Wes Hardin, longtime Hennessey United board of directors and Wine & Chocolate Festival chairman, has resigned from the board and as festival chairman.

It was Hardin who came up with the idea for the festival in 2011 after he and his wife, Linda, vacationed where they attended a wine event. It’s been going strong ever since.

“It’s a combination of things,” said Hardin about resigning.

“The wine festival and Hennessey United need new blood, new ideas. I’ve done my part and I’m willing to see what others can bring to it,” he told The Times & Free Press.

Both of his resignations were announced during the Thursday, May 18, United Association meeting at The Mercantile. Hardin, the mayor and town trustee for 20 years, did not run for that board again in 2021.

Hardin is also kept busy with family businesses in Hennessey: Industrial Ignition & Engine Service and Vernost Wine Co.

Vice President Teresa Oliver resigned as Chocolate Chairman for the festival during the monthly meeting.

New Festival Leaders

After urging from other board members, Dagan Hardin has volunteered to chair the wine portion of the annual festival. He is the brother of Hardin and is also a member of the United Board as a representative of the Lions Club.

Volunteering as chocolate chairman was Kim Gritz.

She has been active in the past in helping with United and other community projects, but is not a board member.

Oct. 7 Wine & Chocolate Festival Hours This year’s festival continues to be the first Saturday in October at Memorial Park on Main Street, but the hours have changed. It will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Information on contacts for the festival will be available soon.

Wine, Dine & Shop June 24 The annual Wine, Dine & Shop evening is Saturday, June 24, from 6-9 p.m. on Main Street and includes the Main Street Market sponsored by United.

Businesses and restaurants are staying open later than usual.

It also includes the summer market with fresh produce, jellies and eggs on the west side of Oklahoma Avenue at the stoplight.

That street will also be shut down to traffic. Call the Mercantile (405-853-5454) to save a spot.

New Board/Committee/ Foundation Members Pending her acceptance, the board elected Renee (Vaverka) Curry to the board.

She was not at the board meeting and later accepted.

Curry started the townwide garage sales several years ago and United sponsored them.

She is also United’s one-woman Beautification Committee and chairman and has worked on other United programs.

The board also voted on a 2023-24 Hennessey High School junior to serve, but that person’s name has not been announced, or accepted by the student yet.

Jack Quirk was named to the board’s Legacy Foundation. Co-chairs of that group are Stacy Cline and Scott Hajek.

The Foundation was started by United in an effort to allow families and HHS graduates the opportunity to give back to the town financially by supporting non-profit foundation projects, or projects of their own.

The Hennessey board selected the Cherokee Strip Foundation as the group to invest donations in the spring of 2019 and a $10,000 donation was made at that time.

At the Meeting

Present for the May meeting were President Stacy Cline, Vice President Teresa Oliver, Secretary Cathy Howard, and members Scott Hajek, Kaden Mitchell and Vice Mayor Harold Shaw (standing in for Mayor Clif Vogt).

Absent were Treasurer Tammy Lott-Hopkins, Barb Walter, Wes Hardin and Dagan Hardin.