‘It just grew’

White County town to turn into Whoville

Sisters, from left, Linda Jennings; Renee Garr, mayor of Russell; and Brenda Poole, councilwoman, stand with some of the many wooden cutouts they and volunteers made to create Whoville in the tiny community. The scenes will be displayed in Larry Jennings Park, named for Linda’s late husband. A Who Feast is scheduled for 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at the former Russell school to raise money to expand the decorations next year.
Sisters, from left, Linda Jennings; Renee Garr, mayor of Russell; and Brenda Poole, councilwoman, stand with some of the many wooden cutouts they and volunteers made to create Whoville in the tiny community. The scenes will be displayed in Larry Jennings Park, named for Linda’s late husband. A Who Feast is scheduled for 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at the former Russell school to raise money to expand the decorations next year.

What started as a small project to turn a tiny White County community into Whoville has expanded, just like the Grinch’s heart at Christmas.

Sisters Brenda Poole, Linda Jennings and Renee Garr plan to recreate Dr. Seuss’ mythical village in Russell, a town of 216 residents.

“I love the Grinch,” Poole said.

She has collected Grinch memorabilia for about five years. A couple of years ago, she started decorating her Christmas tree with Grinch ornaments and displays wooden cutouts in her yard depicting scenes from the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

“This is Brenda’s baby,” Jennings said. “She said, ‘I’ve got this vision. I know what I want the town to look like.’”

Jennings said the sisters started talking about the Whoville idea in July.

Jennings said Poole brought up the idea of putting a Whoville theme in the park, which is near the former Russell school.

“I lost my husband a year ago, and he loved the holidays. My younger sister, Brenda, said, ‘I’m gonna do a Whoville theme and put it in the back of the park. Do you want to do one for Jerry?’

“I said, ‘That’s a great idea.’ It started as a couple of scenes; then it just grew.”

Jennings said Russell is a “blink-and-you-miss-it” town in White County. The siblings, who grew up there, are known for spearheading community projects.

The park was named in memory of Jennings’ late husband, Jerry Jennings, a “good Samaritan” who mowed and kept the town neat, she said.

Poole and her two sisters started decorating the city park four years ago, including with reindeer and two 15-foot Christmas trees donated by a woman in the community.

“Nobody had ever decorated Russell,” Poole said.

Residents donated plywood, paint and money to the Whoville project, Poole said.

Jennings, whom Poole said has a talent for drawing, drew the houses and characters. Poole’s husband, Howard, cut them out of plywood, and Renee’s husband, Tony Garr, contributed.

They used the former school, now a community center, as their workshop.

“We’ve had the best time,” Jennings said. “We have some very creative people who have helped. About 15 ladies, retired people, even a couple of guys came to help us.”

The volunteers have spent countless hours, she said, and the sisters have spent weekends on the project, and their relatives from Little Rock and Cabot pitched in, too.

“We’ve been painting since the first of August,” Poole said. “We have Whoville complete. We have made 32 Who houses; 28 Who people; 20 [wooden] pallet trees; and people who have donated the fake Christmas trees — we have 16 of those — to use to fill in.”

Jennings said characters include the traditional Grinch and the Grinch from the new movie that was released this month, as well as “a fat reindeer, Fred, a new character,” she said. People will recognize Cindy Lou Who and the Grinch’s dog, Max, of course.

In addition to the scene in the park, Christmas trees made of wooden pallets, candy canes and Who houses will be placed along Arkansas 367.

All three sisters take pride in the town, but Garr has an extra stake in it — she’s the mayor.

She loves her sister’s idea. Poole also is on the Russell City Council.

“Anything that can bring joy to people in the community, outside the community, I am for,” Garr said. “I think this Whoville project is one of those things the kids are going to love, the adults are going to love. Who doesn’t love the Grinch?”

Garr said the project has promoted fellowship among the residents who have worked on it.

“It’s just been a blessing,” she said.

The Whoville scene will be erected beginning Thursday. Poole said lights in the shape of a Christmas tree will be turned on Thanksgiving night in the vacant lot next to the Silver Dollar Grill.

“We’re going to try to learn the Who song,” Poole said, to re-create the happy ending of the Grinch movie.

“We have people in town who, for the first time, are going to put lights on their houses. They’re going to try to decorate their yards, probably not with Whoville stuff this year,” Poole said.

She expects a lot of visitors to travel to Russell to see the displays.

“The word has just gotten out about it because people we know who live in different towns are saying, ‘We can’t wait for y’all to get the decorations up so we can come see them,’” Poole said.

Also, a Who Feast fundraiser is planned for 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at the old school. Tickets are $7. Silver Dollar Grill will donate the food, but Poole said the menu hasn’t been decided (roast beast, perhaps?) but the Grinch and Santa Claus will make an appearance.

The volunteers who helped paint will be dressed as Whos, Poole said. She plans to portray Martha May Whovier, who has the affection of the Grinch and the mayor of Whoville, but ends up with the Grinch.

“I can’t wait for it. I hope it’s a success because we’re so excited about it,” she said, adding that part of the proceeds will go to next year’s project.

“Next year, we’re hoping to double the size of Whoville,” she said.

Their hearts, however, couldn’t be bigger.

Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.

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