Brookhaven residents and leaders gatheredThursday in Jackson for the annual Brookhaven Day at theCapitol.

    The event promotes awareness at the state legislature for theBrookhaven and Lincoln County area, said local chamber of commerceExecutive Vice President Cliff Brumfield.

    Chamber leaders as well as state and county representatives servedice cream to legislators, trying to meet as many of them aspossible.

    “We set up an old-fashioned ice cream shop,” Brumfield said.

    The group meets with the area’s local legislators but also tries tocontact as many lawmakers from other areas of the state aspossible.

    “We accomplished that,” the chamber leader said.

    About 30 local residents attended the event, deemed by Brumfield agood turnout.

    This year, the Brookhaven delegation didn’t have a specificlegislative goal.

    “So often we’ve been to the Legislature defending the school of thearts,” Brumfield said. “So far this year that has not come up, andwe don’t expect it to.”

    In addition to awareness-building, Brumfield described the event asan opportunity show appreciation for the efforts of statelawmakers.

    The local chamber of commerce has hosted the event for about 15years but the ice cream is relatively new, first introduced at lastyear’s Day at the Capitol. Brumfield said the ice cream went overso well then it was brought back again.

    Brumfield said many regional groups and some larger cities holdsimilar events, though Brookhaven is somewhat unique in hosting ownCapitol day rather than joining a regional one.

    “We are probably one of the few mid-sized communities that do italone,” Brumfield said.