First impression on Campbells wrong
I wasn’t quite sure what to think about the International Phil Campbell Convention 2011 when Jonathan told me about it on Thursday.
To be quite honest, it actually sounded pretty silly at first. I mean, a gathering of all sorts of people named Phil, Phillip, Phyllis or Philomena Campbell? Really?
(And that’s only a few of the various names of people that can participate. Phil Campbell Downtown Hoedown organizer Rita Barton included every variation of the name Phil known to man in her letter on the event’s Facebook page.)
I was more than a little skeptical when I called Rita at her home and asked her to explain to me exactly why this event was going to be so special. I figured there would probably be maybe four or five people with the name Phil Campbell who would come to such a thing.
But then Rita started talking and I began to understand it better. She just had so much enthusiasm when she spoke about the event that it made me enthusiastic, too.
She told me about a man living in Brooklyn, New York, who was in charge of the convention itself. His name, of course, was Phil Campbell, and he was the person responsible for a similar gathering that took place in the ‘90s.
She told me that Phil Campbell’s mayor, Jerry Mays, is in the process of writing a letter officially inviting all these Phil Campbells to the city for the convention.
She told me there were people coming from around the world – yes, world – to be a part of the festivities and 79 had already committed to coming.
When she got done, I couldn’t believe what a big deal this was shaping up to be. And here I was thinking only four or five people would show up.
Before Rita hung up the phone, she gave me some contact information for the man who started it all: Phil Campbell from New York. I’m really glad she did because I enjoyed talking to him about why this event was special and fun.
Just hearing him describe the way he found out about the town that had his name and how fun it had been to connect with people from across the world that also had his name was so interesting.
These people that are from all across the U.S. and from places around the world like Scotland, England, Ireland, and Australia.
Australia!
The Australian Phil Campbell actually said on the group’s page that he was planning to come and bring his 16-year-old daughter. He also said that he didn’t recognize half the food that Rita had listed would be available during the Convention/Hoedown, which was so funny to me since the foods she listed were things like hamburgers, hot dogs, polish dogs, ribbon fries, funnel cakes, fried dill pickles and chicken on a stick – all staples at a festival in the South.
I was also fascinated by the camaraderie that the Phils seem to have. When Phil from New York updates his status on Facebook, many of these different Phils and Phillips comment on the things he says, just like they’re old friends.
I’m sure many people will think that what Phil is doing is pretty strange, but I hope everyone here in the county will welcome all these people with open arms. After all, it was Franklin County’s charm and hospitality that made Phil decide to come back here in the first place.
After talking with Rita and Phil, I am really excited about this event and I’m ready for June 17th and 18th to get here so I can meet all these Phils and hear their stories.
