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By NICHLOS CUTRELL | Special to the Selma Times-Journal

SELMA – The smell of shrimp and sausage filled the air downtown as the annual Shrimp Boil brought residents together for a day of good food, music and fellowship, all to support local scouting and community initiatives.

Event organizer Leith Wilson said the idea for the Shrimp Boil came from seeing how successful a similar fundraiser had been in Prattville. “We needed a way to raise some funds to support our local areas,” Wilson said. “I had seen one that they do in the Prattville area, and it had a lot of success and fellowship. It looked like a lot of fun, so I thought it would be a good way to get people involved, raise some funds and make people Moore aware of scouting in our area.”

Now several years in, the event has become a staple of Selma’s fall calendar, drawing regular sponsors and returning guests year after year. While to final fundraising totals are still being finalized, Wilson said this year’s numbers might be slightly lower than previous years due to fewer sponsors and some last-minute challenges.

Despite those challenges, Wilson said the community support remained strong. “Most of our sponsors have supported us every year,” he said. “Even if someone skips a year, they usually come back the next one. There’s always a lot of community support, people looking forward to it and asking, ‘when is it going to be?’ So they can plan for it.”

The Shrimp Boil is traditionally held on the second Saturday of October, a time Wilson said works best given the area’s busy fall schedule.

This year’s event featured live performances by Phillip Morgan and his friend Charlie, who have played for several years, as well as Jack Beard, one of Wilson’s scouts and a local musician. “A lot of people enjoyed hearing Jack play and seeing that connection to scouting,” Wilson said. “It really brought everything full circle.”

Wilson said one of his favorite moments came when a local family celebrated a birthday at the event. “We have a family that has come the past several years, and it always falls right around this young lady’s birthday,” he said. “They actually brought a birthday cake this year and celebrated her birthday at the Shrimp Boil. She says she looks forward to it every year. It’s always nice to see them again, it’s a great way to reconnect with people.”

Looking ahead, organizers plan to promote the event earlier next year to increase community awareness and attendance. “Our goal is to start late summer and get the word out so people can plan to be a part of it,” Wilson said.

While the shrimp may have been the main draw, Wilson said the true success of the event comes from the spirit of community behind it. “It’s just a great time for people to come together, support scouting and enjoy being part of something that makes Selma special,” he said.