Raising Funds For Boyd Station

I was honored to be one of the photojournalists asked to participate in a New York art gallery show where we raised money to help the next generation of photojournalists.

The Ki Smith Gallery held an auction this spring as a way to raise funds for Boyd Station in Kentucky. The exhibition "Witness: Beauty in Truth" amassed 70 images from some of today's more prominent photojournalists, many of the images rarely are for sale.

Boyd Station is a place for creatives, writers and visual story tellers to come away from it all, get away from distractions and focus on their craft without the distraction of the every day world. Boyd Station is especially set up to provide inspiration and assistance to aspiring local photojournalists.

This is becoming especially important in this day and time where many of todays struggling newspapers seem to be losing the art of long form visual story telling or are, sadly enough, often happy enough with iphoneography.

Great photojournalism is at risk. Great photojournalism is important. Great photojournalism changes hearts, minds and communities.

Boyd Station is positioned to teach the next generation about great photojournalism. This was the idea of longtime photojournalist Jack Gruber, who set up the nonprofit which aims to "cultivate the arts in the bluegrass of Kentucky" while documenting the community at the same time.

One of my most popular images, a signed copy of the late blues musician Mose Vinson’s hands on a piano, was auctioned off in the fundraiser. I shot it on film and it was shot for his album cover. We shot the photo on Beale Street in Memphis, where he used to play. The auction was hosted by the Ki Smith Gallery in New York City in March. The event showcased 40 of today’s most acclaimed and awarded photojournalist's.

Thank you Ki Smith Gallery for a successful auction and fundraiser.

Ki Smith Gallery
712 W 125th Street
New York, NY 10027

We were lucky to get a mention in Newsweek. Alexander Cavaluzzo did a write up about the exhibit. https://www.newsweek.com/big-apple-plants-bluegrass-roots-grow-future-art-1356914

A successful online auction of our photos was held a few months later through Paddle8, where proceeds once again befitted Boyd Station. Paddle8 is an online auction house based in New York City that sells fine art.

https://www.boydsstation.org/ to learn more about Boyd Station.

Hollywood Beach Private Pullman Car

Keith White purchased and restored the Hollywood Beach Private Pullman rail car, which is one of only three that existed. He houses the train car in St. Louis and offers a few short affordable trips per year for rail fans to enjoy.

 The Seaboard Air Line Railroad, which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad that existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967

 All Photos © Karen Pulfer Focht

Below is an original advertising picture of the Hollywood Beach put out by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad.

Nostalgia Rides the Rails-

Written by John L. Focht ©

FUNK'S GROVE, Ill.--As Amtrak's "Lincoln Service" train speeds along the Illinois prarie at 67 mph, it shows off a special car coupled to the rear---the Hollywood Beach, a restored private railcar, which is taking a group of 15 guests southbound to St. Louis.

It is a restored classic railcar originally used by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad to carry passengers on their "Silver Meteor" New York-to-Florida trains in the 1950s and 1960s.  It's an  unusual combination of half lounge and half Pullman sleeping car, one of only three such cars, built in 1957. 

The car is a labor of love for its owner, Keith White, 68,  of Naperville. Ill.  White is a retired Illinois Central/Canadian National rail traffic controller who started his career in Memphis, Tenn., then went on to Chicago. 

"I really need to have this," White said the first time he saw the car.  "So, it took a little bit of foolishness," he laughs. 

It takes a lot of time and money to restore such a car, White says.  He bought the car in 2016 for an amount he doesn't specify.  He has spent about $500,000 to upgrade and renovate it.  And now there are storage fees, insurance costs, annual inspections, Amtrak's charges to pull the car. ($3.67 per mile).  

"It's definitely not for the faint of pocket book!" White says.

White has completely refurbished the Hollywood Beach, essentially bringing it back to its original look and feel.  The large solarium lounge, with its large windows all around and on top, gives riders a full panaoramic view as we cross the Mississippi River on the MacArthur Bridge.

The car has five complete private bedrooms, with individual bathrooms, for overnight guests. It sleeps 10.  The Pullman-style rooms provide a comfortable couch during the day and have beds that pull down from the wall for sleeping. Everything has been immaculately and expensively restored--- even the little "boxes" where first-class bedroom guests in the 50s could put their shoes before going to bed, to have them returned and shined by morning.

White has added a full kitchen and even a shower to the Hollywood Beach.

He runs trips on the car about four times a year, making arrangements to hook onto Amtrak on their routes.  The Hollywood Beach just completed roundtrips from Chicago to St. Louis and Chicago to Carbondale.  White and  several couples spent the night in the bedrooms while the car was parked at Chicago Union Station.

Guest fares pay the expenses and make White a little money, but the Hollywood Beach isn't about making money.  It's more about White sharing the experience. Likewise,  it's not all about getting to a destination--it's about enjoying the journey.

The affable White and his wife Maggie serve as the crew.  It has a homespun flavor. "It's like visiting Keith's cottage," said one of the guests, while sipping a beer.  Keith cooks bacon and eggs for breakfast and serves all the meals.  They put out bowls of Goldfish crackers and Tootsie Rolls.  He is a conductor, cook, waiter, maid and attendant all in one.

At the end of this trip, the car returns to St. Louis and is switched into its home,  the tracks next to St. Louis Union Station.

White, sweating, wearing an Illinois Central hardhat and yellow vest, says, "It's a lot of work. It's taxing. But I love it."

Written by John L. Focht ©

Owner of Railcom, Germantown, Tennessee

https://dailymemphian.com/article/index/5601/Rail-car-restoration-project-is-labor-of-love-for-former-Memphian

For more Information about future trips contact Keith White at

Keith’s Rail Way LLC

OneCNICcat@prodigy.net

www.privatecarhollywoodbeach.com

James Wiseman Celebration and Pep Rally

East High School in Memphis, Tennessee gave a hero’s parade and pep rally for James “Big Ticket” Wiseman at the school on Saturday, May, 25th, 2019. Wiseman is the #1 high school basketball recruit in the country and he has signed on to play with Coach Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers in the fall. Wiseman is 7-feet tall with a 7-6 wingspan and he was an excellent student while at East High School

Wiseman is a true role model. "He was the only male to make the Principal's List, all A's and good conduct in all classes, every quarter for the past two years." said Dr. Newman C. Robertson, Principal of East High School.

VIDEO BELOW

https://dailymemphian.com/article/5299/Next-Penny-Hardaway-hopes-to-see-some-sacrifice-on-court

John Michael Talbot Coming To Memphis

Grammy-winning Christian music pioneer John Michael Talbot will be in Memphis on Wednesday, June 5 at 7PM at St. Louis Catholic Church for a one-evening mission:  "Hope, Healing, and the Holy Spirit".  The mission, comprised of music, prayer, and teaching, is presented by Lumen Civitatis as part of the Pentecost Jubilation 2019 in the Diocese of Memphis.

See prior post below from when John Michael Talbot was in Memphis 2016.

http://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/2016/2/12/john-michael-talbot

Central Station Rehab, Memphis, Tennessee

We recently got a sneak peek at the inside of Central Station in downtown Memphis. The historic building was once a very rugged and unwelcoming station. It still serves Amtrak but it is now being converted into a Curio hotel, due to open at the end of the summer.

“Curio – A Collection by Hilton is Hilton’s latest brand and will be a carefully selected, global collection of distinctive four and five star hotels that offer travelers local discovery and authentic experiences in key markets. Just as the word “curio” can refer to something of interest, unique or even rare, each Curio hotel will be different from the next, with individuality being a common thread.” Hilton https://hiltonhonors3.hilton.com/en/about/curio.html

Memphis civic treasure and developer Henry Turley, has had a heart and vision for the revitalized South Main area for many years. When the time was right, he called up his buddies and asked them to pitch in.

With the help of Malco President and COO David Tashie, the Malco Powerhouse Cinema Bar and Grill opened in the old powerhouse recently. It is also home to a large-format MXT "Extreme" Theater.

The hotel is inside the historic Central Station and is on Amtrak's City of New Orleans route, which runs from Chicago to New Orleans. Construction is supposed to be completed by August. Henry wants for people who come to town to have a nice place to stay.

The development group includes Henry Turley, Archie Willis and McLean Wilson.

Henry came from very humble beginnings. He is a kind and gentle soul who lavishes his southern hospitality on most everyone he comes into contact with. He has a beautiful, yet simple home, that sits high on the Chickasaw bluffs that over looks the Mississippi River. He loves purple martins and has placed several bird houses around the south main area. A box of soap chips sits in his living room. His family used to save up the used soap chips so that they could make a new bar of soap. He likes to remember from where he came.

“We look for projects that will make Memphis a more livable city” said Henry this week while showing off Central Station and the Powerhouse. Can one man’s vision really make that big of a difference? The Henry Turley Company has heavily contributed to the transformation and livability of downtown Memphis with the development of South Bluffs, Harbor Town, South Main and Uptown.

The renovated Memphis home of the teenage Elvis Presley (which was public housing at the time) has also opened in Uptown. Fans can sleep where Elvis laid his head as a teenager. http://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/elvisweek2018

It was hard to get people downtown after Martin Luther King was shot in the nearby Lorraine Motel. http://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/civilrightsmuseum But that is not the case anymore.

In spite of all of the construction going on, condo’s downtown Memphis are in short supply. https://dailymemphian.com/article/4572/Downtown-condos-in-short-supply

http://www.henryturley.com/about/

http://www.henryturley.com/new-projects/

https://insidememphisbusiness.com/features/development-henry-turley/

https://dailymemphian.com/article/3595/Powerhouse-Cinema-debuts-with-full-service-restaurant