s new home at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL. A member of
the Citrus Hall of Fame for her years of effective promotion of Florida citrus, Anita Bryant (r) shared a rendition of her famous song “The Florida Sunshine Tree” for the crowd, and for our listeners in this interview with Southeast AgNet’s Ernie Neff.
Anita Bryant Interview (6:45 mp3) A lot of people worked hard
on planning this event, to re-establish the Citrus Hall of Fame of Florida and to announce and celebrate its new home at Florida Southern College.
Hear comments from two of the gentlemen behind the effort. Pictured here on the left in the orange jacket is retired citrus grower Jerry Chicone (1:52 mp3), who for 12 earlier years headed up the Hall of Fame selection committee. Also pictured here, retired Lake County Extension Director and current chairman of the selction committee
John Jackson (3:25 mp3), who nowadays serves as Executive Director of the Florida Citrus Industry
Research Coordinating Council (FCIRCC).
This coverage and photos thanks to Editor Ernie Neff of Southeast AgNet’s Citrus Industry Magazine. Ernie also filed this voicer report from the event (:55 mp3) for the radio network too, which features part of of Anita’s “Sunshine Tree” song. In this new world of “new media” all of us old dogs at Southeast AgNet are learning new tricks to serve our audience better. Pass the word and Stay Tuned!