Hometown Brandon - Spring 2016

volume 3 number 2 

spring 2016 

What Good is a Fly? 

______________________ 

the desire of our hearts 

______________________ 

A Path through the Storm 

______________________ 

Princess Ball

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Member SIPC 

2 • Spring 2016

Hometown Brandon • 3


Publisher & Editor 

Tahya Dobbs 

CFO 

Kevin Dobbs 

CONSULTing editor 

Mary Ann Kirby 

Account Executives 

Alicia Adams 

Rachel Lombardo 

Administrative Assistants 

Alisha Floyd 

Brenda McCall 

Staff Photographer 

Othel Anding 

Contributing 

Photographers 

Charla Jordan 

Layout Design & Production 

Daniel Thomas • 3dt 

Missy Donaldson • MAD Design 

Contributing Writers 

Camille Anding 

Jennifer Concalves 

Pam & Kevin Cooper 

Olivia Halverson 

Charla Jordan 

Mary Ann Kirby 

Nichole Robinson 

Suzanne Ross 

Lanette Williams 

I’ve never put much stock in that groundhog-shadow theory, but I do know 

the seasons are always reliable. They follow in sequence which means spring is 

coming! I remember when my kids were little and the winter clothes were 

replaced with Nike shorts and tank tops. It was an exciting time that meant 

trips to the park for a picnic, tennis matches, and baseball tournaments. 

However, the realization would always sink in that with every season change, 

there was also another chapter of life ending. 

The garden stores will soon start to fill with inventory. This issue’s Brandon 

Garden Club article will be especially interesting, now that gardeners can begin 

sharpening their tools. 

Spring always means new and we are introducing a new business– 

The Clubstore. Check out the bargains and the entrepreneurs behind them. 

We welcome them to Brandon! 

We’re delighted to show everyone glimpses of the Princess Ball. Parents 

of young girls that attended will want to peruse the pages in hopes of seeing 

their own little princesses on their very special evening. 

The story about The Arnolds is a true-life experience of a season darker 

and harsher than the most vicious winters of our lives. I assure you that you’ll 

be encouraged by their testimonies and the faith and hope that “spring” forth 

from God’s children. 

I wish all our advertisers a prosperous spring and the wonderful residents 

of Brandon a season of refreshing. 

www.facebook.com 

/hometownbrandonmagazine 

www.HTMags.com 

Contact us at 

info@htmags.com 

601.706.4059 

26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F 

Brandon, MS 39042 

• • • 

Hometown Brandon is published by Hometown 

Magazines. All rights reserved. No portion of 

Hometown Brandon may be reproduced 

without written permission from the publisher. 

The management of Hometown Brandon is not 

responsible for opinions expressed by its 

writers or editors. All communications sent to 

our editorial staff are subject to publication and 

the unrestricted right to be refused, or to be 

edited and/or editorially commented on. All 

advertisements are subject to approval by the 

publisher. The production of Hometown Brandon 

is funded by advertising. 

On the cover: Teresa & Jeff Arnold and son, Dean 

In this issue 

The Way We Were....................6 

Hall Bridal Luncheon ............... 1 0 

The Desire of Our Hearts............. 14 

A Path through the Storm .........22 

Clubstore Celebration .............. 26 

Hometown Love .................... 29 

What Good is a Fly ................. 30 

Princess Ball ....................... 36 

Everything's Coming Up Roses ..... 50 


The 

way 

we 

were. 

Mattie & Uriel Padgett 

Blind dates sometimes have “happily ever 

after” endings. Mattie and Uriel Padgett are one 

of those examples. In October of 1954, mutual 

friends arranged a blind date for Mattie, a rural 

Raleigh girl and Uriel, who was from Magee. 

Uriel liked Mattie so well that he asked 

her for a second date. She didn’t hesitate 

with a positive response because as Mattie 

remembered, “He was very nice, considerate 

and treated me like a lady.” 

Uriel knew he had done something right 

because she said yes to that request for a second 

date. He also earned perks by taking her to the 

movie, The Magnificent Obsession, starring Cary 

Grant. “I cried in the movie,” Mattie admitted, 

but from that first date, the two created their 

own magnificent obsession. 

After their fourth date, Uriel took a 

backwoods shortcut to his house but was run 

off the road by an oncoming, reckless driver. 

It was an ordeal to find a tractor and retrieve 

Uriel’s vehicle from the ditch in the dark. Since 

this was the era of limited land lines and no cell 

phones, Uriel wrote Mattie a letter and 

explained why he wouldn’t be able to see her 

sooner. Someone actually stole the letter out of 

the mailbox, so Mattie went for several days 

wondering about Uriel’s vanishing from her life. 

However, Uriel hadn’t forgotten Mattie and 

was soon back in contact and scheduling dates. 


In June of 1955, eight months after their first 

date, they said their wedding vows before 

family and friends at a modest wedding 

ceremony in Magee. 

In the sixty years that followed, they raised 

their children, Steve and Deborah, while Uriel 

climbed the military ladder in the Army 

National Guard from the rank of private to 

brigadier general. Even though his duties in 

the Special Forces kept him away from home a 

great deal, Mattie never complained. “Marriage 

is about giving and taking,” she said. 

When Uriel retired in 1989, they had an 

opportunity to travel abroad frequently until 

Uriel was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 

in October of 1999. 

Even though Parkinson’s is a debilitating 

disease, Uriel and Mattie continue with their 

marriage commitment of “for better or worse.” 

Mattie’s advice for newlyweds is to consider the 

marriage vows as a lifetime commitment to each 

other. Uriel nodded in agreement as they each 

continued to share the importance of their 

families and faith. 

The couple’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren 

are added joys to their lives, making 

Mamaw and Papaw two of their favorite names. 

Uriel refers to his girl grands as “Papaw’s little dolls.” 

In observing this kind and gentle couple, one 

can picture that first movie date causing tears, 

but for their own version of that movie, the joys 

have far outweighed the tears. 

“Marriage 

is about giving 

and taking ” 


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Hall 

Bridal 

Luncheon 

Wedding traditions set the theme for a bridal luncheon 

honoring Miss Katherine Counts Hall. Sprinkled rose petals 

led the guests to the entrance draped with garlands of 

magnolia entwined with gold lame, white ribbons and 

gold cherubs. A streamer penned by local artist Margaret 

Wright announced, “Here comes the bride.” 

An elaborate display of vintage cake toppers under glass 

domes and nosegays of roses and hydrangeas sat atop ivory 

wedding lace in the foyer. White doves and the menu card 

nestled among the flowers. 

The wedding gown of hostess, Claire Papizan and her 

mother’s vintage gown were displayed throughout the home 

with other venues of wedding lace and bridal accessories. 

The bride and bridesmaids’ table featured an arrangement 

of bride’s bouquets. White and coral roses and hydrangeas in 

silver tussie-mussies and wedding baskets covered an ivory 

lace runner draped to the floor. The bride’s chair was 

wrapped in ivory lace and a tussie-mussie of flowers hung 

from the back with a heart of pearls designed by a local artist. 

Guests’ chairs were tied with ivory lace sashes. 

On the dessert table, a silver tray held cupcakes decorated 

as white roses and placed together in the form of a wedding 

gown accented by an antique broach on an ivory ribbon sash. 

The cupcakes were later served in a swirl of Bailey’s Irish 

Cream Sauce sprinkled with raspberries and candied pecans 

topped with a white chocolate bride and groom candy. 

A new tradition was begun by Kate, who as a thank you 

to her hostesses made a donation in their name to Susan G. 

Komen Foundation. 



Flowers by Mary 

Mary Quinn • Owner 

Prom corsages & boutonnières available here. 

Remember Mother's Day, May 8th! 

395 Crossgates Blvd • Brandon MS • 601.825.0071 • 601.825.0072 • 1.800.270.7384 

Don’t Miss Our 

Next Issue 

June 2016 


A Community of Faith called to love others the way God loves us 

You’re invited on a 40-day journey 

to Encounter Jesus and change 

your heart and life forever. 

WORSHIP WITH US EACH SUNDAY 

8:30am & 10:30am 

Strength for the Journey @ 6:30pm 

join us the last week of Lent for 

March 20th thru 25th 

@ 6:30pm in the Sanctuary 

Sunrise Service at the 

Prayer Chapel @ 6:30am 

Followed by a fellowship Breakfast 

with the Easter Bunny 

And Easter Egg Hunt @ 9:15am 

10:30am– Worship Service 

23 Crossgates Drive | Brandon, MS 39042 

601.825.8677 | crossgatesumc.org 



Pam & Kevin Cooper 

Have you ever had the feeling that something was missing? 

That feeling that no else could possibly understand what you are going through. 

My husband Kevin and I experienced that emptiness during a season of marriage. 

We served at a church and were responsible for tons of students 

throughout the years. We attended every football game, show choir 

contest, beauty pageant – you name it. But there was something 

missing – our own child to love and support. We seem to be the 

parents of many but that did not take the place of having a child to 

call “Mini-Cooper.” 

We went through many appointments and surgical procedures 

that seemed fruitless. No one could answer our questions – even 

though many others had questions. Well meaning church members 

often asked about our situation and sometimes teased us not knowing 

how painful it was to be asked about our empty arms. Mother’s Day 

was the worst. I was asked year after year to sing the special. If only 

they knew how many tears were shed during that holiday and how 

hard it was to look out in the congregation at all of the mother’s 

holding their special blessings close. 

We went to several meetings and talked to people who had 

adopted. We were not totally sold on the idea of domestic adoption. 

There were so many questions we had even after all the seminars. 

We decided to investigate foreign adoption. Every day after work 

(I taught middle school music) I would head upstairs in our home 

and search the web for adoption agencies that offered foreign 

adoptions. I have always felt called to Asian children. 

One day I ran across an agency that offered foreign adoptions 

and they had something different – color pictures (remember, this 


was the beginning days of the internet.) Not only did they have color 

pictures but they also had pictures of children playing outside. That 

was practically unheard of. This was an American agency that offered 

foreign adoptions in a place called Kazakhstan. I had never heard of 

that before but it sounded like it was somewhere in Russia. I soon 

discovered it was one of the countries which developed after the 

USSR broke apart. 

While I was continuing my research, Kevin headed up the stairs 

to say his usual, “Whatcha doin?” I explained about the company 

and the adoption process with excitement. As he began to walk back 

downstairs he had one question: “How much?” After I shared the 

details he replied with, “In life, everyone has various seasons and this is 

not our season.” Just like a good submissive preacher’s wife I promptly 

turned around and quickly e-mailed every reference on the page. 

About ten minutes later I received a joyful response. The woman 

who replied shared about a Christian agency out of Georgia that had 

helped make her dreams come true. She gave me the name and 

number and also shared that the husband and wife team had also 

adopted two children from Kazakhstan themselves. I contacted 

them the next day. 

The company sent a package of information in January to start 

working on and I worked diligently to get every “i” dotted and “t” 

crossed. We sent our paperwork in hoping to meet all the requirements 

for recommendation. February of 2001 was a long waiting 

period, but towards the end of the month, our home-study agency 

called and said that a couple had considered us for a domestic 

adoption. I was filled with tons of questions and uncertainty. 

We met the couple and emotions were flying like crazy. We were 

so excited and then I began to start examining the situation. I was so 

confused and didn’t know which way to turn. I had already planned a 

getaway with my best friend Tanya to the beach and Kevin said, 

“Take off!” 


The weatherman had forgotten to tell Gulf Shores that it was 

spring break. It was freezing. I put on my sweats and started my 

lonely walk down the beach. Everything in my heart was so confusing 

to my mind and the longer I walked, the more confused I became. 

“Domestic or foreign – what was the answer Lord?” He had planted 

the seed in my heart and now with this domestic option – I just did 

not know anymore. “Just tell me Lord – what do you want me to do?” 

About that time a blonde haired couple came walking towards 

me swinging an Asian toddler’s tiny feet back and forth in the 

sand. I fell to my knees and wept. All I could say was “Thank you - 

thank you Lord.” Then I spent the next hour 

on the phone with Kevin. Things worked 

out because the couple changed their 

mind about giving their child up for 

adoption. God’s timing! We continued 

with the foreign adoption process. 

Everything had to be in and signed 

on our end by April. So we got busy. 

By the middle of April, we had all of our 

American documents signed and sealed. We just 

had to wait for the delivery and the return. We had 

to receive our passports and then send the entire dossier 

(fancy word for paperwork) to the Kazak embassy in New York in 

August. It was now just a matter of time and waiting . . . and waiting. 

We passed the time by keeping extremely busy. We worked on 

the nursery, had showers and planned youth events. We could not 

have completed this process without the help of our family, friends, 

and church family. They showered us with gifts and sky miles. They 

made donations to our cause and helped in every way they knew 

how to make our dreams come true. 

In July, our youth group traveled to Baltimore for a week of 

mission work. I planned the youth choir performances and Kevin 

worked on everything else from A to Z. While we were there, we 

received an unexpected surprise. Our agency called and said they 

were emailing us a picture of our little girl! I was thrilled, but 

confused as to how we were going to receive it. At that time, we did 

not carry computers with us. Kevin was loading up one of the VBS 

sites and did not answer his phone. I ran downstairs and the young 

lady working said they did have one computer that had internet access, 

but I would have to stand in line. There was already a gentleman 

on-line so I went back upstairs and waited for a bit and continued to 

call Kevin. I went downstairs several times within the hour. The last 

time I went downstairs it was after 9:00 P.M. and Kevin walked in 

the front door. I told him what was happening and then I couldn’t 

“Just tell me Lord 

- what do you 

want me to 

do?” 

stand it any longer. The same gentleman had been on the computer 

the entire time so I said, “Excuse me sir. We are in the process of 

adopting a child and they are trying to send us a picture on the 

internet and this is the only access we have to a computer.” He said, 

“Oh, I apologize. This can wait.” 

We sat at the computer for what seemed to be an eternity. We 

watched as it took about a minute per line to print out. It started at 

her forehead and continued slowly down the page. Kevin said, “I think 

we are adopting Richard Nixon” by the time her eyebrows appeared 

on the page. There she was – all 6 pounds of her. Her name was 

Meureurt. We thought you pronounced it 

Meroot and knew that had to change! We 

decided on Shelby McLaurin to honor 

both of our mothers. Many people 

still believe we named her after the 

Mustang because of Kevin’s obsession. 

We knocked on a few doors and spread 

the word to meet downstairs. We shared 

our news with about eighty of our closest 

friends that night. Our excitement was 

unexplainable! 

A couple of weeks after our return our passports arrived. 

We sent everything we had worked so hard on for eight months 

to New York for the final seals. I think this was the longest waiting 

period of all. We received our date to travel September 22, 2001. 

We anticipated the arrival of this date until….. 

Kevin awoke very early the morning of September 11th because 

he needed to make the flight arrangements. He spent the morning 

on the phone with the airlines getting everything purchased and 

squared away. Meanwhile, I went to school and met my first class. 

After the bell rang for second block, the students left but none came 

back in for the next class. I was out in the choir room which is 

separate from the building. There was no one in the halls. All of the 

televisions in the classes were on and the students were staring at 

the screens. I saw smoke on one of the screens and asked what was 

happening. The teacher said, “Terrorist attack in New York. The 

World Trade Center is gone and most of the places in the surrounding 

area.” I was panic stricken. I had no idea where the Kazak embassy 

was located but I imagined the worst. At that point I was not thinking 

about the loss of lives or the horrible situation at hand, but selfishly 

thinking, “Please God do not let it be the embassy. Please do not let 

us lose everything.” 

I ran to the counselor’s office. It was like they were waiting for 

me. I called Kevin and he couldn’t get through to our agency. Our 


company had couples abroad and they were worried that air travel 

would be shut down. They were trying to expedite their trip home. 

We felt helpless. 

They were right. International travel had been shut down for the 

time being. This meant our trip was on hold. That night I went to 

Shelby’s room and held the Kazak doll I had ordered. I rocked back 

and forth holding that baby and sang the first song that came to mind: 

“Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moon light, someone’s 

thinking of me and loving me tonight.” There were too many things 

going through my head. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. No one 

knew what to say. 

A week later they lifted the travel ban and our trip was on again. 

However, the intensity of the trip was really hard to put into words. 

We arrived at the airport with a group of students and friends who 

prayed with us there and back. Our flight was to Germany and then 

on to Almaty, Kazakhstan. Military personnel was located everywhere 

with machine guns strapped across their bodies. Kevin looked at 

every person that loaded the plane. He already had practiced his plan 

of attack in case he needed to take charge. As we flew into the dark 

– literally there are no lights on the landing strip – all we could see 

were the two little orange lights that brought us in to the airport. We 

exited and it was like the Shawshank redemption – you couldn’t see 

where you were being led and everything was silent. We went through 

security and had to point to the thousands of dollars we had taped to 

our bodies. I had never felt that nervous before. There was a driver 

waiting for us that took us through an alley. We jumped into an 

old-school BMW and flew to our apartment. It was pitch black. 

The driver held a flashlight at the bottom of the stairs so that we 

could see how to climb. Scary times full of faith! 

The next morning we were greeted by our semi-sweet translator, 

Alona. She seemed to like me but did not appreciate Kevin’s humor. 

We had a five-hour flight to the city where Shelby was born. The 

flight to Kokshetau was bumpy but we were both so excited we didn’t 

mind. We arrived at the baby house and walked through a hallway 

filled with women in bathrobes. The baby house provides postnatal 

care for young moms giving their children up for adoption. If the 

baby is not adopted by twelve months of age, he/she will then go to 

an orphanage. 

And then the big moment arrived. They had put Shelby in a 

cradle by herself so that we could have that “special moment.” In the 

room, a radio was playing an American pop song, “True” by Spandau 

Ballet (which is now her song.) She was on her side propped up on 

her arm and looked over our shoulder as if to say, “Can I help you?” 

Then, I picked up our daughter. She did not smile but it did not 

matter. I just thought she was not accustomed to having company. 

She looked at us with questions in her eyes and we savored each 

moment. 

I inquired about her name to our interpreter and she shared with 

me that was a very common name in their country. However, they 

called her something else since there were so many little girls with that 

name in the baby house. They called her “Rosa” because she was the 

tiniest flower in the nursery. I got cold chills. My middle name is Rose. 

We flew back to Almaty and the next two weeks were heaven 

– no phone, no schedule, and no expectations. We played with 

stacking cups and walked to the Tsum store for groceries. We looked 

at the delicious goat heads available for dinner in the meat departments. 

We even enjoyed a horse burger from the local McDonald’s. 

We watched people ice skate and Kevin struck up a close relationship 

with our driver, Alex. He had once been a sniper in the Soviet army. 

We drove to look at the Himalaya’s and Alex explained how close we 

were to Afghanistan. He and Kevin planned a day to visit the 

mosques before we left. 

We visited our in-country attorneys – three sisters that ran the 

show. They were precious and ate Shelby up. Our court date was 

approaching and the doctor and the court representative decided 

that they would fly over instead of asking us to fly back to Kokshetau. 

What a blessing. 

The morning of court, Alex arrived and we met Alona there. She 

told us not to say a word – let her do the talking. That was all fine and 

good until the judge walked in the room. She had on three different 

patterns that jumped out at you and blue and green eye shadow up 

to her forehead. Kevin said, “Hey, doesn’t she remind you of MiMi 

on the Drew Carey Show?” Alona did not find that humorous and 

promptly told him to hush. All went perfectly and we went to 

celebrate at an Irish Pub. 

That night Shelby did not sleep. She screamed her head off and 

bit my shoulder. Little did I know that a six-month old could cut 

teeth. I froze an apple and cut it into chunks. She finally went to 

sleep about 1:30 a.m. We were exhausted. We laid down and finally 

went sound to sleep. Then about 3:00 a.m. our emergency satellite 

cell phone rang. We both jumped up and started looking for it. It 

was a friend from Brandon informing us that the US had begun 

bombing Afghanistan. 

Our agency decided to expedite our trip and we were sent into a 

whirlwind. We had to go to the embassy and get everything stamped 

in order to leave the country. We talked to our agency and they gave 

us the details. For our safety and before they shut down international 

travel again, they wanted to get us out of there. Kevin asked Alex if 

they were still going to visit the mosque, but Alex said, “It would not 

be wise to take an American in there right now.” 


After a quick 24-hour stop in Moscow, we caught our flight for 

New York. 13 hours in the air with a teething six month old was 

taxing. With our flight times changed it was a literal miracle that we 

made it through customs at JFK Airport in New York to catch our 

connecting flight to Atlanta, then on to Jackson. Shelby was a 

screaming mess until we got in the air leaving Atlanta. After that 

she was as calm as could be, sleeping most of the way. 

We changed her into jeans and a sweatshirt with a heart shaped 

American flag on the front, and we were ready to introduce her to her 

new world in Mississippi. Even with the tight post 9-11 security, over 

200 friends and family along with a news camera crew and several 

irritated airport security guards greeted us upon arrival in Jackson. 

The next few weeks were filled with visitors from near and far. 

Shelby became an “honorary” Brandon High School cheerleader in 

the fall of 2001! 

As we look back, the journey that we thought had taken forever is 

such a short time in the big scheme of things. Our Kazak journey 

lasted nine months. Ironic, huh? There are no coincidences in this 

life. We were looking at our time instead of God’s time. His timing 

is perfect. His grace is sufficient and His love is immeasurable. 

We now have three children, Breckyn (10), Shelton (8), and 

Shelby (15), and are so blessed to share God’s love with them. Kevin, 

the former youth minister at FBC Brandon is now pastor at Grace 

Crossing and I serve as a counselor at StoneBridge. We are so 

incredibly thankful God’s provisions. But mostly we thank our 

Lord that he gave us the opportunity to “bring up a child in the way 

they (she) should go”—who may have never heard the true meaning 

of life through His death and resurrection. We love you Angel 

Princess and we praise the Lord for His goodness and grace! n 

__________________________________________________ 

There is more to the story! Many miracles and details we’d love to 

share. Watch for the release of our book The Desire of our Hearts: 

Shelby’s Story in 2016. You can keep up with the Cooper’s on Facebook, 

and at our church web site www.Gracecrossingmadison.org 




A Path 

through 

the 

Storm 



“Lord! 

You’ve 

got to do 

something!” 

I cannot live with this much pain,” Teresa 

Arnold remembers crying out to God the 

morning of her daughter’s visitation. Teresa 

and Jeff along with their second grader son, 

Dean, were in the middle of a storm they 

never imagined possible. 

The young family had joined other 

family and friends at Teresa’s dad’s birthday 

party the Saturday afternoon before 

Mother’s Day in 2005. In mere seconds, 

their twenty-two-month-old daughter’s 

life was over. In a freak accident, a vehicle 

backed over her and, in an instant, Tess 

was dead. 

Tears were still a part of the conversation 

when Teresa recalled the pain deeply 

etched in their lives. Immediately after 

the accident, Jeff rushed to their young son 

to protect him from erasable memories 

while Teresa rushed to their daughter. 

Instead of hysteria, Teresa remembers being 

engulfed in a “bubble of peace.” “It was 

beautiful; I have never felt that much love. 

Suddenly I knew she had left this great love 

from her family to go to the greatest love.” 

Even without the speed of social media, 

news traveled to over 200 people who 

filled the corridors at the emergency room. 

Tony Lambert, their Crossgates pastor at 

the time, was part of the group that circled 

and comforted the Arnolds with love and 

prayers. “And our friends still minister to 

us,” Teresa said through her radiant smile. 

Teresa tried to articulate the indescribable 

pain at the visitation. As she asked 

God how she could live in the ocean of 

grief that seemed to be drowning her, she 

saw the person at the front of the winding 

line of sympathizers. It was Myra Penn, 

now one of her heroes. Neither Jeff nor 

Teresa had met her, but she answered the 

question that Teresa had asked God that 

morning. 

Myra said, “I know you don’t know 

me, but you’re not going to hurt like this 

forever.” She spoke from assurance. She, 

too, had lost a child. 

All three members of the Arnold 

family have earned powerful testimonies 

during this storm. Teresa, who was called 

into ministry at Crossgates Baptist in the 

years that followed the accident and is now 

part of a team that encourages and helps 

hurting people through the difficulties of 

life, speaks with bold confidence in the 

strength of God’s love. “When you have 

a deep pain, it exposes things. It’s like a 

spiritual halt in your life. God’s hand goes 

deep into areas of your being where no 

surgeon’s hands can go. Our dependency, 

faith and trust grew in the Lord. We 

would have missed why we were planted 

on this earth if we had not gone through 

that. Our focus had been on self and 

careers, but God used what the enemy 

did to get our heads on straight,” she said. 

Jeff and Dean nodded in agreement. 

Jeff continued, “We’re not the same 

people we used to be.” He shared that the 

pain is most raw on Mother’s Day and 

baby dedications. “There are still highs 

and lows,” he added. “But God is sovereign, 

and you will come through it a different 

person – bitter or better.” 

Dean, a freshman at Delta State, gave 

an older brother’s prescription for dealing 

with heartache: “Grab a helmet and your 

Bible. It’s a rough ride.” 

They recall difficult questions – like 

“how many children do you have?” They 

testify to the power of healing in the 

devotional book, Streams in the Desert. 

They give advice as to what NOT to say 

to the grieving: “I know how you feel,” 

and “It’s gonna be okay.” 

The Arnold family still keeps the boxes 

of letters and cards from all over the U.S. 

that arrived after the funeral due to CNN 

covering the tragedy. Teresa said, “Even 

after we are gone, we live on here. Tess’s 

purpose and plan are still working in 

peoples’ lives. Thirty people were saved at 

her funeral service, and God continues to 

use her life to soften hearts and bring 

them home.” 

All three Arnolds are too familiar with 

grief and its attacks. Teresa explained, 

“Grief sneaks from behind – never face 

to face. Yes, you have a free hall pass to 

walk out of Kroger and leave your basket 

at the checkout when grief gives you a 

blow to the back.” 

She shared how she would go to the 

grocery and ask God to go down every 

aisle with her because she never knew 

when grief would strike or when she’d 

meet someone that would trigger more 

pain. Then she added with that “Jesus 

smile” how grief had taught her the truth 

of desiring God’s presence whether in 

joy or sorrow. 

The tight threesome have also learned 

that healing continues as you pour out 

what the Lord has done in your life – like 

a boomerang – coming to you and healing 

deep in every crevice. 

Tessa Caroline Arnold’s earthly body 

rests in Lakewood Cemetery. Romans 

8:28 is inscribed on her tombstone. Her 

family knows they will all be reunited 

someday, but until then, they illuminate 

the path of grief in life’s storms so that 

others will travel and find comfort. n 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28 



andon Exchange Club 

Step-Change Ball 

A 

pril 1, 2016, The Mississippi Exchange Clubs’ Step-Change Ball will be held at the 

Brandon Municipal Civic Center from 6:00-10:30 p.m. A silent auction will be 

presented from 5:45-6:15. The Exchange Club of Crossgates, Northwoods, and Jackson 

will host the event. The tax deductible charitable event benefits the clubs’ child abuse 

prevention centers affiliated with National Exchange Club, Inc. 

Guests will be treated to a catered dinner by Pretty Presentations Catering. A speaker 

will present on the need to curb the rise in child abuse in the community and the state. 

Dance Showcases will be presented by Jim Frechette’s Applause Dance Factory and other 

featured professional performers. Pianist Tommie Vaughn and Kathy King’s Zumba Group 

will delight the crowd prior to social dance music by David Steele’s Solid Steele Sounds. 

In 2015, Brandon Mayor Butch Lee awarded the Exchange Club of Crossgates a certificate 

of recognition for its 39 years of service. A proclamation was presented acknowledging the 

volunteer group for its unselfish work through programs of service in Americanism, community 

service, youth activities, and its national project of preventing child abuse. 

Tickets will be available on February 1, 2016 and camera ready ads for the brochures can be presented by March 1. 

For information, contact Clarice Baker or Stan Martin at 601-937-1301. 



celebration 


Crossgates Village shopping center will 

soon be home to the first-of-its-kind business 

in Mississippi. The concept for Clubstore 

Outlet originated in South Carolina, but 

Brandon will be the home for the first real 

model and will be considered the flagship 

store for this franchise. 

David Neeley of Brandon, along with 

his business partner, Chad Mains, bought the 

franchise development rights for Mississippi. 

This first Mississippi store in the 12,000 

square foot building is being designed and 

stocked for its anticipated February 27th 

grand opening. 

The chain store will carry overstock items 

from stores such as Costco, Macy’s, Target, 

and Home Depot. The inventory will include 

small appliances, TVs, clothing, bedding, 

housewares, non-perishable food items, and 

patio furniture. “This is not a salvage store,” 

David reiterated. Customers will find brand 

new, name brand items discounted 30 to 

90%. Shipments arrive weekly on average 

to replenish merchandise, and there’s no 

membership fee. 

David, originally from Memphis, met his 

future wife, Amy Purser, seventeen years 

ago at a church retreat when Amy was in 

the process of moving from Brandon to 

Memphis. After their marriage, it appeared 

that David’s successful business career in 

insurance would meet all the young 

family’s needs. 

When their second child, Georgia, was 

born with a brain tumor that triggered up 

to thirteen seizures a day, all of David’s 

priorities shifted. He realized that being 

a successful husband and father far 

outweighed any business achievements. 

The faith of Amy and David was tested 

when Georgia underwent brain surgery at 

three months old. David recalls her doctor 

calling it “a last ditch effort.” Twenty-five 

percent of her brain had to be removed. 

Today, Georgia is a healthy sevenyear-old 

with zero abnormalities from the 

surgery or the stroke that she survived 

during the operation. David calls it a 

modern day miracle from God. 

After that life-changing experience for 

their family of four, David and Amy wanted 

to raise their children in a small town. Amy 

believed her hometown of Brandon was 

the perfect choice. David chose another 

business, a cookie franchise, which 

allowed him to be home every night with 

his family that’s called Brandon home for 

the last eight years. 

Clubstore Outlet may not be another 

family miracle, but it will definitely impact 

families and the local economy. Since the 

Brandon store is the model for the next 

1000 stores that the franchise anticipates 

opening in the next five to ten years, 

David’s team, selected to build the model, 

will continue to work in all future stores. 

Mississippi Valley Electric will provide 

fixtures and lighting, Pollchaps will design 

the wall graphics and signs, and David 

Olier with Travelers Insurance will cover 

the stores’ insurance needs. Van Croxton, 

a friend of David’s, helped with the store’s 

layout and designs and was asked to 

implement his design skills in future stores. 

The entire corporate staff of Clubstore 

Outlet and investors from all over the 

country will be at the grand opening as this 

will be the official launch of the franchise 

brand. David added that any future 

franchise owners would be visiting the 

Brandon store to see how their own 

investment would be designed. 

David and Amy, along with their four 

children, are happy to call Brandon their 

hometown and The Pointe their church. 

From the description of Clubstore Outlet, 

the residents of Brandon and surrounding 

communities will be wanting to say to the 

Neelys, “Welcome and thank you.” 



A 

Knightly 

Affair 

Nichole Robinson 

After studying the culture and traditions of the medieval 

period and preparing coats of arms, toasts and outfits, the 

members of the senior class of 2016 were finally ready to 

assume their roles of ladies and lords of Brandon High School. 

Medieval Festival, a 20-year tradition started by Jimmie Canterbury and Beth 

Colbert in 1995, has become a rite of passage at BHS. As Ms. Canterbury said of 

the evolving of the festival, “We started doing six individual festivals for each class 

period of the day with the foods and nutrition classes cooking and serving the seniors 

King James Stew. Within three years we saw the need to have a festival in true spirit 

of Middle Ages England that united the class as a whole. And so it began…” 

With tradition on their side, the knights, squires, jesters, monks, lords and ladies of 

2016 flooded the halls to parade before the underclassmen. As trumpeters announced 

their arrival on each hallway, seniors reminisced about the memories made in these 

halls that they will soon leave. 



Following the parade, shouts of triumph sounded in the courtyard as the seniors 

prepared to watch the catapulting of the medieval trebuchets. Mrs. Cox’s physics 

students dissected the science behind the medieval weapons and built the large trebuchets 

as well as operated them the day of festival. In true medieval fashion, the exuberant 

cheers rang loudly for successful launches, as did the booing for short distance trebuchets. 

After parading and enjoying a medieval sporting atmosphere, the royalty of the day 

were heralded into the Mead Hall’s castle front by trumpeters for an afternoon of feasting 

and fellowship. As John Stowers entered, he remarked, “Walking into the room and 

seeing all the decorations was like stepping in the past with my classmates and realizing 

it was our last chance together as one.” As the lords and ladies mingled in the banquet 

hall by candlelight finding their rightful places at the table, the ceremony began. 

One tradition is to declare a knight and a lady for the class. Students studied the 

code of chivalry and learned that a medieval knight lived by a moral code where 

bravery, kindness, honor, humbleness, reverence and respect for women were all 

cornerstone beliefs. A knight swore to be loyal and to make the world a safer and 

better place by looking out for those who couldn’t take care of themselves. When 

a knight was dubbed, a chosen lady stood beside him. She was gentle, kind and pure 

in heart - a reminder of the goodness in the world he was to fight for. 

Based on the medieval qualities of the knight and lady, Joshua Williamson and 

Lakia Taylor were chosen to represent the Class of 2016 to serve as a reminder of the 

need for more knightly qualities in the world today. Senior English teachers, Lady 

Baker, Lady Bartling, Lady Faulkner, Lady McKay and Lady 

Robinson, offered a medieval blessing charging the seniors of 

Brandon High School to go out with the spirit of knights and 

ladies, fighting for the goodness in the world. 

Sir Joshua and Lady Lakia then led their class in the reciting 

of a creed that knights lived by in the 14th century. In unison, the 

class recited the Pledge of the Order of the Oak, and then the 

feast commenced. 

With happy hearts and full stomachs, the Class of 2016 toasted 

to the memories of the past and the opportunities of the future. 



H o m e t o w n L o v e 

brandon 

Derrick Thurman 

Written by Olivia Halverson 

Derrick Thurman is an acclaimed member of 

the Brandon community. He grew up in Brandon, 

attended Brandon schools, and worked for the 

city for twenty-eight years. He has seen Brandon 

grow and flourish, and anxiously awaits the city’s 

promising future. 

Like many young boys in Brandon, Derrick 

spent several Friday nights at Louis Gene 

Strickland football field as a linebacker fighting 

for a Bulldog victory. Even in his youth, Derrick 

was a hard worker who never turned down a 

challenge. Derrick learned a lot from his high 

school football experience. Coach Tommy Henry 

was an important mentor to him. “I have a lot of 

respect for that man,” Derrick explained. “He was 

just one of those father figures on the team.” 

From football, Derrick learned how to be a man 

and how to be a team player. 

Derrick carried those attributes into 

adulthood. After graduating high school, Derrick 

signed up to go into the U.S. Army. Upon doing 

this, a friend informed Derrick of a job opening 

with the city of Brandon’s Parks and Recreation. 

The job was for labor, and Derrick enjoyed 

working hard and being outdoors. He decided to 

forego the military and apply for the job. Derrick 

got his first official job cutting grass and 

landscaping for the city of Brandon. 

Derrick’s dedication did not go unnoticed. He 

quickly moved up the ladder and became a 

supervisor for the city. For the last seventeen 

years, Derrick was in charge of cemeteries, 

flowerbeds, Shiloh Park and other small parks 

throughout the city. He never had a typical 

nine-to-five kind of job. Instead of having regular 

hours, Derrick remained on-call. His phone 

would ring constantly with calls from the mayor, 

public works, and parks and recreation. 

Whenever the weather got bad, Derrick’s phone 

rang even more. He was always called out after 

tornadoes and storms to assess damage and 

develop a plan of action for the city. 

Of all the jobs Derrick had over the years, he 

never favored one over the other. Every task he 

was given, Derrick would take and do to the best 

of his ability. In his vocabulary, Derrick does not 

believe in the words “can’t do.” He says, “I loved a 

challenge and still do today.” Goal-minded and 

self-motivated, Derrick always sought to figure 

things out and solve problems. These are the 

qualities that made Derrick such an extraordinary 

asset to Brandon, Mississippi. 

As of January 1, 2016, Derrick has retired from 

his job with the city. While the reality of his 

retirement has not yet set-in, he is contented to 

spend more time with his family and church 

congregation. Derrick also looks forward to 

having more time to enjoy his hobbies. He loves 

to hunt, fish, garden, and cook. 

From time to time, Derrick will come across 

former employees. They reflect on their days of 

working together. Those memories never fail to 

put a smile on Derrick’s face. To Derrick, Shiloh 

Park was practically a second home because his 

work brought him there so often. He made great 

friends at Shiloh, friends he now considers family. 

As a 47-year resident of this city, Derrick has been 

a part of incredible progress and development in 

Brandon. He believes in the direction Brandon is 

moving toward, and looks forward to seeing more 

growth in the future. He truly loves his hometown 

of Brandon, Mississippi. 


34 • Spring 2016 

What Good is a Fly? 

Jennifer Goncalves

So why write about a fly? 

Well, it ’s not about a fly–not really, anyway. 

So maybe we all don’t sit around pondering the purpose of a fly, 

as does the title of my children’s book. But no doubt, we have all at 

some point, questioned our purpose. 

As Christians we are taught to believe that God created each of 

us as a unique masterpiece. There is no one in the world like me; 

there is no one in the world like you. Yet, we all seem to struggle at 

times finding our place. It would be so much easier if, when we are 

born, God would deliver along with us a blueprint that spells out 

exactly who we are and what we are to become. But then again, if 

this was the case, there would be no need for faith. And isn’t that 

what the journey is all about? 

My journey of faith has taken me in several different directions. 

People ask what I do, and I tell them it depends on the day and 

the time. I moved from our hometown of Brandon to Nashville, 

Tennessee, in 2000 to work in the music business. I still love the music 

industry, but I’ve also been introduced to many new adventures 

along the way. Somedays I’m the lead vocalist of a rock band. On 

others I’m a pre-school music teacher, or a vocal coach, a grad student, 

or my latest venture–a children’s book author. Basically, I’m all over 

the place! Yet each of these roles somehow work together to create 

the “masterpiece” (I’m still a work in progress!) God made in me. 

My children’s book, “What Good is a Fly?” is really a culmination 

of my background. This past December I graduated from the 

University of Southern Mississippi with my master’s degree in child 

and family studies. I have always wanted to write a children’s book, 

and the opportunity arose with the university in authoring this 

book for my final project. I was blessed to have the guidance of 

professors, Dr. Claire Kimberly and Dr. Amanda Williams throughout 

the publication. 

So why write about a fly? Well, it’s not about a fly–not really, 

anyway. Like all good ideas, the inspiration for this book came not 

from me, but from a higher power. One Sunday, my pastor back 

in Gallatin, Tennessee was preaching a sermon on purpose. As I 

mentioned, it’s something we all struggle with, and so he was asking 

if we really ever thought about the purpose behind some of God’s 

creatures. He said, “Have you ever thought, what good is a fly? 

I mean really, what purpose does a fly have?” I had an “ah-ha” 

moment. I thought, “Wow, that really sounds like a children’s book.” 

The idea was born. I came home from church and had a rough 

draft within an hour. That’s not to say all great literary works are 

completed in an hour. I still had several revisions and worked to 

incorporate music as well as current child theory, but the bones 

(or in this case, wings) were there. 


“What Good is a Fly” is a Christian-themed book geared to the 

ages of 3-8 years. I specifically tailored the writing of this book to suit 

the early ages. My interest in family science has always been drawn 

to the early childhood and elementary school years. Research 

continues to mount in evidence as to the massive amount of learning 

and development that takes place in the first few years of life. It boils 

down to this–start strong, and they will finish strong. 

Today we live in a fast-paced, ever-changing world, and I believe 

the question of purpose becomes even more challenging for children 

to navigate. Parents are busy working; children are heavily scheduled 

as they shuttle from sports practice, piano lessons, and tutors. Social 

media is constantly projecting the ideal image and lifestyle (yes, 

your little three-year old is subject to and absorbing this information). 

This is not to say any of these activities are to be avoided. Welcome 

to life! It just means our job of laying the foundation, ensuring 

children are secure and on their way to becoming all God wants 

them to be, is all the more challenging. My hope is that this book 

can be used to spark conversation between parents and children 

about their uniqueness. 

Collectively the publication process from draft to shelf was a 

year. Although I had my story, I knew the success of this project was 

heavily contingent on the illustrator. So where in the world would 

I find an illustrator? Wouldn’t you know professional artist, Megan 

Watkins just happened to start in the USM family studies program 

that fall. Megan received her M.A. ED in art education from the 

University of Georgia. It has been a wonderful collaboration, and 

I am happy to have her as part of the project. 

Since music is my passion, I have to admit this was my favorite 

part of the book process. The storyline was written to have rhyme, 

rhythm, and an accompanying song throughout. Music is a wonderful 

tool in teaching early literacy skills. Here’s where my background in 

Mike Goncalves who played a huge role in the composition of the 

song. He also served as producer in the recording studio. Some of 

my vocal students: Jordan, Kirsten, Lexi, and Lizzie were eager to go 

into the studio to help bring the audio to life. Our evening of 

recording with pizza and lots of laughter made this one of my 

favorite memories. 

Of course along with the story, illustrations, and music comes the 

actual publication process. I sought assistance in formatting the book 

for production through Amazon as well as digital formatting for Kindle. 

This was the most difficult part of the process since this was new 

territory for me. Thank goodness others are blessed with the gift of 

navigating Photoshop and publishing specs. I don’t think that is part 

of my “masterpiece blueprint.” Setback and learning curves aside, 

“What Good is a Fly?” was officially released on November 1st, 2015 

–National Family Literacy Day! 

I am overwhelmed by the positive response from this book. 

Since its release, I have enjoyed the book signings and meeting so 

many young readers. My Brandon signing in mid-December was such 

a highlight. I got to meet the faces of many of my own childhood 

friend’s children. 

And I would certainly like to thank the city of Brandon. I have 

been gone for over a decade, but I can always come home and still 

feel like part of the community. Brandon will always hold a special 

place in my heart, and I am forever grateful for our “hometown” 

community of support. 

So what’s next? I have had many ask about more books. Yes, I have 

a few ideas brewing. Maybe I’ll write more books, maybe I’ll go on 

tour, or maybe I’ll go to post-graduate school. It’s still goes back to 

the question of purpose, doesn’t it? For now, I’ll pray about it and 

see where my journey of faith takes me. I wish you the best in your 

own journey. 

the music business could be put to use. I have to thank my husband, 

“For we are God’s masterpiece, He has created us anew in Christ 

so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” 

~ Ephesians 2:10 

“What Good is a Fly?” is currently available in print and eBook through Amazon. 

The audio download can be found on Amazon and iTunes. It will be available in iBooks through Apple this spring. 



BRANDON PUBLIC LIBRARY 

1475 W. GOV. ST • (601) 825-2672 • brandonatcmrls.lib.ms.us 

March-April-May Events 

Friday, April 22 - 10am-5pm BOOK SALE! It’s the Spring Sale! 

Sponsored by the Friends of the Brandon Library 

Tuesday, April 26 - 10am-8pm is Bag Day ($5 a bag or $10 a box) 

Saturday, April 23 - 10am-4pm Spring at Your Library 

Antique Car Show 

If you would like to display your antique car, please call 601-825-2672 or 

email brandon@cmrls.lib.ms.us. There is no charge to display. 

Shred Day-New Service 

Introducing a new service provided by the Friends of the Brandon Library. 

We will have a public shredder available for our patrons to use. Bring your 

items that need to be shredded. The shredder will be available free for 

you to use here in the library. If you want to take your shreds home, there 

will be a $1 fee for the bag. 

Weekly Events 

Mondays - 10:30am Toddler Time 

Come join us for stories. Songs and finger plays for ages 0-2 years. 

Mondays 6pm Dulcimer Group Bring your dulcimer and let’s jam. 

Tuesdays 9am Computer Classes Free. Pre-registration requested. 

March 1, 8, 15, 22 Application Classes Word, Excel, Power Point 

March 29 eBooks and Freegal Music: Learn how to use the CMRLS 

ebooks system for ebooks and audio books. Learn how to download 

free music from our website using Freegal. 

April 5, 12, 19 Basic Computer Classes 

May 3, 10, 17, 24 Application Classes – Word, Excel, Power Point 

Tuesdays - 4pm Kid Connection 

1st and 3rd Tuesdays - Grades K-5 afterschool story and craft hour. 

2nd and 4th Tuesdays - Chess Club for K-6. 

Wednesdays - 10:30am and Thursdays - 10:30 Preschool Story Time 

Songs, stories, and crafts for preschoolers aged 3-5. 

Thursdays - 1pm BYOP - Bring Your Own Project 

Weekly daytime crafting group. 

Thursdays - 6pm Creative Crafters Join us as we learn and craft together. 

Fridays - 10am-2pm AARP Foundation Tax-Aid 

Free in-person tax preparation service. Sign-in sheet will be placed on 

the door of the library at 5pm. March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15 

Monthly Events and Meetings 

First Monday of the month 

Brandon Quilters Cozy up with the Brandon Quilters for their meeting. 

Second Monday of the month 

Brandon Book Club - 10:30am Stop by and discuss this month’s book. 

March 14 Brimstone by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child 

April 11 Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarity 

May 9 Nemesis by Jo Nesbo 

Beading Class - 4pm & 6pm Please register. 

March 14 Purple/Crystal Bracelet - $6 supply fee. 

April 11 Recycled Magazine Necklace - $4 supply fee. 

May 9 Gunmetal Metallic Ladder bracelet - $5 supply fee. 

Second and fourth Mondays of the month 

Extra-Ordinary Writers’ Club - 6pm 

Join other local writers as we get together, read each other’s work, and 

help each other improve. This group is open to teens and young adults. 

*In May, Writers’ Club meets May 11 and 18. 

Second Tuesdays of the month 

Friends of the Brandon Library Meeting - 6pm 

Second and fourth Tuesdays of the month 

Adult Chess Club-Free Play - 6pm 

We will be honing our chess playing skills. Come join us. 

Third Tuesday of March and May 

Rankin County Historical Society/ Brandon Genealogical & Historical 

Society March 15 & May 17 - 7pm Join us for History and fellowship. 

Refreshments provided. For more info contact brgen@cmrls.lib.ms.us. 

First Wednesday of the month 

Gardening at Your Library - 10:30am 

Gardening at its best. Sponsored by the Master Gardeners. 

Beginner’s Genealogy Club - 10:30am 

Learn with a small group how to begin a family tree, organize materials, 

discuss the latest genealogy topics and get the most out of the best 

websites. 

Duplo Blocks Free Play - 11:30am Come join the fun - ages 3-5. 

Second Wednesday of the month 

V.V.A. Meeting - 10:30am Join local veterans for their monthly meeting. 

First Thursday of the month 

Genealogy Club - 10:30am Genealogy topics and assistance. 

Coin Club - 6pm Love old and new currency? Join the Brandon Coin Club 

for our monthly meeting. 

Second Thursday of the month 

Lego Free Play - 3pm 

Be creative and use your imagination to build with our Legos for ages 6-10. 

Second and fourth Thursday of the April and May 

Designing with Color - 6pm Color surrounds us every day and everywhere. 

Maybe we should understand more about COLOR. 

March 3 How Color Affects Us March 17 Color Me 

April 7 Designing with Color April 21 Designing with Color 2 

Third Thursday of the month 

Third Thursday Book Club 6:30pm Call the library for this month’s read. 

Fourth Thursday of the month 

Thursday, March 31 We will be entertained and learn interesting facts 

about the violin from Jennifer Hutchinson of the Magee Public Library. 

Thursday, April 28 Beekeeping and spring activities. 

Thursday, May 26 On Your Mark, Get Set....READ! 

Third Saturday of the month 

Sign Language Class - 10:30am Learn to speak with your hands! Free 

class. Pre-registration suggested. *May’s class will be May 14 at 10:30am 

Video Game Day - 12 noon For gamers of all ages 

March Smash Brothers WiiU Tournament April MINECRAFT! 

May Mario Cart WiiU Tournament 

Special Events 

Monday, March 7-5pm - Teen Night: 3 Photo Story Contest 

Can YOU make a story in just three photos? Join us and see how it’s done! 

Monday, March 14 - 5pm - Middle Grade Monday: Bridge Building 

For preteens age 10-13. Come see how strong you can make it! 

Monday, March 21 - 5pm - Teen Night: Book Trailers 

To celebrate Teen Tech Week, we’re going to collaborate and make our 

own book trailer! 

Monday, March 21 - 6pm - Adult Coloring Party 

Back by Popular Demand. Join other adults for a fun, relaxing coloring 

party! Bring your favorite coloring utensils and books. Complimentary 

coloring pages will be available for this “new” phenomenon. Relax, 

de-stress, and create with others who enjoy making beautiful, artistic 

creations. No experience is necessary. Playfulness is encouraged! 

March 26 - 10am-4pm - Coin Show - Saturday 

Monday, March 28 - 5pm - Teen Night: College Life-Hacks 

Learn tips and tricks they never tell you about college life. 

From admissions to dorm life, health, finances, and studying. 

Monday, April 4 -5pm - Teen Night: Collaborative Storytelling 

Together, we’ll each tell part of an awesome story! See how wild it gets 

from one person to another, and learn how an effective story actually 

comes together! 

Monday, April 11 - 5pm - Middle Grade Monday: Crushed Can Art 

We’ll be making something cool out of crushed aluminum cans in honor 

of Keepamerica Green month. 

Monday, April 18 - 5pm - Teen Night: Banking and Budgeting 101 

Painting with Carla – Monday, April 18 - 6pm 

We will enjoy a seasonal painting with Carla Nations. $6 supply fee. 

Please register. 

Saturday April 30 -10:30am - Celebrate Money Smart Week with 

Couponing 101 

Learn the basics of couponing from the couponing guru, Stacy Berry. 

Free class. Pre-registration requested. 

Basic Introduction to Handguns – Monday, May 16 @ 6:00pm 

Clyde Morgan, experienced firearms trainer and owner of Precision 

Shooting Center in Forest will present a Basic Introduction to Handgun 

class here at the library. Dr. Morgan will cover gun safety, types of 

handguns andammunition, how guns work, and the legal aspects of gun 

ownership. Dr. Morgan will have a display of handguns in the classroom 

emphasizing those suitable for concealed carry. However, we ask that you 

do not bring your personal handguns orammunition to the class. 

Displays for March & April 

• Heirs of Jericho • Black History Month • Masons 

• Quilts celebrating National Quilt Month in March 

The library will be closed April 25 for Confederate Memorial Day 

and May 30 for Memorial Day 

________________________________________________________ 

Brandon Public Library is part of the Central Mississippi Regional Library 

System, which serves Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith Counties. 


Brandon Presbyterian Church (Est. 1851) 

Ordinary Means of Grace… Extraordinary God of Grace! 

Sunday Morning Worship at 8:30 & 11 am 

Sunday School at 9:45 am 

Sunday Evening Worship, Youth Bible Study, 

& Children’s Activities at 6 pm 

Nursery Available 

209 South College Street 

Brandon 

601.825.5259 

www.brandonpres.com 

REGISTER NOW FOR 

SPRING SESSIONS! 

REGISTER AT JACKSON.SSREG.ORG 

AGES 2+ 

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City of Brandon 

2016 

Princess 

Ball 







serving our community 

Division Chief Craig B.Nash 

brandon Fire Department 

Why did you decide to be a fireman? 

Growing up in a small town in North Mississippi, 

I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and 

progressed until I became an Eagle Scout. My scout 

master was also the fire chief for our town’s volunteer 

fire department. He started an explorer post, which 

was an extension of scouting at the time. The program 

was designed to give youth an opportunity to learn 

about a profession, such as firefighting. I started the 

program in 1988, and shortly after became a 

volunteer firefighter. Becoming a volunteer firefighter 

gave me the opportunity to help people in a time of 

need, which is both humbling and rewarding. It was 

something I was drawn to and ultimately made a 

career out of it. 

How long have you been with the 

Brandon Fire Department? 

One year and three months, but I began as a career 

firefighter in 1994 with Tupelo Fire Department, 

progressing to the rank of captain before leaving in 

2010 to assume the position of training officer with 

the City of Ridgeland. I remained there until 2014, 

when I accepted a position as a division chief with 

the City of Brandon. 

Tell us about your family. 

I have been married for 14 years to Kim Nash, and we 

have one daughter, Addison. My beautiful wife is my 

biggest supporter and best friend. She is a teacher at 

Brandon Elementary, where our daughter attends. 

Addison is bright, loves school, animals, and playing 

soccer. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

The most difficult part of the job is witnessing the 

devastation of families caused by injuries and 

fatalities, especially those to children. One particular 

call that sticks in my mind, is, as a young firefighter, 

responding to a house fire that took the life of a father 

and baby. Possessions can be replaced, but loss of life 

is the most demoralizing part of the job. 

What are three things on your bucket list? 

I have been very fortunate in my life and career and 

have been able to check many off my personal list. 

My intentions now are focused on items my wife and 

daughter would like to do. 

Where do you see yourself ten years from 

now? 

I can technically retire in four years, but with a 10-year 

old daughter I will still be working. I hope to continue 

to be healthy and a positive and productive member 

of the Brandon Fire Department. 

If you could give one piece of advice 

to a young person, what would it be? 

Stop and think before acting and speaking. With 

technology and social media, it is so easy to post 

something or say something that may come back to 

haunt them. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

Not listening to and respecting elders. Growing up, 

we think we know everything and later in life some of 

us realize, we couldn’t have been more wrong. Often 

when our parents and teachers are trying to instill life 

lessons, we should listen more intently. So I would 

express to young people to listen and learn. We don’t 

age without learning a thing or two. 

What is your favorite thing about the 

City of Brandon? 

Growing up in a small town in Lee County, Brandon 

has a lot of that small town feel. It has a warm and 

hospitable atmosphere provided by its citizens. 

Brandon also has some of the best schools in the 

south, and provides second-to-none police and fire 

protection. Anticipation of the expansion of the parks 

and athletic fields and amphitheater makes Brandon 

one of the most exciting places around. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in your 

spare time. 

I enjoy spending time with my family, watching my 

daughter play soccer, attending car shows with my 

1956 Buick Roadmaster, traveling and instructing 

firefighting and technical rescue courses. 


BRANDon's finest 

Assistant Chief Chris Butts 

brandon police Department 

Why did you decide to be a policeman? 

This is an interesting question. I really can’t explain it, 

as I have no relatives in law enforcement. I remember 

when I was 20 years old I woke up from a dead sleep 

around midnight where something was weighing so 

heavily on me to get into the profession. I was always 

an adventurous type and liked helping those that 

needed help. I figured from that point on that law 

enforcement was what I wanted to make a career 

out of. And honestly, I just plain don’t like crooks 

and thieves. 

How long have you been the Brandon 

police department? 

This year will be 23 years. 

What do you enjoy most about your 

typical day as a policeman? 

As the assistant chief of police my day is a little 

different than our patrolmen, who are the backbone 

of this and every other police department. My day 

consists mostly of administrative duties but I still 

occasionally get out and answer a call or direct traffic 

at a wreck. As far as the most enjoyable part of my 

day, it would have to be that everybody goes home 

safely at the end of their shift. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced as a policeman? 

This is usually always answered the same–kids. 

No matter how long you’ve been a first responder 

or how tough you think you are, seeing a kid get hurt 

or killed is hard. I’ve seen my share over the years and 

I honestly hope I never have to see it again. 

Tell us about your family. 

I have been married to my beautiful wife Megan 

going on 17 years this June. We have two children, 

Chandler (13) and Delaney (8) who both attend 

Brandon schools. My wife is a nurse practitioner at 

University Medical Center in Jackson. 

What are some things you enjoy in your 

spare time? 

I am an avid outdoorsman. I love to hunt and fish. 

Usually every spring you can find me, Megan and 

the kids at a local pond, bream fishing. And we love 

eating some fried bream. 

What do you consider your greatest 

achievement/accomplishment and why? 

I guess I would say my greatest achievement is 

simply being where I am in my career. To start at the 

bottom and work your way up is fulfilling. 

Who is someone you admire and why? 

My parents. Growing up I didn’t always walk the 

straight and narrow but it wasn’t my parents fault. 

As far back as I can remember they instilled in me 

and my two brothers right from wrong. They brought 

us up in a Christian environment going to church 

every Sunday morning and evening and sometimes 

Wednesday nights. It helps me to instill values in my 

own kids from the things I was taught by them. 

Thanks mom and pops. 

What is your favorite holiday and why? 

Christmas. Just so many great memories 

growing up. 

What is your favorite childhood memory? 

My dad taking me to Veteran's Memorial Stadium in 

Jackson in 1980 to see Mississippi State beat #1 

ranked Alabama. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

In my opinion this one is easy–emulating what they 

see on TV and what they hear on the radio. But it’s 

not all the kid’s faults. It starts with the parents. 

If you could give one piece of advice 

to a young person, what would it be? 

Don’t be a follower. Too many bad things happen to 

young people today because they were influenced 

by someone else into making a bad decision. 

Where do you see yourself ten years 

from now? 

Ten years from now I see myself retired from the 

police department but working somewhere like 

Van’s Sporting Goods or the co-op. 

What is your favorite thing about Brandon? 

The people and the hometown atmosphere that 

if you weren’t born and raised in the south you 

wouldn’t understand. 

What are three things on your bucket list? 

I don’t really have a bucket list. I’ve been to the 

Caribbean on my honeymoon, I’ve seen the Rocky 

Mountains and pheasant hunted in the Dakotas. 

I guess I would have to say living a long healthy 

life with my wife and watching my kids grow into 

productive members of society would complete 

my list. 




WhereAreTheyNow? 

Olivia Halverson 

Lt. Lance “Hank” Herndon 

Lance is a 1999 graduate of Brandon High School. He is 

currently stationed at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, 

Florida. There, he serves as a Navy flight instructor at Training 

Squadron TEN teaching future naval flight officers for the fleet. 

After graduating BHS, Lance enlisted in the Navy as a 

quartermaster. In this position, Lance used mathematics 

on a daily basis. From there, he was selected for an officer’s 

commissioning program and excelled at Ole Miss because of 

the study skills he gained from Brandon High School. Upon 

receiving his commission in the Navy, Lance was selected to 

attend pilot training in Pensacola. The classes he takes are 

difficult, but Lance is once again able to apply those strong 

study habits. 

Lance recalled thinking many times in school, “Why is 

this important? When will I ever use this?” But it paid off. 

His math skills got him where he is today. He went on to say, 

“The patience, tact, and courteous attitude that the teachers at 

Brandon High School used towards me are traits that I try to 

use every day as a flight instructor and naval officer.” 

Jessica Nesbitt Taloney 

Jessica graduated from Brandon High School with the Class 

of 2000. Jessica is the morning news anchor at WKRG-TV 

in Mobile, Alabama. She is an award-winning journalist who 

has been honored eight times by the Associated Press and the 

Alabama Broadcaster’s Association for investigative reporting. 

Jessica’s love of journalism began at Brandon High School 

where she was editor of the Bulldog Bark, the school’s 

quarterly newspaper. She also had a passion for politics in high 

school that gave her a solid foundation for understanding the 

government and making sense of complicated world events 

–a skill she uses daily in her reporting. 

If you know Jessica, you know that what’s most important 

to her is her children and raising her kids to have hearts for 

God. What she loves about being a morning news anchor is 

that she’s back home by 8 a.m. and spends all day with her 

family. Those family values are something she shares with 

many people in her hometown of Brandon. Jessica’s broadcasts 

can be seen from Gulfport, Mississippi to Destin, Florida 

weekdays from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. 


Christa Walker Horton 

Christa is a 1999 graduate of Brandon High School. 

She said the teachers at BHS always set high standards that 

encouraged her to reach her full potential. The extra curricular 

activities and athletics she participated in helped her to be 

involved and made her feel a part of the school. 

Outside of school, Christa had a strong piano and choral 

background. This lead to her decision to become a music 

teacher. After graduating from Mississippi College in 2003, 

Christa accepted a position teaching music at Brandon 

Elementary School. There, she was able to share her passion 

for music with students from her beloved hometown. Christa 

later received a master’s degree in education from Belhaven 

University. She got married and moved to Hernando to begin 

her new teaching job at Lake Cormorant Elementary School. 

In addition to teaching, Christa gives private piano lessons 

in her home. Today, Christa daily fulfills her passions of music 

and teaching. 



A Helping Hand 

Lanette Williams 

As I pull in each morning to Peach Tree Village, 

one thing is certain. Walter Martin will be hard at 

work in our in-house gym and rehabilitation space. 

A previous issue of Hometown Brandon shared Mr. 

Martin’s life story of being a strong family man and a 

hard-working salesman/businessman. He continues 

his inspiring life story at Peach Tree. 

After Mr. Martin’s recent accident, his fellow 

elders and staff members were concerned about his 

temporary inability to “serve.” It’s funny how we 

overlook so many “small” things others do around us 

every day. Mr. Martin was always busy with serving a 

cup of coffee, assisting with pushing a wheelchair, or 

pulling weeds from the Peach Tree yard just as he 

always did in his own yard. 

Last spring, after we had worked on our courtyard 

to entice us all outdoors, our elders decided to meet 

each morning to visit, share coffee and a sweet treat. 

Mr. Martin plays a significant part in our daily coffee 

gathering at our “Nook”, the name of our coffee meet. 

He knocks on doors with a reminder and invitation to 

come and be with others. 

Even in retirement, Walter Martin chooses to be a 

part of those things happening each day at Peach Tree 

Village. In visiting with him following his accident, 

he shared that in reflecting on his life at Peach Tree, 

he believes that daily living out his time and offering a 

helping hand to others around him is his greatest life’s 

work. This inspires me. He’s chosen the very best of 

life, the best of community lived out at Peach Tree 

Village in Brandon, Mississippi. n 


Brandon High Soccer 

January 30, 2016 





Everything’s 

Coming Up 

Charla Jordan / Suzanne Ross 

Imagine what President John F. 

Kennedy, Dr. Seuss’s Lorax, and 

four ladies from Brandon (Carol, 

Marjorie, Sandra, and Suzanne) 

have in common. 

President Kennedy said, “One person can make 

a difference, and everyone should try.” These 

ladies just wanted to make things better. 

The four ladies call Brandon home for 

different reasons. Carol and Wayne Atkinson 

moved to Brandon when he received a work 

transfer. They raised a family and decided to 

retire in the community they call home. Marjorie 

Murray arrived as the bride of Gayle Murray, 

raised her family, taught at Brandon High School, 

organized Chief Red Jacket Chapter-Daughters 

of the American Revolution, and was a founding 

member of both Rankin County and the City’s 

historical societies. Sandra and James Morris 

chose Brandon as the place to raise their family 

and became involved in school and church 

activities, as well as local politics. Suzanne 

Dickson Ross is a Brandon native whose family 

has been part of Brandon from the beginning– 

around 1829. 

In 2005 Suzanne Ross and Carol Atkinson, 

2004-2005 President and First Vice President 

of the Brandon Garden Club (BGC), decided to 

apply for a national beautification grant. Having 

seen the starkness of, and debris in the Old 

Brandon Cemetery, Carol suggested it for the 

grant’s target site. Old Brandon Cemetery 

contains 1,126 marked graves, 200 lost grave sites, 

and a meadow of unknown graves. It is the City 

of Brandon’s and Rankin County’s oldest and 

largest cemetery, and Carol and Suzanne thought 

that it should be like a park, welcoming and 

interesting, similar to Natchez City Cemetery or 

Bonaventure in Savannah. 

The $250 grant BGC received was disappointingly 

small and several thousand dollars less than 

requested. But not to be deterred, BGC sought 

partners to help clean up the 8.3 acre historic 

cemetery. 

BGC coordinated work days over a three-day 

New fence bordered by crepe myrtles, red knockout roses, and daffodils in bloom. 

period in March 2006. The first two days, BGC 

members worked alongside City of Brandon 

employees and Rankin County Sheriff’s 

Department work details to remove 12 trailer 

loads of waste and rubbish. New water hydrants 

were installed, sinking grave sites were filled, and 

a 725 linear foot flower bed facing Old Depot 

Road was dug. Several lost graves were located, 

as well as sections of the original wire fence. 

On day three, city workers, the Mayor’s Youth 

Council, master gardeners, families of those 

interred on site, historical re-enactment groups, 

historical societies, church groups, and other 

volunteers helped plant 11 white crepe myrtle 

trees and monkey grass in the new flower bed, 

placed landscape stones, and scraped and 

painted iron gates and fences. 

With donated time, materials, and support, 

the $250 grant grew to $17,000. The results were 

terrific, and momentum was building. 

Each step along the way the late Marjorie 

Murray, probably one of Brandon’s most 

knowledgeable historians, was encouraging and 

supportive. She was instrumental in forming 

Friends of the Brandon Cemeteries in 2006-2007. 

Sandra Morris was elected the first Friends 

president. Friends’ bylaws directed the groups 

to give the two other City-owned cemeteries, 

Brandon Memorial Gardens and Ponderosa 

Cemetery, the same consideration as Old 

Brandon Cemetery. 

Friends of the Brandon Cemeteries took the 

lead in replacing the chain link fences at Old 

Brandon Cemetery and Brandon Memorial 

Gardens. This seemingly simple task took many 

hours of planning and coordination, including 

fund raising and countless trips to the sites. 

Sandra did this with grace and good humor. 

As money was raised, sections of fence were 

installed so the community could visually see 

the difference. Today black wrought-iron type 

fences border the sides of the cemeteries that 

face highways and streets. It is a dramatic 

change from the old, rusted chain link fences 

held up by vines. 

BGC’s Civic Development Committee 

continues to take the lead in coordinating and 

financing work and planting days at all three 

cemeteries. Now in the spring daffodils bloom 

there. The Natchez white crepe myrtles are 

almost big enough to provide summer shade, 

and red knockout roses bloom in the summer, 

fall, and sometimes in the winter. The transformation 

has been remarkable. As Carol recently 

said, “I did not know it would be such a large, 

ongoing project. But Old Brandon Cemetery 

looks beautiful, and there is still more to do in 

all three cemeteries.” 

The cemeteries are better because of four 

ladies, two groups, many partners, volunteers, 

and cooperation. Perhaps The Lorax, by Dr. 

Seuss, sums it up best. “Unless someone like 

you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to 

get better. It’s not.” n 


BGC November 2015 workday group: (l to r) Sharon Hoffman, Kay Davis, Lynn Williams, Deena Moore, Barbara Cook, Ginger Parker, 

Sandy Parish, Bonnie Hall, Charla Jordan, Delena Hamel with granddaughter Lily Chapman, Suzanne Ross, and Mary-Ellen Hester. 

Bobbye Strickland, Sandra Morris, Delena Hamel, and 

Suzanne Ross discovering an old slab at the cemetery. 

Brandon Garden Club members Carol Atkinson 

and Suzanne Ross on the first workday. 

City of Brandon’s work crew on the first major clean-up day. 

Sharon Berryman, Delena Hamel, and Carol Swilley 

painting rusty wrought iron fences. 


The CHALKBOARD 

brandon Elementary school 

Halo 

Brandon Elementary School’s HALO Team just completed 

their spring service project. This year’s project benefitted an 

organization called Sole Hope. Sole Hope is a non-profit 

organization that is making a focused effort in Uganda to battle 

the problem of jiggers. Jiggers are small sand fleas that burrow 

into the bare feet of thousands of Ugandan children who often 

live their lives without adequate footwear. The result is infection, 

gangrene, and paralysis that can lead to amputation and possibly 

death. Sole Hope not only provides closed-toe shoes to children 

in Uganda to protect their feet from jiggers, but also medical 

relief, education on prevention and treatment of jiggers, and 

jobs to men and women in Uganda. 

The process of making shoes begins right here in the USA. 

Volunteers host “shoe cutting parties” where old blue jeans are 

recycled into pattern pieces that will form the shoe uppers. 

Brandon Elementary HALO Team members, along with their 

parents and members of our community, collected monetary 

donations and blue jeans, cut the pattern pieces, and shipped the 

shoe uppers and donations to Sole Hope USA Headquarters in 

North Carolina. Soon, those pieces will be sent to Uganda where 

local shoe tailors will sew them together and attach soles made 

from recycled tires. Something as simple as a discarded pair of 

jeans can be life-changing for a child in Uganda. ■ 

For more information on the mission of Sole Hope or volunteer opportunities, 

please visit www.solehope.org. 


5th Grade 

Venture FIRST 

Lego League 

Imagine a learning environment where 10 and 11 year old 

students research, interview, and collaborate with entrepreneurs, 

scientists, engineers, and software developers from all over the 

country. That’s exactly what happens in the 5th Grade Venture 

program at Brandon Elementary each fall as students, coached by 

teacher Donna Mabus, prepare for and participate in the FIRST 

LEGO League (FLL) Competition. FIRST LEGO League is 

a worldwide competition that introduces students to robotics, 

programming, and real-world problem solving. Last year’s 

challenge, NATURE’S FURY, required students to study 

natural disasters, identify a problem, and develop a solution. This 

year’s challenge, WORLD CLASS, required students to re-imagine 

the way people learn new information or new tasks. More than 

260,000 children in 80 countries all work on the same challenge 

each year. Imagine all that collective brainpower focused on solving 

real-world problems! 

This year’s five FLL teams at Brandon Elementary spent 11 

weeks preparing for the first level of competition. In the beginning, 

teams learned how to design and build a robotic vehicle using LEGO 

Mindstorms NXT and EV3 kits. Then they learned how to 

program the robot to autonomously complete a set of missions on 

a 4’ X 8’ playing field. The programming requires a lot of strategy 

because the robot only has two and a half minutes to complete as 

many missions as possible during the competition. In addition to 

learning about the robots, students researched their topic, identified 

problems, created a solution, and connected with mentors who 

helped them work through the details of their proposed idea. Their 

research efforts were then turned into a creative skit to present to 

the judges. Teams identified themselves with costumes and names 

like Camo Warriors, Rockin’ Roos, LEGO Lunatics, Super Nerds, 

and Minecraft Minions. 

This year the Rockin’ Roos won first place at the school level 

and had numerous opportunities to share their idea and their 

research with authentic audiences on the federal, state, and local 

levels before heading to the state competition in Vicksburg. 

Competing against the top 30 teams in the state, they won the 

Research Award for their innovative idea that uses virtual reality to 

help students “experience” the lessons in their social studies book as 

opposed to only reading about them. This award embodies 

everything the Venture program 

represents: innovation, creativity, collaboration, technology, 

research, and 21st Century skills. The Rockin’ Roos also 

captured lots of attention at their booth with their cardboard 

virtual reality goggles that allowed other teams to experience 

virtual reality for the first time. 

Besides the obvious bonding that goes on when you are part 

of a team, one of the things that makes the FLL experience so 

special is that everyone operates under the umbrella of core 

values where kids compete like crazy against the game, but 

show great respect for teammates, coaches, and even their 

competitors. By embracing the FLL core values, participants 

learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not 

separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation 

of teamwork. ■ 



Brandon middle School 

Quilt 

Mrs. Withers’ class at Brandon Middle School recently 

held a raffle to raise funds for their classroom. Billie Mathews, 

grandmother to Emilia Simmons, a student in Mrs. Withers’ 

class, hand-made the beautiful quilt and donated it to the class 

to be raffled off for classroom needs. The raffle was held at BMS 

during the month of January and raised a grand total of $947! 

What a blessing this was! The proceeds will go towards much 

needed classroom supplies and to fund community-based 

learning field trips. Mrs. Withers’ class is so grateful for the 

time and amazing talent that went into making such a beautiful 

gift that was given selflessly to raise funds for them. They would 

also like to thank the outstanding faculty and staff at BMS for 

always embracing and supporting them in all they do. 

FBLA 

There are always things happening and changing at Brandon 

Middle School. This school year started like any other year with 

new teachers, new students, and new ideas. We are always striving 

to make BMS the best that it can be. 

One of those new ideas was to form a Future Business 

Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter for our students. Along 

with this idea came ways to incorporate business into the daily 

lives of our students. A school supply store was opened up on 

campus by the FBLA. Students have learned how to market 

merchandise, be on time for work, make change, and understand 

supply and demand. Students have also had the opportunity to 

visit the John Deere store and the Nissan Plant to see how 

those businesses operate, and take part in an etiquette class. 

The sponsors for FBLA are Glenda Ketchum, Kristy Halle, 

Tatiana Smith, Lindsey Pitts, and Turkessa Robinson. 

Another new idea at BMS was the implementation of the 

Paw Print Store. This store was started so the students could 

have an immediate reward for receiving a “Paw Print”. Teachers 

present students with “Paw Prints” for going above and beyond 

what is required. Students can receive a “Paw Print” for helping 

other students, helping the teacher, working hard on a particular 

assignment, or just exemplifying good character. This store opens 

each weekday morning and provides students the opportunity to 

redeem their “Paw Prints” for chips, drinks, or other snacks. 

(L to R) Josh Avery, Jonathan Cox, Billie Mathews (Meme), Emilia Simmons, 

Reiland Staten, Brad Woods and Roslyn Simmons 

Brandon Middle School thanks our wonderful PTO for 

providing items for the “Paw Print” store. At the end of each 

week, those students who redeemed their “Paw Prints” for a 

snack are included in a drawing for an additional reward. Before 

the Paw Print store opened, students had to wait until the end 

of the quarter before they could be rewarded for their efforts. 

Brandon Middle School is continuously implementing new 

ideas in order to move our students from great to BEST! ■ 



Brandon high School 

BRIO 

Brandon High School’s show choir, Brio, competed at the Jackson 

Academy Invitational on February 6th of 2016. Not only did they 

win first place in the large group mixed division, but they also won 

Best Visuals and were awarded Grand Champion out of the 15 other 

schools that were competing. This is their second time to win Grand 

Champion at the Jackson Academy Invitational. 

Brio is directed by Charlie Woodward, who initially started the 

show choir program at Brandon. He began in the elementary school 

in 2007 but kept moving up with the students who were first in the 

program all the way to the high school. A vast majority of the cast 

members of Brio have been in this program for six to nine years. 

Since its humble beginnings, Brio has flourished in size and 

accomplishments. This year is Brio’s second year to perform in the 

large mixed division at the high school level. Throughout Brio’s 

career, they have placed at almost every competition they have 

competed in. Brio is currently in the middle of their competition 

season with three more to go in Homewood, Petal, and the Show 

Choir Nationals in Nashville. Hopefully we can see more Grand 

Champions in their near future. ■ 

State Champions 

The Brandon High School Dance Team proved hard work, 

dedication, and teamwork do pay off when they won two MHSAA 

State Dance Championship titles in December, 2015. Brandon High 

School Dance placed 1st in the Small Varsity Hip Hop Division and 

1st in the Small Varsity Pom Division. This was the first time Brandon 

swept both divisions in the MHSAA State Dance Competition. In 

the last five years, Brandon High School Dance Team has won four 

hip top titles and one pom title. 

The Brandon High School Cheerleaders began preparing to 

defend the 2014 State Championship as soon as the new team was 

selected in February. On Dec. 5th, 2015, the cheerleaders got a 

practice run and competed in the Dixie Championship in Jackson, 

where they won 1st place and received a bid to compete at UCA 

Nationals in Orlando, Florida. On Dec. 19th, they competed at the 

MHSAA State Cheerleading Competition in Jackson where they 

took first place–back to back state champs in the large varsity tumbling 

division. They also received another bid to compete at UCA Nationals 

in Orlando. This month, we will be selecting our new team and 

begin working for a third title with a bid to Nationals. ■ 



rouse Elementary school 

Kindergarten 

Registration 

Our district is embarking on a new endeavor. We are planning 

a centralized “kick off” for kindergarten pre-registration. This 

registration will take place at the Family Resource Center located 

at 200 School Road, Brandon, Miss. All students entering 

kindergarten in 2016 must have a hearing and vision screening. 

There will be certified personnel available at registration to provide 

the screenings. There will also be representatives from child 

nutrition, frontiers, data management, curriculum, 

transportation, ELL, and student support services to answer 

questions and provide information. 

Rodeo Queens 

The 2016 Dixie National Rodeo Queens visited Mrs. Joy 

Ming and Mrs. Marilyn Smith’s class at Rouse Elementary to 

talk about all things rodeo! The Rodeo Queens gave the 

students lots of info about what it takes to be a Rodeo Queen 

and answered questions from the students. The queens’ MOST 

important lesson for the students was to always do what’s right 

and have a good attitude. 

A big shout out and thanks to the 2016 Dixie National 

Rodeo Queens for visiting us at Rouse! ■ 

Dates and times 

Tuesday, March 22 • 7am-7pm 

Wednesday, March 23 • 7am-7pm 

Thursday, March 24 • 7am-7pm 

What to bring 

• Original Birth Certificate 

• Original Compliance Form 

• Social Security card or number 

• 2 proofs of residency (One from each group) 

Group 1 

• Homestead Exemption 

• Mortgage Document or Property Deed 

• Apartment or Home Lease/Rental Agreement 

Group 2 

• Current Utility Bill (dated within 30 days of enrollment) 

Acceptable bills -electricity, gas, landline telephone, cable TV 

or satellite TV. Not Acceptable bills - driver’s license, water bill or 

voter registration card 

If you are living with or in someone’s home you will have to fill 

out an affidavit and provide the above information in addition to 

three of the following: doctor’s or dentist’s bill, automobile license 

receipt, hospital bill, insurance policy, salary check stub, bank 

statement, credit card statement, cell phone bill, state or federal 

benefit check or IRS documentation.The additional 3 proofs must 

be in the name of the custodial parent or guardian. 



stonebridge Elementary school 

Boosterthon 

It was an exciting time at StoneBridge! As the music began, the 

teams one by one exited the school doors to enter onto the Fun Run 

Speedway in the front parking lot. With each group of students, the 

energy level increased. After Super Summer pumped up our 

StoneBridge teams, the students began their laps receiving a tally 

mark from their teacher each time they crossed the start line. The 

students were running like rock stars, running with their friends, 

running with their family, and so many more creative laps to raise 

money for new classroom resources. 

Before the Fun Run excitement, the Boosterthon team kicked 

off with a pep-rally to get the students pumped up about leadership, 

positive character traits, and fitness. All in the spirit of making 

StoneBridge Elementary even better, the students, parents, and 

family members got involved. Students were challenged to receive 

pledges from friends next door to family members across the world 

and our students were up for the challenge. The enthusiasm during 

the days the Boosterthon team was in the building was contagious. 

This was not only a time to raise money for our school, but to 

make memories with our school family. It was a blast to see how 

excited the students got during these energetic days. We want to 

thank our students, teachers, staff, families, and community members 

for making this event a success. See you next year as the teams 

gather again for this exciting event! ■ 



The Time Coin 

The walls were Wedgewood blue, 

a lovely shade of my mother’s favorite 

color. The back wall, with its door to 

the kitchen, was papered in a floral pattern 

with blues and rosy pinks. Another wall 

was home to a large mahogany buffet that 

sat beneath an oversized mirror, encased 

in a sophisticated gold frame. 

Mother’s heirloom wedding gift, a 

multi-gallon, Fostoria punch bowl, was 

fixed in its reserved spot on the buffet. Always generous, Mother 

loaned the party bowl for every community wedding reception and 

baby shower. Even as a child I learned that the things we value, but still 

share, have God’s hand of protection on them. At least that’s what was 

true of the heirloom bowl. It always returned unscathed. 

The mahogany table with its two center leaves stretched the length 

of the dining room and was flanked by ten ladder back, mahogany 

chairs. Dusting the furniture was always my job, and Mother wanted 

to see that table polished to a high gloss. 

That was confusing to me because when company came for a meal, 

one of Mother’s white, hand worked table cloths always covered the 

shiny surface. She ironed every wrinkle from the heavily starched cloth 

and then repressed it before spreading it over the table. It made an 

elegant background for the Lenox fine china setting. Our best 

silverware from the felt bed in the buffet drawer was freshly polished 

and rested adjoining the silver-trimmed plates. 

Fresh flowers completed the table setting. 

A crystal bowl to match the Fostoria ice tea 

glasses held arrangements from one or 

more of several flower beds in our yard. 

An occasional summer drought harassed 

our flower selections, but Mother was always 

competent to salvage some color for the 

dining table centerpiece. 

The visitors that sat around the table 

were the crowning touch. My parents were 

recipients of the gift of hospitality, so we enjoyed guests often. Cousins, 

aunts, and uncles were always welcome, but visiting evangelists and 

missionaries were my favorites. They shared stories of hardened 

sinners softened under the sword of God’s Word, miracles that proved 

the Old Testament God was still active, and described distant, remote 

areas that I had only read about in my geography books. 

Some spoke in strange accents and fascinated me with their 

choruses of “Jesus Loves Me” in foreign languages. They brought us 

carved animals from Africa and silk scarves from China. 

The floor fan that hummed in the background of our conversations 

dissipated the summer heat and helped to prolong our dining experience. 

No one wanted to hurry through Mother’s apple pie or leave the 

atmosphere of hospitality and good news. 

After my parents’ deaths, family members kept the mahogany 

dining set plus the china and silverware. Mother left me the crystal 

punch bowl and all the memories that hospitality makes. I’m blessed 

and extremely grateful. 


CELEBRATING 115 YEARS OF LASTING IMPRESSIONS 

No matter where our location – from above a Chinese Laundry, to East Pearl Street, 

to 500 Steed Road, our door is always open. 

Offering full-color printing to specialty finishes, to addressing postcards and providing 

complete variable one-to-one marketing campaigns, Hederman Brothers is your one door shop. 

If you are looking for a marketing partner and not just a print vendor, call Hederman 

Brothers at 601-853-7300 and let us open the door to creative and innovative solutions. 

PRINT 

CROSS 

DIRECT DIGITAL GREEN DESIGN 

MEDIA 

500 Steed Road • Post Office Box 6100 • Ridgeland, MS 39158 

601. 853. 7300 • f 601.853.7335 • www.hederman.com 


Because there’s Merit 

in faster care. 

In a medical emergency, every minute matters. So, at Merit Health, you’ll 

find faster care in the emergency room. We work diligently 

to have you initially seen by a medical professional* in 30 minutes – 

or less. And, with a team of dedicated medical specialists, we can provide a 

lot more care, if you need it. 

The 30-Minutes-Or-Less E.R. Service Pledge – at Merit Health. 

Central 

Madison 

Rankin 

River Oaks 

River Region 

*Medical professionals may include physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. 

MyMeritHealth.com

Hometown Brandon - Spring 2016

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