We had 18 speakers take the stump in the Amateur Speech Contest. The only requirement was the speech had to be no longer than 5 minutes and should be on the subject of Caddo Lake.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

1. BEST ALL-ROUND STUMP SPEECH

Donna Selman, Caddo Pie Company. (We will post her original poem her shortly.)

2. SECOND PLACE, ALL-ROUND STUMP SPEECH

Jay Webb, President, Caddo Lake Chamber of Commerce & Tourism.

3. BEST HISTORICAL STUMP SPEECH

Retired Appellate Court Justice & former State Representative Ben Z. Grant – for his renditions of Huey P. Long and Isaac Van Zandt.

4. BEST PROFESSIONAL STUMP SPEECH

State Representative Stephen Frost – who took the stump and spoke from the heart, with no wishy-washy talk.

Also see the article in the Marshall News Messenger:

Stump speech contest held at Caddo Lake

|By JIMMY ISAAC, Cox East Texas|

Sunday, November 06, 2005

KARNACK – More than 120 concerned Caddo Lake residents and regular tourists gathered around a stump Saturday to speak out for preservation of their beloved grounds.

"If you want the full effect, you'll get up on the stump like people used to do," said Jack Canson, host of the Amateur Stump Speech Contest and Festival at Caddo Lake State Park.

Local residents are up in arms over a proposal to divert land and water rights at the lake to create an industrial park in the wildlife refuge, an idea touted by a group of Marshall businessmen that has gotten Congressional intervention by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rep. Louie Gohmert, Canson stated.

Speakers Saturday told the crowd of more than 120 that residents of Marshall, Jefferson, the lake and other surrounding communities should come together to form a coalition.

"I know other people have a more cynical philosophy – they can't see beyond the dollar signs," said 27-year-old Scott Imhof of Karnack. "You've got to get up and do it if you want to save something. I think we need to leave no stone unturned in support of the lake."

Navarro County District Attorney Steve Keathley made the drive from Corsicana to tell listeners of his memories of Caddo Lake. His father introduced him to Texas' only natural lake in 1985, and said he makes annual trips with his wife and three children.

"Part of my heart is and always will be part of Caddo Lake," said Keathley, 38, with his 5-year-old son, Luke, shyly peering from the 15-inch high stump. "I'm selfish because I personally love the memories of this lake."

Keathley said he plans to aid in the cause "to run this industrial plant away from Caddo Lake."

State Rep. Stephen J. Frost, who represents House District 1 – Bowie, Cass, Marion and Morris counties – said the plant would affect his district even with its proposed south side location.

"Anything that happens on the south side of the lake affects the north side too," Frost said. "I want to make sure Caddo Lake is preserved in its natural state."

Frost challenged attendees to contact their governmental leaders to ensure "their voice is heard.

"As leaders, we're not dictators. We're people. We need to truly listen to the people of our areas," the legislator said.