Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Sisters Part Of Group In Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Seven students from area schools in and around Malvern will be going to New York City next week to participate in Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. They will be part of John Jacobson's America Sings' program.

Jacobson's group, which includes students from seventh grade and up, marches in the parade and does community service projects, including distribution of toiletry items and sandwiches.

Terry Lucas of Malvern has operated Terry's Music Studio since 1981, teaching piano and voice. Earlier this year she received information from a friend in Hot Springs who thought Lucas might be interested in the parade. Seven of Lucas's students expressed interest, so she formed Bricktown Chorus.

"We want to keep this group together and do more things like this," ranging from the Macy's parade to local performances for civic clubs and other organizations, Lucas said.

This group includes Jessica Rae and Jordan Lacey Jackson, students at Magnet Cove; Kara Wickliffe, a Malvern student; Laura and Krista Hefley, Glen Rose students; Mallory Williamson, a Poyen student; and Neal Lucas, a home-school student.

The Jackson girls are the granddaughters of John and Betty Ragsdale of Prescott. They are the daughters of John and Phyllis Jackson of Malvern.

Bricktown Chorus is the only representative from Arkansas scheduled to march in the two and one-half mile parade route, Lucas said.

The seven students and some parents will travel to New York November 21 and will return Thanksgiving night, November 23. During the time they will be in New York the group will have five daytime hours to sightsee. the remaining time will be spent rehearsing, Lucas said.

Lucas was sent a video of the choreography a few weeks ago and her group has been practicing since. They must learn the choreography to two songs and the music to three before arriving in the Big Apple, where they will learn the choreography to the third song.

They will practice most of the day on Wednesday, but that afternoon they will perform in front of Macy's Department Store for national TV cameras, which may or may not show the group performing.

Their community service are for the homeless and that is why they are seeking donations of toiletry items, including shampoo, tooth brushes and toothpaste, combs, soap and other items. The kids are also seeking children's books and plastic jars of peanut butter and jelly for sandwiches to distribute to the homeless in New York.