Hometown Clinton - Fall 2016

Volume 3, Issue 3 

aug/sept/oct 2016 

The Coach's Wife 

_______________________ 

The Dot Shop 

_______________________ 

Bringing Eden Home 

_______________________ 

Principal Q&A

McRaven Rd. 

Clinton 

Raymond Rd. 

I-20 

Lindsey Creek 

Springridge Rd. 

College St. 

Clinton Blvd. 

Hwy. 80W 

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Kelly Womack 

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Metro smart. 

Hometown friendly. 

Laci Pittman 

Cell: (601) 573-4748 

lpittman@usa.net 

Leah Sandidge 

Cell: (601) 540-6086 

leahsandidge@gmail.com 

Tronnie Lacy 

Cell: (601) 672-2496 

tntlacy@bellsouth.net 

Jackie Barksdale 

Cell: (601) 918-2914 

jackie.barksdale@comcast.net 

Charla Conlee, GRI 

Cell: (601) 954-4565 

cconlee@comcast.net 

David Stevens II 

Cell: (601) 540-1219 

david090977@aol.com 

Steve Rives 

Cell: (601) 951-1457 

srives3@gmail.com 

Sissy Wagner 

Cell: (601) 954-2405 

sissy_wagner@bellsouth.net 

Shelly Withers 

Cell: 601-988-7070 

Shellywithers1229@gmail.com 

Old Vicksburg R 

Cindy Robertson 

Cell: (601) 331-5599 

CindyWRobertson@comcast.net 

Debbie Thomas 

Cell: (601) 941-7361 

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Estelle Sherer 

Cell: (601) 940-5955 

esherer@bellsouth.net 

E Northside Dr. 

W Northside Dr. 

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Doris Lepard 

Cell: 601-259-5134 

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Erin Baxter 

Cell: (601) 410-3793 

estanley084@yahoo.com 

Jared Fleming 

Cell: (601) 906-8609 

jflemingms@gmail.com 

Jackie Dalton 

Cell: (601) 594-5344 

jackied21@att.net 

Ellen Horton 

Cell: (601) 291-6922 

efhorton@bellsouth.net 

Cliff Coleman 

Cell: 601-955-1950 

jccoleman.isproperties@aol.com 

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Hometown-Clinton-Magazine 

Anyone ever heard of a wishing jar where 

you can write down your wishes, deposit them 

in a jar and retrieve them later to find they each 

came true? I haven’t either, but I have a few 

wishes I would include: 

1. I’d wish for all returning school teachers 

to have a year’s supply of patience, 

energy and students anxious to learn. 

2. I’d wish for the August heat to break 

records in low temps instead of highs. 

3. I’d wish for the upcoming election to 

bring out the best in our nation and 

not the worst. 

4. I’d wish for an easy transition for all 

kindergarten students—and hope 

for us mothers having to deliver our 

babies to college. 

5. I’d wish for one more mini-weekend 

vacation before the summer ends. 

6. I’d wish for blessings and continued 

safety in our peaceful hometown. 

And while I know wishes don’t always 

come true, positive thoughts can certainly 

enhance any environment. We at Hometown 

Magazines work hard to make our publications 

a positive addition to our town and are continually 

grateful for the support of both our readers 

and our advertisers. My wish for you would be 

for healthy families, robust business and continued 

favor from the One that holds us all. 

You are loved 

and welcome! 

We will save a 

seat for you. . . 

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 

100 Mt. Salus Drive Clinton, Mississippi 39056 

601.924.6671 fumcclinton.org 

For subscription information 

visit www.htmags.com 

Contact us at info@HTMags.com 

601.706.4059 

26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F 

Brandon MS 39042 

• • • 

Hometown Clinton is published by 

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All rights reserved. 

No portion of Hometown Clinton 

may be reproduced without written 

permission from the publisher. 

The management of Hometown Clinton 

is not responsible for opinions expressed 

by its writers or editors. 

All communications sent to our 

editorial staff are subject to publication 

and the unrestricted right to be refused, 

or to be edited and/or editorially 

commented on. 

All advertisements are subject 

to approval by the publisher. 

The production of Hometown Clinton 

is funded by advertising. 

Pictured on cover: The Lewis Family 

In this issue High Flying Businessman . . . . . . 14 

The Coach's Wife . . . . . . . . . 17 

Great News. . . . . . . . . . . . 28 

Bringing Eden Home . . . .34 

The Dot Shop 42 

MOPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 

Principal Q&A. 60 

4 • Aug/Sept/Oct 2016 Hometown Clinton • 5 

4 • Aug/Sept/Oct 2016

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MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE WELCOMES 

NEW STUDENTS TO CLINTON CAMPUS 

Andrew Jones saw no reason to leave his hometown in 

Clinton when the freshman could receive a superb education 

at Mississippi College. 

An 18-year-old Clinton High graduate, Andrew says he 

couldn’t pass up the opportunity to study history under firstclass 

MC professors like Otis Pickett. 

Bigger institutions across the state were on his radar 

screen, too. But in the end, Andrew chose to put down roots 

at America’s second oldest Baptist college. 

As MC celebrated its 190th anniversary in 2016, a 

new academic season unfolds for nearly 5,200 students in 

late August. 

Andrew Jones can skip the guided campus tour. The 

son of MC graduates Mark and Kelly Jones easily navigates 

his way around – from the Quad to Robinson-Hale Stadium 

and Nelson Hall. If he needs any advice from a classmate, 

Jones can turn to Jacob Cruse, a fellow Clinton High grad. The 

Clinton Arrows will be Hederman Hall roommates this fall. 

Jacob could have gone a few hours away to the University 

of Alabama and cheered for the Crimson Tide. But he chose 

to become an MC Choctaw because of the university’s topnotch 

communication department. The possibility of working 

at Christian radio station STAR 93.5 added to the appeal. 

From Move-In Day on August 20 for hundreds of 

freshmen entering residence halls to the annual Back to the 

Bricks fun showcasing Clinton businesses on August 25, there 

will be numerous events on the Mississippi College calendar 

in 2016-17. 

Other Clintonians are eager to become part of the “Blue 

& Gold” experience. 

The group includes William Nabholz, 19, son of 

Mississippi College Singers conductor Mark Nabholz. A 

presidential scholar, William is a pre-med major with music in 

his DNA. His mom, Fran, is a voice instructor. 

During another steamy summer down South, Shelby 

Roberts, 18, of Madison can’t wait to begin her nursing studies. 

Why Mississippi College for the Madison Central High 

graduate? “MC is not far from home, she likes the community 

and is always very strong in her faith,” says her mom, Christy 

Roberts, a 1994 MC graduate. 

MC offers more than 80 areas of study, 16 graduate 

programs, a law school in Jackson and much more. 21st 

Century facilities, from new residence halls to modern 

classrooms, impress students and parents alike. “The cadaver 

lab is amazing,” Christy Roberts says. 

Mississippi College is the next stop for 2016 Clinton High 

grad Shreve Bland. If her name sounds familiar it’s because 

she’s the daughter of Choctaw’s head football coach John 

Bland and his wife, Candis. It will be a busy few months for 

the whole family. MC opens the home season against Point 

University on September 3. Another big game is MC’s 2016 

homecoming contest on October 15 against Valdosta State. 

Want to learn more about Mississippi College? 

Prospective students and parents are invited to Fall Preview 

Days September 24 and November 12 to find out. Attend a 

class, meet President Lee Royce, enjoy food on the Quad, 

and make new friends. It’s time to size up life as an MC 

Choctaw! The MC admissions office can be reached for more 

information at 601-925-3800. 


Hometown Clinton • 9

“I chose Hinds 

because it was close to home and 

offered so many opportunities. I was able 

to play soccer, receive great scholarships, and 

gain life-long friends. I loved my time at Hinds and 

would highly recommend coming here. I wish it was 

a four-year school so I could have stayed longer!” 

- Cara Harrison 

Clinton, MS 

1.800.HINDSCC • www.hindscc.edu 

In compliance with the following: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972 of the Higher Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other applicable Federal and State Acts, Hinds Community 

College offers equal education and employment opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability or veteran status in its educational programs and activities. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding 

the non-discrimination policies: Dr. Debra Mays-Jackson, Vice President for Administrative Services, 34175 Hwy. 18, Utica, MS 39175, 601.885.7002. Dr. Tyrone Jackson, Associate Vice President for Student Services & Title IX Coordinator, Box 1100 Raymond Campus (Denton Hall 221), Raymond, 

MS 39154, 601.857.3232, titleIX@hindscc.edu 

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12 • Aug/Sept/Oct 2016 Hometown Clinton • 13

Camille Anding & Susan Marquez 

Businessman John Mosley has planted 

roots deep in Clinton, but has his eye on 

the sky as a pilot of vintage airplanes. Most 

folks in Clinton know Mosely as the owner 

of Clinton Body Shop. His father, a former 

Marine, worked in a body shop when Mosley 

was a child. Following in his dad’s footsteps, 

Mosley worked in another body shop before 

the duo combined their talents into their 

own business. 

Clinton Body Shop opened its doors in 

February 1980 and within a couple of years 

Mosley made the move from southwest 

Jackson where he was raised to a piece of 

property he purchased in the Clinton area. 

He’s lived there ever since. Mosley was 

blessed to work alongside his father for 

twenty years until his dad’s death in 2000. 

Mosley took his first nine hours of pilot 

lessons in 1972, and all was going well until 

he had a motorcycle accident. Hit by three 

cars, he suffered a broken leg and that put 

his pilot school on hold. In the following 

months, he married his wife Carolyn, and 

the couple began their family. Children 

Patty and Daniel were born, and with all the 

expenses and obligations that come with 

marriage and children there was no time or 

money to pursue his flying dreams. 

As the children got older and Mosley 

had more free time on his hands, the lure of 

the sky returned. “I was driving my daughter 

and wife to the airport,” recalled Mosley. 

“Patty was going on the annual Clinton 

High School senior trip to Europe, and 

Carolyn was going along as a chaperone.” 

Hank Beasley was in the car with the 

Mosley family on the way to the airport and 

commented on Mosley’s accelerator foot. 

“He said if I liked going that fast, I should 

learn to fly!” That one comment triggered 

something in him. Before his wife and 

daughter boarded the plane, Mosley has 

arranged for a flight lesson at Hawkins Field. 

Mosley earned his pilot’s license 

in 1992, and later his son, Daniel, also 

earned his pilot’s license. Now their four 

grandchildren are interested in aviation as 

well. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been all smooth 

flying for the senior pilot. In 2007 he crashed 

a vintage biplane. “It was my fault. I was in a 

hurry and ignored one of the cardinal rules 

for flying that particular plane.” As a result, 

the plane stalled while climbing on takeoff. 

Mosely realized what was about to happen 

and made a split-second decision. He pulled 

the power, resulting in the plane descending 

at a 45% angle to the ground which served 

to lessen the impact and keep the wreckage 

on Mosley’s property. 

Daniel watched it happen and rushed 

to his dad’s aid, extinguishing flames and 

helping Mosley to safety. With both legs and 

ankles broken, Mosley spent time in the 

hospital then in a wheelchair. As he healed, 

he and Daniel worked alongside a brother 

and brother-in-law who helped him repair 

and repaint the plane to mint condition. 

That plane is housed in a hangar at Mosley’s 


1928 Travel Air biplane. It is the oldest flying airplane in Mississippi. 

1928 Chevrolet 4 dr. sedan. 

1943 North American SNJ5. It was stationed at several Naval bases 

during WW2. This is the aircraft a pilot had to master before they 

could move up to the higher performance fighters. 


OACHES 

Wife 

property along with the family’s WW2 

vintage planes they have restored over the 

last two decades. 

“People ask me why I still fly after 

being in a plane crash. I tell them I work on 

crashed cars all day long and have towed 

in many which resulted in someone’s 

death. Life goes on. We must all learn from 

our mistakes and be careful. Flying is not 

inherently dangerous, but it is unforgiving 

when you make mistakes. I just don’t want to 

make more mistakes.” 

Mistakes aren’t an option at Clinton 

Body Shop. The business recently received 

recognition for having the ICAR Institute 

twenty five year Gold Class certification. 

“No one else in Mississippi has that 

distinction,” said Mosely. “And we are one of 

only 13 body shops in all of North America 

to have been ICAR Gold Class for 25 years 

straight.” Clinton Body Shop was one of 

the first shops in the state to offer limited 

lifetime warranties on the work done there. 

“We work hard to maintain our ICAR Gold 

Class certification by maintaining Gold 

Class training with our employees on a 

regular basis.” 

The company’s slogan is, “We take 

pride in perfection.” The company also 

takes pride in being a good member of the 

community. Clinton Body Shop is a heavy 

supporter of youth sports programs and 

area churches. Recently the business was 

approached by the new principal from 

Sumner Hill School about sponsoring a new 

trophy case. Mosley had a case custom built 

for the school and now it’s a great source of 

pride for the students and faculty. 

On a personal level, Mosley uses his 

love of flying to bring joy and to show 

respect by offering free flights for veterans 

at air shows, and flying the Missing Man 

formation at pilot and veteran funerals. He 

also enjoys doing flyovers at football games, 

including over the stadiums of Clinton 

Schools and Mississippi State University. 

Mosley remembers the flight he offered 

to a veteran of Afghanistan and his young 

son. The boy was in awe during the flight 

and thanked John profusely. “I’ve never felt 

so free,” said the boy. “Now I know how birds 

feel.” Because Mosley has had the same 

fascination with flight since he was a young 

boy, he knew just how the veteran’s son felt. 

He made a prediction that the boy would 

someday be a pilot, too. 

It has been said that behind every great man 

is a great woman. To that, we’d add that behind 

every coach, there’s an even greater woman. 

Consider what these ladies deal with on a daily basis—their husband’s 16-hour 

workdays during football season, being left to take care of the household 

duties and raise the kids by themselves—all while still being “Team Mom.” 

But as crazy as it sounds, these women wouldn’t have it any other way. 

They absolutely love it and consider themselves every bit 

as much part of the team as the coach they married. 



Candis Bland 

On game day, all eyes are on our 

teams and their game day routines. 

What’s your usual game day routine? 

Almost every home game, we have family or 

friends from different states visit—so first I take 

care of them. Between making sure I have 

enough tickets and meals, I pace, watch college 

football and get focused on the Choctaws. It is 

never “just a game.” Saturday is the busiest day of 

the week! 

What’s been the greatest reward of 

being a coach’s wife? 

I love to go to practice, to the football office, to 

cook for players and to be as involved as John 

will allow. So getting to know the players and 

their families can be very rewarding, especially 

ones that stay all 4-5 yrs. They are our extended 

family. I have football sons living in Florida, 

Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Canada, 

Texas, etc.—and getting a Happy Mother’s Day 

text from one of them is so rewarding! 

What’s the most difficult part of it? 

Well I hate to be cliché but relocating is the 

hardest. Selling a house, finding a new one, 

searching for new doctors and dentists, finding 

a church, making new friends, locating schools 

for the children and so much more make 

moving very hard. I am fortunate that we 

have not made as many moves as some of our 

other coaching friends. But with all our moves, 

we have friends in 5 different states, football 

sons and families all over, our children have 

been exposed to everything from a big city of 

4-million to a town of 5,000 residents. Every 

move has positives and negatives. But as a 

family we know God has a reason and a plan 

for each move and so we do our best to make the 

most of it. 

What has been your favorite “perk” 

of being the head coach’s wife? 

I grew up watching football, cheering on the 

Razorbacks and Dallas Cowboys. I do not 

remember a time that football has not been in 

my life in one way or another so my favorite 

perk is that John allows me to be on the sideline. 

Of course there is a condition—I cannot yell at 

him or at the refs! 

How do you deal with vocal fans 

who get down on the coaches? 

It depends if I feel the same way… just kidding. 

To some extent I am used to it. Fans come with 

all sports and you just have to somewhat tune it 

out. But if I hear someone who is bad mouthing 

a player, coach, or the school, I will stand up to 

them. I like to introduce myself and see if I can 

shed a better light on their comment. For the 

most part it is best to ignore it and being on the 

sideline I get to avoid a lot of that and I am 

grateful. 

Do you have any superstitions you 

tend to adhere to on game day? 

Absolutely! If we lose in the outfit I have worn 

that day, I will not wear it again. In the past two 

seasons, the transition from D3 to D2 has not 

been easy and I have had to throw out a lot of 

clothes. But that is soon to change and John will 

be happy when I am not shopping as much! 

Describe your favorite meal you 

like to prepare when the whole 

family can eat together. 

Homemade spaghetti, Italian dipping bread, and 

salad is the most requested. With our busy 

schedules I make an effort to at least sit down 

twice a week for a family meal. Every-one loves 

breakfast food, tacos, and fried fish! 

Tell us a bit about how you and 

your husband met and what 

attracted you to him. 

We met in Fayetteville at the University of 

Arkansas. He was a football player and I was a 

member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. We 

were introduced by some friends. We hit it off 

and went out the next evening but he was 

graduating in 2 days and I had 2 years left. We 

got together several times over the summer and 

dated over the next two years while he lived in 

Auburn, Alabama. He was getting his master’s as 

a graduate assistant for Auburn football and I 

was finishing my bachelor’s at Arkansas. It was 

like pre-game for becoming a football coaches’ 

wife and here we are 24 years later! 

What would you like the fans 

to know about your husband as a 

coach that they might not know? 

John is a very good builder and artist. He has 

built several of our decks as we’ve moved. He has 

helped build a locker room, built picnic tables 

and dining tables. He is very handy around the 

house—except maybe with electricity. Also, he is 

a good singer; he loves to karaoke. 

What’s been your greatest 

challenge as a parent? 

We have three children. Shreve, 18, will be a 

freshman at MC this fall. Jade, 15, will be a 

sophomore at CHS in the fall. And Bo, 12, will 

be a 6th grader. The greatest challenge for me is 

making most of the decisions by myself and 

making sure they are involved in what their dad 

does. From mid-July to the end of spring ball in 

April, I am a single parent for the most part. 

Since they were babies I have taken them to 

practice and had the players and coaches over for 

dinner. I wanted them to be a part of his 

football family. If their dad couldn’t be home, 

then we came to him—even if it was just to 

watch him coach and get a hug afterwards! 

When we retire from coaching, I 

would like to ________? 

Oh goodness. We don’t really discuss it. I am 

not sure we would know what to do without 

football. We both love it and he makes me feel 

very much a part of what he does. But if that 

time comes, then travel is what I would like for 

us to do more. 

What are some things your family 

enjoys doing together? 

We love sporting events, going to the beach, and 

visiting family and friends. But we have a good 

time just sitting down to dinner, too. 

How does your family celebrate 

after a big win? 

Aside from hugging everyone and celebrating on 

the field, we thank God with our team then we 

go home and watch whatever game is on and 

discuss the win, the calls, and the plays, etc. 

Usually John has to field several calls and then it 

is time for bed and get ready for the next 

opponent. Win or lose, it’s a long exhausting day. 

But we sure do sleep better after a win! n 



Dot Murphy 




As a coach myself, game day is slow. We eat a 

pre-game meal with the team and wait for 

game time. 

What’s been the greatest reward of 

being a coach’s wife? 

Seeing the positive life changing impact he has 

made in the lives of young men. 

What’s the most difficult part of it? 

Feeling like a single parent 4 months out of 

the year. 



Being a second mom to so many great guys. 



I don’t sit in the stands!! 

We understand that you are the 

kicking coach for the football 

team. Have you always wanted to be 

a kicking coach? 

No. I never even dreamed about it. 



No. 




Steak, baked potatoes, salad and sweet tea. It’s 

easy and everyone likes it. 




We met in grad school at Mississippi State 

University. He was easy to talk to and very 

good looking. When he shared with me that 

he was a Christian and he wanted to make 

positive impacts in the lives of young people, I 

knew then that we had the same goals in life. 

He did not just talk about it—he lived it. 

What would you like the fans to 

know about your husband as a 


He is very sensitive and he loves his players 

like they are his sons. 



Letting them go. Children are a gift from 

God. We have them for such a short time. 

When we retire from coaching, I 

would like to______? 

Travel. 



Going to the beach and hunting. 



We are usually so tired we just go to bed when 

we get home. We laugh and relive happenings 

in the game, but there is the next game to get 

ready for. n 



Jill Freeze 


teams and their game day routine. 

What’s your game day routine? 

Once I get on the Ole Miss campus, the first 

place I’ll head to is The Grove. There is no 

better tailgating spot in the country. And 

after I visit with family and friends, Ragan, 

Jordan, Madison and I will head to meet 

Hugh at the end of the “Walk of 

Champions.” He takes the girls with him to 

the stadium and often they get to meet the 

opposing team’s coach. I like to be in my seat 

in the stands an hour before kickoff. You’ll 

find me decked out in my Ole Miss colors. 

What’s been the greatest reward 

of being a coach’s wife? 

I share my love of football with Hugh. 

It is an adventure and nothing tops the 

excitement of game day. I consider it a great 

opportunity to get to pray for every person 

involved in our football program 

and seeing how the Lord uses Hugh and 

the coaches in the lives of these young men 

is a sweet reward. I have a front row seat to 

watch players in Haiti building a well, playing 

with kids, and serving the poor. Some have 

been the first in their families to receive a 

diploma; others have been drafted into the 

NFL and literally changed the trajectory of 

their families’ lives. Players who seemed lost 

and insecure find their worth in Jesus Christ 

and rewrite their story. It is a blessing to be a 

part of such life-change. 

What’s the most difficult part? 

Time with each other is difficult to come 

by once recruiting starts. Last year Hugh 

decided to designate Wednesday night as 

“our” family night. If you polled each of us 

separately, you would find that it’s our 

favorite night of the week! 



I am blessed with a platform to love, serve, and 

engage with others. Building relationships 

with everyone involved in our football 

program is very important to me. I facilitate 

a weekly Bible study for the wives and 

together we write notes of encouragement 

for each player and put them in the position 

rooms before a game. I also have had the 

opportunity to be a part of our spring break 

mission trips to Haiti. We have been able to 

bring clean water to Camp Marie and are 

working to help them learn to farm the land 

so that they will have food to eat and possibly 

a source of income. The players and coaching 

families that have gone and served have had 

such an amazing opportunity to not only 

help others, but to also realize how blessed 

we all are. 



I just accept it as part of what comes with 

this job. I don’t let it steal my joy, and I just 

trust God to work all things out for our good 

in the end. 



I have a tradition of wearing the same hat as 

long as we are winning. If we lose, I will 

change into a different hat. 




As I mentioned earlier, Wednesday night is 

“our” night. All three girls said something 

different but we all finally agreed that grilled 

burgers with fries is a family favorite! 




Hugh and I met in a math class while attending 

the University of Southern Mississippi. His 

heart for the Lord attracted me to him but 

those green eyes didn’t hurt either. 



Wow! This is the easiest question thus far. 

Social media. The girls get to see the good 

things posted about their dad but they also 

get to see the bad. They love their daddy 

so when it gets ugly, it hurts them. 

What would you like fans to 



Hugh is intentional with relationships. 

He has an open door policy for anyone 

involved in the Ole Miss football program. 

He is always willing to talk football, but it 

would not be abnormal to find him on the 

sofa in his office talking about life with a 

player or coach. 

When we retire from coaching, 

I would like to ________________? 

When we retire, Hugh and I would enjoy 

getting to play more golf together. We will 

love having even more time to spend with 

our family. Also, the Freeze Foundation 

(www.freezefoundation.org), is our heart’s 

mission and we will continue to seek to 

express God’s love by improving the quality 

of life for orphans and needy children 

around the world. 



We love being at home together, playing 

cards, watching our favorite TV shows and 

movies, and there is always singing 

involved. We also enjoy sneaking away to the 

beach or the lake in the off-season. 



After a big win we all head home to re-watch 

the game. I will grab all the leftovers from 

The Grove and we will meet on the sofa in 

the living room. The girls love asking Hugh 

his thoughts behind each play call. There are 

lots of smiles, cheers, and laughter on these 

nights! n 



Michelle Hopson 


teams and their game day routine. 

What’s your game day routine? 

Over the years my game day routine has 

changed. When we were first married and 

when our children were young, tailgating two 

hours before the game was my usual routine. 

But these days, with my daughters’ crosscountry 

meets, soccer and tennis tournaments, 

or piano guilds, there are some Saturdays 

when I roll in just in time for kick-off! 



This has been such an interesting journey. 

One of the greatest rewards has been all the 

places we’ve been–all the towns and schools. 

There have been so many amazing people that 

have come into our lives because of football. 

Jay and I both grew up in Vicksburg. When 

we got married and I left Vicksburg, I thought 

there would be no town as wonderful. But 

somewhere along the way, I realized that every 

place has great things about it and great 

people. You have to make an effort, though. 

You can ask our daughters what our family 

motto is and they will tell you, “Bloom where 

God plants you.” I have always told them that 

God put us here in this place at this time for 

a reason. Let’s make a difference. 


There are many. For example, it’s hard 

watching your husband deal with the pressure 

to win or having his job stability rest on wins 

and losses. However, for me, the very toughest 

part is being a single parent–making all the 

decisions and handling all the issues your 

children have. Basically, doing everything 

and praying I am not messing up. 



Being a coach’s wife means always having a 

group to belong to. We have an amazing group 

of coaches who all married well! I’m very 

fortunate to be a part of this group of women. 

I look forward to going through this journey 

with them doing what we can for our husbands, 

families, and players, as well as supporting each 

other. 



Football fans are one of the main reasons 

college football is such a thrilling game. 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I usually 

try to have thick skin and understand it’s an 

emotionally charged game. I get emotional 

about it too! 



I am not terribly superstitious. However, if I 

am wearing a particular piece of jewelry or an 

article of clothing and we win, I usually wear 

that “lucky” item until we lose a game. 




He first said hello to me in the hallway of 

Warren Central High School. I was 15 and 

he was 16. I knew he was the handsome 

quarterback, but he had just noticed me! Soon 

after, he asked me to wear his football jersey 

the Friday before a game. Our first official date 

was the homecoming dance in 1985. I was first 

attracted to him because of his good looks but 

soon found a great sense of humor and a good 

heart. We dated for 12 years before marrying. 

We were together through his high school and 

college days as a player, his early days as a 

graduate assistant and early days as a young 

position coach. I learned a lot about the game 

and the lifestyle before we were married, so I 

can’t say I didn’t know what I was getting in to. 

What would you like fans to 



I’d want you to know that he is solid, strong, 

honest, brave, generous, tough, and kind–I 

could go on and on, of course. I think it is also 

important for you to know that he’s not just a 

football coach–he’s a life coach. He is very 

competitive and wants to win but he also cares 

so much about teaching his players how to be 

successful in the game of life. It is very important 

to him that they learn how to be Godly men 

and that they leave him knowing how to face 

adversity and lead productive lives. 

What’s your greatest 


Without a doubt, the greatest challenge has 

been the moving. Jay and I grew up in the same 

town our whole lives. We still have friends that 

we went to kindergarten with. Our daughters 

will never have that. With each move we ask 

our girls to leave behind the life they knew and 

all their friends only to “bloom” in a new town 

and start all over again. I can recall so many 

instances of driving out of a town or into a 

new one with our girls in tears. Hyde and 

Hannah are two of the bravest, most amazing 

people I know. They have faced each challenge 

our life has placed before them with grace and 

strength. 


I would like to ___________? 

Travel! 



On those rare occasions when we are all 

together, we cherish the simple things that 

most families take for granted–going to church 

together, family meals, just hanging out at 

home, and vacation time. 



We have a large extended family that usually 

attends our games—parents, brothers, sisters, 

nephews, and nieces. After a win, our favorite 

thing is to go home with all that family, share a 

meal, talk about the game, and watch more 

football! 




As you know, coaches work long hours. I 

learned early on that if I wanted certain things 

done I needed to learn how to do them myself. 

Therefore, I taught myself to cook on the grill. 

When we are all together we enjoy anything on 

the grill. Jay and I especially like to grill fish and 

shrimp together. n 



Megan Mullen 




Typically we have anywhere between 10-20 

guests staying in our house for games. We 

just hang out until about an hour before the 

Dawg Walk. That’s when we start heading 

over to the stadium. We go right to the Dawg 

Walk, visit some friends, have fun for an hour 

and a half, and then we hunker down for the 

next 3.5 hours of life and say some prayers. 



Changing young men’s lives and making a 

difference. We’ve known our players since we 

recruited them at 16 or 17 years old and to see 

them become young, respectful men is very 

rewarding. I got a call one day from one who 

was wanting to propose to his girlfriend and 

he was asking me how to do it. Knowing that 

you are impacting a young man’s life is very 

special. These players really are my children. 

I consider them as much mine and my team 

as they are Dan’s. 


It’s hard seeing anybody get criticized or 

spoken unfairly about. The reality of it is that 

fans probably only know about 20% of what 

really goes on in the football program. People 

forget that these are 18-20 year-olds trying to 

navigate their way through life. And on top of 

all the football pressure, they go through other 

things, too–sickness or the death of a family 

member or friend, and having to study and 

write papers. It’s an unbelievable amount of 

responsibility they carry on their shoulders– 

and they’re still babies. Our players try their 

best, which is all Dan wants from them. He 

always asks, “Were you your best today?” All 

you can ask anyone to do is their best–so to 

hear anyone of them get criticized kind of 

bums me out a bit. 



Probably the police escorts to and from the 

games. 



I don’t listen to them. I have no social media– 

no Facebook, no Twitter, no Instagram–so 

I don’t see it, which is probably best. But, 

overall, I really do believe people know that 

what we’ve done at Mississippi State is pretty 

special. 



I’m definitely a big fan of chocolate croissants 

from Williams-Sonoma on home game days. 

And as for friends watching the game with 

me, they know that if I don’t like how the 

quarter is going, everyone has to switch up 

seats. They’ve known me long enough now 

that they just automatically move. And if by 

any chance the game doesn’t go the way it 

should, they know they’re in jeopardy of an 

invite back next year. 




Dinners together during the season are hard 

to come by. So on our one bye week during 

the season, we always cook a big turkey and 

call it Thanksgiving. We lock ourselves in our 

house, spend the day in pajamas, eat nonstop, 

and watch every game we can find on our TV. 

On a normal night, I have a shrimp and rice 

dish that Dan likes a lot with either steak or 

fish. My emergency quick meal is Chicken 

Merengo that’s served over rice. For the team, 

you will always find Mamma Mullen’s Buffalo 

Chicken Dip served in a football shaped 

crockpot on the counter; and if it’s not there, 

I’ll hear about it. 




Dan was the quarterback coach at Bowling 

Green State University under Urban Meyer 

and I was the weekend sports anchor for the 

NBC affiliate in Toledo, Ohio, so I covered 

the team. Dan emailed the TV station for a 

date with me. A week later he emailed the 

station again. The news director came out and 

read me the email. He told me that I needed 

to go out with this guy, so I agreed. I left the 

set that night and got to the place before Dan 

did and when I turned around and saw him, 

he took my breath away. 

What would you like 

the fans to know about 

your husband as a coach that 

they might not know? 

I believe my husband is the best coach out 

there. He was honored as the Maxwell 

National Coach of the Year for the 2014 

season. No one ever expected our Bulldogs 

to be #1 in the nation–and we did it. Dan 

and our staff have the extraordinary ability 

to make players the absolute best they can 

be. Most importantly, Dan is committed to 

making these boys champions in life and he 

takes great care in preparing them to be the 

best husbands, fathers, and workers. I respect 

Dan more than anyone I’ve ever met in my 

entire life. There’s no cutting corners. 

There’s no taking the easy way. He just does 

everything the right way. 



I don’t get the simple, “Yes, mommy,” answers 

quite as much anymore. I get challenged by 

my little peeps. I just want them to stay my 

babies and they’re growing up way too fast. 

I would love to keep them off all the iPads, 

phones, YouTube, and video games, too. 


I would like to ____________? 

I’d like to have dinner with Dan every night 

and I probably would like to be sitting 

somewhere on a lake with him because 

I think that is where he is happiest. 



We have a lake house in Georgia, so we love 

being on the lake. Our new favorite thing to 

do is surfing. Anything that involves water or 

boating, we just love because it is kind of our 

safe haven. It takes us away from everything 

and I think the water is really therapeutic. 



By racing home, getting into our pajamas as 

soon as possible, regardless of what time of 

day it is, and sitting on the couch with a cold 

beverage and snacks, watching all the rest of 

the games. Or watching all the other teams 

suffer because we’ve won. n 



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Good News Travels Fast 

Great News 

Travels Faster... 


School had not started yet and we were constantly 

looking for ways to stay entertained. I’m sure there are 

plenty of parents that can relate. So when my husband 

announced that his company was doing a promotion in 

Dallas, the location of which just happened to be the 

AT&T Stadium, and that my son and I could go if we 

wanted, we jumped on it. We could just drive out to 

meet him since he would already be there. He works 

for one of the big national mattress companies and 

travels all over the country. 

We really didn’t know what all the trip would 

entail, but on a Thursday afternoon, my 13-year old 

and I headed from Jackson to Dallas–by ourselves. 

It was six hours of non-stop talking and laughing– 

and if we didn’t do anything else, the trip was worth it 

for that reason, alone. 

We stopped at Buc-ee’s, the Texas-owned Disney 

World of “travel centers”, and bought drinks and snacks. 

We had already checked to make sure it would be on 

our route. It’s a 60,000 square-foot roadside-refuge 

that’s as much a tourist attraction as anything else. 

There are 84 gas pumps, mega-aisles of various snack 

mixes and candies, Texas-themed home accessories, 

Buc-ee’s clothing, and an entire wall of beverage 

fountains. They’re probably best known for their 

bathrooms–the cleanest in the industry, they claim. 

We took the obligatory photo with the big bronze beaver 

mascot out front, popped it up on Facebook with the 

caption, “Because Texas….”, and headed on our way. 

The next day, after killing several hours around the 

Dallas area, we headed to the stadium. I’ve never been 

on an NFL football field and was in awe of the massive 

venue the Dallas Cowboys call home. There’s a jumbotron 

hanging overhead that’s wider than most houses. It’s 

actually the 24th largest hi-definition video screen in 

the world and spans from one 20-yard line to the other. 

Upon entering the field, we were given our 

volunteer t-shirts and ushered to where 100 twin beds 

were set up–complete with Dallas Cowboy bed linens, 

pillows, teddy bears, footballs, and promotional swag. 

We were told that 100 kids and their parents or 

guardians were already in the building getting a tour. 

The field would be their last stop and would soon 

become home for one great big sleepover. Ranging in 

ages from 5 to 12, these children, through a monthslong 

application and vetting process, were found to be 

in-need–and particularly in need of beds. 

I started taking pictures with my phone. I got 

close-ups of the teddy bears holding footballs and of 

the beds, themselves, lined up like soldiers on the field. 

I could hear the drumline playing outside of the locker 

room and knew that it was getting close to time for the 

kids to enter the arena. 

I scrolled through my photos, created a quick 

collage, and decided to post it to Facebook before the 

kiddos got there. The caption read, “. . . 100 kids will be 

coming to AT&T Stadium for a giant sleepover. Little do 

they know they get to keep their beds. These kids don’t 

have beds of their own . . . and now they will. I’ll be the 

one standing off to the side, bawling.” I posted it and 

took my position as they headed our way. 

Everyone was wide-eyed and cheering as those 

kids ran full-steam onto the field, led by one of the 

football players, along with Rowdy, the team mascot. 

Each was rushed to their own bed awaiting them with 

their name on it. 

I started taking more pictures; pictures of kids 

hugging their new teddy bears, pictures of kids throwing 

their new footballs, wearing their new hats with big 

blue Cowboy stars on them, and bouncing on their new 

beds–and I quickly added them to Facebook, too. 

There’s no way those kids could have realized how their 

lives were about to change. They had just been given 

the gift of a good night’s sleep–if not that night, then 

certainly for nights soon to come. 

After a couple of hours of dancing with cheerleaders, 

lots of running and throwing, hula-hoop wars and pizza 

eating, it was time for the movie to start–to be shown 

on the enormous screen above. The kids made their 

way into the stands with their popcorn–some carrying 

their new teddy 

bears and others 

dragging their 

Cowboy blankets 

behind them. The 

lights dimmed and 

Finding Nemo began 

to play–one of my 

all-time favorites. 

It was already late by then. I hated to leave 

knowing that I was in the midst of something so 

special, especially with the movie just starting. But I 

wasn’t particularly interested in sleeping on the field 

in a sleeping bag either, so we loaded up and headed 

back to the hotel. It was around 11 p.m., and I checked 

Facebook for the first time since making my posts. 

One post had been shared almost 400 times. The 

other related posts were picking up steam, too. I stayed 

up a couple of hours longer that night just watching all 

the shares and likes grow. 

Shares were at 2,500 the next 

morning and over 5,000 by the 

time I got out of the shower, just 

thirty-minutes later. They had grown 

to 15,000 by lunch and were at 30,000 by mid-day. 

I had never seen anything like it–especially from such 

close proximity. 

By Sunday, shares were nearing 90,000 and it was 

clear that it wasn’t slowing. It had gone viral–and all I 

could do was watch. 

One post has been shared over 150,000 times on 

my Facebook page alone–and is still growing! It’s been 

shared another several-hundred thousand times on other 

pages and been featured on countless news sites 

including The Houston Chronicle, AOL.com, Fox News 

and The Huffington Post. It’s been on Love What Matters, 

Good News Network, Little Things, Do Something.org, 

and Reddit. The promotion was talked about on K-Love 

and Fox Sports along with numerous radio and 

television outlets and, by any estimation, has easily 

touched millions of people. 

I have to admit, I’ve had an incredible time watching 

this phenomenon unfold. It’s been surreal, to say the 

least. Ironically, I’ve spent my entire adult-life in the 

marketing and media industry but could never have 

predicted this. And truth be known, there’s no way to 

predict how people will react anyway–especially in the 

realm of social media. But I can tell you this; people like 

good news! And beyond that, it all boils down to good 

timing–and good old-fashioned luck. Lightening in a 

bottle, as they say. 

The Dallas Cowboys Organization, Tempur+Sealy 

International and Ashley Furniture HomeStore DFW 

gave those kids an ultimate sleepover and the experience 

of a lifetime. One little girl said it was the best night of 

her life. She also went on to say she had never had her 

own bed before–or a teddy bear. God bless her. 

The program is called Hope to Dream and they 

have donated over 40,000 beds to children across the 

nation and around the world. And now, because of the 

generosity of these companies, another hundred kids in 

Dallas can sleep a little better, too. Amen to that. ✭ 


THE ARTS COUNCIL OF CLINTON 

PRESENTS 

CLINTON HIGH SCHOOL 

AUDITORIUM | JUNE 18, 6 PM 


Eden 

BRINGING 

“I THINK THIS IS EDEN.” 

Jessica Followell stared into the eyes of a little orphan girl from 

India on a two inch photograph. After months of paperwork and 

prayer, Jessica and her husband Robby finally received a referral of a 

girl available for adoption. 

Robby and Jessica Followell, owners of followell fotography in 

Clinton, became passionate about adopting a young girl from India 

when they came across a documentary called “It’s a Girl” that brought 

to light the horrific truth that families in some rural areas of India do 

not want little girls. “The documentary was about some parts of India 

and China where they kill their little girls just because they are girls,” 

said Jessica. 

Robby and Jessica’s biological daughter, Meg, was only fivemonths 

old when they saw the documentary. “We have this little 

girl [Meg] who we think is a princess, and we prize her. It’s a whole 

different perspective in parts of the Indian culture where girls’ lives 

are not worth living,” said Jessica. 

Robby and Jessica connected with Children of the World, an 

adoption agency in Fairhope, Alabama, to begin the lengthy 

process of international adoption. “It is a journey of intensive 

fundraising, paperwork, and applications,” said Robby. “I made the 

joke that everyone should have to go through an adoption just to 

get your life in order. You have to have wills, your net worth has to 

be determined, and all these financial details that you would never 

otherwise care to dig into. You have to have fingerprints for every 

possible agency, and it’s extremely thorough.” 

KERRI PUCKETT 

HOME 

“Children of the World was very helpful about stepping us 

through the process of what was required and what was due when. All 

these big sums that you hear of adoption costs were broken down into 

intermittent payments over the course of several years. It felt very 

doable not to see these big dollar sign amounts, but more so broken 

down payments due at different points,” added Robby. 

Robby and Jessica took their time with the process because Meg 

had to be one year old before they could adopt from India. During this 

process, they decided to name their future daughter Eden. 

“Part of that paperwork process was choosing not only gender 

but also your special needs profile. You choose ‘yes, no, or maybe’ 

to pages worth of special needs categories. All sorts of ailments, 

conditions, diseases, and physical abnormalities that you have to 

insightfully decipher what you would accept. It almost felt futile from 

the perspective of a parent. You have no idea what you can handle, 

so it’s almost haphazard,” said Robby. The Followells’ special needs 

profile summary was a fairly healthy young girl up to two years old; 

any abnormalities that could be surgically corrected was within their 

preference. 

“Then you work yourself to the front of the line to be chosen as 

the next eligible parents for a referral to a specific child,” said Robby. 

The Followells were on that list for a year after the paperwork finished 

before they were matched with a little girl. 

On February 7, 2014, Robby and Jessica received a call from Pat, 

their adoption agent. “Followells, I have exciting news. I do have a 

little girl that I want you to look at, but I need to say that she’s outside 

of your preference parameters of your special needs profile. But I just 

feel like you need to look at her,” said Pat. 

At the time, the little girl’s name was Kaveri, which is a river that 

runs through India. She was born around March 16, 2013, and a few 

days after her birth, she was abandoned at a train station just outside 



IT WAS A REALLY SAD MOMENT 

THAT I WAS HER MOM NOW, 

BUT I COULDN’T COMFORT 

HER. NOT ONLY COULD I NOT 

COMFORT HER, BUT I WAS 

ACTUALLY CAUSING HER STRESS. 

Calcutta. A police officer found her, and she was transported to 

a hospital for care because her hands and feet were malformed. 

She lived in the hospital for two months and was then placed in 

an orphanage. 

“Pat gave us the girl’s medical documentation first and a photo 

of her, a single two inch portrait of her face. It didn’t show her hands 

and feet, but we had a lot of medical records explaining her condition, 

which is called amniotic band syndrome. She had some periphery 

complications like clubbed foot, which is a result of amniotic bands,” 

said Robby. “She had had two surgeries at that time and a third would 

be done in India before we ever got her.” 

“They were very unsure of her future, if she would be able to 

walk or not. That, for me, was the sticking point or the determining 

factor. All of these doubts and reservations came into play. We only 

had about a week to make the decision as to whether or not we would 

accept the referral,” said Robby. 

“I could really see her in our family, but I had always said this 

was a joint decision. I wasn’t going to bulldoze through if Robby was 

hesitant because this is our child,” said Jessica. 

The Followells had the medical documentation evaluated by 

physicians to give them some insight into whether or not she would 

be able to walk, what kind of surgeries would be needed, and what 

kind of doctors they would need to see. Robby and Jessica only told a 

few people about the referral and did not share information about the 

girl’s special needs with anyone other than doctors because they did 

not want to be influenced by others’ opinions in their decision. 

“Two days after that call, we found ourselves at Pinelake Church. 

As a Christian believer might expect, at the forefront of our minds 

was this decision, and we felt that at the forefront of God’s mind was 

revealing His will and future for us,” said Robby. “I remember super 

clearly in that message that this wasn’t so much about what we can 

handle, as far as a handicapped child was concerned. It was strictly a 

matter of obedience. In that moment, it was very sealed for me. God’s 

choice for us was to accept this girl, and to do anything else would be 

a disobedient move on our part.” 

“We did share with our pastor’s wife that we had a referral, but 

again not mentioning any of her condition, and we asked that she 

pray with us that we would have insight, clarity, and affirmation,” said 

Robby. “The following morning, we had a text message from her. She 

indicated that God had kept her up most of the night praying for us 

that we would have clarity and discernment. She attached a YouTube 

link to a video that God had led her to. She said, ‘I know you know this 

song; I feel silly for sending you this song. But it’s the song Oceans, and 

for whatever reason I have been praying lyrics of that song over you 

and this girl.” 

“I clicked on the link, and it was a video that included the lyrics 

of the song. I saw it playing on my phone: ‘You call me out upon the 

water, the great unknown where feet may fail.’ We knew, of course, 

that Eden’s feet were her primary physical issue, and we knew they 

would probably fail her in some way in life. But it was so clear as that 

song continued that there should be no boundary to our obedience. 

We were giving our ‘yes,’ and we needed to push hard after that and 

follow through. The bridge lyric is, ‘Spirit lead me where my trust 

is without borders.’ So we would not put borders around our trust. 

We would believe that we can handle this. At that point, it was very 

cemented for us, so we reached back out to Pat and confirmed the 

referral, which initiated another round of processes.” 

“It was a number of months before everyone approved 

everything. A judge had to deem her our child, which happened 

in our absence. We signed a power of attorney in the U.S., and she 

became our daughter according to the Indian government. And we 

had yet to meet her,” said Robby. “That took place in September; then 

you have to wait for the paperwork to come out of the court system 

so there’s the proof and documentation needed. Once that paperwork 

came out, we were free to travel to go get her. Every country is 

different, but for us, travel was just one trip to India to retrieve her 

and bring her home. The legal and technical hurdles in-country are all 

really for the U.S. - an embassy appointment, a medical appointment, 

plus a few days on the front end getting to know her and spending 

time in her orphanage to understand her environment.” 

Robby and Jessica set out to bring Eden home with two 

photographers and a videographer, all personal friends who 

documented the story of Eden’s homeward-bound journey. The 

group almost missed their last flight, and their luggage was lost. 

Nonetheless, the group pulled up to the orphanage a couple hours 

after arriving in Calcutta. 

“In front of the orphanage, we saw this box where people drop 

off babies. It was just a little wood box that someone would place a 

human baby in,” said Jessica. “We go in, and we sit down in this office. 

They brought her around the corner, and she was so tiny. She was 

18-months old. She immediately started crying when she saw us. We 

tried to hold her, and she was scream-crying at us. They brought us 

chocolate cake to try to feed her. Nothing was working. We went to 

Eden’s room where she lived with twelve other kids. There was a U of 

cribs, and in between were mats with sheets and toys. They showed 

us where she slept. The kids were playing, and she’s kind of stunned 

the whole time. She was sucking her thumb and staring straight. We 

laid down and rubbed her back. She’d let me touch her a little bit, 

but she wouldn’t let Robby touch her much. She wouldn’t look at 

me, just totally ignoring us, sweating profusely through her clothes. 

We finally left; it was bedtime for her. We knew we would see her the 

next day.” 

“I sobbed in the car,” said Jessica. “I found myself being really 

sad at the whole situation - at how happy I was that we had her, but 

it wasn’t a happy moment. It was a really sad moment that I was her 

mom now, but I couldn’t comfort her. Not only could I not comfort 

her, but I was actually causing her stress. Also, the fact that I was her 


mom meant that she had to not have a mom first. It all bombarded my 

mind and heart, and I was exhausted. It was a really sad night.” 

“We were realigning our perspective,” said Robby. “It wasn’t going 

to be a seamless transition; we just needed to gear up. This was going 

to be an adjustment. We saw her the next day very briefly, and the 

third day we were going to take her from the orphanage to our hotel. 

That was the ceremonial checking out of the orphanage and into our 

care. It was really moving to see the orphanage workers, who had 

known her since she arrived, being very sad to see her go but hopeful 

that this would be better. Eden was very safe and comfortable in her 

environment there, which meant she felt protected and cared for.” 

“It was neat for us to see the network of people that had 

preserved her life and carried her life before she was entrusted to our 

care,” added Robby. “The orphanage sourced funds for her through 

grants from a Canadian orphan support/medical support agency that 

financed surgeries done in India, which unquestionably saved her 

legs. Particularly on her left foot, the severity was such that they could 

have easily decided to amputate, but instead they found the funds to 

reconstruct the foot. It is, to this day, her strongest foot.” 

After the ceremonial exit from the orphanage, the Followells 

spent a couple of days in Calcutta with Eden. “Those days were crazy 

and filled with tears,” said Robby. 

“She cried herself to sleep, sweated through all her clothes, 

screamed like we were hurting her when we tried to brush her teeth or 

just give her a quick rinse off,” said Jessica. 

“Everything felt very foreign to her: us, her daily encounters, the 

food she was eating. Everything was so different than all 

she had known, so everything was a huge hurdle. Even meal time 

became quite an ordeal,” said Robby. 

“I was terrified that she wasn’t going to let us feed her, and she 

wouldn’t at first,” said Jessica. “Finally, I got out a chocolate chip 

granola bar to feed myself, and she looked at me and held out her 

hand. She ate granola bars for a whole day.” 

“We left Calcutta and made it to Delhi for a few days,” said Robby. 

“That was one of the hardest days, traveling with her to get her to the 

country’s capital for all of the official process meetings that had to 

happen. After a few days there, we began the trip back home. We made 

it back to Jackson after a total of 10 days away. Of course, Meg wasn’t 

with us, so we were very anxious to get back home, for the girls to meet, 

and for us to all be together for the first time. We got back on December 

12, 2014, and we felt great.” 

“Meg was and has been the most accepting and most patient 

with the whole Eden encounter. During the entire transition, Meg has 

demonstrated the most grace,” added Robby. 

“Eden felt the most comfortable with her at first because they’re 

both kids,” said Jessica. “They speak their own language of playing 

and goldfish and things like that. Meg has transitioned so well and still 

handles Eden better than we do. So many things happen such as Meg 

introducing her little sister into her play group. She’ll say, ‘This is Eden. 

She is brown and has funny fingers. Let’s play!’ She just lays it out there, 

and we don’t have to teach her that people are different. She lives with 

a sister that is different, and it is sweet that it gets to be a normal part of 

her life that she embraces. They’re inseparable. They pull each other’s 

hair and stuff, too, because they’re sisters, but that has been one of the 

biggest joys—to be able to watch them become sisters.” 

“That was a transition too, though. I would say the first two 

months were probably the hardest,” added Jessica. 

“It got increasingly easier, but it would not exactly qualify 

as a smooth transition,” said Robby. “With a child as spirited and 

opinionated as Eden, there was so much to break in her—the fear, 

the distrust, and the fact that she couldn’t speak our language even 

though she should have been able to communicate verbally. There 

was incredible frustration on her part to be able to convey what she 

wanted. It was a slow but definite progression to her being at a place 

of trust and comfort.” 

“She has had three surgeries since we have been home, but 

probably the least difficult part of the transition was the thing we 

were most concerned about when we were bringing her home, which 

was her physical conditions and her special needs,” said Robby. “We 

have found lots of resources available to us to facilitate a lot of that 

care she has needed. We have had positive experiences with several 

medical institutions. That has felt incredibly smooth. She is not just 

walking but is running. She is very active, and there is very little 

concern as to her long-term abilities, such as writing. Even now, she is 

able to write with just three fingers on her left hand and one finger on 

her right. She doesn’t have toes really, but she has very capable feet. 

More surgeries in the future will continue to improve her function 

and ability.” 

“It was difficult with a lot of emotional challenges and stress, 

but, no question, our family is so much better off because of her 

inclusion,” added Robby. “The three years before bringing her home 

changed our faith and deepened our perspective on God’s plan 

in huge ways. The dependence we have needed to walk with her 

and grow in love for her over these last two years has been hugely 

influential in who we are. We think about her future. She came from 

India, in a culture where physical disabilities and an orphaned 

state would have forever marked her and challenged her, to a place 

of belonging with parents who are fully for her and a culture that 

is much more accepting of physical differences and will give her 

opportunities that she wouldn’t have had elsewhere in a place like 

America in Mississippi. We are so grateful to be able to facilitate in 

that future for her.” 

“I don’t think we rescued her,” said Jessica. “I think the policeman 

that picked her up and took her to the hospital and the nurses who 

took care of her and the surgeon that worked on her foot and the 

people in Canada that sent money and the people in the orphanage: 

those were her rescuers. But the part that we get to play is so neat 

because we got to deliver her into a family. We are so thankful to the 

MEG HAS TRANSITIONED 

SO WELL AND STILL 

HANDLES EDEN BETTER 

THAN WE DO. SO MANY 

THINGS HAPPEN SUCH 

AS MEG INTRODUCING 

HER LITTLE SISTER INTO 

HER PLAY GROUP. 

SHE’LL SAY, ‘THIS IS 

EDEN. SHE IS BROWN 

AND HAS FUNNY 

FINGERS. LET’S PLAY!’ 


“WE GET THE MORE PERMANENT 

BLESSING OUT OF THE EXPERIENCE 

BECAUSE SHE IS HERE TO STAY, AND 

THERE ARE UNLIMITED EXAMPLES OF 

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS THAT WE GET 

TO WATCH FIRSTHAND,” SAID ROBBY. 

people who swooped in and found her worthy, and now we get to 

carry her on through being in a family.” 

“We get the more permanent blessing out of the experience 

because she is here to stay, and there are unlimited examples of God’s 

faithfulness that we get to watch firsthand,” said Robby. “People ask, 

‘Why adoption?’ We want to be honest about the experience and not 

glaze over it. We want to be faithful to communicate the challenges, 

but by and large, the grace and blessing that exists in having her in 

our family so far outweighs those challenging days. What’s the point 

of life but to understand more how to be Christ to this world? If this 

experience shaped us to be more like Him, why wouldn’t you choose 

to understand the Gospel better by embracing an orphan child in a 

way that we have been embraced in our lost state before salvation?” 

“The reality is that there are still millions of children without 

families, and having had a child biologically and adopting a child— 

there are such rich blessings from both experiences,” said Robby. 

“They’re extremely different. But why, when looking at a world with 

so many children without a family, and thinking of the no-brainer 

benefit that having a family provides to an orphan child, why wouldn’t 

you accept one if at all possible? Knowing that everyone who adopts 

speaks of the incredible transformation that happens in your life 

because of it, there is very little risk. The money is one of the biggest 

hurdles that people don’t know if they want to overcome, but it is 

overwhelming how supportive people 

were to us. Pinelake Church provides a 

scholarship to families that choose to 

adopt domestically and internationally. 

The government gives incredible tax 

breaks for adoptions.” 

“We had a random person or group of 

people put $4,600 in cash in our mailbox. 

We still don’t know who those people are,” 

said Jessica. “This isn’t something that 

by any means we went through alone. I 

would say to bust wide open the door and 

to ask people to donate and give because 

I felt like when we brought Eden home, 

we didn’t just bring her to our home. We 

brought her to a whole community that 

was ready to love her and embrace her. 

It’s not just beneficial to you; it helps the 

child know they are loved by a lot 

of different people.” 

Robby and Jessica have been open 

about sharing their adoption journey on 

social media to whoever is interested. 

“We have been so overwhelmed by support 

and engagement with the story and with 

many people beginning the adoption 

process because of what they have seen 

unfold through Eden’s story. So praise 

God for that,” said Robby. “That’s why we 

brought a husband and wife photography 

team and a videographer with us to India. 

We felt it was important for Eden—to show 

her in a decade or so when she can really 

grasp her beginnings and to be able to give 

her some kind of visual context of what 

her life was like in those early days. But it’s 

also important for the many thousands of 

people who have watched and supported 

us—to give them some insight into what 

this process looks like. It has been very 

rewarding and worth it.” 

Robby and Jessica posted a YouTube 

video called “Love Has Come—An 

Adoption Story” that tells the story of 

bringing Eden home. The Followells hope 

this video will inspire potential adoptive 

families to take the next step. 



THE DOT 

SHOP 

Abigail Walker 

Hallie Darphin knows the 

value of a good education. 

Since its start in 2014, her 

school supply company, Dot, 

has helped fund over 4,000 

days of school for children 

in developing countries. Now 

the 25-year-old entrepreneur 

is opening the doors of The 

Dot Shop to better spread 

her education mission and 

encourage others to change 

the world. 



THE DOT SHOP • 205 W. LEAKE STREET • CLINTON, MS 39056 • 228-257-6871 

It began when 

Darphin took a semester 

off from Mississippi College 

to work at a children’s home in Uganda 

in 2011. There she saw the effects a lack 

of education had on an impoverished 

community. When she returned to MC, 

she added a business minor and was 

challenged in an entrepreneurship class 

to take a problem she was passionate 

about and solve it using business. 

Fueled by the children she met in 

Uganda, Darphin created the idea for 

Dot school supplies. 

Dot, named after Darphin’s 

grandmother, has come to stand for “Do 

One Thing.” Every product funds half 

a day of education for a child in Haiti, 

Mexico, Tanzania, or the Congo. Darphin 

says they aim to fund all aspects of 

education, including teacher salaries, 

supplies, and uniforms. 

Dot started as an online store, but 

after the urging from MC students, 

Darphin began looking for a new 

business headquarters. The Dot Shop, 

located at 205 West Leake Street in 

Clinton, opened at the end of May this 

year. Set in a sunny yellow house on 

the brick streets, The Dot Shop allows 

visitors to learn more about what Dot is 

doing around the world, meet Darphin 

and the Dot crew, and purchase 

products that directly aid children in 

other countries. 

Available Dot school supplies 

include binders, journals, pencils, 

colored pencils, and coloring books. 

Unique, hand-painted binders and 

journals have recently been added to the 

collection. The Dot shop also sells items 

made by locals and MC students, as well 

as products from other give-back causes 

around the world. 

This summer, Darphin and several 

others on the Dot team traveled to Haiti 

with But God Ministries. They served 

in schools and helped with the student 

sponsorship program and were able 

to see how Dot is directly benefitting 

children and their families. 

Darphin says economic 

development is also a huge component 

of Dot. They have been working with 

local artisans in Haiti to develop new 

products, such as a pencil pouch made 

from rice bags and the gingham that 

matches the students’ uniforms. “Our 

goal is to have at least fifty percent of 

the products made in the countries we 

help,” Darphin says, adding that providing 

jobs to parents is just as important as 

funding their children’s education. 

Other projects in the works are 

school supply bundles, like the ones 

at Christ Covenant School that have 

helped supply weeks of school for 

children in Haiti and Mexico. Darphin 

hopes to expand this program with 

other schools and maybe incorporate a 

pen-pal program so that students can 

connect internationally. 

To see Dot making a global impact 

has meant the world to Darphin. “It’s 

overwhelming and extraordinarily 

empowering,” she says. She adds that 

empowering others is what Dot’s all 

about. She looks forward to seeing the 

kids that are being funded, graduate. 

But Darphin also has a desire to invest 

on a local scale. She says that opening 

up a store in Clinton is a way to teach 

people that small decisions can make a 

big difference. 

She credits the relationships and 

support from the Clinton community 

and from Mississippi College for Dot’s 

success. “Clinton is a fun place to be, 

and I love seeing this place grow,” 

she says. “I want to give the Clinton 

community an opportunity to give back 

and be involved in what we’re doing 

around the world.” 

Darphin is excited to be a part 

of what’s happening on the brick 

streets and hopes that The Dot Shop 

will become an event space or a place 

where students can simply congregate 

on the patio. “I want it to be a place 

where people can come and hang out 

and learn about the impact of small 

changes,” she says. 

Even the new space is a series of 

small things come together. Darphin 

says that God has grown Dot into 

something she never would have 

imagined and that he continues to 

send new ideas through people. 

She’s been able to hire a part-time 

operations assistant, take on interns, and 

collaborate with student artists. 

“I trust God 1000% more because 

I’ve seen him show up,” she says. “I’m 

more willing to do the impossible 

because I’ve seen the impossible be 

done over and over again.” 

Darphin says she’s still learning, but 

that she knows she’s doing exactly what 

she needs to do. “If there’s something 

that God’s calling you to do, he will 

equip you.” 

The Dot Shop is opened Tuesday- 

Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can find out 

more about Dot and purchase school 

supplies at www.dotproducts.org. 



SERVING OUR COMMUNITY 

CLINTON'S FINEST 

Fire Marshal Richard Hanks 

CLINTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 

Police Chief Ford Hayman 

CLINTON POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Why did you decide to be a fireman? 

I was drawn to the fire service for many 

reasons. If I had to pick one reason, it would 

be the satisfaction it gives me to be part of a 

team that helps others. Being a fireman allows 

an individual the opportunity to be part of a 

team that lives and trains together. The sole 

purpose is to help others. It’s a lot like being in 

the service. 

How long have you been with the 

Clinton Fire Department? 

I have been with the Clinton Fire Department 

for 16 years. 

Tell us about your family. 

I am recently divorced and have a 15 year-old 

son named Lee. He attends St. Aloysius High 

School in Vicksburg where he is on the honor 

roll and excels in soccer. We spend a lot of 

time outdoors hunting and fishing. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

The many times that, despite our best efforts 

and medical interventions, a patient does not 

respond to the treatment and dies. These are 

the most difficult calls especially when the 

patient is a child. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in 

your spare time. 

I enjoy hunting with my son, shooting, 

archery, running, and home improvement. 

What are three things on your 

bucket list? 

An Alaskan cruise, travel to Europe, and travel 

to Australia and dive the Great Barrier Reef. 

Who is someone you admire and why? 

My parents Richard and Sharon Hanks. They 

made me who I am today and I am blessed to 

still have them in my life. 

Where do you see yourself ten years 

from now? 

About 7 years into my next career and in 

something safety related. I’m not sure what I 

want to be when I grow up but I’m figuring 

that out. 

If you could give one piece of advice 

to a young person, what would it be? 

Figure out what it is that gives you great 

satisfaction in life and pursue a career in a field 

that allows you to achieve that. 

What is a favorite childhood memory? 

Hunting and fishing with my father, particularly 

running trot lines in the backwaters of the 

Mississippi river. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

I see a lot of young people’s lives altered 

dramatically by the use of street drugs and 

misuse of prescription drugs. Street and 

prescription drugs are extremely addictive and 

dangerous. All it takes is one bad decision to 

alter a person’s life forever. 

What is your favorite thing about the 

City of Clinton? 

My favorite thing about Clinton is the people. 

Clinton has more than its fair share of 

exceptionally good people. This was evident 

after the tornado came through. There was a 

huge showing of people, local and abroad, 

who were there to help other people in their 

time of need. 

What is your favorite thing about 

Hinds County? 

My favorite thing about Hinds County is that 

it is loaded with great places to hunt and fish. 

My son and I are in a camp near Utica that 

has excellent hunting and fishing. We really 

enjoy that. 

Why did you decide to be a 

police officer? 

I have always been interested in police 

work. Each day brings a new set of circumstances 

and situations that differ from the 

previous day. The chance to help someone 

always exists. 

How long have you been with the 

Clinton Police Department? 

I joined the Clinton Police Department on 

May 1st. 


My family means everything to me. I am very 

blessed to be married to my wife, Sandi. We 

have two great boys, Connor and Cole. We 

are constantly on the move without any dull 

moments. The boys love fishing, hunting, 

swimming, and sports. My family is my outlet 

away from work. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

The senseless violence that people inflict 

upon each other. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in 

your spare time. 

Spare time…what is spare time? In all seriousness, 

spending time with my wife and the 

boys is relaxing and enjoyable. 

What are three things on your bucket list? 

Overseas travel, saving enough to retire one 

day, and good health for years to come. 


I admire any officer who chooses law 

enforcement as a career. Dedication to a 

career of service to others is a challenging 

calling. The men and women of law enforcement 

willingly accept this challenge and work 

diligently to make the community safer for all. 


from now? 

I plan to be here at the Clinton Police 

Department. Our boys are young and my 

plan is to work until they graduate college. 

Clinton is my home and we love this city. 

If you could give one piece of advice 

to a young person, what would it be? 

Think about the decisions that you make. 

Poor decisions often have lasting consequences. 

What is a favorite childhood memory? 

Childhood was growing up on Kitchings 

Drive in Clinton. There were several of us (you 

know who you are) that grew up together 

and we always had something going on. The 

standing rule was when the street lights 

came on it was time to at least check in with 

the parents. Many great childhood memories 

originated on Kitchings Dr. Another favorite 

childhood memory was attending Ole Miss 

football games. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

Young children today spend too much time 

utilizing social media and video games. I think 

the social skills of children can be diminished 

in some capacity. Kids today need time away 

from social media and iPhones. They should 

be able to get outside and socialize with 

other children and adults in real-time rather 

than through text messages. 

What is your favorite thing about the 

City of Clinton? 

My favorite thing about Clinton is the people 

and the strong sense of community. I have 

watched Clinton grow over the years and I 

am excited to come home to Clinton to serve 

our city. 




AT WOODCHASE 

601-925-0009 

131 Woodchase Park Dr. ~ Clinton, MS ~ woodchase@heritageproperties.com 

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. 

We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing 

because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. 

Need Not Be Built. For Marketing Purposes Only. All renderings, floor plans, features and photography are artist’s depictions only. 

Features, pricing and dimensions shown herein are subject to change without notice. All dimensions are approximate. Developer 

reserves the right to modify or adjust prices and/or specifications without notice. Special offers are subject to change without 

notification. All move in discounts and specials are not for existing residents. 

COUPLE WITH FOREIGN ROOTS 

FEEL AT HOME IN CLINTON 


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A 

young family with Korean and Filipino roots has lived in 

Clinton for the past couple of years. Their hearts are filled 

with joy and the light of God’s love. Jane and Jake Johnston 

are this special couple and they have four delightful children. 

Together, they have quite a diverse cultural background. 

Jane Johnston is originally from Hongcheon, South Korea. Her 

Korean name is Mi-ryeonh Kim. Jake Johnston is from Saipan, Northern 

Mariana Islands. Jake and Jane met in Saipan when they were 

students at Eucon International School in 2002. Jane was in 12 th grade 

and Jake was in 11 th grade. 

Jake’s dad, who is from Joplin, Missouri, moved to Saipan to teach 

at the international school and that is what brought his family to 

Saipan initially. Jake was born in Saipan but moved many times back 

and forth since. When he was about 2 years old, his family moved 

back to Missouri, then to Saipan again, then back to Missouri. Then, 

Jake and his family moved to Pensacola so his dad could go to graduate 

school. Then, they moved back to Saipan where Jake graduated 

from high school in 2004. 

After high school, Jake moved to Pensacola to attend Pensacola 

Christian College, which is where Jane was attending. Jane decided 

to attend Pensacola Christian College because it seemed like a good 

Christian school and the price was affordable. 

Jane first set her feet on U.S. soil in 2002. Her first impressions 

of the United States of America were in Greenville, South Carolina, 

where she was visiting her high school teacher and their family. 

“Everything was very nice,” said Jane. She had a hard time getting 

used to the food, though, and learning the language. “In college, everybody 

had macaroni and cheese. I tell everybody, Chick-fil-A saved 

my life. I always thought, Chick-fil-A, I can do this. It gave me hope. I 

had a very good impression of Chick-fil-A,” said Jane. “I had bad memories 

of macaroni and cheese in college. I gained a lot of weight. I lived 

in the dorm and did not have a car,” said Jane. 

Something else that really stood out to Jane about America was 

the patriotism and the great love and pride that many people had 

in America. “Watching baseball was amazing. There was so much 

patriotism. Everybody had so much love for their country,” said Jane. 



She enjoyed hearing everyone sing 

“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and 

the National Anthem. 

Jane and Jake attended 

Pensacola Christian College their 

first two years of college and then transferred to Missouri Southern 

State University. They both enjoyed attending the Springfield Cardinals 

minor league baseball games in Missouri. 

The Johnstons had a short engagement. Jake proposed at the 

airport in Korea before their Korean wedding. They both knew each 

other was the one because they couldn’t imagine marrying anyone else 

and it just felt natural to each other. 

To include their different cultural roots, they had four weddings 

over a nine-month period between November 18, 2006 and July 7, 2007. 

They had two in Korea and two in the United States of America. In 

Korea they had a small church ceremony. The following weekend, they 

had a traditional Korean wedding. Their Korean wedding reception 

was very large because Jane’s parents “knew the whole town.” The 

wedding was only Jake’s second time to be in Korea. 

Their third wedding was in Joplin, Missouri. It was their legal 

ceremony where they had a pastor and witnesses. Their fourth and 

final wedding was with Jake’s side of the family in Missouri and had 

family members from New York and Chicago attend. Their reception 

at this wedding was a mix of both Jake’s cultures. They feasted on an 

American barbeque and Filipino food such as lumpia and fried rice. “It 

was a good mix,” said Jake. 

Because of the many moves of Jake’s family, he grew up 

accustomed to a mixture of foods. He grew up eating Japanese, Korean 

and Filipino food. “I ate a lot of spam,” said Jake. “My mom would make 

me spam, eggs and rice for lunch while we lived in Missouri. I stuck out 

because other kids in elementary school didn’t have that for lunch. 

You could really smell the spam,” said Jake. In the States, Jake is seen 

as Asian, but in Saipan, he is seen as American. He really has a mix of 

both worlds in him. 

The Johnstons moved to Clinton in 2014 so Jake could attend 

Mississippi College. He took courses to prepare for medical school. In 

December 2015, he received his Master of Science in Medical Sciences. 

Although the Johnstons had never been to Clinton before, they 

had traveled through Jackson several times when traveling from 

Missouri to Florida. “We felt God was leading us here,” said Jake. 

“What helped us the most was getting plugged into the church.” The 

Johnstons sent an e-mail to Morrison Heights Baptist Church, telling 

them of their upcoming move and that they were a family of five. Mary 

Sanders responded and was very helpful. She drew out a map which 

described locations of places to live 

in Clinton. 

Now, Jake works as a 

researcher at University Medical 

Center and he is applying for 

medical school. Jane homeschools their 3 children: Noah (8), Raine (5) 

and Samuel (4). They also have a newborn baby, Benjamin, who was 

just born. 

There are students from all over such as New York, California 

and Oregon, that move to Clinton to enter the medical program that 

Jake did. The students in this program go on to attend various schools 

such as physical therapy, dental school, medical school and physician 

assistant school. There are also many Koreans and the Johnstons 

enjoyed having a Korean barbeque with several of the students in the 

program. “We had sliced pork belly, uncured bacon and barbeque,” 

said Jake. 

Jake and Jane had good first impressions of Clinton. Mary Sanders 

at Morrison Heights Baptist Church was very helpful and their landlord 

was very friendly. “We felt welcomed,” said Jane. 

“There is a big homeschooling community going on. This is a great 

community for families,” said Jane. “We don’t have any family members 

around, but we feel like we do with this community. We have so much 

support,” said Jane. “Our families are so far away. Raising four children, 

we feel like we have family through our community. Our church family 

is worth us staying here. Family values are so strong here,” said Jane. 

“We have grown so much through leadership in our church. We have 

grown more in our walk with Christ as a family. School has become 

secondary to our growing as a family. We practically lived in the 

church the first summer we were here,” said Jake. 

The Johnstons have really plugged into the community. They 

teach four year olds on Sunday mornings in the children’s ministry 

and Jane is a greeter at the welcome desk. Jane is also a member of 

the Clinton Home Educators Connection. In addition to Jake being a 

researcher, he also tutors a Clinton High School student. He teaches 

him math and biology and helps him prepare for the ACT. He is also 

pursuing the option of teaching at Belhaven as an adjunct professor. 

“The opportunities here have been more than I expected and 

I enjoy teaching,” said Jake. Jake would like to be a pediatrician or 

something involving kids. His experience, being a father of four, will 

help him in the future when working with children and parents. 

Jane and Jake Johnston are a melting pot of cultures and bring 

their cultural diversity to Clinton with excitement and zest. They 

are thankful for all that God has brought their way and to live in the 

family-friendly community that Clinton offers. 





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clinton 

We moved back and lived in Clinton from 1992-2008. 

feeling, but I have to give credit to long-time president, 

During that timeframe, I left education and began 

Dr. Clyde Muse, for building a positive culture. He is 

working in healthcare marketing. We bought a house, 

dedicated to serving people. He applies that principle to 

Renee 

Cotton 

had two children, bought some land and built our second 

house, and spent countless hours on the baseball field 

(and a number of other activities) watching our two 

growing boys. 

In 2008 we moved to Madison with mixed emotions; 

every student, faculty member, staff member or visitor of 

the college. His impact on education and the 

contributions he’s made to help improve lives in this 

state are far-reaching and I am proud to have been 

chosen to serve on this team. Although I won’t be in the 

however, it didn’t take long to realize that Madison had 

classroom, it is personally rewarding to be in the 

Near the front door of my childhood home, a framed 

needlepoint hangs that reads, “No Matter Where You 

May Roam, The Best Part is Coming Home”. I didn’t 

realize how true this statement would be to me, but I 

have recognized the importance of “home” in various 

ways and at many points throughout my adult life. 

My life growing up in Clinton was idyllic. My 

childhood days were filled playing with the kids in the 

neighborhood—from sun-up to sundown. We made up 

games, rode bikes, played “school” and chased lightning 

bugs until the last minute. We’d always run home just in 

fabulous to move away to a big city! Obviously, my 

parents were reluctant to let me go; however, they agreed 

to my going if I would attend Hinds Community College 

for at least one year. I enrolled at Hinds and found my 

niche in the marketing technology program. 

After earning my associate’s degree, I transferred to 

Mississippi State University and earned a bachelor’s 

degree in education. There, I also met my husband (of 

nearly 30 years), Dennis. Mary Swoope (a Clinton native) 

supervised my practice teaching. She was a great 

mentor and influenced my decision to teach in a 

many of the qualities that I loved about Clinton. It, too, is 

a great place to raise a family, has a strong sense of 

community and excellent schools. The people make it a 

special place. I feel truly blessed that my sons, Chance 

(20) and Connor (18) were fortunate to have the 

experiences of growing up in Clinton and Madison. 

More recently, I experienced a homecoming of a 

different sort. After nearly 25 years in healthcare, I 

joined Hinds Community College as District Director of 

Marketing and Community Relations. In just a short 

time, I feel at home. Being an alumnus contributes to that 

educational environment. 

This year, Dennis and I are also anticipating another 

big change. We are facing the “empty nest” as both boys 

will be in college this August. When I think of their 

futures, I am hopeful that they will recall all the people 

and places that have influenced them and they will 

remember the “good ole days”. Hopefully they will never 

be far from home either and will recall a quote that I have 

displayed on a wooden plaque in our own home. It reads, 

“Home is where your story begins”. 

time to avoid getting in trouble for staying out past dark. 

marketing program upon graduation. 

Not everyone appreciates their school experience, 

My first teaching job was in Philadelphia, 

but I loved school. I enjoyed everything about it—meeting 

Mississippi. About half way through that school year, my 

new teachers, buying new pencils and notebooks, 

husband received a great job offer. We moved to Orlando 

shopping for school clothes, completing a new calendar, 

that summer and I was fortunate to quickly find a 

organizing binders and, of course, all of the social and 

teaching position at one of the newest and largest high 

extra-curricular activities. 

schools in Orange County. I had finally made it to the big 

While in high school, I worked at Treasury Drug 

city! It was a fun place to live and we both enjoyed the 

Store (which was owned by JC Penney). During my 

experience, but after a few years we began to long for 

senior year, they offered me an opportunity to move to 

some of the qualities of home. Having both grown up in 

Atlanta and participate in their cosmetics buyer’s 

Mississippi, we missed our family and friends and the 

training program. Like many teens, I thought it would be 

sense of community we were familiar with. 


PRINCIPAL Q&A 

“WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT 

YOUR 1 ST DAY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?” 

CHS CAREER COMPLEX 

BRETT ROBINSON 

I guess what I 

remember most 

about school when 

I was a kid was 

the anticipation 

and excitement of 

getting to see all of my friends again. You go 

all summer only seeing your closest buddies 

but when school started back it was like the 

whole “band” was back together again. Even 

to this day, the thing I look forward to most 

with the beginning of school is the opportunity 

to interact with the students, parents, 

and teachers. 

CLINTON ALTERNATIVE 

KELLY HEATH 

The first day of 

elementary school, 

to me, has been 

the same as all first 

days of school. The 

excitement and nervousness 

of a new chapter in life. Anxious 

of going to the next grade, meeting new 

teachers, seeing friends you have been apart 

from all summer. The excitement of the day, 

a new beginning. 


ANTHONY GOINS 

I remember the 

excitement of the 

first day of school 

growing up the 

most. I attended 

school before the 

times of cell phones and social media, so 

being able to reunite with my peers was really 

a big thing. I also remember wondering 

what my new teacher for the school year 

would be like. 

CLINTON JR. HIGH 

BILL HARDIN 

I remember feeling 

very welcomed in 

my teacher’s room. 

Her name was Mrs. 

Reese. She was 

definitely a gifted 

teacher who created a thirst for learning for 

her students. 

CLINTON PARK 

ELEMENTARY 

KELLI POPE 

I was always so 

excited about the 

first day of school. 

The anticipation of 

meeting my new 

teachers and discovering who would be in 

my class was first on my mind. I could not 

wait to wear my new school clothes and 

use my new crayons and markers! Any 

nervousness I felt would disappear, as I 

was greeted with a smile and reassuring 

word from my teacher. 

EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY 

CINDY HAMIL 

I remember everything 

feeling so 

big and there 

being so many 

children in my 

class. I went to 

Clinton Park and had Mrs. VanLoo. She was 

a sweet teacher. My best friend that year 

was Lawanda Washington (I wonder what 

happened to her). Mrs. VanLoo had this 

awesome reading loft in her room where 

we loved to go to read. 

LOVETT ELEMENTARY 

MICHAEL POPE 

After a long summer 

of playing outside, 

reading books, 

and watching 

Saturday morning 

cartoons, I was not 

ready to go back to school for my 5 th grade 

year at Eastside Elementary. I remember 

my mother going to McRae’s and Gayfers 

to buy school clothes. I was perfectly happy 

with my dingy, worn-out summer shorts 

and t-shirts, but for Mom, that was simply 

unacceptable. I was able to pick out a few 

items that I considered “cool” and would not 

earn the derision of my friends. Shoes were 

a big deal as well. My feet can be described 

as more round than narrow, meaning I had 

a small selection to choose from, and finding 

socially acceptable shoes was a challenge. 

Going to buy school supplies was also an adventure. 

Mom would take me to the Clinton 

TG&Y, where we would purchase the glue, 

pencils, pencil pouches, and Trapper-keepers 

(hopefully the ones that portrayed an 

emblazoned dragon on the cover). If I was 

really lucky I would get the 16-count Crayola 

crayon pack and not just the 8-count. By the 

time the first day of school arrived, I had 

grown past the back-to-school blues. I was 

excited to see my friends and find out which 

teachers I was assigned. I remember my 

teachers being so welcoming and inviting 

towards me. Showing off my new backpack 

and cool school shoes was a highlight of the 

first day back. 

NORTHSIDE 

ELEMENTARY 

MANDY AMBROSE 

The thing that I 

remember most 

about my first day 

of elementary 

school is walking 

into my classroom and being in awe of 

its size. The sound of excited and scared 

students and parents was humming throughout 

the hallway and filling the classroom. I 

remember feeling very anxious; I wasn’t sure 

what to expect. After a few moments I built 

up enough courage to take my eyes off of 

the floor. Once I looked up, the first thing that 

I saw was the smiling face of my teacher. 

She walked over to me, took my hand, led 

me to another little girl in the classroom 

and said that she thought that we would 

be great friends. She was right, that little 

girl ended up being my best friend for the 

remainder of my school-aged years. The 

kindness and compassion that my teacher 

expressed in those first few moments is 

what initiated my journey to becoming an 

educator. I wanted to be the one that made 

a little girl or boy feel safe and cared for on 

their first day in a new place. At that young 

age I realized that making a student feel 

cared for is the first step in helping them to 

become successful. 

SUMNER HILL JR. HIGH 

JOHN WALLACE 

On my first day 

of 1st grade I 

remember thinking 

how cool it was to 

have “real” desks, 

do “real” reading, 

writing, and math, and to be a “big” kid 

compared to the kindergarteners. As 

compared to what my daughter has just 

learned and accomplished this past year 

at Clinton Park in the 1st grade, I’m very 

excited and proud to see what our students 

are learning now as opposed to nearly 

30 years ago. 

CLINTON 

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 

PHILLIP H. 

BROOME 

The year was 

1966. The most 

memorable event 

about the first day 

of school was seeing a picture of a clown on 

the wall and that I didn’t like school and if I 

could make it through that day-I was never 

going back. But, of course I did. 

MT. SALUS 

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 

KEITH LOCKHART 

Seeing new faces, 

names on desks, 

rooms newly 

decorated and the 

excitement of the 

teachers. I wish the best to all parents and 

guardians at our school as well as all the 

other schools in the area. I hope they have 

a safe and blessed year. 


The 

way 

we 

were 

Carol and David Durham 


music department part-time at Mississippi College 

for the past 25 years. For the past 10 years she 

has taught organ at Belhaven University and 

Millsaps College. 

At Morrison Heights Baptist Church, she has 

held a variety of roles including organist, children’s 

choir director and ladies ensemble. Carol is a 

member of the American Guild of Organists and has 

been the dean of the Jackson chapter. She is 

currently the president of the Mississippi Music 

Teachers Association and for 12 years she was the 

chairman of the Bach Festival in Mississippi. 

David and Carol go together like two peas in a 

pod. “What I like best about David is that he supports 

what I do. He makes the punch when I have recital 

receptions,” said Carol. “We are both classical music 

people and belong to the symphony,” said David. 

“Carol is really smart. I can’t believe how smart she 

is,” gushed David. 

David and Carol have three children and six 

grandchildren. Rachel was born in 1973, Davy was 

born in 1977 and Elizabeth was born in 1980. They 

are thankful to have five grandchildren in Clinton, 

too. When they reflect on having an empty nest, they 

have a lot to say. “Your kids are always your kids, 

no matter how old they are,” said David. “I never 

got too sad about having an empty nest because I 

was always glad to see them develop their wings 

and interests and use the talents God gave them,” 

said Carol. 

“When our children were young, we stayed 

close to home. Now that they are grown, we enjoy 

traveling more. Some places the Durhams have 

enjoyed traveling to are Niagara Falls, Toronto, 

England, Scotland, Italy, Vienna, Switzerland and 

Alaska. Carol’s favorite vacation was when they 

traveled to Vienna to visit their daughter. They 

went to Salzburg, the home of Mozart and Zermatt, 

Switzerland. 

The Durhams have had a long and prosperous 

marriage and have some good advice for newlyweds. 

“Forgive one another,” says David. “When you’re 

dating, the person looks perfect. When you’re 

married, reality sets in. Don’t go to bed angry,” he 

says. “Communicate. Don’t bottle things up. Go into 

marriage with the idea that it is permanent no matter 

what,” said Carol. “When you say, ‘Until death do us 

part’, mean it,” said David. Those are certainly words 

of wisdom from a couple that has been in it for the 

long haul. 

These Clintonians like to reflect on Clinton 

back then and now. According to David, many 

things have changed, but the most significant 

changes are the size of the town and the number 

of places to eat. Both increased significantly. 

“The only places to go eat in 1970 were the 

Mississippi College cafeteria, the Bill Will Motel 

restaurant, and a drive-in,” said David. The Durhams 

watched the Clinton Parkway being built. “That has 

been a very good change for Clinton,” said Carol. 

David enjoys woodworking in his spare time 

and has built things such as bookshelves, cabinets 

and Carol’s harpsichord. 

David and Carol Durham have enjoyed making 

Clinton their home for 41 years. Although David still 

misses the Great Smoky Mountains being practically 

in his backyard during his childhood, he is grateful 

for his home here, living with the love of his life in 

Clinton, Mississippi. 

Clinton is home to a multi-talented couple who 

has been married 48 years. David and Carol Durham 

have a long history that is filled with music and 

numbers. Most of their marriage has been spent 

living in Clinton. 

The Durhams were graduate school students at 

the University of Tennessee when they first met at 

First Baptist Church, Knoxville. Carol’s roommate, 

Jessie, introduced the two. Carol was interested in 

David but he was dating someone else at the time. 

That someone else is a distant memory in David’s 

mind now as he reflects on being married to the love 

of his life for the past 48 years. 

David was born in Nashville and grew up in 

Maryville, Tennessee. He graduated in 1957 from 

high school and then went to Georgia Tech where 

he studied physics. Next, he moved to Knoxville, 

Tennessee, where he attended graduate school at 

the University of Tennessee. He received his Ph.D 

in Physics. 

Carol was born and raised in Clinton. She 

graduated from Clinton High School and Mississippi 

College. She grew up attending First Baptist Church 

of Clinton. After college, she moved to Knoxville to 

begin graduate school at the University of Tennessee. 

Carol’s graduate school degree is in Organ. 

Their love story began at First Baptist Church, 

Knoxville. They were in the choir together. Carol first 

caught David’s ear as she played the most beautiful 

piano music in opening assembly on Sunday 

morning. While they were dating, they enjoyed going 

hiking in the Smoky Mountains. They also enjoyed 

eating strawberry pie or hot fudge cake at Shoney’s. 

David and Carol’s first date was on April 1, 1968, 

and their wedding date was not long after that on 

September 7, 1968. The Durhams were married at 

Calvary Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. David 

was 29 and Carol was 23. “I cared more about the 

details of the music than the dress and flowers. We 

had my organ professor from Tennessee to come to 

play all Bach for the wedding,” said Carol. The 

Durhams enjoyed the majestic, refreshing mountainous 

views of Asheville, North Carolina, and the 

Biltmore Estate for their honeymoon. 

After David finished graduate school, he taught 

in Auburn, Alabama, and in 1970, the Durhams 

moved back to Carol’s old stomping grounds in 

Mississippi. David began working as division chair of 

math and sciences at Hinds Community College in 

1970. He worked there in a few different positions 

until his retirement in 2015. He is currently an 

adjunct professor at Mississippi College. 

When the Durhams moved to Raymond in 1970, 

they were the first to live in faculty housing at Hinds 

Community College. The rent for their three 

bedroom, two bath duplex was $75 a month. They 

had their first baby while living in Raymond and 

decided they wanted a more permanent residence so 

they built a house in Clinton in 1975. They drew the 

plans themselves and it was custom built. They made 

their home in Countrywood when it was brand new 

and barely developed. 

Carol’s career has been a long and expansive 

one. Carol played the organ at First Baptist Church, 

Auburn while they lived in Alabama. When the 

Durhams first moved to Mississippi, Carol played the 

organ for four years at Raymond Methodist Church. 

For the past 40 years, she has been the organist 

at Morrison Heights Baptist Church. “When I started 

as organist in 1976, we had a toddler. We subsequently 

had two more babies. They grew up in that church 

and now I’m a grandmother. I’m grateful God has 

given me the opportunity to live out my calling in a 

church that attempts, in so many ways, to honor 

Christ,” said Carol. She has also taught piano lessons 

in her home since 1985, and still does. 

In 1990, she became the staff accompanist at 

Mississippi College. She has taught piano in the 

“Forgive one another,” says 

David. “When you’re dating, the 

person looks perfect. When you’re 

married, reality sets in. Don’t go to 

bed angry,” he says. 

“Communicate. Don’t bottle things 

up. Go into marriage with the idea 

that it is permanent no matter 

what,” said Carol. “When you 

say, ‘Until death do us part’, 

mean it,” said David. 


Hometown Clinton 

READER 

SPOTLIGHT 

Pat Bell 

Why did you decide to make Clinton 

your home? 

Randy and I were looking for a nice town to raise 

our family and build a new home. We were 

impressed with the Clinton Public Schools and 

the community. 

How long have you lived in Clinton? 

We have lived in Clinton for twenty-nine years. 


I grew up in the small town of Vernon, Alabama. 

My mom and dad were good parents and provided 

for my brother and me in a good way. Our little 

town reminds me a lot of Clinton. Everyone knew 

everyone and was always there to provide support 

as needed. Everything seems to rotate around the 

home, church and school. 

I have been married to Randy Bell, the love of my 

life, for forty-two years. We have two grown 

children, Nathan Bell and Nicole Taylor. Nathan is 

the training officer for Ridgeland Fire Department. 

He is also a paramedic. He and his wife have two 

children Logan, 13, and Hallie, 10. Nicole is a Tools 

for Life Behavior Interventionist for the Jackson 

Public Schools. She has three children, Tyler Elias, 

20, Carter Elias, 17, and Lauryn Taylor, 7. 

What is your favorite memory of living 

in Clinton? 

My favorite memory of living in Clinton is from 

my career as principal at Northside Elementary 

when we would celebrate our community firemen 

and policemen, and our veterans. I loved seeing all 

our students dressed in red, white, and blue as they 

sang and waved the United States flag in honor of 

our veterans. Patriotism is so very important. 

Where are your three favorite places to eat 

in Clinton? 

Oh my. I have so many favorites. I guess that I 

would say that Lillies, Butler’s Place and Applebee’s 

are some of my favorites. But Clinton has many 

places with delicious food. 

What are some fun things to do in Clinton 

on the weekends? 

I love the movie night downtown on Fridays. It is 

so much fun to carry our lawn chairs and the 

grandchildren. It brings back special memories of 

once popular drive-in movies. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in your 

spare time. 

My family is number one. I love to spend time with 

them. Randy and I are fortunate that both of our 

children live in Clinton. We also enjoy following 

the MSU Bulldog teams. 

What are three things on your bucket list? 

Randy and I have discussed special trips. We would 

like to take an Alaskan cruise and a train trip across 

Canada. The third thing on my list is to implement 

Tools for Life throughout the south. This is a 

relationship-building program that helps children 

recognize emotions, of their own and of others, 

learn how to control their emotions and give them 

tools to be successful communicators. Clinton 

Public Schools was the first school system to 

implement TFL in the United States. I will work 

during the next two years to implement it in all 

schools K-8 in the Jackson Public School District. 


There have been many people in my life that 

I have admired. But the ones who stand out now 

are William and Joy Tyner. Their faith is so much 

stronger than mine. They have suffered through 

the loss of one daughter and the health issues 

with their second daughter. I admire that they’ve 

placed Molly first. But at the same time, they 

witness through their faith and their strength. 

They continue to follow God’s will and to 

serve him. 


from now? 

Well, now that I am sixty-five, I have just begun 

to start taking advantage of new opportunities. I 

see myself winding down my consulting business 

and turning it over to our children to run. I see 

Randy and me continuing to travel. But, we will 

always have our home ready to welcome the kids 

and grandkids. 

What is your favorite childhood memory? 

I was fortunate to have a wonderful family and 

to grow up in a small town. One of my favorite 

memories was when I would go to my 

grandparents’ home in the country. My granddaddy 

drove the school bus. He always made me feel 

special. I loved the smell and warmth of the fire, 

the heavy covers with irons at the foot of the 

bed and the aroma of bacon cooking early in 

the morning. 

If you could give us one encouraging quote, 

what would it be? 

I have two: “Life is not measured by the number of 

breaths we take, but by the moments that take our 

breath away.” And, “God grant me the serenity to 

accept the things I cannot change, courage to 

change those things I can, and the wisdom to know 

the difference.” 

What is your favorite thing about 

Hometown Magazines? 

I absolutely love the emphasis on our people and 

our businesses. The articles are always great. 

3000 Hampstead Blvd. • morrisonheights.org • 601-925-6479 

SUNDAY EVENING 

Worship service | 5 pm 

Preschool – Building Blocks | 5 pm 

Children – GAs/RAs | 5 pm 

Children – Bible Buddies & 

Bible Drill | 6 pm 

Youth Bible Study | 5 pm 

Youth Choir | 6 pm 

JOIN US 

PASTOR: DR. GREG BELSER 

SUNDAY SERVICES FOR ALL AGES 

9 AM, 10:45 AM AND 5 PM 

AUTO •HOME • LIFE • HEALTH 

For all your insurance needs, 

see Cindy Ringler. 

WEDNESDAY EVENING ACTIVITIES 

Midweek Worship Service | 6 pm 

Preschool & Children’s Choir | 6 pm 

Ignite – Youth Worship | 6:20 pm 

College Worship | 7 pm 

Adult Choir | 7 pm 

For more information on our 

services and programs, visit our 

website morrisonheights.org 

601-924-9446 

101-A Woodchase Park Dr 

Clinton, MS 

cindy.ringler.cod9@statefarm.com 


HHear ye! Hear ye! That address 

would probably turn every 

child’s head, and I would have 

their full attention. Then I would take my 

summer flute and “pipe” them to follow me. 

Put away your cell phones and any 

man-made device so you have hands, ears, 

and eyes to experience God-made joys. The summer nights of 

Mississippi are most often muggy, but the sun has reclined and an 

occasional breeze will add refreshment to the evening. Grab a container 

with a lid. To qualify as authentic, make it a fruit jar with punched 

holes in a Mason lid. Then wait and watch. 

Camille Anding 

The Time Coin 

Insects with tiny built-in lights will begin to rise from their hiding 

places and turn the night into a light show. The only sounds will be the 

base of the bull frogs, tenor from the tree frogs and a blend of cicada, 

crickets, and katydids rubbing body parts together. Amazing! That’s 

what you’ll say when the summer night sounds of nature are given 

audience that’s free of man-made music. 

Then run across the dew-drenched grass, preferably in bare feet, 

and scoop the tiny insects gently from their hovering positons and 

rake them into the jar. Hold it nose-close and watch the tiny blinkers, 

crawling in their glass prison searching for an 

exit and be awed by their Son-powered lights. 

When it’s time for bed, release the 

fireflies and wash off the day’s dust and 

stickies in a warm tub of water. Crawl into 

bed and listen to the Creator’s sound 

machine. It will turn off automatically. 

As your young minds slowly unwind and the sandman lulls you to 

sleep, I would whisper a prayer that your days of summer vacation 

would be spared the artificial entertainment of TV and the addictive 

time-robbing video games...that your minds would grow to match your 

physical growth spurts of summer...that chores, yes, work, would be a 

productive part of your free time...that reading a classic with a hard 

cover and pages would richly fill part of your break...that God would 

open your eyes to the joys of childhood so you, even in adolescence, 

would learn that time is one of your greatest treasures and should never 

be wasted. 

Now sleep soundly to the dreamy serenade of a summer night 

in Mississippi while the fireflies continue their mystical night show. 

Soon, so soon, childhood will be just a memory. May they be 

wonderful ones. n 

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Regardless of where you are in life — building a career, sending children to school, or considering retirement — 

a financial professional can help you prepare for and navigate the financial impact of life changes. 

Mascagni Wealth Management is an independent, financial planning firm that is large enough to help you 

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To discuss your needs and set up an appointment for a free consultation, please call 601-925-8099 

or visit www.mascagniwealth.com. 

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68 • Spring 2015

Hometown Clinton - Fall 2016

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