Sages’ Trip to Memphis and beyond – April 2010

“A Lonely Life Ends on Elvis Presley Boulevard”
By Bobbe Moutray

…front page headline of the Memphis Press Scimitar on Wednesday, August 17, 1977. I know this. I lived not ten minutes away from “the house” as locals referred to Graceland, home of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Fast forward: Monday, April 19, 2010, a cool and overcast day didn’t deter a hale and hearty group of Sages and friends (mostly Elvis fans) from embarking on a whirlwind trip to Tunica, MS - casino capitol of the south –including tours of Memphis, Graceland and the burial site of the Presley family, St. Jude Children’s Hospital – where we delivered Healing Blankets on behalf of the Epiphany Community – Martin Luther King Memorial at Larraine Motel, Beale Street, home of the Blues, Smithsonian Rock ‘N’ Soul museum, and Tunica Museum, where we learned firsthand what life was like long before casinos arrived, and much more!!

Not to be outdone by Graceland was nightly gambling. Home for the duration was Terrace Tower at Harrah’s Casino Tunica. Of special note: we were required to evacuate our rooms at 2:00 AM our first night there! False alarm – what a welcome after an 8 ½ hr. drive!

First nights’ dinner and all subsequent breakfasts were not for the faint of heart or health conscious. Ever heard of Paula Deen of TV cooking fame? Her crews prepared all those scrumptious calorie “un-conscious” meals for us. Upon returning home, my scale was screaming, “Who ARE you, and what’ve you done with my owner?!”

We also visited the Gold Strike and Tunica Roadhouse casinos. Some gamblers pulled “all-nighters”, and eventually met up with us at breakfast (or not).

We laughed and learned so much! Won’t you consider joining us in the future?