Atmos recognizes Mr. Mark McCarver as Grand Marshal of the 2010 Tupelo Squirrel Festival

MISSISSIPPI:  The Tupelo Squirrel Festival is an annual late winter celebration provided by the local Atmos employees of Tupelo, MS and surounding areas. The game (i.e. squirrel meat) is supplied by Terry Herring, the Tupelo Atmos Supervisor and prepared in a gravy with the fixings for a growing number of attendees. The first Squirrel Festival began with a modest attendance of about 40 and has grown over the past six years to well over 100. One should never recognize special guest because all guest are special, but attending are a number of the mayors from the area, councilmen, utilities directors, police and fire department, legislators, and PSC representatives. The event has grown to compliment the annual Tupelo, MS Natural Gas Association Meeting and includes vendors and attendees from that event as an added group of special guest.

To further liven the event, a special surprise Grand Marshal is named each year to reign for the event and then join the other elite Marshals of the past in their proud heritage. The Grand Marshal is awarded a specially designed squirrel hat, each having a character resemblance to its new owner. The Grand Marshal is typically joined for the ceremonial event by the previous marshals with the hats of their day. The Grand Marshall also receives a placket upholding his honor during the year’s reign.

Congratulations to Mr. Mark McCarver, Director of Pipeline Safety (pictured above).  Mark is recognized as the first non-Atmos employee to be named Grand Marshal of the Tupelo Squirrel Festival.

 Article courtesy of Kenneth Smith, Atmos Energy.