That was the front page headline in the Sept. 15, 2011, edition of the then-Hennessey Clipper. It was right after the town had hosted its first Wine and Chocolate Festival.

We had “more” than 500 to attend. We knew that number because we didn’t have a count on those who were chocolate only, but did know we’d started with 500 wristbands and only had four left.

That festival has continued every year except the first year of COVID.

The start was after then-Mayor Wes Hardin, and his wife, Linda, had gone to similar events on vacation. Then he shared the idea with the Hennessey United Board (formerly named Hennessey 2010 which was started in 2000).

The United Board “bought it,” said Hardin, “and we ran with it, and got the sponsors.”

Those first sponsors included the Hardin family’s business, Industrial Ignition; and these three other oilfield companies: OK Swabbing, A-Ton Clutch, and K&M Oil.

The success of that first event, and all since then, have allowed the United Board to support that annual event without getting other sponsors.

Hardin was the chairman of that first event which meant the setup and takedown, etc. He was also in charge of contacting wine vendors, and we had an even dozen of them and five were from Hennessey that first year.

I was in charge of the chocolate tables that year, and we had 11. Make that 10 because I gave the chocolate cookies I’d made to the Friends of the Library. That’s because Tim Riddle and I decided to open up a third ticket booth when the lines got really long.

It was kinda crazy that first year for all of the United board members because up until then we hadn’t tackled something that big.

As the newspaper person I was made in charge of promotions during those early days. I’ve slept since then so I can’t remember, but I don’t think we had high speed internet back then. I believe I called the OKC and Tulsa papers, and other nearby newspaper friends. I probably asked for news stories since we had no funds for ads, and mailed them “news releases,” then bugged them to run one until they did.

Somehow, I also became the sign person during those early Wine and Chocolate Festival years. That’s probably because we had “the cardboard, and a “sharpie,” at the newspaper office, as it was described during a recent town board meeting.

Supplying stuff like that was just something that our business could do for United, The Lions and Lioness clubs, and even Marg’s (aka Maw Henkell) Thursday night “Write Sisters and Roger” meetings at her home.

I bought a printer for the house so I could make copies of my deathless prose for our writing group each week, but mainly to use at home to print out school and town board meeting stories while the info was still fresh.

I also bought some cardboard- like paper when we had the newspaper. That’s also when I was able to use some “clip art” and to use United’s logo, which we’d designed, on some of the small signs for the tables at the festival, and other community events.

It’s those small things in our town, such as making copies of event information on their printer, that our businesses, and Town Hall, have done for our non-profit groups.

I know, as a former co-business owner and bookkeeper, that it’s easier to get paid than it is to make payroll. So I’m hoping this Saturday that United’s Wine & Chocolate Festival will mean more business for our towns. It should also help United’s bank account so we may continue to support the Lions Club, the Back-to-School Bash, other school-related, and community projects.