Hometown Clinton - Summer 2016
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Volume 3, Issue 2<br />
may/june/july <strong>2016</strong><br />
The Rock House<br />
_______________________<br />
Dancing Through Life<br />
_______________________<br />
The Lew Crew<br />
_______________________<br />
Teddy "We Care" Bears
McRaven Rd.<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong><br />
Raymond Rd.<br />
I-20<br />
Lindsey Creek<br />
Springridge Rd.<br />
College St.<br />
Hwy. 80W<br />
A market leader for over four decades...<br />
because we know (and love) our market.<br />
Just ask <strong>Clinton</strong> homeowners about Century 21 David<br />
Stevens, Inc. They’ll tell you we know <strong>Clinton</strong> and we know<br />
homes. In fact, David Stevens has been helping families like<br />
yours find their dream home in <strong>Clinton</strong> since 1973.<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> has great schools, great neighborhoods,<br />
great shopping and dining areas and great entertainment<br />
and recreation options. We know this town.<br />
We love this town. And we’re ready to help you<br />
feel right at home here!<br />
Give one of our Century 21 David<br />
Stevens, Inc. hometown real estate<br />
professionals a call. We’re all about<br />
finding homes, selling homes and<br />
making dreams come true.<br />
David W. Stevens, CRB, CRS, GRI<br />
Broker/Owner<br />
Cell: (601) 951-9100<br />
C21DSTEVEN@aol.com<br />
century21davidstevens.com<br />
Metro smart.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> friendly.<br />
Laci Pittman<br />
Cell: (601) 573-4748<br />
lpittman@usa.net<br />
Leah Sandidge<br />
Cell: (601) 540-6086<br />
leahsandidge@gmail.com<br />
Tronnie Lacy<br />
Cell: (601) 672-2496<br />
tntlacy@bellsouth.net<br />
Jackie Barksdale<br />
Cell: (601) 918-2914<br />
jackie.barksdale@comcast.net<br />
Charla Conlee, GRI<br />
Cell: (601) 954-4565<br />
cconlee@comcast.net<br />
David Stevens II<br />
Cell: (601) 540-1219<br />
david090977@aol.com<br />
Cindy Robertson<br />
Cell: (601) 331-5599<br />
CindyWRobertson@comcast.net<br />
Debbie Thomas<br />
Cell: (601) 941-7361<br />
DTHOMAS3333@aol.com<br />
Estelle Sherer<br />
Cell: (601) 940-5955<br />
esherer@bellsouth.net<br />
W Northside Dr.<br />
Pinehaven Dr.<br />
Doris Lepard<br />
Cell: 601-259-5134<br />
doris.lepard@century21.com<br />
Erin Baxter<br />
Cell: (601) 410-3793<br />
estanley084@yahoo.com<br />
Jared Fleming<br />
Cell: (601) 906-8609<br />
jflemingms@gmail.com<br />
701 Highway 80 West, <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS 39056<br />
(601) 924-7552 • 1-855-875-0879<br />
FAX (601) 924-7591<br />
Scan to view our<br />
entire inventory.<br />
Kelly Womack<br />
Cell: 601-502-5411<br />
Kelly.womack@century21.com<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Blvd.<br />
Steve Rives<br />
Cell: (601) 951-1457<br />
srives3@gmail.com<br />
Sissy Wagner<br />
Cell: (601) 954-2405<br />
sissy_wagner@bellsouth.net<br />
Shelly Withers<br />
Cell: 601-988-7070<br />
Shellywithers1229@gmail.com<br />
Old Vicksburg R<br />
Jackie Dalton<br />
Cell: (601) 594-5344<br />
jackied21@att.net<br />
Ellen Horton<br />
Cell: (601) 291-6922<br />
efhorton@bellsouth.net<br />
Cliff Coleman<br />
Cell: 601-955-1950<br />
jccoleman.isproperties@aol.com<br />
E Northside Dr.
mobile ordering<br />
ON THE CHICK-FIL-A ® APP<br />
order ahead and<br />
SKIP THE LINE<br />
to get food faster<br />
new, easy way to<br />
ORDER & CUSTOMIZE<br />
your meal<br />
pay through the app &<br />
LEAVE YOUR WALLET<br />
at home<br />
save your<br />
FAVORITES & REORDER<br />
in seconds<br />
food is<br />
FRESHLY PREPARED<br />
upon check-in<br />
© 2015 CFA Properties, Inc. Chick-fil-A®and Chick-fil-A Stylized®are registered trademarks of CFA Properties, Inc.
LASIK OR LENSES<br />
JEA, GENIUS!<br />
The eyes have it when you choose Lasik. Unframed, clear<br />
vision. That’s one way you could look at life. Or, choose<br />
glasses frames that make you feel smart, sporty, or savvy.<br />
Or, define your eyes with contacts that will naturally<br />
enhance your eye appeal. JEA physicians and opticians<br />
are ready to help you open your eyes to the options. JEA,<br />
Genius!<br />
JEA provides full comprehensive eye care. Schedule<br />
your appointment with JEA’s clinic or optical boutique,<br />
it’s a genius move.<br />
JACKSON CLINTON MADISON<br />
601.353.2020 601.924.9750 601.853.2020 JACKSONEYE.COM <br />
©2015 JEA<br />
4 • Spring <strong>2016</strong><br />
4 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
STARTS FEB<br />
WED - SAT 9:00 P<br />
SUNDAY 1:00 PM<br />
Honda<br />
Mississippi's #1 Volume Honda Dealer<br />
SPECIAL SAL<br />
<strong>2016</strong> Honda CR-V 2WD SE<br />
in Basque Red Pearl<br />
MADISON WALMAR<br />
Lifetime Powertrain Warranty • Preferred Value Package<br />
. Low Financing Rate<br />
Low Prices on New<br />
Walmart Gift Card W<br />
Money Back Guarantee • Honda Certified Express Service<br />
Extended Service and Parts Hours<br />
That's the Patty Peck Promise!<br />
facebook.com/pattypeckhonda<br />
twitter.com/pattypeckhonda<br />
.<br />
instagram.com/pattypeckhonda<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 5<br />
601-957-3400 • pattypeckhonda.com • 555 Sunnybrook Rd. • Ridgeland, MS 39157<br />
601-957-3400 patty
6 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
PUBLISHER & EDITOR<br />
Tahya A. Dobbs<br />
may/june/july <strong>2016</strong><br />
CFO<br />
Kevin W. Dobbs<br />
CONSULTING EDITOR<br />
Mary Ann Kirby<br />
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES<br />
Rachel Lombardo<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
Camille Anding<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
Mary Ann Kirby<br />
Bryan Presson<br />
Abigail Walker<br />
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Othel Anding<br />
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
LAYOUT DESIGN<br />
Daniel Thomas - 3dt<br />
Missy Donaldson - MADdesign<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT<br />
Alisha Floyd<br />
Brenda McCall<br />
• • •<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong>-<strong>Clinton</strong>-Magazine<br />
For subscription information<br />
visit www.htmags.com<br />
April showers bring May flowers AND<br />
Mother’s Day celebration. I did a bit of research<br />
about this special day and found that the American<br />
holiday was first celebrated in 1908. Ann<br />
Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for<br />
wounded soldiers on both sides of the American<br />
Civil War. After her death, her daughter Anna<br />
wanted to honor her mother by setting aside a<br />
day to honor all mothers. Anna believed that<br />
mothers were “the person who has done more<br />
for you than anyone in the world.”<br />
I got a special glimpse into motherhood<br />
just this past weekend. My husband and I had a<br />
great visit with our oldest daughter, Camea, and<br />
her husband Justin whose jobs have relocated<br />
them to downtown Dallas.<br />
As we drove away from their new home, I<br />
felt the pain of “snipped apron strings” and recalled<br />
how my mother must have felt when leaving<br />
me in Knoxville, Tennessee as a newlywed.<br />
A wise someone said, “Our children are<br />
first on our knees but always on our hearts.” As<br />
a mother, daughter and granddaughter, I have<br />
experienced the emotions of motherhood in<br />
many directions. That’s why I am honored to<br />
highlight some special mothers in this issue and<br />
honor all who have been blessed with the role of<br />
mother.<br />
Happy Mother’s Day from <strong>Hometown</strong><br />
Magazines!<br />
Contact us at info@HTMags.com<br />
601.706.4059<br />
26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F<br />
Brandon MS 39042<br />
• • •<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> is published by<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> Magazines.<br />
All rights reserved.<br />
No portion of <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
may be reproduced without written<br />
permission from the publisher.<br />
The management of <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
is not responsible for opinions expressed<br />
by its writers or editors.<br />
All communications sent to our<br />
editorial staff are subject to publication<br />
and the unrestricted right to be refused,<br />
or to be edited and/or editorially<br />
commented on.<br />
All advertisements are subject<br />
to approval by the publisher.<br />
The production of <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
is funded by advertising.<br />
Pictured on cover: The Lewis Family<br />
In this issue Dancing Through Life 8<br />
The Rock House 16<br />
Meet Jerry File, Jr. 28<br />
Kids Q&A. 30<br />
The Lew Crew 34<br />
Chalkboard 46<br />
Teddy "We Care" Bears. 61<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 7
8 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Dancing<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
Through Life<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> is home to a lifelong ballerina. Eleven-year-old<br />
Collett Hudson has been a ballerina since the age of three.<br />
Collett has taken ballet at Ballet Magnificat every year<br />
since she began dancing and is now a part of MiniMag. She<br />
is in the fifth grade at Eastside Elementary School and she<br />
has two loving parents as well as two older brothers.<br />
“I took Collett to see Ballet Magnificat’s Christmas<br />
production when she was three and she was so mesmerized<br />
that she watched the whole thing. I signed her up for<br />
ballet and she has been taking it ever since,” said Aimee,<br />
Collett’s mom. “I love that she loves ballet.”<br />
Most eleven-year-olds are engrossed in a variety of<br />
things, but Collett has found her passion in life early and<br />
loves to practice her art. She goes to ballet practice three<br />
times a week and loves every minute of it. Ms. Pam, her<br />
ballet teacher for MiniMag, was also Collett’s first ballet<br />
teacher when she was 3 years old so they know each other<br />
quite well. “Ms. Pam challenges me and gives me stuff to do<br />
that older people are doing. I like it when my teacher gives<br />
me correction so I know what I have to improve on,” said<br />
Collett. Ms. Pam instilled the love of ballet in Collett.<br />
MiniMag is one of Ballet Magnificat’s youth performing<br />
groups. It consists of girls between the ages of<br />
11-14. Acceptance into the group is by audition only. It is<br />
a performing group whose purpose is sharing the gospel<br />
of Jesus Christ through dance. They regularly perform at<br />
nursing homes to encourage the residents there. They also<br />
perform at some schools and the Mississippi Children’s<br />
Museum. MiniMag consists of 15 girls that live in the Jackson<br />
Metro area. This is Collett’s first year to be in MiniMag.<br />
Collett’s MiniMag group is currently working on a<br />
dance to the song “Lead Me to the Cross.” She loves being a<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 9
10 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
part of MiniMag because not only is she doing ballet,<br />
but she is also in an encouraging community that uses the<br />
Gospel to minister to other people through the art of dance.<br />
After dancing at the nursing home, Collett enjoys spending<br />
time talking to the residents and praying with them.<br />
“I most admire Kathy Thibodeaux because she created<br />
Ballet Magnificat and she is still dancing and is 65 years old.<br />
She still dances en pointe too,” exclaimed Collett. Collett<br />
also looks up to the older ballet students who are en pointe.<br />
She enjoys watching them and seeing what she has to look<br />
forward to. “What I love most about doing ballet at Ballet<br />
Magnificat is that it is a Christian atmosphere,” said Collett.<br />
“We also have prayer partners in MiniMag. It is meant to<br />
encourage one another in ballet and as a believer.”<br />
Collett’s favorite ballet costume is a rainbow costume<br />
and she recently enjoyed dancing in the school play,<br />
Romeo and Juliet. Collett also likes to sew, but her main<br />
passion is ballet and that is what she spends most of her<br />
time doing when she is not at school. After high school, she<br />
hopes to be a ballet trainee with Ballet Magnificat. Ballerinas<br />
who wish to be in Ballet Magnificat’s professional ballet<br />
company that travels around the world are required to be a<br />
trainee for three years first.<br />
The future looks bright for Collett Hudson. She has<br />
found a passion at an early age and enjoys using her gifts<br />
to serve others while putting smiles on their faces. It is evident<br />
that she has a heart for helping other people.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 11
When you feel sick,<br />
just call or click.<br />
With FastPass, you can schedule<br />
a same-day appointment at one<br />
of our convenient locations.<br />
Just call 1-855-SEE-U-TODAY<br />
or download our free app at<br />
mbhs.org/clinicapp.<br />
Network<br />
Calling...<br />
20<br />
1-855<br />
SEE-U<br />
TODAY<br />
Siwell Rd.<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Pkwy.<br />
49<br />
80<br />
Northside Dr.<br />
55<br />
Hwy. 463<br />
220<br />
State St.<br />
Old Canton Rd.<br />
25<br />
County Line Rd<br />
Greenfield Rd.<br />
Lakeland Dr.<br />
Spi lway Rd.<br />
Old Fannin Rd.<br />
East Metro Dr.<br />
Northshore Dr.<br />
SCHEDULE A VISIT<br />
55<br />
51<br />
18<br />
20<br />
80<br />
12 • Spring <strong>2016</strong>
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 13
We believe that marketing<br />
& selling homes is done<br />
“one story at a time.”<br />
Danny Ivy<br />
601-953-2644<br />
Karen Godfrey<br />
601-672-0829<br />
Debbie Ivy<br />
601-927-3159<br />
Brittany McHann<br />
601-506-5686<br />
Christine Whitton<br />
601-278-4230<br />
Jena McNeece<br />
601-613-2979<br />
theobranch.com<br />
449 Hwy 80 E, <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS<br />
601.924.7684<br />
Cindy Roberson<br />
601-415-5880<br />
Lee Irwin<br />
601-259-5544<br />
Lonnie Rushing<br />
601-906-2222<br />
Mark McNeece<br />
601-214-1949<br />
Sheri Shramek<br />
601-613-4699<br />
Bracey Godfrey<br />
601-832-3971<br />
Kevin Upchurch<br />
601-750-8328<br />
www.godfreyandivy.com<br />
Brad McHann<br />
601-259-0269<br />
Serving Clients in Hinds, Madison, Rankin, Warren Counties & Vicksburg/Eagle Lake<br />
14 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Awaken <strong>Summer</strong><br />
with new magic<br />
in all four parks!<br />
SAVE 30% *<br />
UP<br />
TO<br />
on rooms at select<br />
Walt Disney World Resort hotels!<br />
For stays most nights <br />
Book through 6/10/16.<br />
Plus get an exclusive MagicBand<br />
when you upgrade to a room<br />
and Theme Park ticket package!<br />
This summer, excitement soars<br />
beyond imagination across all four<br />
Walt Disney World Theme Parks.<br />
Blast into faraway galaxies for<br />
Star Wars thrills, discover the land of<br />
Frozen, join a royal celebration with<br />
special Disney friends and behold<br />
the wonders of nature in a dazzling<br />
nighttime spectacular.<br />
*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Savings based on the nondiscounted<br />
price for the same room. Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney<br />
Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Advance reservations<br />
required. Offer excludes The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary<br />
Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort—French Quarter, campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas<br />
& Bungalows and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort—The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms. 30% savings for select Disney<br />
Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts; lower savings may be available for other Resorts.<br />
<br />
Contact us today!<br />
Scott Vernon<br />
301 E. College Street<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong>, MS 39056<br />
601.497.9990<br />
beachumbrellatravel.com<br />
“<strong>Clinton</strong>’s Premier Fitness Center”<br />
www.healthplexclinton.com<br />
We have added to our certifications that now<br />
include 18 vehicle makers; Honda, Acura, Ford,<br />
Lincoln, Nissan, Infiniti, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat,<br />
Jeep, Ram, Mopar, SRT, Hyundai, Chevrolet,<br />
Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.<br />
DIGITAL FRAME<br />
MEASURING &<br />
STRAIGHTENING<br />
ABILITIES<br />
If you’re involved in an accident, choose<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Body Shop or <strong>Clinton</strong> Body Shop of<br />
Richland for your repairs. We have committed<br />
to putting your vehicle back to pre-loss condition<br />
safely and properly by investing in the training,<br />
tools and facilities set by your vehicle maker.<br />
LIFETIME WARRANTY ON WORKMANSHIP<br />
CLINTON LOCATION: 1115 Monroe St. • 601.924.2159<br />
RICHLAND LOCATION: 710 Highway 49S • 601.932.0459<br />
clintonbodyshop.com<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 15
The<br />
Rock<br />
House<br />
16 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Bryan Presson<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 17
Charles Dickens has said that every traveler has a home of his own<br />
—and he learns to appreciate it all the more from his wandering.<br />
My favorite memories growing up were made at a place<br />
called The Rock House. For any young boy, free reign<br />
of nearly 200 acres to fish and quail, squirrel and dove hunt<br />
is a dream come true. For me it was a reality made even more<br />
special by sharing it with my grandparents, parents, brother,<br />
sisters, cousins and friends. To me, the Rock House was a<br />
sanctuary. It was the place where our grandmother spoiled<br />
us by making sure Nehi’s and Moon Pies were ready for us<br />
when we got off the school bus in the afternoons. It was<br />
where we learned to work hard helping with chores on the<br />
farm but the work didn’t seem so hard since it was alongside<br />
my grandfather.<br />
In 1927, the McDonnell family built what we would later<br />
call The Rock House because of its unique limestone exterior.<br />
In 1940 the property was sold to Rex I. Brown. As the family<br />
tells the story, after Mr. Brown purchased the property, when<br />
he took Mrs. Brown to see it, she told him that she was not<br />
moving to the country. That being the case, he never spent a<br />
night in the house. That’s where my family comes in.<br />
Mr. Brown was president of Mississippi Power & Light at<br />
the time that my grandfather, N. I. Presson Sr., led the heavy<br />
construction department. Being good friends as well as coworkers,<br />
Mr. Brown asked my grandfather if he and his family<br />
wanted to live on the newly acquired farm so they could raise<br />
cows together. So in 1940 my grandfather moved his wife,<br />
high-school aged daughter and young son to South McRaven<br />
Road. Years later, after Mr. Brown’s and my grandfather’s<br />
retirement, my grandfather would pick up Mr. Brown from his<br />
18 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
assisted living apartment and bring him to spend some sunny<br />
afternoons at the Rock House. As a very young boy at the time,<br />
my memories of seeing Mr. Brown are very limited but all of<br />
them are cherished. He was always gracious to my family. Some<br />
40 years later I would learn that the apple does not<br />
fall far from the tree when I met one of his grandsons for the<br />
first time.<br />
While living in the Rock House during my early teenage<br />
years, I became a follower of Christ. I met two brothers that<br />
lived down the road. They befriended me, invited me to their<br />
house, and then to church at Morrison Heights Baptist Church.<br />
During the summers we spent a lot of time together hanging<br />
out. Through their friendship and the unconditional love I<br />
saw in their home, because of their genuine love of the Lord, I<br />
knew they had something that was real and lacking in my own<br />
life. Like yeast through dough, the Holy Spirit drew me to the<br />
Savior. He used the late Dr. Kermit McGregor’s preaching to<br />
lead me to the Lord. My thirst was quenched, eternity secured,<br />
but like many immature believers I had my focus on the wrong<br />
residence.<br />
From 1940 until the mid-1970s, my family in some way<br />
called the Rock House “home” although we never owned it.<br />
I took the time we lived at the Rock House for granted. You<br />
never truly appreciate what something means until it’s gone.<br />
Time always brings change; sometimes it can be painful.<br />
My grandparents built their retirement home on Hoover Lake<br />
near Florence, Mississippi, and lived out their retirement years<br />
there. Since my dad was a fireman for the City of Jackson and<br />
the city council changed the residency requirements for its<br />
employees, we had to move out of the Rock House and into the<br />
city of Jackson.<br />
With our family now living in Jackson, the house was<br />
vacant. So, Mr. Brown’s grandson, named Rex after his<br />
grandfather, moved down from Ohio to practice law in Jackson.<br />
He lived in the house for over30 years until his death around<br />
2006. Little Rex (a nickname given to him by his family) was a<br />
man that was cordial but very private. So, for 35 years I did not<br />
step foot on the property. The house sat vacant for three years<br />
after his death. The grass was cut and house looked after by a<br />
neighbor and close friend of the family.<br />
Even though I did not visit, the property remained a<br />
special place in my life—so much so that in 1981 on my first<br />
date with Penny, my future wife, we drove by the Rock House.<br />
I told her that if I could live anywhere in the world it would<br />
be there. Years passed, I married, raised a family and worked<br />
in <strong>Clinton</strong>. In 2001 I retired from the <strong>Clinton</strong> Fire Department.<br />
Afterwards I sold fire trucks for three years and was called<br />
to bi-vocational ministry. In 2003 while pastoring my first<br />
church I started Mid State Welding, now located in <strong>Clinton</strong>’s<br />
Industrial Park.<br />
One day in 2009 while talking with a friend, she mentioned<br />
she lives on South McRaven Road. I asked her if she knew<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 19
where the Rock House was and she said, “I love that place!” She went<br />
on to say that following Rex’s death, the house remained empty.<br />
To say that I was eager to find out the status of the property<br />
would be an understatement. I was given the contact information of<br />
the grandson of Rex Brown, the Honorable Charles Brown—a judge<br />
in Ohio. So I called his number and left a message. Judge Brown,<br />
because of his schedule, was not able to return my call until the next<br />
day. Patience for me is not one of my strong suits. While waiting for<br />
his return call I had begun trying to prepare for Sunday’s message.<br />
Needless to say, with all the memories racing through my head it<br />
was difficult to focus. Those who know me best can tell you that I’m<br />
a little ADHD. Ok, a lot ADHD. So trying to focus on the message I<br />
believed God wanted me to preach and thinking about the Rock<br />
House was a mental challenge, to say the least.<br />
At 1:00 a.m. I decided to lie down and pray. I had to get honest<br />
with God about the struggle going on in my heart and head. It’s<br />
not like He didn’t already know. While I was lying on my bed I told<br />
the Lord that I knew I had a home in heaven that was greater than<br />
anything I could ever imagine having here and asked Him to take<br />
this desire out of my heart so I could focus on His kingdom work. It<br />
was at that moment of surrender that He spoke to me in that still<br />
small voice and said “I am going to give it to you”. As I wiped away<br />
the tears of gratitude rolling down my face I got up and went into<br />
the living room where my wife had fallen asleep watching the news. I<br />
thought for a moment of how to tell her what I had just experienced<br />
so I took the throw off the back of the couch and more or less threw<br />
it on her to wake her up.<br />
She looked up at me and said, “What are you doing up?” The<br />
only thing I could think of was, “You got a minute?”<br />
Being married for years, she knew something pretty important<br />
was going on. She said, “Well, it’s 1:00 in the morning, so sure.”<br />
“Do you remember when we were on our first date and I told<br />
you ‘If I could live anywhere’, what I said?” Immediately she said,<br />
“Sure, you said the Rock House.” I wasn’t sure how to go about<br />
articulating what had happened so I said, “Just hear me out on this<br />
ok?” I told her that I learned about the house being vacant, about my<br />
prayer and about God’s promise to give the house to me. I told her<br />
that I really only wanted the house, lakes and barns. It totaled a little<br />
over 50 acres out of the 199. She said, “If God’s in this, it will happen”.<br />
I knew then and there that God had prepared her heart.<br />
20 •• Spring May/June/July <strong>2016</strong> <strong>2016</strong>
We were living on Heights Drive, a new development in <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
at the time, and had built our “retirement home”. We had put a lot<br />
of time and effort into its design and layout. It was a great house.<br />
We had already had a lot of family functions, fellowship with great<br />
neighbors and were content. But God is good and gives good gifts to<br />
His children.<br />
The next day Judge Brown calls me back and we talked like<br />
long-lost family. Even though we had never met, we did have an<br />
extensive family history. After catching up, he said that he and his<br />
family were not interested in selling the place but were keeping it<br />
to raise timber. He graciously granted me permission to take Penny<br />
out there, and for the first time in 35 years, it was like I walked back<br />
in time. The pasture had grown up with privet and you could not see<br />
the barn and pavilions—but I knew exactly where everything was<br />
and my wife followed me to the barn. When we walked in the barn,<br />
my grandfather’s hat was still hanging by the door. The house had<br />
not changed much at all. All the original fixtures were there. The<br />
hardwood floors, kitchen layout, the pecky cypress walls, the domed<br />
living room and library were just like I remembered.<br />
Believing the promise of God, I was not sure how things were<br />
going to unfold with a man that I had never met. The next day, I<br />
talked again with Judge Brown and told him that if he ever wanted<br />
to sell the place that I wanted to be first in line. He told me that he<br />
talked to his wife and sons and that if they ever did sell the place<br />
they wanted it to go to someone that it meant something to, like<br />
my family. He also said that they would only be interested in selling<br />
the area around the house, lakes, barn and pavilions. God had been<br />
dealing with them as well.<br />
Later in the week we went back out to the property to look<br />
again and the excitement began to grow. I called Judge Brown back<br />
later and told him that we wanted the property, which was an<br />
obvious understatement. I stammered a bit about a price, knowing<br />
the promise of God and not sure how He was going to work this<br />
out. And then the judge said, “Bryan, here’s what we want to do.<br />
We will sell you the acreage that encompasses the house, lakes,<br />
barn and pavilions, and we want to give you the house and barns!”<br />
My heart was, and still is, filled with gratitude for the goodness<br />
of God and the generosity of the Brown family. God gave me a house<br />
from a man that I had never met in Ohio, just like He promised.<br />
Things moved quickly. Judge Brown had all the necessary<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 21
paperwork done by a law firm in Jackson that had worked with<br />
the Brown family dating back to Rex I. Brown. We had saved<br />
over the years and were able to pay for the land and in August<br />
of 2009, the Rock House deed was recorded at the courthouse<br />
in Jackson in our name. All the paperwork was done via FedEx<br />
so we never actually met Judge Brown or his wife Sarah until<br />
2015 when they came down to meet us, the attorney and<br />
others who had helped care for the property, and talk with the<br />
forester who manages their timber.<br />
In the book of Joshua, chapter 4, after God caused the<br />
Jordan River to stop flowing, He tells Joshua to have the priests<br />
get 12 stones from the Jordan River where the Israelites crossed<br />
over to make an altar at the town of Gilgal. If you read the story,<br />
God gives them the reasons for the stones. One is that they will<br />
serve as an historical landmark for the next generation that<br />
gives God’s children a visual aid when teaching the Israelites<br />
that their God is a covenant-keeping God. Another reason for<br />
the stones was that they were to serve as a memorial to help<br />
people remember God’s goodness.<br />
But there are a couple more reasons for the 12 stones.<br />
When the next generation of descendants asks, “What do these<br />
stones mean,” the Israelites were to tell them the historical<br />
account (verse 22) to all who did not see God do the miracles.<br />
The other reasons are found at the end of chapter 4, in verse<br />
24. They are easy to overlook if we aren’t careful. The first<br />
is, “that all the peoples of the earth might know that the<br />
hand of the Lord is powerful…” God wanted to use rocks to<br />
communicate to people all over the earth. That is an unusual<br />
outreach program but it is God—so we can go with it. The last<br />
reason is “so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”<br />
Reverence. Something else people can lose on life’s journey.<br />
The reason the Rock House story is so important is that<br />
it is a visual aid that speaks more about God than it does of<br />
me. When we ask our Heavenly Father to take away a desire<br />
because we know, deep down, that it is a distraction, taking our<br />
focus off of His will for our lives, it is in that prayerful moment<br />
of surrender that He may give to us the very thing we asked<br />
Him to remove.<br />
This is a story about the goodness of God, His faithfulness<br />
to keep His promises, and His redemptive grace. It is my hope<br />
to honor the God of the Bible, to encourage others to read it, to<br />
take God at His word, and to believe His promises.<br />
God still speaks today. The Rock House is a memorial<br />
for generations in my family, my children, and their children.<br />
22 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Dr. Michael Campbell<br />
Dr. Clayton Grubbs<br />
• Routine Cleanings<br />
• Crowns<br />
• Porcelain veneers<br />
• Children’s Sealants<br />
• Bridges<br />
• Lumineers<br />
• Fluoride treatments<br />
• Partial dentures<br />
• Zoom2 (1 hour whitening)<br />
• X-rays<br />
• Full dentures<br />
6 . .<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Parkway - <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS<br />
Monday - Wednesday 7:30am - 5:00pm<br />
Thursday 7:00am - 3:00pm<br />
• At home whitening<br />
• Basic restorative<br />
• Gum disease control<br />
• Tooth bonding<br />
• Implant crowns<br />
• Porcelain crowns<br />
• Cosmetic services<br />
• Nitrous Oxide Sedation<br />
• Free Consultations<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 23
24 • Spring May/June/July <strong>2016</strong> <strong>2016</strong><br />
Druanne Clack of <strong>Clinton</strong> has always<br />
treasured the stained glass window that<br />
belonged to her father, but it’s more<br />
than just a beautiful work of art. The<br />
history of the ancient glass also pieces<br />
together a family story that is just as<br />
priceless as the window itself.
Abigail Walker<br />
Family Window Holds Priceless History<br />
Kermit Canterbury was a chaplain stationed in Germany<br />
with the Ninth Army during World War II. While there, he came<br />
across pieces of glass from the bomb-damaged cathedrals and<br />
castles of Europe, and he would mail those pieces back to his<br />
wife, Juanita. By the time he returned home, Kermit had sent at<br />
least 30 packages of recovered glass.<br />
It wasn’t until 1953 that he took his collection to Binswanger<br />
Glass in Memphis, and for $100, the pieces of glass were fitted into<br />
strips of lead to make an elaborate stained glass window.<br />
The window was first placed in the parsonage of First Baptist<br />
Church of Indianola, where Kermit was pastor. In 1957, the<br />
Canterbury family moved to Jackson, and the window, without a<br />
proper place to be displayed, was stored away.<br />
Kermit passed away in 1968, and two years later, when Druanne<br />
and her mother built their homes in <strong>Clinton</strong>, the window<br />
was resurrected. “I begged her not to get rid of it,” Druanne said,<br />
so Juanita ended up building her living room around the piece.<br />
Juanita passed away in 2007, but Druanne owns the house and<br />
the one next door, so the window lives on in the family.<br />
Druanne always knew that the window was a unique creation,<br />
but it wasn’t until recently that she discovered some of<br />
its fascinating historical details. Around Valentine’s Day of this<br />
year, she received a package from a cousin’s friend who had<br />
found a stash of family mementos. Along with old photos and<br />
notes was a clipping of an article about her father’s window<br />
published on Christmas Eve 1953 in The Commercial Appeal<br />
newspaper. Along with the article is a picture featuring a seven-year-old<br />
Druanne and her father looking up at the window<br />
where it was, at the time, located in the Indianola parsonage.<br />
Druanne, who had never seen this article, was thrilled.<br />
“What surprised me the most was how old the glass was,” she<br />
said. It’s also amazing to her how the fragile glass was even able<br />
to survive being mailed across the Atlantic.<br />
The article describes the origins of the glass pieces that<br />
Kermit found: “The central design in the window is a coat of<br />
arms which came from a castle in Aachen, built by Frederick<br />
the Great. Another was found at the ruins of the famous old<br />
cathedral of<br />
Aachen which<br />
contains the<br />
tomb of Charlemagne.<br />
According<br />
to history,<br />
this is one of<br />
the oldest in<br />
Europe, begun about 805 and ranking in importance with Notre<br />
Dame in Paris. Other bits were picked up at the<br />
Cologne Cathedral, where windows were jarred from bombings<br />
of the Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge nearby.”<br />
Other pieces came from buildings in Hanover. According to<br />
Kermit, some of the smallest glass medallions are the most valuable,<br />
having been some of the earliest type of stained glass made.<br />
“It’s amazing how he took scraps and turned them into<br />
something beautiful,” Druanne said.<br />
The window is doubtlessly one of a kind—and it remains<br />
impressive today. From the moment you enter the front room,<br />
your eye is drawn to it. But Druanne loves the window because<br />
she remembers how important it was to her father.<br />
“Daddy always wanted to build a chapel around the lake<br />
where we used to live and put the window in the chapel,” she added.<br />
The goal was to also have cabins for missionaries on furlough<br />
to live as well. He also wanted to put Druanne’s organ in the chapel,<br />
but Kermit passed before that could become a reality.<br />
“I think of him every time I look at it,” she said. “He loved<br />
beautiful things.” She wishes Kermit would have been able<br />
to see the window in all its glory today. But Druanne and her<br />
grandkids are getting to admire it now, especially her grandson<br />
who loves to look at the lions.<br />
In fact, the life of Kermit Canterbury seems to be tethered<br />
to the window. It has taught the children about their grandfather<br />
and their lineage, and they have grown up appreciating the<br />
window itself. Most likely, the glass that dates back to Charlemagne<br />
will continue to collect stories as it’s passed down from<br />
generation to generation.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 25
CLINTON PARKS AND RECREATION<br />
This summer, there are a plethora of exciting opportunities<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> residents can be a part of right in their own<br />
backyard! <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and Recreation has a summer<br />
full of activities and adventures lined up for people of all ages.<br />
There’s no need to be bored this summer when you have so<br />
many exciting options in the great outdoors in <strong>Clinton</strong>.<br />
Traceway Park will host many sports tournaments this summer. The first one is the National Junior College<br />
Division II National Championship for Fastpitch Softball. This will take place May 18-21. Cole Smith, Director of<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and Recreation says, “This will be our fifth year to host this tournament in <strong>Clinton</strong> and it will consist<br />
of the top 16 teams from across the nation.”<br />
Traceway Park will also host all Mississippi Brilla home soccer games this year. The FASA (Fastpitch American<br />
Softball Association) State Tournament will be held June 24-26. CBA (<strong>Clinton</strong> Baseball Association) will host<br />
two baseball tournaments this year and CSA (<strong>Clinton</strong> Soccer Association) will be host several different soccer<br />
tournaments this year.<br />
And the kids won’t be left out of the fun this summer in <strong>Clinton</strong>, either! <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and Recreation has<br />
leisure activities planned which include their annual Art in the Park. This event is a day kids can come out to<br />
Brighton Park and visit 12 different booths and do various art activities at each booth. These activities will be held<br />
both inside and outside. Some examples of the art activities are sun catchers, picture frames, sand art, necklaces,<br />
bookmarks, bead art and much more. Art in the Park will be on June 23, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. It is for ages three<br />
through sixth grade. It is a free event, but groups of ten or more need to RSVP by June 5 with <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and<br />
Recreation.<br />
The <strong>Summer</strong> Art Camp will be July 18-21 at Brighton Park. This camp is for kids in kindergarten through sixth<br />
grade. <strong>Summer</strong> Art Camp is $110 per child which includes all supplies and snacks for the week. At the end of<br />
<strong>Summer</strong> Art Camp, there will be an art gallery filled with the campers art work on display and on the last day it<br />
will be judged by the mayor and other city officials. The winner’s artwork will be displayed at the city council. All<br />
campers will get to take their art projects home. Registration for <strong>Summer</strong> Art Camp begins June 20 and is available<br />
online at www.clintonparksandrec.com. There is very limited space so participants are encouraged to register<br />
early!<br />
Be sure to save the date for <strong>Clinton</strong>’s huge July 4th Extravaganza! It will be happening rain or shine! “Our<br />
biggest event for the summer is our Annual Family Fireworks Event held every July 4th,” said Smith. “We start<br />
the morning out with our Cruisin’ <strong>Clinton</strong> Bike Ride at 7:30 with 3 different ride lengths. We will have a 62-mile<br />
ride, 42-mile ride, and 11-mile ride. The 62- and 42-mile ride will both leave at the same time that morning with<br />
the 11-mile ride leaving an hour later. We will move into our main event that afternoon with gates opening at 4:00<br />
p.m. There will be fun and games for the kids ranging from space jumps to face painting. We will have different<br />
26 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
food vendors also. Our opening act this year will be Hannah Bell Southerland coming on stage at 5:15 p.m. to be<br />
followed by the band U.S. at 7:15 p.m.” said Smith.<br />
Both concerts will be family friendly concerts. Hannah Bell Southerland is a country singer who writes<br />
all of her own music and is a Mississippi College graduate. The band U.S is a popular band that plays a variety<br />
of music including classic rock. The patriotic evening will end with a great 30-minute firework show put on by<br />
PyroFire Displays. The cost for July 4th is $8 per car for parking.<br />
This will be the 10th Annual Cruisin’ <strong>Clinton</strong> on July 4th. The ride begins at Traceway Park at 7:30 a.m.<br />
Registration is $40 a person and registration will be open until July 3. The registration fee includes a lunch after<br />
the race and a t-shirt. To register go to www.clintonparksandrec.com or call 601-924-6082.<br />
Finally, there will be a youth football camp at Traceway Park on Saturday, July 23. The cost is $50 per<br />
person and registration will be June 20-July 8. It will be led by local high school coaches and those who are<br />
planning to play football in the fall are encouraged to attend.<br />
Cole Smith is very enthusiastic about all the great events <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and Recreation has to offer this<br />
summer. He has a magnificent vision to get all <strong>Clinton</strong> parks back to the condition they should be. “We have<br />
had a lot of catching up to do, but are slowly but surely making those improvements! What I like best about<br />
working for the City of <strong>Clinton</strong> is having such a great department to lead and having great staff to work with to<br />
provide the best we have to offer for the residents of <strong>Clinton</strong>!” said Smith.<br />
As you can see, there is much to do this summer through the great programs that <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and<br />
Recreation creates. If you want to do more than just attend an event, <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and Recreation always<br />
welcomes volunteers to come out and help with various events. If anyone<br />
would like to volunteer, they can call the <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks and Recreation office<br />
anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. The summer is going<br />
to be a great time at <strong>Clinton</strong> Parks. Just remember your sunscreen and hat while<br />
enjoying the summer at <strong>Clinton</strong>’s many parks!<br />
COLE SMITH, DIRECTOR<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 27
MEET JERRY FILE, JR….<br />
The Former <strong>Clinton</strong> High Student and Mississippi College Graduate<br />
Publishes a Popular Suspense Novel<br />
THE AUTHOR, JERRY FILE JR.,<br />
WAS A STUDENT AT CLINTON<br />
HIGH SCHOOL IN THE 1980S,<br />
AND GRADUATED MISSISSIPPI<br />
COLLEGE IN 1988 WITH A DEGREE<br />
IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.<br />
HOMETOWN MAGAZINE<br />
How long have you been writing?<br />
FILE: In a totally real way, I’ve been a<br />
writer all my life. Through schools, local<br />
work, travels and foreign work, and<br />
continual observations of people and situations<br />
and business and other models<br />
of human organization, I was building a<br />
tank, as Hemingway called it, of things<br />
I’d seen and understood when I saw<br />
them—or that I saw, then came to know<br />
over time. At any given moment I could<br />
write, or ‘invent’ from things I knew, and<br />
in writing them, I could say something<br />
worth something.<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> people have been a great<br />
help to me. The current presiding Mississippi<br />
Association of Educators President,<br />
Joyce Helmick, taught me English at<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> High School back in 1982-1983.<br />
She was a faculty advisor on the school<br />
newspaper and I wrote and was associate<br />
editor. Joyce was a great teacher<br />
and she was a great confidence builder<br />
and motivator. Much went into my tank<br />
through experiences at <strong>Clinton</strong> High.<br />
Then I went to MC as a biology major<br />
thinking I wanted to go on to medical<br />
school. Drs. Snazell, Cannon, Cox,<br />
Stark, et al, in the sciences, taught me so<br />
much and established my fundamental<br />
appreciation of the sciences that I call on<br />
today—even in this novel.<br />
I changed my major to business.<br />
Drs. Roberts, Lee, Hood, Parks, Quick,<br />
and numerous others expanded my<br />
understanding of economics, commerce,<br />
politics and my overall commercial world<br />
view. In fact, one of the things about the<br />
novel that jazzes and surprises readers,<br />
is the breadth and depth of things of<br />
national and international commerce<br />
(and politics) and how tightly I fit it all<br />
together. One high-information reader<br />
said it best; ‘It’s an ambitious novel. You<br />
swung for the fence and hit it out of<br />
the park and I watched you the whole<br />
way. You never made a mistake, and you<br />
continually surprised me.’<br />
The famous Mississippi author and<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong>ian Barry Hannah helped me<br />
a lot, too. I drove to Ole Miss one day<br />
about two years before he passed away.<br />
He was writer-in-residence at Ole Miss<br />
at the time and taught a limited number<br />
of classes. I introduced myself and told<br />
him I wanted to write well and I asked<br />
if I could take his graduate-level fiction/<br />
short story workshop coming up the<br />
following semester. I guess he knew I<br />
was serious by my willingness to drive<br />
up and back, once a week, for the threehour<br />
night class. He said yes.<br />
Being in a workshop class with<br />
Barry for a semester was pure gold. He<br />
was an off-the-charts expert about writing.<br />
I’ve always felt like Barry and Willie<br />
Morris, whom I regret I never knew,<br />
were so good with language and knew<br />
so much that they could write a great,<br />
publishable sentence, right off the bat,<br />
that didn’t need fixing.<br />
About three months after that class<br />
was over, the first story of an eight-story<br />
literary fiction/short-story collection<br />
came to me, followed by the other<br />
seven—all of which came in immediate<br />
succession, like puppies of a litter, until<br />
all eight stories were delivered. I titled<br />
the collection after one of the stories:<br />
The Short Happy Political Life of Amos<br />
McCary.<br />
The character I invented, Amos<br />
McCary, is a rural mail carrier in Mississippi<br />
with no political experience who<br />
decides to run for the Mississippi Senate.<br />
Unbeknownst to him, there is a political<br />
machine out there that he cannot see—<br />
and it chews him to bits.<br />
One of the stories in the Amos<br />
collection, Volvos and Water Moccasins,<br />
was placed in <strong>Clinton</strong>’s short story<br />
contest several years ago. Joann Prichard<br />
Morris was the final judge.<br />
HOMETOWN MAGAZINE<br />
Does <strong>Clinton</strong> figure into the Meet John<br />
Black novel’s plot?<br />
FILE: Yes! The novel is a work of historical<br />
fiction. The main protagonist, Heinz<br />
Saretzki, is a reluctant WWII Nazi who<br />
becomes a POW and is shipped to, and<br />
spends the remainder of the war in, the<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> POW Camp. He falls in love with<br />
an American nurse. WWII-era <strong>Clinton</strong>,<br />
MC, and Provine Chapel figure importantly<br />
into the story arc.<br />
HOMETOWN MAGAZINE<br />
Where does one get a copy of Meet<br />
John Black?<br />
FILE: Meet John Black is available<br />
from Amazon.com in book and Kindle<br />
form and also at Lemuria Book Store<br />
in Jackson.<br />
Everybody is raving about the recently released, 5-Star novel titled Meet John Black, published by an author with deep ties to <strong>Clinton</strong>.<br />
Readers are buzzing with comments like, “I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time!”<br />
“It captured my attention in chapter one and kept it throughout the entire book.” “A must read!” “Looking forward to the sequel.”<br />
28 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
JERRY FILE JR., AUTHOR<br />
OF MEET JOHN BLACK,<br />
HOLDS A COPY OF THE<br />
NOVEL ON THE PORCH<br />
OF PROVINE CHAPEL.<br />
WWII CLINTON AND<br />
PROVINE CHAPEL<br />
FIGURE IMPORTANTLY<br />
IN NOVEL’S PLOT.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 29
Q&A<br />
What do you like best<br />
about your mom?<br />
e<br />
e<br />
Jessie<br />
That she<br />
homeschools us<br />
and takes her<br />
time to do it.<br />
Dhru<br />
She is always<br />
positive and<br />
keeps me on the<br />
right track.<br />
Emma<br />
I like her<br />
cooking the best.<br />
Hannah<br />
She does<br />
nails with me.<br />
Aubrie<br />
She sets<br />
healthy<br />
boundaries<br />
for us.<br />
Mason<br />
She kisses me.<br />
McRee<br />
She plays with me.<br />
Delon<br />
She reads to me<br />
and makes racecar<br />
cookies.<br />
30 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Printwear<br />
Promotional Products<br />
Banners<br />
Awards<br />
EVERYTHING FROM TIRE REPAIRS<br />
TO MAJOR ENGINE REPAIRS<br />
AUTO AND DIESEL WORK<br />
449 E. NORTHSIDE DRIVE • CLINTON, MS 39056 • 601-924-2325<br />
150 E. Northside Drive | <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS 39056<br />
601.473.2185<br />
www.whitneyadvertising.com<br />
Baseball<br />
I S B A C K !<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 31
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY<br />
Deputy Chief Alan Miller<br />
CLINTON FIRE DEPARTMENT<br />
Why did you decide to be a<br />
fireman?<br />
I always remember wanting to be a firefighter<br />
or an astronaut. As a child I watched “Emergency”<br />
and hoped, one day, I could have that<br />
job. It’s the best job on the planet!<br />
How long have you been with<br />
the <strong>Clinton</strong> Fire Department?<br />
I have been in the fire service for 25 years. I've<br />
been with CFD for 18 years, since 1998.<br />
Tell us about your family.<br />
Well there's me, my beautiful wife Angie, and<br />
three dogs Chloe, Moe and Mia.<br />
What is the toughest thing you<br />
have experienced in your job?<br />
Hard to say. It’s impossible to do what we do<br />
and not be affected. If you can imagine the<br />
most traumatic moments in your life, a<br />
firefighter was likely there. The most traumatic<br />
things one could see or hear—we have held in<br />
our hands. We are often there when loved<br />
ones die. Sometimes children. Vehicle<br />
accidents, entrapment, fires—we are there. I<br />
would have to say the toughest thing about<br />
what we do is understanding that we didn't<br />
cause these events but it is our job to deal<br />
with them, then move on. I saw a documentary<br />
that summed it up with this statement. “I<br />
wish my mind could forget what my eyes have<br />
seen.”<br />
Share some things you enjoy<br />
doing in your spare time.<br />
Angie and I travel when we can. We enjoy<br />
traveling in an RV and taking our furry kids<br />
along. Our favorites are camping, kayaking,<br />
hiking, especially to waterfalls, amusement<br />
parks, museums, gardens, touring old homes<br />
and seeing places we've never seen.<br />
What are three things on your<br />
bucket list?<br />
I want to find something interesting to see or<br />
do in every state. I want to ride all the best<br />
roller coasters in the country. I want to take<br />
Angie on an Alaskan cruise.<br />
Who is someone you admire<br />
and why?<br />
My Father, Cecil Miller. Next to God, I always<br />
felt like the most important person in his life.<br />
Still do. This man’s life is an example of<br />
sacrifice for the ones he loves. By his example<br />
and strong Christian guidance, he taught me<br />
what it meant to be a man. That kind of<br />
leadership is often missing in the world today.<br />
Where do you see yourself ten<br />
years from now?<br />
Angie and I have planned and saved for<br />
retirement for a long time. I will hang up my<br />
fire helmet in a few years and we hope to<br />
travel this country in a RV, working on our<br />
collective bucket lists.<br />
If you could give one piece of<br />
advice to a young person, what<br />
would it be?<br />
Life is so short. Make it count in a positive way.<br />
Everything that happens in your future is a<br />
direct result of what you do today.<br />
What is a favorite childhood<br />
memory?<br />
I grew up in a small rural community in<br />
Copiah County called Hopewell. My childhood<br />
was simply too amazing to just pick one<br />
thing. But If I must, I would have to say taking<br />
turns with cousins cranking an ice cream<br />
freezer at my grandmother’s house during our<br />
huge family gatherings.<br />
32 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
CLINTON'S FINEST<br />
Officer Mandy Shurak<br />
CLINTON POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
Why did you decide to be a<br />
police officer?<br />
I decided when I was young that I wanted to<br />
be a voice for people who didn't know how<br />
to speak up for themselves or weren't able to.<br />
Knowing that I can bring some peace of mind<br />
and long overdue justice to some families is<br />
why I chose to do this job.<br />
How long have you been with<br />
the <strong>Clinton</strong> Police Department?<br />
It will be one year on May 1st. I also have two<br />
years prior service with the Tiltonsville, Ohio<br />
Police Department and graduated from West<br />
Liberty University in 2014 with my bachelor's<br />
degree in criminal justice.<br />
Tell us about your family.<br />
I grew up in a large Irish-Polish household in<br />
West Virginia and I am the 2nd oldest of six<br />
children. Having a lot of unruly siblings<br />
around and being one of the oldest gave me<br />
a lot of practice in how to deal with people. I<br />
guess it came in handy after all these years.<br />
What is the toughest thing you<br />
have experienced in your job?<br />
No matter how hard you try, you can't help<br />
everyone. Some people simply don't want to<br />
take the hand that is offered to them. It's<br />
difficult watching people with so much<br />
potential throw it all away. At the end of the<br />
day you have to learn not to take it personally<br />
and leave it at the door.<br />
Share some things you enjoy<br />
doing in your spare time.<br />
I enjoy spending time with family and friends.<br />
I also consider myself a budding gym rat and<br />
have started taking Jiu-Jitsu. I love being<br />
outdoors also, anything to do with hiking,<br />
camping, and fishing and I am there.<br />
What are three things on your<br />
bucket list?<br />
Visit Ireland. Visit Egypt. Write a book.<br />
Who is someone you admire<br />
and why?<br />
I admire anyone who can overcome and<br />
persevere even in the midst of great hardship.<br />
It's a great feeling being able to help someone<br />
who came from nothing to making their<br />
way in this world and leaving a positive mark<br />
on society.<br />
Where do you see yourself ten<br />
years from now?<br />
I have aspirations of moving into investigative<br />
work or working with troubled youth in the<br />
juvenile justice system. I also hope to start a<br />
family of my own.<br />
If you could give one piece of<br />
advice to a young person, what<br />
would it be?<br />
Our world is currently spinning on its head<br />
and seems as if no one is capable of getting<br />
along. It's important to have ideals and want<br />
to stand up for those ideals, but be a positive<br />
warrior for change. In a world where it seems<br />
like everyone is angry, we need a calm and<br />
steady voice. Be that calm and steady voice<br />
and be that positive warrior for change.<br />
What is a favorite childhood<br />
memory?<br />
I was raised on a farm most of my life, so<br />
learning how to be independent and selfsufficient<br />
was a large part of my upbringing.<br />
If there was something that I wanted, I had to<br />
earn it. Nothing was given freely.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 33
34 • Spring May/June/July <strong>2016</strong> <strong>2016</strong>
THE<br />
ABIGAIL WALKER<br />
LEW<br />
CREW<br />
This May, the class of <strong>2016</strong> will be commemorating the end<br />
of a journey. But there’s one family that will be celebrating a<br />
household full of <strong>2016</strong> graduates.<br />
Kenny and Vickie Lewis and their children, Kendra and<br />
Amias, are all graduating from various levels of education this<br />
spring. It’s a rarity that their graduation years would line up,<br />
but it’s no coincidence that they’ve reached this point. The<br />
Lewis family has worked hard to get where they are.<br />
Kenny Lewis has worked for the <strong>Clinton</strong> Police Department<br />
for 11 years and is now a criminal investigator for the<br />
Hinds County District Attorney’s office, as well as being president<br />
of the <strong>Clinton</strong> Public School Board. He graduated from<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> High School in 1989 and earned his bachelor’s degree<br />
in criminal justice from Delta State University in 1993. This May<br />
he is earning his master’s in theology from New Foundation<br />
Theological Seminary.<br />
His wife Vickie is a guide for hearing impaired students at<br />
several local colleges, as well as an interpreter for events. She<br />
graduated from Pearl High School in 1990 and got an associate’s<br />
degree from Hinds Community College in sign language<br />
interpreting in 1995. She received her bachelor’s in theology<br />
from New Foundational Theological Seminary in 2014, where<br />
she is also earning her master’s in Christian counseling.<br />
Kenny and Vickie are both associate ministers at Emmanuel<br />
Tabernacle Church in Christ and own a daycare and a<br />
t-shirt business. To them, continuing their education was the<br />
obvious next step in pursuing more of their goals. With 4.0<br />
GPAs and a strong work ethic, they not only encourage each<br />
other, but also inspire their children to succeed. “What better<br />
way to set an example for them than to go back to school ourselves?”<br />
said Kenny.<br />
Their daughter, Kendra, 22, is a 2012 <strong>Clinton</strong> High School<br />
graduate who is earning a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship<br />
from Jackson State University, where she received a full<br />
athletic scholarship to run track. Kendra was also “Miss <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
2013.” Their son, Amias, 18, is graduating from <strong>Clinton</strong> High<br />
School this year, where he participates in choir and plays point<br />
guard on the basketball team.<br />
They call themselves the “Lew Crew,” not just because<br />
they are a family of athletes, but because they work as a team.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 35
Whether it’s huddled around the dinner table discussing their<br />
day or encouraging each other in the stands, they “key in on<br />
quality time” and focus on support. “That’s the basis of our<br />
family—support,” said Kenny.<br />
“I can’t put into words the support and love that they’ve<br />
shown me,” Kendra said. “To look up into the stands and see<br />
my parents always means a lot.” For Amias, having his parents<br />
earn a degree while he’s also in school has brought them closer<br />
together. “My parents understand where I’m coming from with<br />
school,” he said. “They can relate and help me when I need it.”<br />
They are a family that is proud of each other, and their<br />
home reflects it. Accomplishments are showcased through<br />
scrapbooks, framed photos, and newspaper clippings. “Trophies<br />
are our home décor,” said Kendra. Kenny is essentially<br />
the record keeper and publicist of the family, while Vickie captures<br />
the moments on camera. Kenny loves to send out mass<br />
texts of his son or daughter at a game or receiving an award.<br />
“He is the proudest father,” said Vickie. “It’s a poor duck that<br />
won’t praise its own pond,” Kenny added. But he also stresses<br />
to his kids the importance of being servant leaders and<br />
bringing others up with you. “We don’t want the purpose to get<br />
distorted,” added Vickie. “And we don’t want to act below or<br />
above anyone.”<br />
But like the teammates that they are, the Lewis family is<br />
not afraid to push each other to excel. Vickie said they encourage<br />
their children to be authentic, but also “to go beyond the<br />
norm and not settle.” Kenny says that he wants to be the best<br />
he can be for them, and he and his wife’s decision to continue<br />
their education has been a motivator for their children to do<br />
the same. “My mom showed me that you can push yourself<br />
and provide for your family,” Kendra said. “And my dad is the<br />
backbone and gives us the structure we need.”<br />
They are a family that not only values education, but values<br />
the Lord above it all. Having God in their lives and applying<br />
biblical teachings to how they live every day is what’s most<br />
important to them, and they credit their success to Christ.<br />
36 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
“Follow Him and everything else will work out,” said<br />
Kenny. Their priorities have always been Christ first,<br />
then family, academics, and extracurricular. “Sports<br />
are rewards for doing well in school,” they agree. Amias<br />
added, “My mom always says, if you don’t pass, you<br />
don’t play.” Looking back, Kendra said she’s very thankful<br />
for her family’s Christian foundation and how it has<br />
shaped and prepared her.<br />
To celebrate their graduations, the Lew Crew plans<br />
to go on an “epic” vacation, preferably a cruise. But<br />
seeing what they’ve accomplished as a family brings<br />
them the most joy. “I still can’t believe it,” said Amias.<br />
“For my whole family to be graduating is pretty awesome.<br />
I’m enjoying it and making the most of it, and I’m<br />
proud of my entire family.” “I’m so happy that we get to<br />
finish this journey together,” added Kendra.<br />
But this is just the beginning for them. Kenny and<br />
Vickie’s goal is to use their degrees to give back through<br />
a community development center that’s in the works.<br />
Since Kenny has held positions in both criminal and<br />
educational fields, he realizes that “there is a direct<br />
correlation between being uneducated and prison.”<br />
Their goal is to provide the resources that people need<br />
to succeed. “I’m super excited to get the credentials I<br />
need to make this happen,” Kenny said. “We are getting<br />
more than a degree that we can put up on a wall. We’re<br />
pursuing degrees so that we can help others.”<br />
And that desire for education and “going beyond”<br />
has been passed down to their kids. Kendra plans to<br />
pursue a MBA at JSU. Amias, though his plans aren’t certain,<br />
knows he wants to play basketball and “keep the<br />
family tradition going” by pursuing higher education.<br />
Reaching this point has not only been a team<br />
effort, it’s been a “joyful journey” as Vickie calls it. “It<br />
looks like it should’ve been harder than it was,” she<br />
said. “But keeping our eyes on the goal made it less of a<br />
struggle and so worth it. We’ve been carried by love.”<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 37
Why take your business or your skills anywhere<br />
else? As the leading independent staffing agency<br />
in the market, we consistently attract the<br />
finest candidates and match them with the best<br />
companies in the area. And because we’ve always<br />
been locally owned, you’ll be dealing with staffing<br />
experts who are invested in, and responsive to, the<br />
local business community.<br />
STAY LOCAL. SEE RESULTS.<br />
As the largest independently owned<br />
staffing service in Mississippi, we<br />
can customize a wide range of<br />
solutions for our clients and provide<br />
a plethora of opportunities for our<br />
employees. We’re large enough to<br />
provide services to big corporations<br />
but just the right size for smaller<br />
companies, too.<br />
Whether you’re looking<br />
for work or need<br />
employees, we can<br />
assist you with a variety<br />
of positions, including:<br />
- forklift<br />
- assembly<br />
- warehouse<br />
- janitorial<br />
IF YOU’RE<br />
READY TO GET ON<br />
BOARD, CONTACT<br />
US TODAY!<br />
- administrative<br />
- call center<br />
- accounting & finance<br />
- marketing & sales<br />
and much more...<br />
JACKSON 601-353-4200 | CANTON 601-859-8860 | MCCOMB 601-250-0800<br />
38 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong><br />
www.tempstaff.net
CLINTON CHAMBER NEWS<br />
Giving <strong>Clinton</strong> Business a New Opportunity<br />
The next great business opportunity is not a new product or a new far-fetched idea. This great<br />
business opportunity comes in the form of a citywide gift certificate that is centered on growing the local<br />
economy. There is no upfront cost to <strong>Clinton</strong> businesses, and it’s easy to purchase.<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Currency is an electronic gift certificate that acts as alternative form of payment redeemable<br />
exclusively at participating <strong>Clinton</strong> Chamber member businesses. The Currency is purchased through the<br />
Chamber’s website (clintonchamber.org) and sent to the recipient via email.<br />
Unlike big brand gift cards, <strong>Clinton</strong> Currency offers a way to ensure that business happens within the<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> community. Your gift of <strong>Clinton</strong> Currency helps increase revenue in our community, and in turn,<br />
helps the city flourish and grow.<br />
Several prominent businesses within the community are excited to join the program. As the list continues<br />
to grow, here are a few of the businesses that are signed up and are ready to accept <strong>Clinton</strong> Currency:<br />
ACORN STUDIO<br />
BRICK STREET POPS<br />
JAMES AND LEIGH<br />
CKARATS FINE JEWELRY<br />
FUNTIME SKATELAND<br />
LEWIS FURNITURE AND MATTRESS GALLERY<br />
LIFE LEADERSHIP<br />
LONDON BRIDGES CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE<br />
OPTICAL 2000<br />
PAXTON PEAK<br />
POSH DESIGN SHOPPE<br />
SECOND SHOT OUTDOORS AND<br />
THE BAPTIST HEALTHPLEX<br />
WHITNEY ADVERTISING PRODUCTS<br />
Whitney Davis<br />
Project Coordinator<br />
The <strong>Clinton</strong> Chamber of Commerce<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 39
AT WOODCHASE<br />
601-925-0009<br />
131 Woodchase Park Dr. ~ <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS ~ woodchase@heritageproperties.com<br />
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation.<br />
We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing<br />
because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.<br />
Need Not Be Built. For Marketing Purposes Only. All renderings, floor plans, features and photography are artist’s depictions only.<br />
Features, pricing and dimensions shown herein are subject to change without notice. All dimensions are approximate. Developer<br />
reserves the right to modify or adjust prices and/or specifications without notice. Special offers are subject to change without<br />
notification. All move in discounts and specials are not for existing residents.<br />
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL<br />
June 13-17 8:00 am - 12:00 pm<br />
“Ocean Commotion”<br />
For children age 4 by September 1, 2015 thru 6th grade.<br />
Join us for a monumental Vacation Bible School program<br />
where kids will dive deepinto the account of Noah and the<br />
Flood from the book of Genesis!<br />
GOD AND COUNTRY CELEBRATION<br />
Sunday, July 3 @ 10:15 am<br />
A perfect and unique blend of patriotic music,<br />
honoring our military veterans andasking God’s forgiveness<br />
and blessings on our nation<br />
CAMP WAYBACKWHEN<br />
July 11-15 8:00 am – 5:00 pm<br />
Camp Waybackwhen is the summer camp held at Parkway’s<br />
facilities that lets kids unplug and experience some old<br />
fashioned fun in the middle of a high tech world.<br />
601-924-9912 | 802 N. Frontage Road, <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS | www.pbcclinton.org<br />
40 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
What is the best piece of advice<br />
you’ve been given?<br />
Dee-Dee<br />
If you have a big job you<br />
have to tackle, do it one piece<br />
at a time.<br />
David<br />
Think twice and speak once.<br />
Ryan<br />
Measure twice, cut once.<br />
Levi<br />
You can get away with<br />
anything as long as you say<br />
it the right way.<br />
Sudha<br />
Do what you have to do and<br />
let God take care of the rest.<br />
Don’t get stressed out about<br />
things you can’t control.<br />
Cheryl<br />
My mother always said, ‘Kill<br />
them with kindness.<br />
Ben<br />
If you’re going to do something,<br />
do it right the first time.<br />
Pamela<br />
Don’t let your child<br />
keep you from taking<br />
adventures.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 41
The<br />
way<br />
we<br />
were<br />
Juanita & Tommy Walker<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
Tommy and Juanita Walker are two former<br />
educators with a love for books and each other.<br />
Their love for each other has spanned many<br />
decades and their history in Mississippi is<br />
something you read about in textbooks. This<br />
summer they celebrate 54 years of marriage.<br />
Juanita hails from Edwards, Mississippi, and<br />
was born to Fred and Matlean Moffett. She grew<br />
up on a farm with over 60 acres of land that was<br />
passed down through her family. In 1957, Juanita<br />
graduated from Utica Institute High School. Then<br />
she attended Utica Junior College and ultimately<br />
transferred to Jackson College (currently Jackson<br />
State University), where she majored in secondary<br />
education.<br />
Tommy is originally from Corinth,<br />
Mississippi, which he calls “the crossroads of the<br />
South.” Tommy’s great-grandfather owned the<br />
biggest lumber company in Mississippi. After high<br />
school, Tommy signed up for the Navy, though his<br />
Aunt Emma would have nothing of it. She wanted<br />
Tommy to further his education right away so she<br />
helped Tommy get a scholarship to attend college<br />
so he wouldn’t have to go into to the Navy. Tommy<br />
majored in industrial arts which included<br />
welding, carpentry, electricity and metals. Tommy<br />
has always been very industrious. He cleaned<br />
houses and worked in maintenance to work<br />
himself through college. His Aunt Emma had<br />
connections at Jackson College and helped him<br />
find work.<br />
His Aunt Emma also worked behind the<br />
scenes to help him meet Juanita. Juanita first saw<br />
Tommy on the line trying to be in the fraternity,<br />
Phi Beta Sigma. “I thought he was the best looking<br />
man on the line. They marched together and<br />
dressed alike. Between classes they danced,” said<br />
Juanita. Eventually, Tommy introduced himself to<br />
Juanita. September of 1959 is when the sparks flew<br />
for Tommy Walker and Juanita Moffett. Tommy<br />
was 21 and Juanita was 20 when they met at<br />
Jackson College.<br />
“We realized we had a lot in common,” said<br />
Juanita. Juanita and Tommy enjoyed going to the<br />
library, movies and cafeteria. “I told her what I<br />
wanted in a wife and she had everything I was<br />
looking for. We work as one,” said Tommy. “We<br />
would go to the College Inn Café and Tommy<br />
would buy me a pig ear sandwich,” said Juanita.<br />
“We would play Ben E. King’s ‘Stand By Me’ on the<br />
jukebox,” she reminisced. “When Juanita and I<br />
were dating, I asked her if she would work. I’m not<br />
a mathematician, but I know two checks are better<br />
than one,” said Tommy.<br />
Juanita and Tommy dated their junior and<br />
senior years of college. After graduation from<br />
Jackson College, Tommy did his student teaching<br />
in Vicksburg.<br />
After graduation from Jackson College,<br />
Juanita did student teaching in Bolton, Mississippi.<br />
After that, she taught in McComb, Mississippi. Her<br />
salary at her first teaching job was $2,900 in 1961.<br />
In June of 1962, Juanita and Tommy were<br />
married in a private home in Vicksburg. Their first<br />
move as newlyweds was to Minneapolis where<br />
Tommy took a job at a sheet metal company<br />
producing sheet metal products. After their short<br />
stint in Minneapolis, they moved to Oglala on the<br />
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge,<br />
South Dakota. Tommy taught industrial arts and<br />
Juanita taught English, speech, and reading. They<br />
enjoyed living in their beautiful ranch-style home<br />
and lived over seven years in the very cold<br />
environment of South Dakota.<br />
42 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
In the midst of their expansive teaching<br />
careers, their three sons were born. Their sons<br />
were born in Minnesota, South Dakota, and<br />
Indiana.<br />
The Walkers attended Purdue University<br />
together to achieve their Master’s degrees, both in<br />
counseling and guidance. They were the first<br />
couple to be admitted at the same time for the<br />
same degree. Juanita remembers taking all their<br />
classes together but one. “One professor called us<br />
the ‘dynamic duo’. In that class the jokes and<br />
comments about myths about marriage were<br />
directed to us. We seemed to have defied the<br />
usual ‘not wanting to spend that much time and<br />
work together as husband and wife.’” They both<br />
received their Master’s degree from Purdue<br />
University and then moved to Gary, Indiana. They<br />
taught for a while and then Juanita became a<br />
middle school counselor and Tommy became a<br />
high school counselor.<br />
The Walkers made Gary, Indiana their home<br />
for 30 years. Juanita always likes to point out that<br />
Gary was also the home of Michael Jackson.<br />
Tommy retired first and Juanita joined him in<br />
retirement a year and a half after that. She had a<br />
lengthy career as a teacher and counselor that<br />
lasted 39 years.<br />
The glue that has held the Walker’s marriage<br />
together has been communication, respect, and<br />
forgiveness. “We can communicate with each<br />
other. We understand each other. We respect each<br />
other,” said Juanita. “We threw out the ‘I’ when we<br />
got married,” said Tommy. The Walkers also<br />
emphasize the importance of having a bank<br />
account together. “Don’t take the other person for<br />
granted. And always remember you marry the<br />
other family too.” Juanita even has advice for<br />
newlyweds and marriage in her book called The<br />
Powerful Web of Kinfolk.<br />
In January 2004 the Walkers moved back<br />
home to Mississippi. “We haven’t regretted it one<br />
bit,” said Juanita. The Walkers enjoy being<br />
involved with the community and their church<br />
during their retirement. They attend Little Zion<br />
Missionary Baptist Church in Edwards where<br />
Tommy serves as a deacon and leads devotions<br />
and Juanita sings in the choir and is the church<br />
announcer. They also spend a lot of time keeping<br />
up the family farm in Edwards. Juanita is<br />
co-founder and president of the <strong>Clinton</strong> Ink<br />
Slingers, a writing group for the <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
community. Juanita enjoys the casinos,<br />
community functions, public speaking and<br />
presenting books that she has authored. She spoke<br />
at five libraries in February during Black History<br />
Month. The Walkers also enjoy traveling to<br />
Florida, Virginia, and Indiana where their sons<br />
and grandchildren live. They cherish the time<br />
they are able to spend with their seven grandkids<br />
and four great-grandkids.<br />
“We chose <strong>Clinton</strong> to live rather than<br />
Edwards because it is a college town and both of<br />
us believe that college towns are progressive<br />
towns. We also moved here because <strong>Clinton</strong> is a<br />
certified retirement community,” said Juanita.<br />
“When we moved here, everyone accepted us.<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> has been very helpful and very cordial,”<br />
she said. Tommy added, “I see the signs around<br />
town that say ‘You Belong Here’ and it’s true. I<br />
belonged here then and I belong here now.”<br />
“We can communicate with<br />
each other. We understand<br />
each other. We respect each<br />
other,” said Juanita. “We<br />
threw out the ‘I’ when we got<br />
married,” said Tommy.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 43
Come experience New Orleans at:<br />
Fresh fish • Poboys • Gumbo • Steaks • Pasta • Homemade desserts<br />
New Menu coming<br />
June 1st with<br />
New Orleans<br />
favorites like:<br />
• Jambalaya Pasta<br />
• Crawfish Etouffee<br />
• Nawlins Cobb Salad<br />
• Shrimp Creole<br />
BBQ & Beef Burger Oyster Rockerfeller (salad) Blackened Redfish with Spicy Crawfish Fondue<br />
Our Lil T’s Smoked BBQ<br />
Coming Soon<br />
Follow us on Facebook<br />
facebook.com/NawlinsGrill<strong>Clinton</strong>MS<br />
“Home of the free lunch plate”<br />
Drawing for free lunch everyday @ 1<br />
601.924.7305 • 228 <strong>Clinton</strong> Boulevard • <strong>Clinton</strong>, Mississippi<br />
Hours : Monday-Thursday 11-2 and 5-9, Friday 11-2 and 5-10, Saturday 11a-10p<br />
44 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Because there’s Merit<br />
in faster care.<br />
In a medical emergency, every minute matters. So, at Merit Health, you’ll<br />
find faster care in the emergency room. We work diligently<br />
to have you initially seen by a medical professional* in 30 minutes –<br />
or less. And, with a team of dedicated medical specialists, we can provide a<br />
lot more care, if you need it.<br />
The 30-Minutes-Or-Less E.R. Service Pledge – at Merit Health.<br />
Central<br />
Madison<br />
Rankin<br />
River Oaks<br />
River Region<br />
*Medical professionals may include physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.<br />
MyMeritHealth.com<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 45
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Attache wins<br />
Xtravaganza show choir competition<br />
in California<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> High School’s Attaché show choir<br />
was named Grand Champion at the Xtravaganza<br />
show choir competition held March 17-19 in Los<br />
Alamitos, California. Attaché also won top<br />
awards for best costumes, best musicianship,<br />
and best showmanship. Senior Casey Collier was<br />
recognized as the top female performer.<br />
“I am so excited and honored to receive<br />
this award,” said Collier. “It’s a great way to end<br />
the season.”<br />
Xtravaganza is one of the largest show choir<br />
competitions in the United States. This year’s<br />
competition featured 54 middle and high school<br />
groups who competed in front of a panel of five<br />
judges. Four of the five judges scored Attaché in<br />
first place in music and visual performance with<br />
1078 points. The other top four show choirs<br />
placing in the competition were Burroughs<br />
Powerhouse of California with 996.5 points, first<br />
runner up; Mt. Zion Swingsations of Illinois with<br />
46 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
996 points, second runner up; Twinsburg Great<br />
Expectations of Ohio with 958 points, third runner<br />
up; and Bonita Vista-The Music Machine of<br />
California with 887 points, fourth runner up.<br />
“I could not be more proud of a group of<br />
students,” said Attaché director David Fehr. “They<br />
have become a true team.”<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Attaché is composed of 45 singer/<br />
dancers, 18 instrumentalists, and 14 crew members.<br />
The award-winning show choir is led by directors<br />
David and Mary Fehr, pit director Robert Allen, and<br />
crew director Deborah Morgan. Choreographers<br />
include April James, Stephen Todd, Dexter Bishop,<br />
and Kellis McSparrin Oldenburg.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 47
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
barrett barham<br />
Arrows football player Barrett Barham has signed to play at Jones County Junior College. Also<br />
pictured are (seated) his parents Benji and Pam Barham and (standing) Arrows head football coach<br />
Judd Boswell.<br />
48 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
Arrows Baseball Player<br />
Named to All-Region Team<br />
Kyler Johnson, first baseman for the <strong>Clinton</strong> High School Arrows<br />
baseball team, is joining the Rawlings-Perfect Game Pre-Season All Region<br />
team.<br />
“We’re extremely proud of Kyler,” said Arrows baseball head coach<br />
Trave Hopkins. “He worked really hard in the off-season and during the<br />
season, and I’m glad he’s getting some recognition. Anything that helps get<br />
these boys some exposure helps that athlete and the program as well.”<br />
Kyler has not yet decided where he will go to college, but plans to<br />
major in sports management. He has been a member of the Arrows<br />
baseball team for 3 years.<br />
“To receive the Perfect Game Preseason All-American or All-Region award is a tremendous<br />
achievement for these high school student-athletes,” said Jerry Ford, president of Perfect Game U.S.A.,<br />
in a statement. “We are proud to recognize their talents as they prepare for their careers playing<br />
collegiate or professional baseball.”<br />
The All-Region selections comprise nine regions around the country as well as Canada, according<br />
to its website. Each of the regions’ first teams forms a 50-man roster, complete with catchers, pitchers,<br />
infielders and outfielders.<br />
Perfect Game is the high school scouting service for Baseball America. It ranks players in every<br />
state and reports to all 30 major league scouting departments and more than 1,000 college programs.<br />
Check out their website for more information.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 49
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
CHS Engineering Course Partners<br />
with CJHS on Solar Cars<br />
Seventh-graders at <strong>Clinton</strong> Junior High recently got a glimpse into the engineering program at the<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> High School Career Complex. “My engineering students have been building their own solar<br />
powered hydrogen fuel cell car,” said instructor Justin Odom. “We have built, tested and modified to<br />
make them all work.”<br />
Students in Jason Woodcock’s seventh-grade science class walked to the CHS Career Complex to<br />
learn about the cars and how they were made. “My students explained to them how it all worked as well<br />
as how they geared their car — either for torque or speed — and gave them a demonstration,” Odom<br />
said. The goal, he said, is to show how clean energy can be used for everyday things, such as hydrogen<br />
instead of a fossil fuel.<br />
“This kind of hands-on learning is central to what we do in our engineering program,” said CHS<br />
Career Complex Director Brett Robinson. “The collaboration with CJHS was mutually beneficial; the<br />
high school students reinforced what they learned in class by teaching it to others, and the junior high<br />
students were engaged in a real-world science and technology demonstration.”<br />
STEM visit: CHS junior Austin Tadlock explains to CJHS seventh-graders how his solar powered hydrogen fuel cell car works.<br />
50 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
Ole Miss UMAIT tournament<br />
Our 3 high school academic teams participated in the Ole Miss UMAIT tournament. The A Team<br />
won 2nd place overall, the B Team won 4th place overall, and the C Team won 6th place overall.<br />
Front row, l-r: Kayla Sartin, Jim Yen, Sponsor Zach Osborn, Jessica Barnett, Sabrina Yen and Simran Singh;<br />
second row, l-r: Patrick Vinzant, Kipp Gehris, Tanner DeYoung, Caleb Collins;<br />
back row, l-r: Noah Martinolich, Siri Yarlagadda, Edward Wiggins, Bailey Bynum<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 51
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
Ole Miss UMAIT tournament<br />
Team A - Edward Wiggins, Jessica<br />
Barnett, captain, Tanner De Young,<br />
Simran Singh<br />
Team B - Kipp Gehris, Patrick Vinzant,<br />
Jim Yen, captain, and Kayla Sartin<br />
Team C - Siri Yarlagadda, captain,<br />
Sabrina Yen, Caleb Collins, Noah<br />
Martinolich and Bailey Bynum.<br />
52 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
CLINTON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL<br />
CJHS mom is CPSD 2015-16<br />
Parent of the Year<br />
Becky Pierson is the <strong>Clinton</strong> Public School District’s 2015-16 Parent of the<br />
Year. Presenting her award are (from left) CJHS Principal Dr. Bill Hardin and<br />
CPSD Superintendent Dr. Phil Burchfield.<br />
Becky Pierson is a welcomed face at <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
Junior High School. “I was impressed with her from<br />
my first introduction at the beginning of the school<br />
year,” said CJHS Principal Dr. Bill Hardin. “Her<br />
ability to keep the PTO focused on student<br />
achievement and improving the school culture for<br />
everyone has been such a blessing to <strong>Clinton</strong> Junior<br />
High School.”<br />
Pierson was named the <strong>Clinton</strong> Public School<br />
District’s 2015-16 Parent of the Year in a surprise<br />
presentation at CJHS. She will go on to represent<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> in the Mississippi Parent of the Year<br />
program this spring.<br />
Pierson is a Mississippi native and graduate of<br />
Tougaloo College with a bachelor’s degree in<br />
journalism. She is currently the manager of<br />
community outreach at Mississippi Organ Recovery<br />
Agency, and president of the PTO at CJHS.<br />
She is married to Eric Pierson and they have<br />
two children, Mya and Taylor, both in CPSD schools.<br />
She is an active member of Hope Springs M.B.<br />
Church and is currently participating in the <strong>2016</strong><br />
class of Leadership Greater Jackson.<br />
“PTO meetings are always so productive with<br />
active members faithful in attendance and Mrs.<br />
Pierson’s ability to help everyone see the big<br />
picture,” Hardin said. “She has demonstrated that<br />
most desirable balance of support and<br />
encouragement to teachers and students while also<br />
letting school administrators and teachers do what<br />
we are called to do.”<br />
Each school in CPSD has a Parent of the Year.<br />
School winners include:<br />
• <strong>Clinton</strong> Park – Tekla Sanders<br />
• Northside – Tiffany Brooks<br />
• Eastside – Wendy Copeland<br />
• Lovett – Phyllis Champion<br />
• Sumner Hill – Beth Raney and Jo Anne<br />
Humphries<br />
• <strong>Clinton</strong> High School – Jane Howell<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 53
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
CLINTON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL<br />
Leah Tucker Wins<br />
CJHS School Geography Bee<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Junior High student Leah Tucker knows her way around a map. The seventh-grader recently<br />
won the school Geography Bee and competed at the state level on April 1. The event was held at the Clyde<br />
Muse Center at the Rankin County Campus of Hinds Community College.<br />
“The state winner will attend the National Geography Bee in Washington, D.C., this summer,” said<br />
CJHS teacher and bee organizer Kay Metz. Each year, thousands of schools in the United States<br />
participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society.<br />
The contest is designed to inspire students to be curious about the world.<br />
Schools with students in grades 4-8 are eligible for the competition.<br />
The national championship will be held on May 22-25 in Washington, D.C.<br />
54 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
SUMNER HILL<br />
14 students honored<br />
Sumner Hill honored 14 students for the obedience character trait. They will receive a<br />
Chick-Fil-A lunch sponsored by Chick-Fil-A of <strong>Clinton</strong>.<br />
First Row: Annissia Crump, Maegan Wilson, Jenny Vong, Ernest Tche, Talia Davis<br />
Second Row:Rachel Salassi, Amber Clark, Kyle Bennett, Jerry Powell<br />
Third Row: Mikenzi Laster, Noah Bullock, Will Duke, Glyn Heath<br />
Not Pictured: Taylor Anderson<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 55
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
CLINTON PARK ELEMENTARY<br />
peer guidance<br />
Peer Guidance students at Sumner Hill Junior High recently visited Donna Robbins' first grade class at<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Park Elementary to read to the students.<br />
56 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
CLINTON PARK ELEMENTARY<br />
St. jude fundraiser<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Park students recently participated in the St. Jude Math-Athon. Students raised<br />
over $3000 for St. Jude.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 57
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
MT. SALUS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL<br />
gracie dennis - 2nd grader<br />
Gracie Dennis, a<br />
7-year old 2nd grader at<br />
Mt. Salus Christian School<br />
in <strong>Clinton</strong>, was diagnosed<br />
with Cystic Fibrosis when<br />
she was just 1 week old. At<br />
3 weeks old, she started the CF regimen with<br />
medicine and breathing treatments. In December,<br />
2014, Gracie was referred to Make-A-Wish<br />
Mississippi by her CF clinic social worker and in<br />
the spring of 2015, the Junior Auxiliary of Warren<br />
County started the process in helping Gracie<br />
make her wish come true.<br />
Gracie wished for a camper or “trails” as she<br />
calls them since she likes to fish and be in the<br />
outdoors and having a camper or “trails” would<br />
get her closer to the outdoors. It will also help<br />
when her family travels—she will be able to<br />
take her treatments with her and have it all in<br />
one spot.<br />
On January 31st, the Junior Auxiliary and<br />
Make-A-Wish Mississippi planned a big reveal<br />
party (Camp Gracie) at Crossway Church in<br />
Vicksburg and totally surprised Gracie with her<br />
wish. She got her camper or “trails”. She wants to<br />
take the camper to Disney World, Wyoming and<br />
Ohio to visit her friends that live there. Many<br />
friends, family and her pediatrician came out to<br />
support Gracie and be a part of her special day.<br />
About Make-A-Wish® Mississippi<br />
Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience<br />
with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a<br />
wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their<br />
illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Mississippi’s chapter, based in Gulfport<br />
and Ridgeland, with the help of generous donors and volunteers grants at least 100 wishes a year. Visit Make-A-Wish at<br />
www.ms.wish.org to learn more. If you have a child you would like to refer, please visit our website or contact our<br />
Ridgeland office, 601-366-9474.<br />
58 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Photos by Brittany Roberts of Acorn Studio<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 59
The CHALKBOARD<br />
CLINTON SCHOOLS<br />
LOVETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL<br />
peer guidance<br />
Sixth-grader Bidu Sharma did his homework<br />
about cancer.<br />
“More than a million people get cancer every<br />
year in the U.S. alone,” he wrote in his “Cancer in<br />
the World” essay. “Some causes are radiation,<br />
tobacco, chemicals, viruses, hormones, chronic<br />
inflammation, lack of exercise, and obesity.”<br />
Bidu’s essay was published in international<br />
health magazine Health Action, a publication of<br />
Health Accessories For All based in India. Bidhu<br />
said his father Ram Lakhan has written articles in<br />
the same magazine and encouraged him to do<br />
the same.<br />
“I looked on the Internet at other articles<br />
about cancer, and added what I knew,” Bidhu<br />
said. The article is about the prevalence of cancer<br />
and tips for prevention. He also compiled charts<br />
and graphs to complement his writing. Now, he<br />
said, his goal is to have two more articles<br />
published before the summer, about malaria<br />
and about poverty in India and how it impacts<br />
public health.<br />
His article on cancer credits his parents and<br />
his teachers at Lovett – Amanda Rigby, Leanne<br />
Osborne, Connie Cade, Ellen Brunson and<br />
Eastside teacher Leigh Curtis – for their<br />
encouragement and support. “Bidhu is so<br />
attentive in class,” Osborne said. “It’s like he<br />
yearns for knowledge. He loves to participate and<br />
always has a plethora of information on the topic.<br />
He is excited to be here and to be learning. He<br />
excels in everything he does, but he’s humble too.<br />
He is very good at his work but he doesn’t boast<br />
about it.<br />
Principal Mike Pope concurred. “Bidhu is a<br />
sharp, hardworking young man who is an asset to<br />
Lovett Elementary,” Pope said. “He obviously has<br />
a bright future in front of him. He represents the<br />
best of what Lovett Elementary expects from our<br />
students.”<br />
Lovett Elementary School sixth-grader<br />
Bidhu Sharma wrote an essay about<br />
cancer that was published in international<br />
health magazine Health Action.<br />
60 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Sonia Rathburn<br />
Teddy<br />
“We Care”<br />
b e a r s<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 61
When disaster or trauma directly<br />
affects a child, they will need a<br />
time of adjustment in dealing<br />
with loss, change, and fear. Children are totally<br />
dependent on parents, other family members,<br />
teachers, law enforcement, and rescue units to help<br />
them through traumatic events or situations.<br />
For a child, his or her view of the world as a<br />
safe place is temporarily lost. Children become<br />
afraid that the event will happen again and that<br />
they or their family will be injured or killed. The<br />
damage, injuries, and deaths that can result from<br />
an unexpected or uncontrolled event are difficult for<br />
a child to understand.<br />
According to the American Psychological<br />
Association <strong>2016</strong> study with the presidential task<br />
force on post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma<br />
in children and adolescents, “7.9 million U.S. children<br />
received emergency medical care for unintentional<br />
injuries (from motor vehicle crashes, falls, fires, dog<br />
bites, near drowning, etc.) and more than 400,000<br />
for injuries sustained due to violence. Most children<br />
report experiencing a traumatic event by the age of<br />
16. Children and adolescents have likely comprised<br />
a substantial portion of the nearly 2.5 billion people<br />
affected worldwide by disasters in the past decade.”<br />
As a way of helping these children cope with<br />
the trauma, Teddy “We Care” Bears will collect<br />
bears and stuffed animals and provide them to<br />
local and state law enforcement and rescue units.<br />
The officers will keep these bears in their vehicles<br />
to give to the children-in-crisis they encounter to<br />
help them cope with any traumatic situation. It’s<br />
also a way to build trust between law and rescue<br />
units and children. This helps the children to see an<br />
officer as a friend and not just a big person with a<br />
weapon or a scary helmet.<br />
Teddy “We Care” Bears will work diligently to<br />
promote a sense of pride in our community by<br />
fostering an environment of cooperation and<br />
support within our organization and local<br />
and state community so we can all work<br />
together to bridge the differences<br />
between citizens and law/rescue<br />
personnel.<br />
The organization<br />
was started by Mrs. Sonia<br />
Rathburn of <strong>Clinton</strong>,<br />
62 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Mississippi, and wife of Dr. Alan Rathburn. She<br />
is the mother of 5 daughters: Katy, Meghan,<br />
Cheyenne, Chara’Key, and Allison. Rathburn<br />
currently holds the title of Mrs. <strong>Clinton</strong> within<br />
the Magnolia State Pageant system and is<br />
an active member of the <strong>Clinton</strong> Chamber of<br />
Commerce Ambassadors, does charity work for<br />
CARA, the Ronald McDonald House, autism,<br />
and the Baptist Children’s Village. Sonia was a<br />
preschool teacher for 9 years.<br />
When the idea of a one-time teddy bear<br />
drive was mentioned to her husband at the<br />
Rathburn Chiropractic Clinic, she jumped in<br />
with both feet and started her own charitable<br />
organization. After researching, she realized<br />
that this was truly something that she wanted<br />
to do year-round as a state-wide foundation—<br />
with hopes of becoming a national foundation.<br />
“We have made good progress with this<br />
cause. Currently we are having year-round<br />
drives in Madison, Hinds, and Rankin counties.<br />
We have had successful drives to collect teddy<br />
bears in Gulfport, Pontotoc, Olive Branch,<br />
Vicksburg, Petal, and Bay St. Louis.<br />
There are still plenty of towns<br />
that we want to work with<br />
during the next two years and<br />
we have an amazing staff that<br />
can get you set up today for a<br />
successful teddy bear drive.”<br />
The foundation collects<br />
any new medium size<br />
(12 inch or smaller)<br />
stuffed animals.<br />
Teddy<br />
“We Care”<br />
b e a r s<br />
For more information:<br />
CEO – Sonia Rathburn<br />
treedee0421@yahoo.com<br />
Social Networking and Marketing,<br />
Madison County Rep.<br />
Jennifer Abernathy<br />
Jenniferallyn.teddybear@yahoo.com<br />
Community Outreach,<br />
Rankin County Rep.<br />
Jennifer Barton<br />
theredshoeagent@gmail.com<br />
Like Us on Facebook at<br />
Teddy “We Care” Bears
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
READER<br />
SPOTLIGHT<br />
Kate<br />
Newell<br />
Why did you decide to make <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
your home?<br />
Deciding on living in <strong>Clinton</strong> wasn’t a decision<br />
of mine. I have lived here since infancy. I have<br />
known no other place to call home. My<br />
grandparents moved to <strong>Clinton</strong> in the sixties.<br />
My dad, aunt, and uncle were all <strong>Clinton</strong> High<br />
School graduates. So you could say I’m a 3rd<br />
generation <strong>Clinton</strong>ian.<br />
Tell us about your family.<br />
I have a wonderful family. I have 3 beautiful<br />
children who bring me such joy and happiness.<br />
They are the light of my life. My oldest daughter,<br />
Hannah, is 20. She is a CHS graduate, is currently<br />
attending Hinds Community College and will be<br />
transferring to University of Southern Mississippi<br />
in the fall majoring in paralegal studies. My son,<br />
Jordan, is 17. He is a junior at CHS. He is a singer/<br />
dancer in Attache’ Show Choir, which he loves. He<br />
is also a member of the <strong>Clinton</strong> Community Youth<br />
Leadership program. He plans on attending<br />
Mississippi State University after graduation. My<br />
youngest, Abigail, is 15. She is a freshman at<br />
Sumner Hill Junior High. She is a singer/dancer in<br />
Ambassador Show Choir and is involved in many<br />
extracurricular activities. She is looking forward to<br />
attending <strong>Clinton</strong> High School next year. My<br />
mother, aunt, uncle, and cousins also make <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
their home.<br />
What is your favorite memory of living<br />
in <strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
Narrowing memories of living in <strong>Clinton</strong> down to<br />
one favorite is very difficult. I will always<br />
remember being a student at CHS and loving the<br />
pep rallies. We always had so much fun. Also, there<br />
is just something about hearing the CHS band’s<br />
drum introduction to Superstar that still<br />
sometimes gives me chills. Friday night home<br />
games are the absolute best. They have been some<br />
of my favorite memories and I wanted to pass<br />
those on to my children as well.<br />
Where are your three favorite places to eat<br />
in <strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
My three favorite places to eat in <strong>Clinton</strong> are 303<br />
Jefferson, Takara, and El Sombrero. All are superb<br />
locally-owned restaurants that have served our<br />
community well. You will always be greeted with a<br />
friendly face and great food. My family and friends<br />
alike all enjoy these places.<br />
What are some fun things to do in <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
on the weekends?<br />
As a parent, much of my weekend activities<br />
revolved around Traceway Park. From soccer, to<br />
softball, to baseball, to football. We love our sports!<br />
Now that my kids are older, they still take<br />
advantage of our wonderful parks. My son loves to<br />
play disc golf at Brighton Park. We also enjoy<br />
bowling at Indian Lanes or watching a movie.<br />
Share some things you enjoy doing in your<br />
spare time.<br />
With the little spare time I have, there are so many<br />
things I enjoy doing. Most of them revolve around<br />
being with good friends. When the weather is<br />
good, we always seem to end up cooking out and<br />
relaxing outside on the deck. I have some of the<br />
best friends a girl can have and love every minute<br />
I spend with them. We also enjoy going to trivia<br />
night at 303 Jefferson. We never win, but always<br />
have a blast! Go Spikey Donkeys!!!<br />
What are three things on your bucket list?<br />
Visit the Grand Canyon, visit the Redwood Forest,<br />
and see a live active volcano. I’ve always been<br />
interested in rock formations and trees. I used to<br />
love my rock collection as a child. I admire these<br />
natural wonders God created.<br />
Who is someone you admire and why?<br />
When I read this question, the first person I<br />
thought of was my mother, Linda Byrd Kilian. In<br />
recent years, she has lost much of her vision. This<br />
forced her into early retirement. She was an<br />
English teacher for many years and absolutely loved<br />
it. It was a calling to her. Witnessing her adapting<br />
to this new change in her life has taught me that<br />
first, life is short, and secondly, don’t take things for<br />
granted. She has handled this with such grace and<br />
humility. She isn’t bitter. She has said several times<br />
that she thanks God for giving her the opportunity<br />
to see for this long. On February 5th, my father<br />
passed away suddenly and very unexpectedly. We<br />
are still in shock and very sad. However, as sad as<br />
my mother is, she was and is able to see God’s grace<br />
through this tremendous loss. She is a strong<br />
woman and I hope to be like her one day.<br />
Where do you see yourself ten years<br />
from now?<br />
Hopefully I will be working as a nurse practitioner.<br />
I may even have some grandchildren, and if that is<br />
the case, I know they will be my world. Hopefully I<br />
will have visited at least a couple of places on my<br />
bucket list and will have shared them with my<br />
grandchildren.<br />
64 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Camille Anding<br />
The Time Coin<br />
Mothers exert a powerful<br />
influence on their children<br />
– both intentional and<br />
unintentional. My mother was intentional<br />
in molding and instructing her youngsters.<br />
She taught my sisters and me how to<br />
make our beds, and we were expected to<br />
make them after each night’s sleep. I could<br />
never understand why beds were made in<br />
rooms never visited by anyone but family,<br />
but I never questioned Mother’s rules. I made my bed then and still do.<br />
Making our beds was considered routine like brushing our teeth.<br />
Folding clothes was listed with chores. We never doubted Mother’s<br />
experience at being a full time homemaker, so when she taught<br />
towel-folding, we listened and learned. Fold over twice, then left to the<br />
middle and fold back right. It made for neat, uniform storage just the<br />
same as it does in my home fifty-plus years later.<br />
For Mother, etiquette included thank-you notes. We were taught<br />
to say thank you verbally and on note cards with a stamp. She would be<br />
amazed that email versions are rapidly replacing “snail mail,” as it’s<br />
called now. Mother would never have substituted email for hand<br />
written notes. I’m confident of that.<br />
Another important instruction: Be on time, with early being<br />
optimum. Somehow Mother thought that staying home was better<br />
than arriving late to a function. She believed starting early was a simple,<br />
doable key for being on time.<br />
There were rules – mostly in concrete – concerning church<br />
attendance. Talking while the preacher preached was an offense<br />
resulting in some form of punishment, and there was no such thing as<br />
leaving worship to go “potty.” Restroom visits were made before the<br />
church service. It was amazing how easily my<br />
siblings and I learned that rule.<br />
“I’m too scared,” or “I don’t want to”<br />
weren’t in Mother’s list of acceptable excuses.<br />
When Mother recognized a God-given talent<br />
in one of her children, she helped us hone that<br />
talent and then expected us to use it every<br />
opportunity. I never wanted to disappoint my<br />
mother’s expectations.<br />
When there was a death in a church or<br />
neighboring family, Mother’s motto was “Do something!” She and<br />
Daddy were purposeful in expressing sympathy and assistance in those<br />
situations. Reunion-size servings of potato salad, fried chicken, and<br />
pimento cheese sandwiches were customary travelers in our back seats.<br />
Mother believed God gave us flowers to enjoy up close. Whatever<br />
was blooming in our yard would be shared on the coffee table or dining<br />
table. “Flowers always make a meal more special,” she would say.<br />
The kitchen had its rules too. Her set of heavy metal pots inevitably<br />
held leftovers when it was my turn to wash dishes. I suggested setting<br />
the pots in the frig, lids on of course. Mother smiled, handed me small<br />
bowls with lids and said, “Pots weren’t for storing food.”<br />
I remember using my new set of pots in cooking my first meal as<br />
a newlywed. Able to now make my own rules, I slid the pot with its<br />
leftover veggie into the refrigerator. But, somehow the notion of<br />
making my own rules and breaking Mother’s didn’t bring the joy and<br />
exhilaration I expected. Later that evening, I emptied the pot into a<br />
bowl with a lid, stored it in the frig, and washed the pot.<br />
I never stored another pot in the frig. It would have been breaking<br />
my mother’s rule, and her rules were time-tested and taught with love.<br />
It was only natural to follow them. n<br />
66 • May/June/July <strong>2016</strong>
Because there’s Merit<br />
in faster care.<br />
CELEBRATING 115 YEARS OF LASTING IMPRESSIONS<br />
In a medical No emergency, matter every where minute our location matters. So, – from at Merit above Health, a Chinese you’ll Laundry, to East Pearl Street,<br />
find faster care in the emergency to 500 room. Steed We Road, work our diligently door is always open.<br />
to have you Offering initially seen full-color by a medical printing professional* to specialty in finishes, 30 minutes to addressing – postcards and providing<br />
or less. And, complete with a team variable of dedicated one-to-one medical marketing specialists, campaigns, we can provide Hederman a Brothers is your one door shop.<br />
lot more care, if you need it.<br />
If you are looking for a marketing partner and not just a print vendor, call Hederman<br />
Central<br />
Brothers at 601-853-7300 and let us open the door to creative and innovative solutions.<br />
Madison<br />
The 30-Minutes-Or-Less E.R. Service Pledge – at Merit Health.<br />
CROSS Rankin<br />
PRINT DIRECT DIGITAL GREEN DESIGN<br />
MEDIA<br />
*Medical professionals may include physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners.<br />
River Oaks<br />
River Region<br />
500 Steed Road • Post Office Box 6100 • Ridgeland, MS 39158<br />
601. 853. 7300 • f 601.853.7335 • www.hederman.com<br />
MyMeritHealth.com<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> madison <strong>Clinton</strong> • 67
Passionate attention…<br />
Determined results.<br />
Regardless of where you are in life — building a career, sending children to school, or considering retirement —<br />
a financial professional can help you prepare for and navigate the financial impact of life changes.<br />
Mascagni Wealth Management is an independent, financial planning firm that is large enough to help you<br />
manage all types of investment and financial planning, yet small enough to know our clients personally. We get to<br />
know each client’s personal goals and concerns in order to provide individually-tailored, holistic financial planning.<br />
To discuss your needs and set up an appointment for a free consultation, please call 601-925-8099<br />
or visit www.mascagniwealth.com.<br />
205 E. Main Street • <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS<br />
SECURITIES BY LICENSED INDIVIDUALS OFFERED THROUGH INVESTACORP, INC. • A REGISTERED BROKER-DEALER • MEMBER FINRA, SIPC<br />
68 • Spring 2015