An area in Florida - Let's Cheer the Lowly Possum

There's a dedicate Florida that crafted a twelve-foot-high monument in the middle of town to exalt the lowly possum. Now, why would any one may possibly like to do that?
Well, to start with, heroes are tricky to come by in this spot in Florida - the Panhandle money of scotland - Wausau, property of less than 500 folks in the center of Washington County about ten miles south of Chipley.
Why not the possum, an not likely hero as you'd probably count on? No person else puts the possum around the pedestal. Why not Wausau?
Secondly, in 1982, Wausau bought fed up with currently being left out within the Florida lists of pleasurable, fairs and festivals. Every devote Florida requires a Competition. Rather than just one place in place Florida encompasses a Possum Pageant. Why don't you Wausau?
If you have not been to Washington County, you almost certainly will Assume I'm making this up. When you have attended Washington County, you can realize - and know This may be a accurate story.
Wausau, it turned out, had some very powerful possum politicians in the course of the early '80s. Listed here are two or three matters they achieved:


They persuaded the Florida Legislature to proclaim the primary Saturday in August as Possum Day in Florida. That led for the creating With all the monument along Condition Highway 77 in Wausau.

They even received The us Congress to promote the possum. Congress joined the enjoyment by the cash for Wausau's Possum Palace so Wausau might need a location to carry its once-a-year Exciting Day and Possum Festival. Featuring a queen contest and possum auction, amongst other factors, the Pageant draws in lots of people yearly, and so they find it irresistible.
Day trip for the handful of educating of Possum removal Glen iris Northerners below. The South's possum will be the similar lowly animal you call opossum, (Why use seven letters when six will probably do?) It is a smallish marsupial that life in trees and exhibits its hideous body only at nighttime. This is exactly why, when you're inside of right position in Florida, you may hear possum hunters' dogs baying and barking. Treed by pet dogs, the possum 'freezes', so it will be not difficult to lure (or shoot) one.
An inscription concerning the monument in the center of Wausau cites the possum's purpose in providing 'the two fur and food items' through the total hundreds of years. It goes on to say: 'Their presence here has supplied a source of nutritious and flavorful food stuff in normal times and it has been a crucial assist to human survival in occasions of distress and demanding require.'
Chortle if you like. The people of Wausau will laugh along with you - when downing baked possum and sweet potatoes.