Jackson Parish Project Brings Community Together
It’s absolutely beautiful to see! – That is what the headline filed by KNOE staff member, Charles Burkett, stated in his report that was aired on the Channel 8 news broadcast on Friday, July 19th.
What the special feature (transcript shown below) was about was “Jackson,” the Rock Snake, a project started by Jonesboro resident Debra Fordham, that is ever growing in popularity and bringing the community closer together.
JONESBORO, La. (KNOE) – There’s a snake in Jackson Parish along the Jonesboro Civil Rights Memorial Trail that is over 270 feet long!
It’s not a real snake, of course — it’s a rock snake the community has lovingly named “Jackson the Parish Rock Snake.”
Jonesboro resident Debra Fordham got the idea to create a pet rock snake for the town after seeing another place do it while she was on vacation.
“I had an idea about where to put it and then someone else suggested another place and someone else suggested this walking trail and I said that’s a great idea. So I reached out to Mayor Harris to see if we could put it here, and he agreed,” Fordham explained.
From there the makeshift snake took on a life of its own.
“… I added another six or seven rocks, and for a few days, it was kind of slow. But then it took off and it is taken off in a way I never imagined,” said Fordham.
People from all over have been flocking to the trail to add their decorated rocks. Fans of the project have even created a Facebook Group that’s dedicated to celebrating Jackson.
As of July 2024, the group has nearly 700 members and just like Jackson, it has no signs of slowing down.
“… I had no clue that it would grow – and to this level here,” said Jonesboro Mayor James Harris.
“It’s absolutely beautiful to see and as you follow the snake, each and every one is so different and unique, they’re all special,” said Sharon Dousay, a local artist.
“I’ve painted 90 [rocks] so far,” said resident, Tammy Sneed.
Since Fordham created the pet rock snake, the community has grown even closer.
“I have had the opportunity to meet people that I may know their name. I don’t know them by face,” Fordham said. “The mayor’s mother was here the other afternoon when I came here. She assisted me putting those signs out that day and we became good friends.”
Jackson may be made of stone, but it has a heart of gold in the eyes of its community.
To view the segment as aired click here.
NOTE: Special thanks to KNOE-TV for giving the Jackson Parish Journal permission to reprint the transcript and provide the link to the feature as aired.