Community entities joined forces and Mother Nature cooperated Tuesday and the result was the biggest-ever Brown Bag Around the Square.

The city of Troy, Troy State University, the Colley Senior Complex and the Pike County Chamber of Commerce worked together to make the first Brown Bag event of the spring a huge success.

Shelia Jackson, public relations director for the city of Troy, said a crowd, estimated at 150-plus, participated in the multi-purpose event.

&uot;The Downtown Revitalization Committee started the Brown Bag lunches several years ago and each year more and more people participate,&uot; Jackson said. &uot;This year, our first Brown Bag was also one of the kickoff events for Irish Week at Troy State University and in the city of Troy.&uot;

Jackson said the Colley Senior Complex supported both the Brown Bag event and Irish Week by sponsoring the Doors of Troy.

&uot;The idea for the Doors of Troy came from a Troy State University sponsored trip to Ireland,&uot; Jackson said. &uot;The Doors of Dublin is an event where doors are painted in artistic ways so that men coming home after an 'Irish' night can find their house by the brightly painted doors.&uot;

Professional artists, novices and students were invited to paint doors using their creative talents. The doors where donated to the Colley Senior Foundation to be sold to support the foundation.

&uot;The art work was absolutely fantastic,&uot; Jackson said. &uot;Everyone seemed to be really impressed by the talent of all of those participated - from the professionals to the students. The Doors of Troy were a great addition to Brown Bag.&uot;

The doors were judged and awards were presented in the three categories.

In the professional category, Brian Bellamere won first place; Mary Ann Casey took second place honors and Ann Gilchrist was third.

The judges were unable to come to a decision on a winner in the novice category. So, they declared a tie between Vickie Sanders and the trio of Allene Snider, Mert Thompson and Ellen Roling. Elaine Blair took second place honors and Sandra Butler, third.

In the student category, the Access Program at Charles Henderson Middle School was awarded first place. Covenant Christian School was second and Kasey Adams and Cari Shiver of Charles Henderson Middle School were third.

Mary Ann Casey, director of the Colley Senior Complex, expressed appreciation to all of those who donated their time and talent to the Doors of Troy project and invited everyone to stop by the senior center where the doors will be on display and for sale.

Jackson said the success of the Brown Bag Around the Square should carry over to the other &uot;bags&uot; throughout the spring.

&uot;The entertainment was outstanding,&uot; she said. &uot;The Dixie Cutups Barbershop Quartet, Joyce Dix and Johnny Barron and his group got us off to a great start,&uot; she said. &uot;We hope they will all be back to entertain at other Brown Bags this spring and we'll have other local talent as well.&uot;

Jackson expressed appreciation to everyone for making the Brown Bag event a success and encouraged everyone to support the Irish Week activities at Troy State.