Hometown Clinton - Fall 2017
Volume 4, Issue 3 AUG/Sept/oct 2017
- Page 2: indsey Creek wy. 80W A market leade
- Page 6: Savings for Teachers If you’re a
- Page 10: Hinds Community College 2017 FOOTBA
- Page 14: Clinton Christian Academy 2017 FOOT
- Page 18: The Tree Man Camille Anding That’
- Page 22: We believe that marketing & selling
- Page 26: our power to make them comfortable
- Page 30: So this summer, the boy is fourteen
- Page 34: ///////////////////////////////////
- Page 40: What was the biggest adjustment you
- Page 44: Because there’s Merit in convenie
- Page 48: The way we were Linda and Charles P
Volume 4, Issue 3<br />
AUG/Sept/oct <strong>2017</strong>
indsey Creek<br />
wy. 80W<br />
A market leader for over four decades...<br />
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<strong>Clinton</strong> has great schools, great neighborhoods,<br />
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Cell: (601) 954-4565<br />
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mobile ordering, treats and so much more<br />
© 2016 CFA Properties, Inc. All trademarks shown are the property of their respective owners. Aug. ’16 • CB-122
PUBLISHER & EDITOR<br />
Tahya A. Dobbs<br />
CFO<br />
Kevin W. Dobbs<br />
CONSULTING EDITOR<br />
Mary Ann Kirby<br />
“Tracy and I decided to look into a school with a smaller class size and<br />
a more personal approach to education. What we found at CCA was an<br />
amazing opportunity for our son to not only thrive academically, but also<br />
have the ability to excel in athletics. The life lessons he has learned from<br />
playing sports for the last three years at CCA will help him in every aspect<br />
of life. I would highly recommend CCA to any family!”<br />
-Tracy and Jimmy Thomas<br />
Call to schedule your tour today!<br />
601-910-5990<br />
101 W. Northside Drive, <strong>Clinton</strong>, MS<br />
You Maer<br />
to God!<br />
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH<br />
100 Mt. Salus Drive <strong>Clinton</strong>, Mississippi 39056<br />
601.924.6671 fumcclinton.org<br />
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES<br />
Dacia Durr Amis<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
Camille Anding<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
Mary Ann Kirby<br />
Johnny Lowe<br />
Abbie Walker<br />
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Othel Anding<br />
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Lea Anne Culp<br />
LAYOUT DESIGN<br />
Todd Malone • Tall Guy Graphics<br />
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT<br />
Alisha Floyd<br />
Brenda McCall<br />
ADVERTISING DESIGN<br />
Leah Mitchener<br />
• • •<br />
Teamwork! That will be the resounding theme on football<br />
fields over the coming days. The countdown is on for high<br />
school Friday nights, marching bands and rivalries, plus game<br />
days all across college campuses.<br />
This <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> issue offers a kick-off of our own for the<br />
upcoming season on the gridiron. If you had been able to stand<br />
on our sidelines, you would have seen the incredible teamwork<br />
in preparing this issue.<br />
We’re honored to highlight one of <strong>Clinton</strong>’s assets—a<br />
volunteer and key resource to this growing city. Let Jehu<br />
Brabham’s story challenge you on how you might be a vital part<br />
of <strong>Clinton</strong>’s future.<br />
Check out every page to see lots of people you’ll recognize.<br />
Pay close attention to the colorful ads and to those businesses<br />
and supporters who help make <strong>Clinton</strong> the winning place it is to<br />
live and raise a family.<br />
And thank you, to everyone, for your continued support of<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> Magazine! We’re excited to be a part of your<br />
wins, too. Have a great season!<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong>-<strong>Clinton</strong>-Magazine<br />
For subscription information<br />
visit www.htmags.com<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 />
In this issue The Minister of Education 16<br />
The Tree Man 18<br />
Marching to the Top: CHS Band 24<br />
601.925.7900<br />
102 <strong>Clinton</strong> Pkwy<br />
TWENTY<br />
YEARS<br />
STRONG<br />
www.healthplexclinton.com<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 />
Letting Go As They Grow 28<br />
When the Rain Comes 34<br />
Jaret Holmes- A <strong>Hometown</strong> Star 40<br />
The Way We Were. 48<br />
4 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 5
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SR-57644<br />
Passionate<br />
about Hinds Community College<br />
Jerry Agent<br />
A.A. Alexander<br />
Lola Allen<br />
Bobbie Anderson<br />
Lou Anne Askew<br />
Billie Banes<br />
Sharp Banks<br />
George Barnes<br />
Anna Cowden Bee<br />
Emma and T.T. Beemon<br />
Charles Bell<br />
Walter Bivins<br />
Peggy Brent<br />
Sue and Fred Brooks<br />
Gov. Phillip Bryant<br />
Bill Buckner<br />
Tom Burnham<br />
Robert Cannada<br />
Emma Grace and<br />
W.H. Cochran<br />
Bobby Cooper<br />
Rosia and Johnny Crisler<br />
Lamar Currie<br />
H.H. “Shine” Davis<br />
Katherine and A.L. Denton<br />
Bob Dunaway<br />
David Durham<br />
Beverly and Ben Fatherree<br />
Pat Flaherty<br />
Jane Flowers<br />
D.G. “Sonny” Fountain<br />
Howell Gage<br />
Walter Gibbes<br />
Albert Gore<br />
Durwood Graham<br />
Jackie Mangum Granberry<br />
F.M. Greaves<br />
Anne Hardy<br />
Jim El and Jobie Harris<br />
Colleen Hartfield<br />
Mike Hataway<br />
Linden Haynes<br />
Troy Henderson<br />
Mildred Herrin<br />
Dan Hogan<br />
Warren Hood<br />
Adam Jenkins<br />
Roger Jones<br />
Ted Kendall, III<br />
Dean Kirby<br />
Ann and Bob Laster<br />
Earl Leggett<br />
Dean Liles<br />
Bell Lindsey<br />
Joe Loviza<br />
Con Maloney<br />
Ray Marshall<br />
Lee Mayo<br />
W.M. McKenzie<br />
Cleon McKnight<br />
Joe Moss<br />
Bob Mullins<br />
Vashti Muse<br />
Mary Etta Naftel<br />
Clifford Nelson<br />
Carla Nicks<br />
Bill Oakes<br />
Donald Oakes<br />
J.B. Patrick<br />
Nell Ann Pickett<br />
Polly and Mike Rabalais<br />
Geneva and Leslie Reeves<br />
Joe Renfroe<br />
Irl Dean Rhodes<br />
Troy Ricks<br />
Virginia and Marvin Riggs<br />
Henry Riser<br />
Grady Sheffield<br />
Tom Shepherd<br />
O.H. Simmons<br />
Jim Smith<br />
Jimmy C. Smith<br />
Mary Ann Sones<br />
Lurline Stewart<br />
Wayne Stonecypher<br />
Dale Sullivan<br />
Larry Swales<br />
E.E. “Tad” Thrash<br />
Jack Treloar<br />
Michael Vinson<br />
Alice and Charles Walker<br />
Gary Walker<br />
René T. Warren<br />
Walter Washington<br />
Lynn Weathersby<br />
Tom Weathersby<br />
Gov. John Bell Williams<br />
Liles Williams<br />
R.E. “Ed” Woolley<br />
George Wynne<br />
David Yewell<br />
There is no doubt that there are hundreds of others who could have been on this list. With Hinds’ rich and distinguished history<br />
over the last 100 years, we realize that there are many more — much more than 100 — who have a passion for Hinds.<br />
We believe the story of<br />
Hinds Community College<br />
is best told through the lives of<br />
individuals who were passionate<br />
about serving the college and its<br />
students. These individuals were<br />
deeply committed to the mission<br />
of the college, and their influence<br />
lingers throughout 100 years of<br />
Hinds history.<br />
Please join us for a reception<br />
honoring these people<br />
Thursday, Aug. 10, <strong>2017</strong><br />
6:30 p.m.<br />
Hogg Auditorium | Cain-Cochran Hall<br />
Raymond, MS<br />
SR-57644 JAN <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> Ad-August.indd 1<br />
6 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
7/12/17 9:48 AM<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 7
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE<br />
<strong>2017</strong> FOOTBALL SCHEDULE<br />
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME<br />
8/31 Clark Atlantaa Atlanta, GA 6:00 pm<br />
9/9 Southwest Baptist Bolivar, MO 6:00 pm<br />
9/16 West Alabama Livingston, AL 6:00 pm<br />
9/23 Florida Tech HOME 7:00 pm<br />
9/30 Delta State HOME 7:00 pm<br />
10/7 West Florida Pensacola, FL 6:00 pm<br />
10/14 Valdosta State Valdosta, GA 6:00 pm<br />
10/21 West Georgia HOME 3:00 pm<br />
11/4 Shorter HOME 2:00 pm<br />
11/11 North Alabama Florence, AL 1:30 pm<br />
8 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 9
Hinds Community College<br />
<strong>2017</strong> FOOTBALL SCHEDULE<br />
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME<br />
8/31 Northwesta Senatobia 6:30 pm<br />
9/7 Itawamba Fulton 7:00 pm<br />
9/14 Southwest HOME 6:30 pm<br />
9/21 Pearl River Poplarville 6:00 pm<br />
9/28 Gulf Coast HOME 6:30 pm<br />
10/5 Co-Lin Wesson 7:00 pm<br />
10/12 East Central HOME 7:00 pm<br />
10/21 Jones Ellisville 2:00 pm<br />
10/28 East MS HOME 2:00 pm<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 11
<strong>Clinton</strong> High School<br />
CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL<br />
<strong>2017</strong> FOOTBALL SCHEDULE<br />
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME<br />
8/17 South Panolaa HOME 7:00 pm<br />
9/1 Brandon Brandon, MS 7:00 pm<br />
9/8 Germantown Madison, MS 7:00 pm<br />
9/22 Madison Central HOME 7:00 pm<br />
9/29 Provine Jackson, MS 7:00 pm<br />
10/6 Murrah HOME 7:00 pm<br />
10/13 Northwest Rankin Brandon, MS 7:00 pm<br />
10/20 Warren Central HOME 7:00 pm<br />
10/27 Greenville Greenville, MS 7:00 pm<br />
11/3 Starkville Starkville, MS 7:00 pm<br />
12 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 13
<strong>Clinton</strong> Christian Academy<br />
<strong>2017</strong> FOOTBALL SCHEDULE<br />
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME<br />
8/18 Glenbrooka Minden, LA TBA<br />
8/25 Greenville Christian Greenville, MS 7:00 pm<br />
9/1 Brookhaven Academy HOME 7:00 pm<br />
9/8 Park Place Christian Pearl, MS 7:00 pm<br />
9/15 Manchester Academy Yazoo City, MS 7:30 pm<br />
9/22 Sylva Bay Academy Bay Springs, MS 7:00 pm<br />
9/29 Hillcrest Christian HOME 7:00 pm<br />
10/6 Amite School Center Liberty, MS 7:00 pm<br />
10/13 Wilkinson County Christian HOME 7:00 pm<br />
10/20 Centreville Academy HOME 7:00 pm<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 15
A Minister of<br />
Education<br />
Camille Anding<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Public School District Assistant Superintendent<br />
of Education, Dr. Tim Martin, said about his seeking the<br />
position of superintendent,“I didn’t want to take the job<br />
because I was next in line. I wanted to take the job only<br />
if I thought I had something to bring to the table and take the<br />
district to a level beyond where it is now.”<br />
The decision-making board must have considered Dr. Martin’s<br />
twenty-seven years in education and his impact in his field of<br />
expertise to meet <strong>Clinton</strong> Public School’s high standards. On<br />
July 1, <strong>2017</strong>, Dr. Martin became the official superintendent of<br />
education.<br />
It was an unusual path that led to this position. Tim Martin,<br />
as a high school graduate, left for Holmes College of the Bible in<br />
Greenville, South Carolina, to become a minister. Four years later<br />
he was an associate pastor and youth minister in a small church,<br />
realizing it was a full-time job with part-time pay.<br />
To supplement his pay, he began substitute teaching which led<br />
to a teacher assistant job. After four years in the ministry, the<br />
young pastor began wrestling with God.<br />
There were flaws in the ministry – three particular ones for Tim:<br />
1) Pastor’s kids are in a fishbowl and held to different standards.<br />
2) Pastors are on call 24/7.<br />
3) People that pastors help the most will often hurt them the most.<br />
Tim sensed God’s permission to turn his ministry toward<br />
education. Since the Bible college degree was not totally<br />
accredited in Mississippi, he enrolled at Mississippi College to<br />
earn a second B. S. degree over the next two and a half years.<br />
In 1990 he met and married Cindy Dodson and in 1995<br />
became the assistant principal at Chastain Elementary in Jackson.<br />
His resume now lists two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s, specialist<br />
and doctorate, plus principal positions in Jackson and <strong>Clinton</strong>.<br />
The years in education have helped Dr. Martin see God’s sense<br />
of humor because the same three downsides of ministry were<br />
waiting for him in his new field of education. Concerning the<br />
switch from religion to education, Martin says, “I’ve spent more<br />
time in ministry in education than I ever did in full-time ministry.<br />
In truth, education is my ministry.”<br />
His goal is to find the “called” teachers for the classroom, the<br />
ones who teach because they love kids. During his interviews as a<br />
junior high principal, he would try to talk the applicants out of the<br />
position – a test to see if their hearts were in the classroom.<br />
“A lot of great teachers will share how they’ve wanted to be<br />
teachers since their childhood,” citing his second daughter who<br />
asked Santa for a filing cabinet and overhead projector when she<br />
was a fourth grader.<br />
Martin sees his biggest challenge as being how to move forward<br />
with shrinking dollars from the state. Disciplinary problems<br />
aren’t high on the list because he expects their students to<br />
conform or stick out “like a sore thumb,” and that doesn’t take<br />
long. In keeping with his leadership values, he says,“I’m never<br />
going to apologize for high standards of behavior.”<br />
In his twenty-seven years, the biggest changes have revolved<br />
around the emphasis on state and federal testing. Morals and<br />
values have seen other changes. “Teachers now have to teach<br />
academics and behavior which makes teaching so much more<br />
complex.” He was quick to add that parents shouldn’t shoulder all<br />
the blame because the school actually has more time with the kids<br />
than the parents do.<br />
Martin applauds the <strong>Clinton</strong> school district for its parent<br />
participation and the ability for a PTO to raise twenty-five to<br />
thirty thousand dollars in a year’s fundraising. He frowns on any<br />
complaints about the long car lines delivering and picking up<br />
children because that translates to a direct correlation to parent<br />
involvement, and that’s always a positive thing.<br />
Home life for Dr. Martin is continued “education talk.” His<br />
wife, Cindy, is a multi-talented educator and recently retired.<br />
Their oldest child, Sara, is a newlywed enrolled in her first year of<br />
medical school at University Medical Center. The Martin’s middle<br />
child, Lindsey, fulfilled her childhood goal and teaches in Rankin<br />
County, and Hunter will begin his senior year this fall – in that<br />
proverbial fish bowl!<br />
The new superintendent has already<br />
challenged his staff with goals for <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
Public Schools. Past statistics prove that<br />
the <strong>Clinton</strong> schools rank high in the state,<br />
but Martin asks,“Why not have high<br />
rankings in the southeast or in the nation?”<br />
And he always reminds his staff: “If you’re<br />
part of this school system, you’re about<br />
excellence.”<br />
The very visible Tim Martin is at<br />
home in and around the classroom. His<br />
philosophy is simple,“Hold onto what<br />
works; change what doesn’t.” He also<br />
believes in surrounding yourself with<br />
people smarter than you are.<br />
For the 5,200-plus students expected<br />
to be in the public school system this fall,<br />
Dr. Martin is confident that he and every<br />
staff member will be prepared and ready<br />
to excel in their “calling.” His love for the<br />
students and his ministry of educating<br />
them is obvious from his track record.<br />
With growing pride in the public schools<br />
of <strong>Clinton</strong> he says,“We don’t do everything<br />
perfectly, but we do a lot well.” zx<br />
16 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 17
The Tree<br />
Man<br />
Camille Anding<br />
That’s how a lot of the locals in <strong>Clinton</strong> know Jehu Brabham,<br />
and in a unique way, it’s descriptive of who he is. You might<br />
compare him to a strong, deeply rooted tree with multiple<br />
branches.<br />
It was after much prayer and because his parents had taught<br />
him to be involved in the place where he lived that convinced Jehu<br />
to run for alderman-at-large on the <strong>Clinton</strong> City Council in 1993.<br />
It was while he was in that office that he became known as “The<br />
Tree Man,” and thus began the “branches” of this innovative and<br />
community-loving alderman.<br />
One of the main goals that he wanted to see fulfilled as a public<br />
servant was the beautification of <strong>Clinton</strong>. With no funding in the<br />
budget to purchase trees for the entrances to the city, Jehu wrote<br />
grants to secure funding.<br />
The city was given a matching grant of thirty thousand dollars,<br />
but that meant the city would have to add their own thirty<br />
thousand amount. Jehu didn’t let that massive challenge slow<br />
his enthusiasm to help beautify <strong>Clinton</strong>. He convinced a nursery<br />
to draw up landscape plans and donate their time and expertise.<br />
Then he calculated that cost and began his matching tab.<br />
The fire department agreed to use an old fire truck to water<br />
the young plants and trees in order to keep them alive in the<br />
Mississippi summers. That amount, given as a donation, was<br />
figured and added to the tab. Those figures along with some local<br />
contributors made up the thirty thousand matching fund and<br />
paid for the thousand-plus trees that Jehu planted and helped<br />
plant around the city.<br />
“It’s been my goal to develop a unique, distinctive appearance<br />
for our community,” Jehu says. When the crepe myrtles begin<br />
blooming throughout the city, the tree man smiles, and all<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong>’s citizens and visitors enjoy Jehu’s dedicated work.<br />
Another branch on his tree would be the many votes he’s<br />
made in the city government in helping to make <strong>Clinton</strong> an<br />
outstanding city for the present and the future. Jehu’s investment<br />
of twenty-four years has been valuable in multiple ways.<br />
He’s served with integrity and never felt pressured when<br />
he voted alone on an issue before the council. “If it’s not right<br />
or good for the city, I’ve never voted for it,” he says with firm<br />
conviction. When his phone rang about questions concerning<br />
requests for help with issues such as overflowing ditches, Jehu<br />
said that he would always ask himself if it would be legal to use<br />
public funds for the fix. If not, the answer was no.<br />
Jehu smiled with fond recollections of friendships through<br />
his office and said, “I’ve never had a harsh word with any<br />
mayor, board member, official, or citizen.” While building those<br />
friendships, he worked and voted to see the multi-million<br />
dollar <strong>Clinton</strong> Parkway completed along with upgrades in the<br />
infrastructure of the city.<br />
Jehu Brabham<br />
18 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 19
“We’ve never had a boil water alert in my twenty-four years,”<br />
he said. He also spoke of personnel plans that raised salaries and<br />
scaled future promotions for city employees. The revitalization of<br />
the Old Town area was also instrumental in <strong>Clinton</strong>’s face lift.<br />
The tree man has spread large branches with his leadership and<br />
grandsons, Grant and Cole. Perhaps he can teach them his scoring<br />
tricks in basketball. As a senior basketball player at Mississippi<br />
College, he led the nation in scoring. And that was before the<br />
three-pointers!<br />
Maybe he can pass on his trait of discipline he cultivated during<br />
college. He never missed more than three days practicing his<br />
shooting skills in all four years of college.<br />
Perhaps he can pass on what his parents and grandparents<br />
taught him – to do those things for others that today’s generation<br />
expects the government to do. He should definitely share how<br />
they can find ways to give to others. As the Wednesday night cook<br />
at Parkway (another tree branch), he gathers any excess food and<br />
carries it to the city workers for their Thursday lunches. zx<br />
influence as administrator at Parkway Baptist Church. He works<br />
with budgeting, grounds, benevolence and missions. His office is<br />
brimming with African and other foreign artifacts that Jehu has<br />
collected in his mission trips as gifts from appreciative foreigners.<br />
This administrator oversees five African men who his church<br />
adopted while they were in school at Reformed Theological<br />
Seminary in <strong>Clinton</strong>. The church continues to support them<br />
and their work in Africa along with assisting their children with<br />
school expenses.<br />
The interstate located adjacent to <strong>Clinton</strong> brings a continuous<br />
flow of people seeking help. Jehu admits that God has given him<br />
a discerning spirit which he uses in extending aid to travelers who<br />
sometimes just need a friend to help rout loneliness.<br />
This year marks forty-seven years at Parkway for Jehu. His<br />
administrative assistant for twenty-four years, Shirley Dreding,<br />
has learned that Jehu’s calling has always been about people.<br />
“The maturity, wisdom, and discernment which he shows in his<br />
decisions are truly gifts of God,” she says.<br />
Jehu suggests that people stay active in service. Working<br />
with Habitat and ringing The Salvation Army bells are part of<br />
his heritage. “Jobs like that help keep you humble,” he says from<br />
experience.<br />
Now that Jehu has officially retired from public service with<br />
the city, he can spend more time with his wife, Cheryl, and enjoy<br />
C<br />
Psalm 1:3 seems an appropriate<br />
verse to characterize Jehu Brabham:<br />
“He is like a tree planted by streams<br />
of water that yields its fruit in its<br />
season, and its leaf does not wither.<br />
In all that he does, he prospers.”<br />
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20 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 21
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notification. All move in discounts and specials are not for existing residents.<br />
22 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 23
MARCHING<br />
TO THE TOP:<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> High<br />
School Band<br />
Abigail Walker<br />
Whether it’s playing in the stands, marching<br />
during halftime, or performing in a concert<br />
hall, the members of the <strong>Clinton</strong> High<br />
School Band pour their hearts into their<br />
music. But they are also putting <strong>Clinton</strong> on the map as a<br />
strong competitor among bands nationwide.<br />
The <strong>Clinton</strong> High School Band is made up of ninth<br />
through twelfth grade students who must audition for a<br />
spot, as well as try out for individual ranks within each<br />
section. Kevin Welborn, the director of bands for <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
Public Schools, says that this year’s band will be the biggest<br />
yet, with 224 members.<br />
The band is active throughout the entire year. During the<br />
fall, the marching band plays at all <strong>Clinton</strong> home football<br />
games and most of the away games, supporting the team<br />
and rallying the community together. But fall is also the<br />
band’s competitive season, which means they often get<br />
home late from games on Friday nights and wake up early<br />
for competitions on Saturdays.<br />
The <strong>Clinton</strong> High School Marching Band is a perennial<br />
state finalist—the equivalent of going to the second round<br />
in football playoffs. Welborn says they also hold their own<br />
at some of the larger out-of-state competitions, placing<br />
among 30 to 45 schools. Last year, the marching band made<br />
the finals at the USBands Championships. <strong>Clinton</strong> High<br />
School has also hosted the state MHSAA band competition<br />
and will again this year.<br />
“We believe competition breeds success,” says Welborn.<br />
“My job is to make sure our students are exposed to as<br />
much as possible and grow from it.”<br />
In the spring, students take part in up to ten different<br />
ensembles. From concert bands and small chamber<br />
ensembles to indoor percussion groups and two winter<br />
guard groups, the band spends most of the second semester<br />
performing in concerts and attending state festivals.<br />
The <strong>Clinton</strong> bands have multiple state championships<br />
under their belts, but the concert bands are also making a<br />
name for <strong>Clinton</strong> on the national scale. In 2014, the indoor<br />
percussion group won the WGI World Championships in<br />
Dayton, Ohio—their first year to go to the competition.<br />
This past year, the indoor group made the finals at Worlds<br />
and the winter guard scored higher than they ever had in<br />
their classification at Regionals.<br />
“We are keeping our eyes looking forward,” Welborn says.<br />
“As long as we do our best and get better than the previous<br />
year, we are proud. We are definitely competitive, but it’s<br />
more about us being our best selves.”<br />
The band has marched in the Memorial Day Parade in<br />
Washington D.C. and the Magic Kingdom Parade at Walt<br />
Disney World. Annual spring trips like these give the<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> band a chance to showcase their talent to the world<br />
and celebrate a successful year.<br />
“If we are going to ask these students to be their best,”<br />
says Welborn, “we have to make sure to do everything in<br />
24 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 25
our power to make them comfortable and confident in their<br />
environment.”<br />
He adds that just like a sports team, the band practices<br />
as much as they can to improve their game. They even<br />
sacrifice time during weekends and holiday breaks to<br />
perfect their craft. The band practices every Monday night<br />
during the summer, and members attend a camp two weeks<br />
before classes start. During the school year, they rehearse<br />
for hours at a time throughout the week.<br />
“Those that choose to play in the band know what’s<br />
at stake,” Welborn says. “We have to make sure we are<br />
working hard.”<br />
But they also focus on growing as a team, spending time<br />
together even when they aren’t practicing. Welborn says it’s<br />
also important that rehearsals feel unified and productive:<br />
“We make sure to have clearly defined goals and focus on<br />
achieving those goals. We are always looking forward to the<br />
next thing. As long as we are constantly learning and having<br />
fun, the program continues to grow and get stronger. It’s<br />
just a matter of trying to push it to the next level.”<br />
This is Welborn’s ninth year working with the <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
band. He spent six years as director of percussion before<br />
becoming director of bands. He says he’s excited about this<br />
next season because of the rapid increase of members. In<br />
addition to the directors and staff that assist with rehearsals,<br />
the <strong>Clinton</strong> band booster club raised money to purchase<br />
more instruments and hire more adjuncts to help with<br />
the growth.<br />
Students can get introduced to the band program in<br />
sixth grade through the Lovett Beginner Band and then<br />
progress to the junior high level before auditioning for<br />
the high school band. Welborn says that band benefits<br />
students in their academic classes and also helps them to be<br />
more punctual and willing to work with others. “They are<br />
learning lessons they will take with them throughout the<br />
rest of their lives,” he says.<br />
“I love how much of a team we are and if someone is<br />
struggling with something, we have to work together to<br />
find a solution and get better,” says Jordan Dubra, who<br />
plays the clarinet. “I enjoyed when we all marched together<br />
in the Magic Kingdom Parade at Disney World. Not only<br />
because it was with my friends, but because it was my first<br />
time there and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it any other<br />
way.”<br />
Welborn adds that the <strong>Clinton</strong> community can help<br />
support their nationally-ranked band program by coming<br />
to competitions, aiding students through fundraisers, and<br />
simply offering encouraging words.<br />
“I am constantly learning from the students,” Welborn<br />
says. “We are seeing them go out and get jobs in the<br />
national music industry, expanding their own knowledge<br />
base with the skills they learned in the CHS band program.<br />
We try to provide them with what they need<br />
to grow.” zx<br />
26 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 27
Letting Go As They Grow<br />
It’s all happening so fast. Life, that is.<br />
They say, “Don’t blink. Your kids<br />
will be gone before you know it.”<br />
As crazy as it sounds, for a brief moment,<br />
I even considered skipping the tree<br />
altogether—but that would have been<br />
❀ ❀ ❀<br />
As it turns out, parents aren’t the<br />
And they’re right. But it didn’t happen<br />
wrong—so I decided to put the easy<br />
only ones that struggle with letting go.<br />
Mary Ann Kirby<br />
gradually. It just happened one day.<br />
Like, on a Tuesday. And all of a sudden,<br />
stuff out first. I put the garland on the<br />
mantel. Put it out, plug it in. Can’t get<br />
Kids have to process it, too. There have<br />
been times when my son has tried to<br />
everything was just different.<br />
any easier than that.<br />
resist it and has struggled with the<br />
As I stood there in my mood, I stared<br />
changing dynamic.<br />
at that lifeless pre-lit garland draped<br />
At ten-years old he was getting a<br />
Last year around Thanksgiving, I was<br />
around the fireplace feeling downright<br />
bedroom makeover. He was excited with<br />
trying to gear myself up for decorating<br />
sorry for myself. My baby isn’t a baby<br />
the idea of a bigger bed, some cool<br />
for the holidays. Christmas was<br />
anymore and I’m not ready for what’s<br />
artwork, and a desk. His “little-boy”<br />
approaching and everything had been<br />
next. It’s gone too fast, I’ve made too<br />
room would soon be a thing of the past.<br />
down from the attic since Halloween,<br />
many mistakes, and I needed to re-capture<br />
All was well with the universe until we<br />
but I couldn’t muster the spirit to put it<br />
moments to which I didn’t pay close<br />
started removing things—things he’d<br />
out. Maybe it’s because it was 80-degrees<br />
enough attention. I wanted to stop the<br />
never remembered not having. Light<br />
outside. Maybe, because it was our first<br />
clock – if only for a moment – just to get<br />
sabers and action figures and various<br />
Christmas after tragedy had struck our<br />
my bearings. But no one can hold time in<br />
stuffed animals and matchbox cars were<br />
extended family back in the summer.<br />
their hands that way. (Cue the super-<br />
now boxed up in containers labeled,<br />
But down deep inside, I knew the real<br />
dramatic theme music and hand me a<br />
“Donate.” He looked at me at one point<br />
reason. It’s because my son, my only<br />
box of tissue, stat!)<br />
and cried out, “But these are my<br />
child, was getting older. And as ridiculous<br />
Then it hit me. Why not put all of<br />
memories! It’s a timeline of my whole<br />
as it sounds, I struggle with that.<br />
my son’s former “little-tree” ornaments<br />
life!” He was near tears.<br />
We pull the same boxes out of the attic<br />
in the garland? All of his little snowman<br />
God bless him. I love that kid so<br />
every year. The ones marked “fragile,”<br />
ornaments and Santa ornaments and<br />
much. He has no idea what I would give<br />
“living room,” “dining room,” and “mantel.”<br />
gumdrops and trains. So I sent my<br />
to stop time. I wish we could keep it all<br />
There’s one marked “Parker” that I<br />
husband up into the attic to retrieve a<br />
and never let it go. It took all I had<br />
haven’t brought down for eight or nine<br />
thickly dust-covered box that was about<br />
within me not to fall down in a heaping<br />
years. Long ago, he had his own little tree<br />
to find new life. Little did I know it<br />
mess and flail about in a show of<br />
in his room but we eventually stopped<br />
would give me new life, too.<br />
solidarity—but God knew I needed to<br />
using it. He had simply outgrown the<br />
I felt reinvigorated as I started<br />
be strong in that moment and, by His<br />
whole notion of it. I just boxed it up with<br />
hanging and tucking those long-hidden<br />
grace, I was. Of course the payoff of the<br />
everything else; the train sets, the picture<br />
treasures into the greenery. It brought<br />
new room was quick to come and my<br />
books and all the other collectibles that<br />
me joy and helped me re-connect with<br />
son was able to recover and move on<br />
I can’t bring myself to part with—and<br />
memories I realized I wasn’t ready to<br />
pretty swiftly. I guess that’s a guy-thing.<br />
stored it in the attic.<br />
permanently relegate to the attic. It<br />
But I’ve never forgotten it. Letting go is<br />
So Thanksgiving night, decorating<br />
helped me appreciate that everything<br />
for the birds.<br />
night, I simply didn’t have the juice.<br />
would be ok. Seasons change—both<br />
literally and figuratively.<br />
❀ ❀ ❀<br />
28• 30 Aug/Sept/Oct • August <strong>2017</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 27 • 29<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> Rankin • 31
So this summer, the boy is fourteen. To say it’s<br />
been different is an understatement. When only a year<br />
or so ago he’d never dream of spending the night away<br />
from home, this year he tromped off to baseball camp<br />
for an entire week! The only thing he wanted to do<br />
when I picked him up was eat. We hit a local buffet<br />
and he had fried chicken, steak fries, pizza, and a<br />
pancake. It was at that time that he told me about his<br />
time away from home. It very much felt like a forecast<br />
of things to come.<br />
He now stays gone nearly every waking moment—<br />
and I miss him. No one ever said this would be easy.<br />
While I’m looking for ways to connect, he’s trying to<br />
disconnect—and that’s ok, too. He’s right on pace.<br />
It’s just all a part of it, right? But it literally happened<br />
overnight.<br />
He has more freedom than he’s ever had before.<br />
And I’ve had to learn to evolve. What made sense<br />
when he was four obviously doesn’t work when he’s<br />
fourteen. What worked an hour ago might not work<br />
an hour from now. This is a fast-moving train.<br />
I’m also trying to listen better—because when kids<br />
feel like they can talk to their parents, they feel safe<br />
and supported. Sounds reasonable. Lord help me.<br />
Please pass the parenting handbook . . . and the wine.<br />
They say the hardest part about growing up is<br />
letting go of what we’re used to and moving on with<br />
something we’re not. I’d say that pretty well sums up<br />
parenting, too. But, when it’s all said and done, your<br />
kids will become who you are. So be who you want<br />
them to be. After all, it takes a lot of courage to grow up.<br />
For all of us.<br />
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30 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong> <strong>Hometown</strong> Rankin <strong>Clinton</strong> • 33 31
Sunday<br />
September 1o<br />
is<br />
Surely, two of the most satisfying experiences<br />
in life must be those of being a grandchild or<br />
being a grandparent.<br />
What’s your favorite thing about your grandparents?<br />
What’s your favorite thing about being a grandparent?<br />
My granddaddy tells great<br />
stories and my grandmother<br />
has the sweetest smile.<br />
Melanie Drake<br />
They would always set<br />
anything they had going on<br />
aside to spend time with us.<br />
Suzanne Cole<br />
Hearing their stories and how life was<br />
for them growing up. They both live out<br />
of the country so I don’t get to see them<br />
much. But they cook the best food!<br />
Gabriel Riveros<br />
You get to love on them,<br />
spoil them, and give them<br />
back to their parents.<br />
Emma Veal<br />
There’s so many things! The<br />
happiness you see in them in<br />
their activities is so fulfilling<br />
and watching them develop as<br />
they grow. Dolly Dawkins<br />
It’s GRAND! It’s a precious time<br />
where you can do whatever you<br />
want to do. It’s not that there aren’t<br />
rules, and there is responsibility,<br />
but we as grandparents aren’t the<br />
ones who have to take care of the<br />
details. We have fun!<br />
Cheryl Brabham<br />
They have such generosity<br />
toward the family.<br />
Will Osgood<br />
They’re still living! I love<br />
their stories and traditions<br />
that they’re passing on to us.<br />
Michael Jones<br />
We were always welcome at<br />
their house..<br />
Alicia Dunn<br />
My favorite thing about being Pawpaw to six<br />
grandchildren is the inborn love we have for each<br />
other. I also like the fact that my three children<br />
understand me better now that they are making<br />
parenting decisions. Best of all, I have gotten to<br />
baptize my three oldest grandchildren and saw<br />
the youngest grandson dedicated to the Lord<br />
Sunday, July 30.<br />
Wayne VanHorn<br />
32 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong> <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 33
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'If I knew ten years ago what I know now,’ is<br />
something we often tell ourselves. Some of that<br />
knowledge can only be gained through living it<br />
because when we hear it, it seems so ordinary<br />
and unnecessary that we can hardly give it our<br />
attention long enough to even hear it, much<br />
less take it to heart. Nevertheless, I’m going<br />
to share some things my life and my life with<br />
Parkinson’s has taught me.<br />
-Adele Hensley<br />
When<br />
the Rain<br />
Comes:<br />
Making Sense of Parkinson’s Through the Written Word<br />
by Johnny Lowe<br />
Adele Hensley lives in <strong>Clinton</strong> with her husband Frank<br />
and son, Clark. The above paragraph is from a blog Adele<br />
posted April 17, 2015. Ten years prior, at age 38, she was<br />
diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease.<br />
From unabridged Merriam-Webster:<br />
Parkinson’s disease – a chronic<br />
progressive neurodegenerative<br />
disease chiefly of later life that is<br />
linked to decreased dopamine<br />
production in the substantia nigra,<br />
is of unknown cause, and is marked<br />
by tremor of resting muscles, rigidity,<br />
slowness of movement, impaired<br />
balance, and a shuffling gait.<br />
From parkinson.org (National Parkinson Foundation):<br />
When an individual is diagnosed with PD before the age of<br />
50, the disorder is called young-onset Parkinson’s disease.<br />
The disease affects people in different ways, as actor<br />
Michael J. Fox, who also has young-onset Parkinson’s,<br />
noted in his book, Always Looking Up. “One of the biggest<br />
revelations was, in spite of all our common travails, how<br />
different our experiences could be. Parkinson’s disease<br />
takes many forms—for some reason, everyone gets their<br />
own version. A drug therapy or surgery that works for one<br />
might not work for another. Our reactions—emotional,<br />
psychological, and physical—vary greatly, and this obviously<br />
affects our ability to cope,” says Fox.<br />
The exact cause of Parkinson’s is yet to be determined, and<br />
there is no known cure at present. The disease itself does not<br />
kill, as Adele noted on her blog, but “it dismantles almost<br />
every single one of a person’s abilities until independence<br />
becomes a distant memory.”<br />
At one point, Adele began thinking about how she could<br />
best explain to her son Clark, who was 3½ when she was<br />
diagnosed, what was happening to her. “No matter how<br />
dramatic the drugs or the treatment,” she said, “nothing that<br />
we have available now is ‘disease-modifying.’ This means<br />
that the existing treatments treat symptoms, but they cannot<br />
address the cause or the progression of anyone’s case of<br />
Parkinson’s disease.”<br />
34 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 35
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Obviously, a bit more complicated to explain than,<br />
“Mommy’s got a cold, and in a few days she’ll get well.”<br />
Adele’s wanting to explain Parkinson’s to her son morphed<br />
into a much larger endeavor when the Hensleys lived in<br />
Phoenix, Arizona. “I knew I wanted a story for Clark,” Adele<br />
said. “One day on a hike in the desert behind the house, I had<br />
a moment of insight in which I saw the entire story clearly.”<br />
This became the first children’s book, Monica, Mama, and the<br />
Ocotillo’s Leaves: A book for children who love someone with<br />
Parkinson’s disease or any chronic illness, published in 2013.<br />
In Monica, Mama, and the Ocotillo’s Leaves, Monica and<br />
her mother love to hike in the desert. One day they find an<br />
ocotillo plant, a desert scrub with thorny branches and tiny<br />
leaves. Monica’s mother tells her, “It grew those leaves fresh<br />
this week, after it rained…”<br />
That day would be the last time Monica and her mother<br />
would visit the desert for a while. That summer, Monica<br />
learns her mother has something called Parkinson’s disease<br />
and that she needs to take medicine “to help her body work<br />
much better.”<br />
Sometime later Monica and her mother return to the desert<br />
where they first saw the ocotillo plant, but Monica cries when<br />
she discovers it is all brown and dry, thinking it has died. Her<br />
mother explains that because it was so hot and dry during the<br />
summer, it had to drop its leaves to survive:<br />
“Monica, the ocotillo is just like your Mama. The plant’s<br />
alive in there, but it can’t always let its true face show. I’m alive<br />
and happy in here,” she pointed to her heart, “but my smile<br />
doesn’t always show. My voice doesn’t always sound happy,<br />
but when I have what I need, the right medicine, and a good<br />
walk, I sound, feel, and look a lot more like myself.”<br />
“I see, Mama,” said Monica. “And the ocotillo will look like<br />
itself when…?” Her voice trailed off in a question.<br />
“When the rain comes again,” said Mama. Two more titles<br />
followed: How Marty’s Mom Became a Cyborg, and Face It:<br />
Making Peace with Fear. Adele provided the artwork for<br />
Monica and Face It, while Marty’s Mom was illustrated by<br />
Brent Messmer.<br />
“Each book is the same in that each mother has Parkinson’s,<br />
and each child learns to cope,” Adele said. “Each story is<br />
different because each family has its own path to tread.”<br />
<strong>Fall</strong> 2016 saw the publication of a fourth book, Twelve Years<br />
and Counting: Reflections on Life with Early Onset Parkinson’s<br />
Disease, a collection of poems—this time aimed at both<br />
adults as well as children. Adele’s husband Frank, professor of<br />
biological sciences at Mississippi College, provided the book’s<br />
wonderful nature photographs. “I’m a self-taught amateur,” he<br />
said, “and I use some of my photos in my teaching.”<br />
Adele continues to write, and is presently working on<br />
another children’s book, this one all about manners. Though<br />
putting words to paper takes longer than it used to, she will<br />
not stop, because she has something to say.<br />
Punch through the static. zx<br />
Her books are available at amazon.com,<br />
barnesandnoble.com, booksamillion.com,<br />
and Pentimento Books in <strong>Clinton</strong>.<br />
36 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 37
What was the biggest adjustment you had to make from college<br />
football to the pros?<br />
I had to be quicker in everything I did. The guys were bigger, faster, and<br />
smarter in every area of the game. I had to become stronger both mentally<br />
and physically than I had been in college. There is always someone<br />
waiting to take your job, so you have to be diligent in everything you do<br />
and never stop growing as a player. If you ever get comfortable, you’re<br />
not there for long.<br />
What's one of your fondest memories of going to high school in<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
All the friends you make as you go through high school, whether on a<br />
team or just in class. Some are bonds you will have for the rest of your life.<br />
Additional memories include; the Clash of the Classes competition, Mr.<br />
Beasley’s class, Europe trip, pep rallies with shredded paper everywhere,<br />
and paint parties.<br />
As a pro football player, what did you enjoy doing in your free time?<br />
I loved playing golf. Whenever I joined a new team, I would look to see<br />
where the nearest golf course was so I could get out there with any free<br />
time I had. I also loved going sightseeing in each town I visited. I’m real<br />
big into history, so if it had a great story behind it, I wanted to see it.<br />
What or who was your greatest motivation to become a pro?<br />
My parents were my greatest motivators—not necessarily to become a<br />
pro football player, but to work hard at whatever I decided to do with my<br />
life. They encouraged me to strive for what I wanted—and that<br />
encouragement can go a long way. They also never let me settle for<br />
something when they knew I could do better regarding sports or school.<br />
What's your favorite food?<br />
Steak and baked potato.<br />
What are some negatives about being a professional athlete?<br />
It’s a business, so some of the fun and camaraderie that you had in college<br />
and high school goes away. You’re too worried about keeping your job<br />
every week. As they say in the business, NFL stands for “Not for Long.”<br />
You also miss a lot of holidays with family and often you are the<br />
entertainment on Thanksgiving and Christmas.<br />
Who are some coaches who had a positive impact in your life in<br />
high school and how?<br />
Jaret Holmes<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> Star<br />
PROFESSIONAL KICKER/ NEW YORK GIANTS<br />
(A former Kicker for <strong>Clinton</strong> Arrows, University of Auburn)<br />
Hugh Christian had a big impact on me in high school. He was the soccer<br />
coach who pulled me off the soccer team to come kick for the football<br />
team. He also taught me the real meaning of being in shape. Never before<br />
had I run and worked out as I did under him. Many of my workouts from<br />
then on would have a core that came from him. Doug Hutton was another<br />
coach that taught me a lot about work ethic and the mental side of sports.<br />
What one football play stands out in your mind from high school?<br />
The first time I kicked the ball through the uprights on a kickoff. I had<br />
worked on that for months and finally one night it hit the crossbar and<br />
went through.<br />
What are three things on your bucket list?<br />
To visit the Holy Land, go on a cruise, and take the whole family to see an<br />
Iron Bowl. War Eagle!<br />
40 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 41
42 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 43
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CLINTON'S FINEST<br />
Michael Even<br />
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER<br />
Why did you decide to become a school<br />
resource officer?<br />
Being the oldest of ten siblings put me in a<br />
leadership role of sorts. Strong faith and good<br />
character is something my parents instilled in<br />
me at a young age. So, mentoring and<br />
teaching is something that has come naturally<br />
through my upbringing and hopefully have a<br />
positive effect on our young people. I also saw<br />
this position as an opportunity to “protect and<br />
serve” in a different capacity for our<br />
community. As a school resource officer, I am<br />
around the students on a daily basis. This gives<br />
me the chance to set a positive example for<br />
our city’s most impressionable minds—not<br />
only as a man but as a police officer—thus<br />
allowing me to give them encouragement and<br />
guidance in their day, as well as ensure they<br />
have a safe environment that is conducive for<br />
learning.<br />
How long have you been with the <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
Police Department?<br />
I began working for the <strong>Clinton</strong> Police<br />
Department in April of 2009.<br />
Tell us about your family.<br />
I am a father of three amazing kids! My oldest,<br />
Micah, is a regional sales director for Vector<br />
Marketing in Monroe, Louisiana. My middle<br />
child, Erin, is enrolled in Hinds Community<br />
College where she is studying to be a nurse.<br />
My youngest, Lily, will be a senior at <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
High School this year. All of my children have<br />
attended <strong>Clinton</strong> Public Schools from K-12.<br />
What is the toughest thing you have<br />
experienced in your job?<br />
Being helpless during a tragedy is probably<br />
the toughest. As a police officer in general,<br />
there are all sorts of calls that have us<br />
responding. It’s the powerlessness to undo<br />
the damage caused from automobile<br />
accidents, house fires, and other tragic<br />
events that come our way. Being unable<br />
to bring back a life or take away the hurt,<br />
fear and/or sadness in situations.<br />
Share some things you enjoy doing in your<br />
spare time.<br />
Ah! So many things! Spending time with my<br />
kids, being in the USMC Reserves, hunting,<br />
fishing, competitive shooting, woodworking,<br />
CrossFit, volunteering at Camp Down Range<br />
and the Boy Scouts, when called upon.<br />
What are three things on your bucket list?<br />
1) Some adventure sports. Scuba diving,<br />
skydiving, hang gliding.<br />
2) Travel. I have been to several countries for<br />
mission work and for the military. I would like<br />
to travel more for pleasure.<br />
3) Explore the Amazon.<br />
Who is someone you admire and why?<br />
My maternal grandfather, Phillip Boogearts.<br />
He was a colonel the Marine Corps and retired<br />
after serving in WWII and the Korean War.<br />
He also went to work for and retired with<br />
South Central Bell as an electrical engineer.<br />
I admire him for his devotion to family and his<br />
service to our country. Hard work, dedication,<br />
and positive attitude are just some of the<br />
attributes he instilled in his family.<br />
Where do you see yourself ten years<br />
from now?<br />
In my career, I would hope to continue my<br />
advancement through the ranks with the<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> Police Department. I enjoy teaching<br />
and feel I could also excel as an instructor for<br />
the various qualifications our officers have to<br />
maintain on an ongoing basis for the<br />
department.<br />
If you could give one piece of advice to a<br />
young person, what would it be?<br />
Don’t judge a book by its cover. So many kids<br />
make snap judgments about their classmates,<br />
teachers and others before getting to know<br />
them. They make assumptions to fill in the<br />
gaps. There is more to a person than what they<br />
wear, how they talk, and what culture they<br />
come from. Stop rushing to judgment, listen to<br />
what others have say and think before you<br />
speak/act.<br />
What is a favorite childhood memory?<br />
Spending time with my second family in<br />
Mexico. As a missionary kid, I spent time living<br />
in a rural fishing village with a local pastor and<br />
his family. Dirt floors, bamboo walls and the<br />
smell of salt water in the air. I stayed there as<br />
often as possible and enjoyed my time hunting<br />
iguanas and fishing.<br />
What is the biggest mistake you think<br />
young people make today?<br />
Selling themselves short. Not reaching for the<br />
stars, so to speak. They don’t believe in<br />
themselves. Or understand they have the<br />
opportunity to be anything and everything<br />
they want to be in life, just by applying<br />
themselves. Some settle for mediocrity and let<br />
their dreams slip through their fingers instead<br />
of maximizing their potential.<br />
What is your favorite thing about the City of<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
I enjoy the small town feel and the diversity of<br />
the residents. I constantly run into people I<br />
know from school, work and church. Having<br />
Mississippi College here means meeting folks<br />
from around the country and even the globe.
NEW YEAR<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
READER<br />
SPOTLIGHT<br />
T.J. McSparrin<br />
Why did you decide to make <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
your home?<br />
My husband and I were looking for a place to raise<br />
our growing family. We both wanted a small-town<br />
atmosphere, but also to live close to the amenities<br />
of a larger city. We wanted our children to go to a<br />
public school so we searched throughout the metro<br />
area for the best school system and <strong>Clinton</strong> was at<br />
the top even 30 years ago. We found in <strong>Clinton</strong> a<br />
strong religious community, great educational<br />
resources and outstanding recreation and<br />
entertainment activities plus it was close to our<br />
families who lived in Raymond and South Jackson.<br />
How long have you lived in <strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
We purchased 2 acres of land on McRaven Road<br />
when I was pregnant with our first child 30 years<br />
ago. We later built our house on one of the acres<br />
and moved here in 1991. My parents built their<br />
house on the second acre and moved next door in<br />
2001.<br />
Tell us about your family.<br />
My husband, Mike, and I have been married for 35<br />
years. We have 2 girls, Kellis and Cody, who both<br />
graduated from <strong>Clinton</strong> public schools. Kellis<br />
graduated from the University of Southern<br />
Mississippi with a B.F.A. in Dance and New York<br />
University receiving a masters in dance<br />
performance and choreography. She lives in New<br />
Orleans with her husband, Kirk Oldenburg, and is<br />
entering her third season with the Marigny Opera<br />
Ballet as a dancer and rehearsal director. Cody also<br />
graduated from Southern Miss with a B.S. in<br />
Nursing and is a registered nurse working in<br />
Ochsner’s Neuro ICU in NOLA. We go to<br />
NOLA a lot these days.<br />
What is your favorite memory of<br />
living in <strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
That is a really hard question to answer. Both of<br />
our girls were singer/dancers in Attaché so there<br />
were many performances that continued to be<br />
exciting no matter how many times you saw them.<br />
There were the sports they were involved in and<br />
the many days spent at Traceway Park either<br />
playing fast-pitch softball or soccer. But if I had to<br />
pick one memory, it would be the 1995 Junior<br />
Auxiliary Eggstravaganza. I was the co-chair of the<br />
event that year so Mike and my parents brought<br />
the girls. It was held at the Lions Club Park back<br />
then and I can remember like it was yesterday<br />
releasing all the kids for the frenzy of egg hunting!<br />
That is the small town feel we were looking for<br />
when we found <strong>Clinton</strong>.<br />
Where are your 3 favorite places to<br />
eat in <strong>Clinton</strong>?<br />
Salsa’s – When my kids come home they always<br />
want to go to “Mexico” – that is what they have<br />
always called Salsa’s. Froghead Grill – love the food<br />
and the owner, Josh Welch, is such a great guy and<br />
supporter of our community. And Bonsai Japanese<br />
Steakhouse – Great sushi!!<br />
What are some fun things to do in<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> on the weekends?<br />
We have great shops with a variety of collectables<br />
and clothes. We have Main Street events like<br />
Markets, Dinner & a Movie, car shows, and<br />
BBQ’s. Look at the activities at MC – plays,<br />
sporting events, etc. Then there is always Indian<br />
Lanes and Playtime Entertainment for family fun.<br />
And let us not forget Funtime Skateland that my<br />
children lived at when they were growing up. We<br />
have a great park system with playground<br />
equipment for the kids, walking trails, tennis<br />
courts (where my husband would like to live),<br />
Frisbee golf, and the list goes on and on. My<br />
favorite thing to do is sit on my front porch!<br />
Share some things you enjoy doing in<br />
your spare time.<br />
Spare time? What is that? When I do have time I<br />
like to cook and do all kinds of crafts – sewing,<br />
jewelry-making, stained glass, etc. I also perform<br />
with the Puppet Arts Theatre in a variety of shows.<br />
I have been a puppeteer with this company for at<br />
least 31 years and enjoy performing for children<br />
throughout the southeast.<br />
What are three things on your bucket<br />
list?<br />
Go to Europe with my husband, travel to national<br />
parks/treasures in the USA like the Grand<br />
Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, etc., and play with a<br />
grandchild or two.<br />
Who is someone you admire and<br />
why?<br />
I most admire my father. He passed away in 2010,<br />
but I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t reflect<br />
on something that he taught me. They say that<br />
God picks special men to be fathers to daughters.<br />
Daddy never hesitated to take me fishing or<br />
hunting or play girly things like dolls or hold tea<br />
parties. He taught me how a man should treat his<br />
wife which helped me to choose my wonderful<br />
husband. He taught me how important it was to<br />
be a caregiver as I watched him take care of his<br />
mother-in-law and wife during failing health. He<br />
was not only a wonderful father, but probably the<br />
best grandfather in the world doing all the same<br />
things with my girls he did with me. He never<br />
missed a performance, ballgame, or Friday night<br />
sleepover, if he could help it. He taught me that it<br />
wasn’t what you did with your children but that you<br />
DID things with your children—your presence<br />
was more important than the activity. He taught<br />
me how important a positive attitude was and<br />
staying active was imperative to staying young at<br />
heart! He taught me it was important to have faith<br />
in God and to have your family involved in church.<br />
He taught me to give back to others as I observed<br />
his work with different organizations. He didn’t<br />
just tell me what to do, but led by example. He was<br />
worthy of great admiration.<br />
Where do you see yourself ten years<br />
from now?<br />
I would like to be retired and checking off my<br />
bucket list with my husband.<br />
What is your favorite childhood<br />
memory?<br />
My grandparents lived on a farm in north<br />
Mississippi so my favorite memories are about<br />
activities at the farm – fishing with my dad, riding<br />
my pony, cutting the Christmas tree down and<br />
dragging it home behind my horse (I swear it was<br />
like a Hallmark card), going Christmas caroling in<br />
a horse and buggy (another Hallmark card),<br />
playing with the baby chicks, pigs, calves, etc. It was<br />
a special place.<br />
If you could give us one encouraging<br />
quote, what would it be?<br />
I don’t know how encouraging it is, but I have<br />
followed this quote in my work and personal life.<br />
“Plan your work and work you plan but always<br />
remember there is nothing constant but change.” I<br />
have been a planner all my life, but understanding<br />
there is always change and that it is important to<br />
stay flexible has kept me a little saner than my<br />
personality would allow otherwise.<br />
What is your favorite thing about<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> Magazines?<br />
I really like seeing “inside” a community—<br />
especially the one I chose as my home.<br />
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46 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong>
The<br />
way<br />
we<br />
were<br />
Linda and Charles Pope<br />
Elizabeth Bennett<br />
The Popes enjoy sharing some funny stories and memories from their<br />
marriage. “The first meal I cooked for Charles was a disaster! The butter beans<br />
were too salty and the rice was undercooked and crunchy. Charles said the<br />
fried chicken was delicious and he ate the whole meal with a smile on his face,”<br />
said Linda.<br />
One time the Popes were fishing at Costas Lake in the middle of winter.<br />
Linda lost her balance in the boat and grabbed Charles for support and he was<br />
pushed into the icy water. “He was not a happy camper on the way home.<br />
Needless to say, that was the end of our fishing trips together,” said Linda.<br />
“It seems every time Charles had to travel out of state for work, one or<br />
both of the boys would get the stomach virus. Mike would be throwing up in<br />
bed and Matt would run down the hall saying he was ‘growing up’. That was his<br />
way of saying ‘throwing up’. It was lots of fun when your home has shag<br />
carpet!” said Linda.<br />
Charles and Linda have some advice for newlyweds. “If you are not active<br />
in a church, find one and get involved. Take time to learn what makes your<br />
partner happy. Take an interest in each other’s lives. Be willing to overlook<br />
some of the shortcomings and faults in each other. Be patient with each other<br />
and give each other some breathing room,” they said. The Popes emphasize<br />
that both verbal and non-verbal communication is important.<br />
Now, after all these years of marriage, the Popes both work together at<br />
First United Methodist Church in <strong>Clinton</strong>. “Never in our 43 years of marriage<br />
did we ever think we would be working together!” said Linda. Linda has been<br />
on staff at the church since 2007 and is coordinator of congregational care.<br />
Charles became the associate pastor at the church in 2016. “We both have a<br />
passion for ministry and spreading the love of Christ and now we can do it<br />
together,” said Linda.<br />
There are many things that attract Charles and Linda to each other today<br />
after all these years. Linda appreciates that Charles is a godly man and is<br />
always there when she needs him. “He is fair and honest in everything he does.<br />
I truly feel God put us together,” said Linda. Charles says that Linda is a source<br />
of spiritual strength. “To this day, every time she walks through a doorway, she<br />
still takes my breath away,” said Charles.<br />
Charles and Linda were invigorated by a trip to Israel and Jordan in 2016.<br />
“It was one of the greatest joys in our lives to go on that trip. We were on tour<br />
for almost two weeks. We walked where Jesus walked and saw holy sites that<br />
were beautiful beyond compare. We don’t read the Bible in the same way since<br />
that trip because we can truly visualize different areas mentioned in<br />
scripture,” said Linda. “It was amazing to visit and stand in places that we read<br />
about in the Bible. The scriptures came to life for us. We will never read<br />
scripture the same way again. We drank the water from Jacob’s Well, ate fish<br />
out of the Sea of Galilee, stood along the waters of the Jordan River where Jesus<br />
was baptized and stood atop Mt. Nebo where Moses looked over the promised<br />
land. It was awesome to remind ourselves that we walked, climbed hills and<br />
studied God’s word where Jesus had actually been. We had heard that<br />
Jerusalem was the ‘center of the world’. After hearing the Muslim Call to Prayer,<br />
watching the rabbis as they prayed on the street corners and hearing the bells<br />
of the Christian churches calling people to worship-all at the same time, we<br />
felt that perhaps this is why Jerusalem is regarded as the center of the world,”<br />
said Charles.<br />
“We feel blessed to have lived in <strong>Clinton</strong> since 1982. We moved here<br />
because of the excellent school system as Mike was starting school in the fall.<br />
Over the years, we have made good friends here and we have lost good friends<br />
here. <strong>Clinton</strong> is indeed our home and we love living in a small town<br />
atmosphere,” said Linda.<br />
Charles and Linda are proof that you can have a long, joyful marriage<br />
when putting Christ at the center of it all. They are thankful to call <strong>Clinton</strong><br />
home after all these years! zx<br />
Linda and Charles Pope have had a long marriage filled with adventure, love,<br />
and faith. They were both born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, and have<br />
known each other almost their entire lives.<br />
They met when Linda was only two or three years old. Charles was best<br />
friends with Linda’s brother, Manuel. They lived next door to each other for<br />
several years in the Broadmoor neighborhood in Jackson. When they first met,<br />
Linda wanted to play with Charles and Manuel, but they wanted nothing to do<br />
with Linda being the “little sister”. Charles has fond memories of Linda chasing<br />
the ice cream truck as a three-year-old.<br />
In high school, there was no romantic relationship between the two. They<br />
just passed each other in the hallways and said “hello”. Linda said, “To Charles,<br />
I was always Bueno’s kid sister. Charles played the drums in a rock band, The<br />
Cavaliers of Jackson, and Linda liked to watch from afar.<br />
After high school, Linda attended Hinds Community College for one year<br />
and majored in secretarial science. Charles attended Hinds Community<br />
College for one year and then transferred to the University of Southern<br />
Mississippi to major in political science. He quit school after his junior year to<br />
work full-time and be married.<br />
After Charles’ first marriage ended in Hattiesburg, he returned to Jackson to<br />
be closer to family. He called Linda’s parents’ house looking for Linda’s brother.<br />
That evening, Manuel was at work, but Linda was at home. Their friendship was<br />
rekindled and after several weeks, Charles asked Linda out on a date for dinner<br />
at Primos. That night began their relationship.<br />
The couple had fun together and shared common interests and their<br />
friendship gradually evolved into love. In July of 1973, while at a family<br />
gathering, Charles nervously popped the question.<br />
The Popes were married on December 21, 1973, at Wesley United Methodist<br />
Church in Jackson where Charles had been a member since childhood. It was a<br />
small wedding with only two attendants and a reception at the home of<br />
Charles’ parents. They enjoyed a honeymoon to the Gulf Coast in the summer<br />
of 1974.<br />
Charles and Linda have three children: Jenny, Mike and Matt. Jenny is<br />
Charles’ daughter from his first marriage. After Charles and Linda were<br />
married four years, their son Mike arrived on the scene in 1977. Their son Matt<br />
was born in 1982. Their days were centered around the children and activities<br />
such as church, work, soccer, basketball, band and voice competitions. “We<br />
were always on the go, always short of money, but always happy!” said Linda.<br />
The Popes are now proud grandparents of 18-year-old Jaron, nine-year-old<br />
Lucy and five-year-old James. Their daughter Jenny is a homemaker in Bay St.<br />
Louis. Their son Mike is the principal of Lovett Elementary School. Their son<br />
Matt is employed by Convention Display Services of Jackson.<br />
“Communication is the key to a happy and long-lasting marriage. In the<br />
beginning, we both had stressful jobs and always seemed to be on the go,” said<br />
Linda. Charles was in the commercial construction industry as an<br />
architectural hardware consultant for over 40 years. Linda worked in the<br />
medical field as a secretary for 40 years. After working for 32 years with the<br />
same clinic in Jackson, Linda joined the staff of First United Methodist Church<br />
<strong>Clinton</strong> in 2007.<br />
After retirement, Charles began his pastoral ministry as a lay speaker for the<br />
Methodist church for the West Jackson District. This led to a desire and call<br />
from God to do more. He has been a licensed local pastor for several years and<br />
joined the staff of First United Methodist Church <strong>Clinton</strong> in June 2016.<br />
“Through all the ups and downs of married life, we have always been able to<br />
talk through problems and issues that come up. Our lives have slowed down<br />
now that the children are grown, but we still have wonderful conversations and<br />
enjoy holding hands,” said Linda.<br />
48 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 49
Camille Anding<br />
The Time Coin<br />
Last times can be monumental times,<br />
and November 29, 1997 was a<br />
monumental last time for the<br />
Anding family. Our son, Eli, a senior<br />
football player at Ole Miss, would play his<br />
final college game – the infamous rival<br />
game between Ole Miss and State.<br />
It was a day of reflecting for me as<br />
I retraced the five years he had given to the game of football. God’s<br />
faithfulness had been evident in answer to so many prayers – in<br />
fulfilling so many desires, and in comforting a lot of disappointments.<br />
When Coach Billy Brewer offered Eli a Rebel scholarship, Eli said<br />
yes to a life-long dream of playing SEC football. That was one of those<br />
“jubilation” times, but there would be hard times ahead.<br />
We could only wait and watch when we saw Eli’s freshman dreams<br />
of quarterbacking vanish with the turnover in head coaches. His team<br />
would see three different head coaches over the next four years.<br />
The challenges were enormous, but hard times are proven teachers,<br />
and Eli learned much about perseverance, resilience, patience and<br />
determination. Some sympathetic fans told us that Eli’s versatility<br />
and athleticism in the sport would be his greatest disadvantage.<br />
By his junior year and his third position change, I began to understand.<br />
I continued to thank God that with each new<br />
coach and position, Eli only grew more<br />
determined. The injuries, time-consuming<br />
rehabs, grueling two-a-days, and adjustments<br />
to new coaches, never stifled his drive to be a<br />
team player and an ardent Rebel on and off<br />
the field.<br />
As a mother of a football player, I learned<br />
to watch the August weather patterns and to pray for cloudy, breezy<br />
breaks over the practice fields. I grieved when I saw him side-lined with<br />
spring practice injuries but rejoiced to find them all reparable. I<br />
thanked God for the enduring teammate friendships he made and the<br />
motivators among his gallery of coaches.<br />
On that last ballgame – the last college rival game with State,<br />
I entered the stadium with a grateful heart for everything that football<br />
had taught us and for surviving all the hard days. Would this be the last<br />
hard day or possibly a day of jubilation? I reminded the Lord what a<br />
win would mean for Eli – the nostalgia of it being his “last” game –<br />
as I prayed for all the teams’ safety.<br />
The final score that night: Ole Miss 15 – State 14. It was for Eli. n<br />
50 • Aug/Sept/Oct <strong>2017</strong>
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