Gratis. The Knott Historical Society has been honoring the families selected by the Gingerbread Festival Committee since 1995 to corroborate the Festival and its visitors, but not in conjunction therewith. Other businesses in town do the same to corroborate the theme and family selected by the Festival Committee once it has been placed in the local paper - but do not actively involve themselves with the Festival Committee. Since our organization is directly involved with history - what better way to honor the family than to provide proof copies of their histories, photos, entertainment, and the family's antiques exhibited at the Society during the Festival? We have never been sanctioned by the Festival Committee to honor these families, we do it because we want to, and because the families selected to be honored want us to. We submit biographies of outstanding community-minded candidates for the Festival Committee's consideration for their Hall of Fame, and have composed several speeches for the Festival's Preliminary Events to honor the family - all gratis and non-compensatorily. Since 1996 the Society has honored the various families with all our associated events at the Society's headquarters in Hindman above the town, and has had no activities on Main Street other than our window exhibits. Above all else, we do not want discord among the families we honor, that defeats the purpose of paying homage to them. Living in a free country as ours - both organizations should be able to honor the Caudills freely to the benefit of the family and to the edification thereof. We do not see honoring the family as a conflict of interest by either organization, rather a corroboration and an enhancement to the Festival itself. To quibble in recriminations is to bring dishonor to the family and the organizations involved therein. We will honor the Caudills this year in the way our non-profit organization is designed to - "to preserve the history" of our forebearers. It doesn't matter to us which organization you involve yourself with as long as we collectively can bring honor to the Caudill family. David Smith. CC: The Gingerbread Festival Committee