Blakely will host a special event Saturday, March 21, to educate consumers that peanuts and peanut butter are safe, nutritious and trustworthy. The "Peanut Proud" EXPO will also inform the news media that Blakely is "Peanut Proud" and open for business.

Court Square will be the location of the special "Peanut Proud" EXPO festival which will be fun, entertaining and educational. Activities are being planned for all ages from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the final day of National Ag Week.

Blakely is the "Peanut Proud" community struggling most under a dark cloud of negative publicity resulting from the salmonella outbreak which bruised the entire peanut industry, so it's fitting that Blakely will be center stage for the effort to restore both the industry's image and that of the community.

The EXPO stemmed from the simple thought about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Actually, it began with a recent discussion at Birdsong Peanuts' office on N. Bay St. about everyone in the office eat ing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in an effort to promote the public's trust in peanuts.

"We want to celebrate some positive news about peanuts and peanut products," said Sally Wells of Birdsong Peanuts. "We've heard too much negative (news about peanuts and Blakely), so we're inviting the world to come help us celebrate and to show support for the peanut and the peanut capital of the world."

According to FDA investigators, "tainted" peanut products shipped from Peanut Corporation of America's plant in Blakely, was the source of the recent salmonella outbreak. The Lynchburg, Va.- based company's Plainview, Tex., plant was later identified as a source of the outbreak as well.

"We know we have a great product and that Blakely has other peanut businesses that care about peanuts and all our peanut consumers," stated Wells who is also vice chairman of the Peanut Institute.

Activities planned for the day include free fun and games, live country and gospel music, Buddy McNutty, Dune Buggy's Peanut Circus Show, free grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, free deep fried peanuts, free peanut candies and snacks, modern and antique farm equipment, educational exhibits, a peanut recipe contest, a "Cutest Little Goober" contest, peanut industry experts, elected officials and much more! See the ad on page 24 for additional information.