Community Service Awards Finalist: Melba Brackin
By: Dave Woodman, Community Service Awards
Updated: August 23, 2011
Our 2011 Community Service Awards are in the books. Now we're looking forward to 2012.
In Beebe, Melba Brackin's signature is all over the city, especially in parks and patriotic celebrations.
"I find so many interesting things that people, especially the older people, have stored in their minds that will be lost if it's not written down," says Brackin.
"I think she doesn't want the communities to forget about the past," says Brackin's daughter, Tracy Ragen, "especially with the veterans, that's very important to her."
Melba has combined that love of history and respect for veterans plus current servicemen and women into one focal point: Beebe parks.
Mayor Mike Robertson says, "Melba has prodded us all along throughout the years for funding of the parks. Let's get busy, let's get to work on the grants and get 'em applied."
In fact, they are working on a park right now directly across from city hall. They already put in another walking trail and just got a grant for more work.
A prolific writer on community events, Melba is also a regular contributor to the weekly "Beebe News."
Her editor Lee McLane says, "Melba can write about anything. I wouldn't call her a technical writer, but other than that she's very social and she has gone and gotten interviews with people that would not speak to me."
From parks to Christmas parades and veterans events, Melba Brackin has organized a wide array of functions and even designed the city flag.
"Melba came up with the idea that she wanted to design a city flag," says Mayor Robertson, "and through the work with the Beebe public schools there was a design and it was accepted."
In Beebe, Melba Brackin's signature is all over the city, especially in parks and patriotic celebrations.
"I find so many interesting things that people, especially the older people, have stored in their minds that will be lost if it's not written down," says Brackin.
"I think she doesn't want the communities to forget about the past," says Brackin's daughter, Tracy Ragen, "especially with the veterans, that's very important to her."
Melba has combined that love of history and respect for veterans plus current servicemen and women into one focal point: Beebe parks.
Mayor Mike Robertson says, "Melba has prodded us all along throughout the years for funding of the parks. Let's get busy, let's get to work on the grants and get 'em applied."
In fact, they are working on a park right now directly across from city hall. They already put in another walking trail and just got a grant for more work.
A prolific writer on community events, Melba is also a regular contributor to the weekly "Beebe News."
Her editor Lee McLane says, "Melba can write about anything. I wouldn't call her a technical writer, but other than that she's very social and she has gone and gotten interviews with people that would not speak to me."
From parks to Christmas parades and veterans events, Melba Brackin has organized a wide array of functions and even designed the city flag.
"Melba came up with the idea that she wanted to design a city flag," says Mayor Robertson, "and through the work with the Beebe public schools there was a design and it was accepted."
