DEL RIO-The centennial of Leonora Whitaker's arrival in Del Rio will be celebrated next Thursday, June 18, with a full schedule of events jointly planned by the Cocke County Tourism Council, the Del Rio Preservation Society, and the ChristyFest Planning Team.

Whitaker, an Asheville, NC native, came to Del Rio as a teenager to teach in the Presbyterian mission school in the Old 15th District.

While here, she taught the younger children and the Rev. John Wood taught the older ones. Wood and Whitaker later married and had three children of their own, including the late author Catherine Marshall.

In 1967, Marshall immortalized her mother's experiences in Del Rio in the novel Christy, which shot to the top of Best Seller lists and which was later the subject of movies, an outdoor theatrical production, and a television series.

During the 1960s, Marshall and her mother returned to Del Rio to visit the site of Ebenezer School and renew friendships with former students. Among them were the late Opal Corn Myers, who became a teacher at the school, and the late Mary Rowe Ruble, Cocke County Historian, and a native of Del Rio.

In recent years, fans of the novel annually convene in Townsend, TN, site of the dramatic production and where the movie was filmed, to discuss the novel and visit the sites associated with the story.

One day of the long weekend is devoted to a trip to Del Rio where Myers' son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Karen Myers, welcome the visitors and tell about their mother's association with the school.

This year's special celebration will feature a day-long trip to Del Rio. Special guests expected include the Wood's only surviving child, Emma Wood Hoskins, and Catherine Wood Marshall's son, Peter Marshall.

Upon the travelers arrival in Del Rio, members of the Del Rio Preservation Society will greet them and provide guides to interpret the sites in the village closely associated with the Christy story.

The Cocke County Tourism Council will provide a light breakfast for the visitors, according to Tourism Director Linda Lewanski. "Mayor Iliff McMahan will present a proclamation and then the entourage will travel on to Ebenezer Church for a service of dedication led by Peter Marshall."

"We are so thrilled that Catherine Marshall's son Peter Marshall and also her sister Emma Hoskins will be with the group all day. After the church service, the group will end up at the home of Larry and Karen Myers for lunch and fellowship."

"I am so proud of the Myers family and the hospitality they provide," Lewanski concluded. "They continue to welcome guests to the site and really, they most certainly exhibit the 'Christy' spirit. We welcome all the folks from ChristyFest and hope they will return again soon."

For more information about the Del Rio event, contact the Cocke County Tourism office - (423) 625-9675. To learn more about the ChristyFest festival in Townsend, call (336) 312-6150 or visit www.christyfest.org.