Hometown Madison - January & February 2017

Volume 3 Number 1 

Jan/feb 2017 

All About Us 

____________________ 

Lessons from Lucky 

____________________ 

Looking for the story

CA.CNews.FBChamps4x5_Layout 1 12/20/16 2:49 PM Page 1 

I FOUND 

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As soon as we stepped beyond the gated entrance, I knew that 

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receive the personalized attention she needed. And would retain her 

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intellectual, and spiritual…as well as physical…well being. 

You know what else I found? 

Living here is unexpectedly within reach. 

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ORTHODONTICS 

2 • Jan/Feb 2017


publisher & Editor 

Tahya A. Dobbs 

CFO 

Kevin W. Dobbs 

Consulting editor 

Mary Ann Kirby 

Account Executives 

Rachel Lombardo 

Kati Gaines 

Dacia Durr Amis 

Contributing Writers 

Camille Anding 

Ben Hutton 


Susan Marquez 

Erin Williams 

staff Photographer 

Othel Anding 

Administrative Assistants 

Alisha Floyd 

Brenda McCall 

Layout Design 

Daniel Thomas / 3dt 

• • • 

It will take a few days to adjust my thinking to writing 2017, but I’m grateful for a new year 

and its opportunity for a fresh beginning. This year will mark our 4th anniversary of Hometown 

Magazines. I’m confident I’ll continue to be at home on the learning curve. 

However, I’m also confident that the list of new friends will grow as we meet and highlight the 

stories that are still waiting to be discovered in our hometown. I’m especially grateful for my new 

friend, Andrew Seago, who I recently met and am delighted to feature in this issue. 

Andrew’s attitude amid his extreme physical challenge is beyond inspiring. 

I’m blessed that Andrew’s’ story will serve as the perfect prescription for 

any who complain and whine about the trivial in day-to-day living. 

I extend a special thank you to our advertisers and readers who are 

making it possible for Hometown Madison to be a part of 2017. 

As publisher, it’s my desire to promote our hometown and its wonderful 

residents. I’m amazed and inspired with just how many there are! 

www.facebook.com 

/hometownmadisonmagazine 

For subscription information 

visit www.htmags.com 

Contact us at info@HTMags.com 

601.706.4059 

26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F 

Brandon MS 39042 

• • • 

All rights reserved. No portion of Hometown Madison 

may be reproduced without written permission from 

the publisher. The management of Hometown Madison 

is not responsible for opinions expressed by its 

writers or editors. Hometown Madison maintains the 

unrestricted right to edit or refuse all submitted 

material. All advertisements are subject to approval by 

the publisher. The production of Hometown Madison 

is funded by advertising. 

In this issue Super Shakes........................ 6 

Addiction Lurking................... 10 

Hope Conference .................. 16 

Lessons from Lucky ...........20 

Oh Happy Day .........................26 

A Re-Defining of Disability........... 32 

All of Us ......................... 40 

Looking for the Story .............. 46 

Hometown madison • 5

A small building with a drive-thru 

was available at the Reservoir area, and 

Stogner and his wife signed a lease and 

started their business. The business was 

originally called Super Shakes, but they 

had to change the name to Quick Quakes 

because the owner of the building served 

ice cream shakes next door and didn’t 

want any confusion. Once the ice cream 

store closed, the former owner gave 

Stogner the greenlight to change the 

name back to the original Super Shakes. 

“It was about that time we were 

Susan Marquez 

Jason Stogner had a problem. As a graduate of University of 

Southern Mississippi with a degree in nutrition and dietetics and being 

a registered dietician, he knew more than a little about good nutrition. 

But as a sales rep who traveled all day (making healthy meal plans for 

patients), Stogner was often forced to eat unhealthy fast food on the 

road, mostly because of the convenience and lack 

of other options. “I knew what I was eating wasn’t good for me.” 

Stogner began preparing smoothies at home to take with him on 

the road. “One day my wife, Jodie, tasted one and she thought they 

were great. She told me I should be selling those!” 

Stogner gave it some thought and looked into existing smoothie 

franchises, but the nutritional information for the drinks was not good. 

“They were high in sugar and low in protein. I started playing with 

some formulas at home, playing with different ingredients to form new 

drinks that would provide energy and nutrition while satisfying hunger. 

It wasn’t long before I decided to open my own place.” 

opening our second location in the 

Township in Ridgeland, so we used that 

as an opportunity to rebrand ourselves,” 

explains Stogner. Through a series of 

events, Stogner met his business partner, 

Taylor Lyle, who owns a label company in 

Richland. “He made the labels for Quick 

Quakes, and one day he delivered them 

in person and ordered a shake. Soon he 

was coming every day and he also started 

ordering shakes for his staff. We talked, 

and he asked if he could join me in the 

business, and we’ve gone full steam 

ahead ever since.” 

There are now two more Super Shakes 

locations, one in the Crossgates area of 

Brandon, and the newest inside the 

Healthplex in Madison. “Franchising is 


definitely in our plans for the future,” says Stogner. 

“We’ve had people contact us from all over the country, 

including New York, Florida and California. We definitely 

plan to grow.” 

Super Shakes are made to order at any of the locations. 

There are nine basic formulas that meet a variety 

of nutritional needs. “Everyone needs 15 to 30 grams of 

protein per meal,” explains Stogner. “People who skip 

breakfast often go up to 15 hours without a meal. What 

they don’t realize is the body will get its needed protein 

supply from the muscles or even from organ tissue, so 

it’s important to refuel the body each morning. When the 

body is deprived of essential nutrients it needs to stay 

healthy, the immune system is weakened and the body 

goes into a downward spiral. That’s why we offer Super 

Fit, to keep folks healthy and fit.” 


Other formulas include Super Fuel, Super Trim, 

Super Power, Super Charge, Super Calm, Super Meal, 

Super Gain and Super Sleep. All of the formulas are 

available at the Super Shakes locations, and can also 

be purchased in large containers that make 30 servings. 

The formulas can be customized with different 

flavors and supplements which can be added. 

All the powdered formulas are made in Mississippi 

with the best raw ingredients sourced in the United 

States. “We try to keep things as local as possible, 

especially with the fruits and vegetables we use.” 

The powders are made using whey protein isolate, 

the best form of protein available. There are also 

vegan versions which use pea protein or egg whites. 

Stogner says he usually drinks two of the shakes 

a day, which is helpful with his active lifestyle. He is 

still employed as a sales rep full time, and he has a 

country music band, The Jason Stogner Band, 

which has two releases on iTunes. 

“I think Super Shakes has a world of potential 

to grow,” says Stogner. “We started out to make 

a difference in Mississippi, one shake at a time. 

If we can make it in Mississippi, the least healthy 

state in the Union, we can make it anywhere.” 



Addiction 

Lurking 

Ben Hutton’s Story 

Intro from Dad, Steve Hutton 

As a parent, what you are about to 

read will fall under the category, 

“This could never happen to us.” 

I can assure you, you’re dead wrong 

in that assumption. Today’s drug 

addict is often the private school 

star football player, the privileged 

child driving a BMW that his parents 

gave to him, the good-looking college 

sophomore, the child of the well-known 

public official, and your neighbor’s 

beautiful daughter you saw grow up 

next door. It’s real, it’s epidemic, 

and it’s all around us—right here 

at home. 


The following words 

are from my son ... 

It was 2009 and I was 18-years old. 

I had more friends than I could ask for. 

I had a beautiful girlfriend with an incredible 

personality. I was in great physical shape. 

I had a black 2009 LTZ Silverado 1500 which 

was way too nice for any guy my age. I was 

extremely successful in sports and had 

Division I college football in my near future. 

I had a family who loved me. I was raised 

in church and had everything I could ever 

ask for. From the outside looking in, my life 

was perfect. 

Fast-forward about a year: Nobody 

wanted to be around me. I no longer had 

girlfriend. I was super thin and looked like I 

had almost quit eating altogether. I was 

so pale that I don’t even think pale would 

any longer be the correct word to describe 

me. My hair was long and ungroomed. 

That black Silverado had been taken from 

me and sold. I had quit showing up for 

practice with that college dream team and, 

in fact, I had decided I could no longer handle 

going to school at all. My life was completely 

falling apart. 

What happened? How could I go 

from having such a “perfect” life to 

someone who was barely holding on by 

a thread? What could be so bad that it 

could cause such a destructive impact on 

my life? How did I all the sudden throw my 

goals and dreams in the trash as if they 

never existed? 

Today I’m 25 years old, soon to turn 26. 

I was asked to share my story about a certain 

subject that is seemingly becoming more 

and more of a problem in today’s world. 

Even worse, everyone knows about this 

growing problem, but not many know what 

to do about it. The issue I’m discussing is 

addiction—that ugly word nobody wants to 

talk about. 

If you ask 10 different people how 

to help someone that is struggling with 

addiction, you’ll most likely get 10 different 

answers. Some of those answers may look 

like this: Maybe they’re just going through 

a phase. Maybe they have a mental illness 

and need proper medication. Maybe they 

just need to grow up. Maybe they need some 

better friends. Maybe they just need a better 


job or maybe they just need someone to 

talk to. Maybe they need to be at a different 

school. Maybe they just need proper support 

from their parents. Or maybe they just need 

to figure out what they like to do that makes 

them happy. Maybe they need to go to rehab 

or maybe they just need go to church more. 

The list of “maybes” can go on and on 

and on. So, what is the answer? Maybe you 

yourself have struggled with addiction or 

maybe you personally know of someone that 

has. If so, you know that trying to find the 

solution can be an endless maze of confusion 

that always brings you back to the beginning. 

Often, the one thing that may seem to 

work for a while one day, doesn’t. And the 

one struggling is back at it again as if they 

never stopped—and are probably getting 

worse. It’s as if they can’t see what they’re 

doing to themselves and the people around 

them and, if they can see, they don’t seem to 

care because they just keep doing it. It’s as if 

they’ve lost all care about life in general and 

no longer have any hopes or desires. All they 

seem to be concerned about is themselves 

and whatever substance it is that they are 

addicted to. If they actually cared about 

themselves and everyone else around them 

wouldn’t they just stop? Why do they keep 

doing this? 

I have one reason for writing this 

story. That one reason is to somehow grab 

someone’s attention that needs to hear this. 

Whether it’s the addicted or someone trying 

to help the addicted, here’s the point: I spent 

years “trying” to get sober. I tried so hard 

to get my life together and failed time after 

time, which only made things worse. I was 

furious at myself for continually failing—over 

and over and over again. 

Finally, two years ago, I found myself 

sitting in rehab for the fifth time. I was at 

a very rough place—a low-point in my life 

where I didn’t know what to do anymore. I 

was miserable and no longer cared about 

anything. I wasn’t sure how much longer 

I could even try. I was so low in life that I 

seriously considered becoming homeless 

and just doing drugs until I died. I hated 

myself. I was done. 

I made a call to my parents from rehab 

and they mentioned a place called Teen 

Challenge. They said it was different and that 

I should try it. I called another friend from 

rehab and, ironically, he mentioned this Teen 

Challenge place, too. He had heard about it 

on the radio. I had absolutely no desire to go 

but, for whatever reason, agreed to at least 

look into it. 

I wound up at Teen Challenge of the 

Dakotas in Brookings, South Dakota. It’s the 

best place I could’ve ever “wound up” and it 

was at just the right time. When I got there I 

was so broken and at such a bad place in my 

life that I was willing to listen to practically 

anything they had to say. 

This is when things changed. 

They told me that there was actually 

nothing wrong with me. They said I didn’t 

have any disorders like many doctors had 

told me. They taught me God’s word, inside 

and out. They showed me that all along I 

had been searching for God’s love and didn’t 

even realize it—I was just searching in the 

wrong places. 

I had fallen prey to believing the devil’s 

lies. I believed that drugs were the only 

thing I had to help me cope. I thought that 

without them I couldn’t make it and that 

nobody understood the things going on with 

me. Ended up that was all just a big lie. 

I had begun to rely on drugs in the 

same way I was supposed to be relying on 

God. The drugs may have helped me feel 

better for a while but they always ended up 

bringing disaster. God doesn’t do that. God 

always works for our good, but I didn’t know 

how to rely on Him. 

It didn’t make much sense to me. I 

literally had to be taught how to rely on 

God. Through scripture and through leaders 

teaching us by example, I learned to talk 

to God. I learned to read God’s word. And I 


learned that God has a love so deep for me 

that I can’t even understand it. 

I learned that by Jesus Christ dying on 

the cross for my sins, I’m forgiven of all the 

things that haunted me day and night, and 

I can be free from those chains. Not only 

can I be free from that life, but I can now 

live an awesome fulfilling life by trusting 

God and carrying out what He has planned 

for me. That doesn’t mean it’s easy—but 

it’s more than worth it. 

If I wanted to go back and start 

doing drugs right now, I could. But 

why would I? Why would I go back to 

something that creates a temporary 

feel-good and escape when God offers 

me a life from which I never want to 

escape or hide. 

If you are the one struggling with 

addiction or anything for that matter, 

God doesn’t care what you’ve done no 

matter how bad you may think it is. He just 

wants you to come to Him. He wants you to 

let Him change your life inside and out. He 

wants to give you a reason to live. 

The decision to put your trust in God, 

is completely up to you, but I can attest 

that it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. 

And it’s one that I’ll never regret. Praise 

God for grace. 

Closing from Dad . . . 

My wife Joni and I drove Ben to South Dakota. He was broken 

and facing multiple criminal charges. And as we pulled away, 

we were convinced we would never see him again this side of 

Heaven. He was tired, defeated, beaten, and had no desire to 

continue living. But God wasn’t done with Ben. 

Honestly, if we hadn’t actually lived our story, I wouldn’t 

believe it. Addiction is unbelievable. I began to journal one 

day simply as therapy, and 15 days later had written 67,000 

words. It is our prayer that our story may serve as hope to 

those families entangled in addiction, and as a warning to 

parents of young children as they navigate raising Godly 

children in an ungodly world. 

(The paperback, Pride Aside, may be purchased at www.prideaside.org and on 

Amazon. Ebooks are available on Kindle, iBooks, and Nook.) 


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HOPE 

Susan Marquez 

Some things happen because there’s a 

need. That’s exactly why the Hope Conference 

for Cancer Survivorship happened the first 

time. Susan Mason saw a need, and she worked 

to fill it. Fifteen years later, she’s still working 

hard to fill that need for area cancer patients, 

cancer survivors, and their caregivers. 

Mason was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s 

Lymphoma in 1994. Like so many people 

do, she went to the M.D. Anderson Medical 

Center in Houston for a second opinion. “I 

was immediately connected with their patient 

support system,” she recalls. “Every year, I went 

to Houston to their survivor’s conference where I always received 

a lot of knowledge, education and encouragement.” 

Back at home in Clinton, Mason said she realized that the 

metro Jackson area has a lot of medical facilities, but there was 

nothing offered like the conference she had been attending in 

Houston. “Our area is unique in that instead of one huge medical 

center, we have several top-notch hospitals. I thought it would be 

great to pull them all together to form a coalition to serve cancer 

patients and survivors. I wanted to do a conference in Jackson 

like the one they have in Houston.” 

What Mason didn’t know was that the hospitals are all highly 

competitive and nothing like what she wanted to do had ever 

been done. But that didn’t stop her. “It was a challenge to bring 

them all together, but I managed to do it!” 

She began by contacting the Mississippi Chapter of the 

American Cancer Society and the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society 

of Mississippi. “Those organizations started on this journey 

with me, and they are still involved, along 

with Jackson State University and Belhaven 

University.” 

That journey resulted in the first ever 

Hope Conference in 2002. “The church I go 

to, First Baptist Church Jackson, hosts the 

conference, which will be held for the 15 th year 

on March 4, 2017.” The conference will have a 

survivors panel featuring Whitney Pickering, 

Stephanie Bell Flynt, Senator Hillman Frazier, 

Terri Hederman and Ashley Johnson. Coach Jay 

Hopson of University of Southern Mississippi 

will be the keynote speaker, sharing his own 

experience with cancer. 

Breakout sessions will include cancer exercise therapy as 

well as sessions that focus on education and encouragement. 

Mary Margaret Judy is the executive director of St. 

Catherine’s Village in Madison. When asked to give her thoughts 

on the conference and the program, in general, she said, “Put 

it in the hands of our Lord and his physicians. Do not give up 

hope. St. Catherine’s Village and all of the St. Dominic family are 

proud to help light the way for the Hope Conference for Cancer 

Survivorship.” 

The logo for the event, a lighthouse, was designed by 

Marshall Ramsey, also a cancer survivor. “Our motto is ‘Lighting 

the way to cancer survivorship’ because we want to shine light on 

people and their journey,” he said. 

For more information on the conference visit 

hopeconferencejackson.com. 



2 

Goals 

I hope 

to reach 

this year 

1. Lisa Beagles 

– Owner, Doe’s Eat Place of Ridgeland. 

I want 2017 to be a year of progress, 

without regrets, while maintaining my 

priorities. God, family, and then business. 

I want to better my community by 

encouraging local small business 

cooperation and providing practical 

help to adults with limitations. 

2. Trent Nelson 

First, I would like to volunteer more 

time towards community service. 

Starting in 2017, I’m going to be on the 

board of directors for the Madison 

County Chamber of Commerce. With 

that, I’m excited to see what opportunities 

to help serve others come about. Second, 

I want to continue with a healthy lifestyle. 

In 2016, I made some lifestyle changes 

striving to be healthier. I started eating 

better and exercising at Kudzu Crossfit in 

Gluckstadt. So far, I’m 40 pounds lighter 

and just feel better in all aspects of my life. 

3. Hunter Owen 

1 

In 2017, I want to continue to grow my 

gym, Coyote Crossfit, to positively affect 

as many people as possible in the Madison 

County area. I also want to set a positive 

example for my family and friends in my 

faith and fitness! 


3 

4. Tianna Cowan 

2 

In 2017, I strive to be debt free and have 

financial freedom! I also love traveling 

and would like to travel more and 

explore all cultures. 

5 

4 

5. Brian Leach 

I plan to locate my Alfa Insurance Agency 

in the Town of Livingston to meet the 

insurance needs for the families in that 

area. In March, 2017, my wife and I are 

expecting our first child and I strive 

to set a Godly example for my family 

as we grow together. 

6 

6. Nikki Grafton 

In 2017, my goal is to love myself so 

I can better love others and to give my 

children the present of my presence– 

and put my phone down. 

7. Alison Martin 

In 2017, I hope to make better decisions 

about what to say “yes” to, and make 

more room in my schedule for downtime 

with my family and I would love to 

read the Bible all the way through this 

year. I’ve always wanted to do it but never 

have. Hopefully, 2017 will be the year. 

8. Cooper Tyner 

My goals for 2017 are to learn how to 

shoot a gun and to buy my wife a new 

car because she is the most wonderful 

woman in the world and she deserves it. 

7 

8 



Erin 

Williams 

Loving When It Isn’t Easy 

olly was born On September 23, 2013. and our lives changed for 

the better. After being married for almost three weeks, my husband 

and I knew we wanted to add to our family. So when she turned sixweeks-old, 

Dolly, the golden retriever puppy, joined our household. 

Dolly is the perfect dog. She’s sweet-natured, obedient, cheerful, and was a breeze to train. 

She is truly one of those once-in-a-lifetime dogs, and we couldn’t love her more. 

Fast forward two-and-a-half years to when we stumbled upon a fearful, skinny, black, 

pit-bull mix puppy. She came crawling to us out of nowhere and we found out she had 

been living under a shack after being dropped off and abandoned a few days earlier. In less 

than 10 minutes, we pulled 14 ticks off of her. We decided to keep her, and, in that moment, 

she became “Lucky.” 


Although Lucky doesn’t have a mean bone in her little 

body, loving her hasn’t always been easy. When we decided 

to take Lucky in, we also took in her past problems, learned 

behaviors, and lack of training. We learned that she was 

deathly scared of leashes, ropes, water hoses, riding in a 

vehicle, and being picked up. 

On top of that, Lucky has turned our yard into a field 

of craters. She’s torn apart more than her fair share of 

pillows, towels, toys, mats, etc. If it’s outside, in Lucky’s 

eyes, it’s fair game. 

Between cleaning up after her, house training her, 

teaching her not to jump and to not be afraid of a leash, 

teaching her to trust humans, and showing her how to 

act around children, there’ve been many times that I’ve 

almost thrown in the towel. I mean, she’s just going to tear 

it to shreds anyway, right? In fact, I’ve almost done it more 

times than I’m willing to admit. 

However, in the last six months that Lucky has been 

a part of our family, amidst all the hair-pulling trials, 

she has taught me more about patience and love than I 

would’ve learned on my own. 

Lucky teaches me everyday how to love when loving 

isn’t easy. 

With Dolly, we fell in love with her instantly because 

she is the easiest, most cheerful and obedient dog we’d ever 

been around. Loving Dolly was easy. But in life, more often 

than not, loving isn’t easy at all. In fact, it can often be 

messy and difficult, at best. 

When we make the choice to love others, we have to 

love all of them—including their past problems, current 

issues, and future predicaments. Real love in relationships, 

whether with family, friends, or, in my case, a dog, is a 


Lucky teaches me everyday 

how to love when loving isn’t easy. 



Loving when it isn’t easy doesn’t 

just change the other person, 

it changes you, too.

journey full of detours, snags, and 

unlovable moments along the way. 

And, it’s not always easy. 

When we chose to bring Lucky 

into our family, much like how we 

choose to bring others into our 

lives, we made a commitment to 

love her, regardless. 

While Dolly draws immediate pats and smiles from 

others, Lucky doesn’t. I mean, who doesn’t want to love on a 

Golden Retriever? It’s harder to want to pet a rambunctious 

Pit-Bull. In many ways, Lucky has had the odds stacked 

against her and been discriminated against her entire life. 

How many of us know others like that: People that are 

easy to love and don’t look intimidating versus others 

who we stay away from based on their looks and perceived 

personas? 

In some ways, Lucky has taught me to go beyond what 

I’m comfortable with. Although I don’t have kids yet, I want 

them to grow up learning that you love others regardless of 

whether they’re lovable or not, especially if they’re different 

than you. I want them to learn that others, like Lucky, can 

come out above the circumstances they were born into, and 

that love transcends similarities or looks. 

I want them to love well. Whole love. 

How will our kids today know what we don’t exhibit? 

And if we’re really honest with ourselves, we’d see that 

there are times when we aren’t always as loveable as we 

think we are. 

At the end of the day, we’re actively training Lucky 

and teaching her what we expect of her. And while I hope 

she’ll someday stop tearing things up and start behaving 

better, I can’t say for certain she will. I think the same thing 

is true in life. While we love others and hope they will 

come out of certain scenarios and situations that make 

loving them hard, the stark reality is that sometimes they 

won’t. But choose to love them anyway. Loving when it 

isn’t easy doesn’t just change the other person, it changes 

you, too. n 


Oh 

Happy 

Day 

Susan Marquez 


When 

Adam Panetta 

took his girlfriend 

out on their boat 

one sunny summer day, 

she didn’t 

suspect a thing. 

“It was a 

normal day,” 

Kristen Panetta 

recalls. 

“We went out about three or four 

in the afternoon, and after about 

an hour, he took me to a secluded 

area at the Reservoir and told 

me to go the front of the boat. 

Then he asked if he could blindfold 

me.” Kristen didn’t think 

anything of it because Adam was 

such a kidder by nature. “I just 

thought if he threw me off the 

boat, I’d be really mad!” While 

she was blindfolded, Adam 

quickly rolled out a red “carpet” 

made of paper, sprinkled it with 

rose petals, put on a button-down 

shirt and put a sign around their 

rescue dog’s neck. “He told me to 

take off the blindfold, and there 

was Stella, our dog, with a sign 

that said, ‘Will you marry my 

daddy?’ It was perfect.” 

When they returned to the 

dock, their families were there to 

greet them. “We had a party right 

there at our condo’s clubhouse,” 

says Kristen. “It was so much fun, 

and so special.” That was on July 

12, 2015. The wedding planning 

began right away. 

Kristen and Adam met in 

high school, but they weren’t high 

school sweethearts. “I was in the 

ninth grade at Madison Central, 

and he was in the tenth. We met 

over the Christmas break when 

we were both hanging out at the 

same friend’s house.” They did go 

to his junior prom together, but 

Kristen said he made her nervous, 

so she wouldn’t date him. “Yet, we 

would talk and talk all the time. 

We were just great friends.” 

Adam went to Ole Miss, and 

a year later, Kristen went to Mississippi 

State. Her senior year, he 

moved to Chicago to work. “We 

talked on the phone a good bit, 

and one night we made a bet on 

who would win American Idol. If 

he lost, he’d have to come see me. 

If I lost, I had to travel to Chicago 

to see him.” Adam’s contestant 

won, and Kristen announced to 

her sorority sisters that she was 

going to see Adam in Chicago. 

“They were shocked. They really 

didn’t know anything about him, 

and they knew I wasn’t the spontaneous 

type.” Once she went 

to see Adam in Chicago that 

summer, Kristen said they have 

been inseparable ever since. 

Kristen has always enjoyed 

doing side projects on her own, 

and liked the idea of being her 

own boss. “Adam encouraged me 

to find something I wanted to 

do and to write a business plan,” 

she said. “I worked with Kendall 

Poole, a local wedding planner, 


and realized that I loved everything 

about weddings. There are 

already some wonderful wedding 

planners in this area, so I didn’t 

want to step into that, so I kept 

thinking about what I could do.” 

Along with her mother, Kristen 

made several trips out of state 

to visit small bridal boutiques 

to shop for her wedding gown. 

“My mom said that Mississippi 

really needed something like 

that, and the idea was born!” 

Kristen did some research and 

together, she and Adam decided 

that she needed to go ahead and 

do it while she was in full-out 

wedding planning mode, or wait 

a couple of years. “I decided to 

go ahead and do it!” So while 

she was planning her wedding, 

Kristen opened Elle James Bridal 

in Ridgeland. “We are located 

just above Bella Bridesmaids on 

Jackson Street in Ridgeland. I 

only sell bridal gowns, and they 

only sell bridesmaids’ dresses, 

so we complement each other 

perfectly.” 

Kristen walked down the aisle 

in her own wedding gown on 

April 30, 2016. “We got married 

at Providence Hill.” The couple 

had wanted to marry by the lake, 

as an homage to their engagement 

on the water, but there was a 

100% chance of thundershowers 

forecast for their wedding day. 

“We decided on Wednesday to 

hold the ceremony indoors,” 

remembers Kristen. “Of course, 

on our wedding day, the weather 

was beautiful. But that was OK, 

because everything was simply 

beautiful.” 

Adam’s father, Eddy Panetta, 

passed away when Adam was in 

college, so as a way of having his 

dad close on his wedding day, 

Adam asked his father’s brother, 

Joseph Panetta, to officiate the 

ceremony. “We were budgetconscious 

throughout,” said 

Kristen. “We had a string quartet, 

but for as long as I could 

remember, I wanted a choir at 

my wedding singing ‘Oh Happy 

Day’ as we walked up the aisle 

as husband and wife. I couldn’t 

afford a choir, so I wanted the 

string quartet to play it.” Kristen’s 

mom told her that the leader 

of the quartet said the song 

wasn’t well-suited to be played 

by a quartet, but Kristen was 

adamant. “On our way up the 

aisle, I had an ear out, listening 

for the song, until I realized that 

there was a full choir at the end 

of the aisle, clapping and singing 

“Oh Happy Day.’ My mother had 

arranged it as a surprise for me!” 

Their dog, Stella, was honored 

at the wedding with a 

signature drink. “It was called 

‘The Stella,’ and we had her 

name and the recipe printed 

on the cocktail napkins!” It 

seems Adam and Kristen have 

found the right recipe for a 

happy life together. n 



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A Re-Defining of Disability 


In 1981, Andrew Seago, 

at age four, survived a 

near-death accident and 

was thrust into the world 

of the quadriplegic. 

Insurmountable obstacle? 

Not for Andrew. Thanks 

to a faithful network 

of family, friends and 

caregivers, young Andrew 

with great fortitude 

and tenacity, denied his 

paralysis of robbing him 

of a productive life. 

After almost three months in St. Dominic Hospital, 

Andrew adapted to homeschool until the second 

grade. It was a giant decision when he joined other 

second graders at Spann Elementary and continued there through 

the sixth grade. 

Since Andrew’s three older brothers attended Jackson 

Academy, his transition into high school was a given. After 

graduation, he wrestled with his future but once again followed 

his brothers to earn a degree at Mississippi State. 

“It was a God thing,” he said as he explained how he was 

able to find caregivers in just a month before school began. 

After earning a degree in educational psychology, he continued 

his college studies and earned his Master of Rehabilitation 

Counseling. 

One of his caregivers, Quantae Walker, described Andrew’s 

lifestyle as, “on the move.” He speaks to church groups and 

teaches classes in his area of expertise. 

His most recent project is heading up the Magnolia Classic 

fundraiser for Joni and Friends. The Classic is an “intense” 

dodgeball tournament scheduled for January 28, 2017 at Jackson 

Academy. There are three divisions – adult, youth (8-16) and high 

intensity. Entry fee for a team of six is $120. 

This is the tournament’s fourth year. It’s grown from three 

teams to thirty-two last year and helps fund the summer camps 

for disabled families in Mississippi and Alabama. Junior high age 

to adult participate. 

Andrew’s contagious smile seems a strange counterpart to a 

life that’s confined to a motorized chair and breathing apparatus. 

He’s mastered the maneuvering of his mobile chair with the use of 

his chin and is accustomed to the round-the-clock caregivers that 

are always nearby. Preston Jackson has been with him for thirtyfour 

years. 

“Some days are really bad; some really good,” Andrew says 

of his condition. “You just have to roll with it.” 

As he faces daily challenges, he realizes, “everybody’s got 

problems.” He sees his faith in God as essential in coping with his 

disability. 

In the midst of his disability world, Andrews says, “Ablebodied 

people have a hard time relating to me or any other 

disabled people. And I’ve had a hard time relating to other 

disabled people because I’ve lived such a normal life. I’ve been 

blessed with family, friends and caregivers, and I’m resigned to 

the fact that I’m here for a reason.” 


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36 •• Jan/Feb Nov/Dec 20172016

Hometown Madison 

Reader 

SPOTLIGHT 

Monica 

Sutton 

Why did you decide to make Madison 

your home? 

We decided to make Madison our home in 

2015 because we wanted a hometown feel 

with the amenities of city life. Madison is one 

of the most beautiful cities with a variety of 

entertainment, dining, shopping, and most 

important, a great school system. 

Tell us about your family. 

Victor and I have been married for 14 years. 

Victor is a health administrator with the 

Mississippi Department of Health and I am a 

clinical psychologist with Batson Children’s 

Hospital. We have 2 children, Victor, II (Vic) 

and Lauren. Vic is a 6th grader at Madison 

Middle School and Lauren is a 5th grader at 

Madison Avenue Upper Elementary. Our 

children are actively involved in the Madison 

Ridgeland Youth Club (MRYC) and Victor 

has, and continues to, coach football and 

basketball with MRYC. 

What is your favorite memory of 

living in Madison? 

There are many fun memories about 

Madison. However, among the most fun 

memories are: Being warmly welcomed 

to our neighborhood with a cake and a 

smile from neighbors and enjoying the 

fireworks (with my family) on 4th of July 

in Liberty Park. 

What are some fun things to do in 

Madison on the weekends? 

There’s always something to do in Madison 

including a variety of sporting events, catching 

a movie at The Grandview–Malco Theatre 

or dining at first class restaurants. When we 

are not busy with school activities or 

recreational sports, particularly on Sunday 

after church, we often enjoy taking a walk or 

bike ride on one of the beautiful trails. 

Share some things you enjoy doing 

in your spare time. 

We enjoy cooking out and entertaining family 

and friends. During the summer months we 

love spending time at the pool or taking 

family vacations. Most of all we enjoy 

cheering for our children’s sports teams 

(basketball, football, softball and baseball). 

Where are your three favorite places 

to eat in Madison? 

Kristos Greek Restaurant, Bonefish Grill, 

and Georgia Blue. 

What are three things on your bucket list? 

Taking trips to Africa, Paris and Hawaii are at 

the top of the bucket list. 

Who is someone you admire and why? 

The person that my husband often talks of 

and admires the most is his grandmother. She 

was an educator and owned her own tax 

business. She taught Victor the value of hard 

work and getting an education. She would 

often remind him that mediocrity is not 

acceptable. 

Where do you see yourself in ten years? 

Victor and I often talk about early retirement 

as we both started our professional careers 

very early. So, we will most likely be traveling 

to visit our kids on their respective college 

campuses, traveling the world or maybe even 

starting our own consulting business in the 

area of health and wellness. 

What is your favorite childhood memory? 

My favorite childhood memories include 

listening to my mother tell the story of the 

birth of Jesus, the smell of homemade cakes 

and pies, and the laughter of family during the 

holidays. 

If you could give us one encouraging 

quote, what would it be? 

In everything, set an example by doing what is 

good. In your teaching, show integrity and 

seriousness. (Titus 2:7) 

What is your favorite thing about 

Hometown Magazines? 

Hometown Magazine provides a view into 

the lives of families that shows the hospitality 

and warmth of Mississippi’s communities. n 


serving our community 

Fire Marshal Joe Davis 

canton Fire Department 

Why did you decide to be a fireman? 

It was a childhood dream. 

How long have you been with the 

Canton Fire Department? 

17 years. 


My wife’s name is Linda. I have two sons, 

Tyranny and Joe Davis, III. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

Responding to a sick or hurt child. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in 

your spare time. 

Mechanic work, fishing, hunting, training 

dogs, and spending time with my family. 

Name three things on your bucket list? 

Buying my wife a 750 BMW, adding a room 

addition to my house and sending my 

youngest son to private school. 

Where do you see yourself in ten years? 

Retired. 

If you could give one piece of advice to 

a young person, what would it be? 

Stay in school. Obey your mother and father. 

What is a favorite childhood memory? 

Being baptized and joining my church. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

Not finishing school and not going through 

with the goals they had in mind. 

What is your favorite thing about the 

City of Canton? 

Being a part of the Canton Fire Department 

and a member of Mount Calvary Missionary 

Baptist Church. The EMS and law enforcement 

is the best. I am fortunate that I get to live in 

this great city with my family. 


My Uncle Buck. He was the man who taught 

me my ABC’s and 123’s. He also encouraged 

me throughout my childhood. His famous 

words were, “Always be your own man.” 


madison's finest 

Sheriff Deputy James Hall 

madison county sheriff's Department 

Why did you decide to become a 

sheriff's deputy? 

I got into law enforcement so that I could try to 

keep the community I work in a safe place to live 

and raise a family. When I became a deputy for 

Madison County Sheriff’s Department, that same 

attitude applied but it became more personal 

because this is the place that I call home. 

How long have you been with the 

Madison County Sheriff’s Office? 

I have been here two years including the time I was 

in the sheriff’s deputy reserve program. Each day 

was an opportunity to meet new people in the 

community and to see and learn new things that 

I did not know about law enforcement in general. 


I am happily married to my wife Cara Hall. We just 

celebrated our first anniversary this November. 

We have a dog and a cat that keeps us pretty busy. 

We both have family that live in Madison County. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

I don’t think I can mention one that would be any 

worse than the others because to the people that 

fall victim to those things, it is possibly the worst day 

of their lives. You just have to stay professional and 

let them know that you care for them and are there 

to help –whether it’s losing a loved one in an 

accident, or the victim of a senseless crime. 


I don’t necessarily have an individual that I’ve always 

looked up to, but rather the kind of person that gets 

up every day to work and support his or her family 

and also helps out those less fortunate than them. 

They do all these things and don’t expect any 

recognition for their work. They are the unsung 

heroes and I admire that. 

Where do you see yourself in ten 

years? 

Hopefully I’ll still be serving the citizens of Madison 

County with the sheriff’s office. But wherever I am, 

I know that God has a plan for me and my family, 

so I am pretty excited about it. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in 

your spare time. 

I am a country boy at heart so I often enjoy hunting 

and fishing and just spending time with family and 

friends in the outdoors. 

Name three things on your bucket list? 

To spend some time in Alaska doing some hunting. 

I’ve always wanted to build a cabin by a lake on 

some land. My wife and I want to visit is Ground 

Zero in New York City. 

If you could give one piece of advice 

to a young person, what would it be? 

Try to think about how the choices that you make 

affect others–like your parents and friends. Be 

smart about those decisions and think for yourself, 

not letting pressure from outside sources force you 

to make the wrong decisions. 

What is a favorite childhood memory? 

When I was playing baseball for a select team called 

the Madison Royals. We were in Memphis playing 

a game and they brought me in to close out the 

game on the mound. The game was tight and the 

winning run was at the plate. I had two outs and 

was able to strike the batter out to win the game. 

I think that is the dream of every little boy, and I got 

to live it out that night. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

I think that young people believe that bad things 

cannot happen to them and that they are invincible. 

They need to just be more careful because God 

only gives you this one life on earth and it can be 

taken away in an instant. But by the same token, 

you should strive to use the life that he has given 

you to make the world a better place. 

What is your favorite thing about 

Madison County? 

The pride that the people that live and work there 

have for their county. 



ALL 

SUSAN MARQUEZ 

ABOUT 

US 

SIXTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, RICHARD MCGEE’S 

GRANDFATHER PROPOSED TO RICHARD’S 

GRANDMOTHER IN FRONT OF FORTUNE’S 

ICE CREAM (NOW SQUARE BOOKS) ON THE 

SQUARE IN OXFORD. SO WHEN RICHARD WENT 

ON TO MEET THE GIRL OF HIS OWN DREAMS, 

HE KNEW THAT WOULD BE THE VERY SPOT 

HE’D WANT TO PROPOSE TO HER, TOO. 


“HE HAD BEEN 

ACTING A LITTLE 

FUNNY, BUT 

I DIDN’T THINK 

ANYTHING OF IT.” 

“It was September 26, 2015,” 

recalls Whitnie McGee. “It was 

game day, and most people 

have a hard time believing we 

were both wearing red.” That’s 

because Whitney, a Booneville 

native, is a die-hard Mississippi 

State fan. “I used to tell my family 

and friends that I’d never date or 

marry anyone from Ole Miss or 

Alabama.” That’s what makes the 

story so much fun. Richard is a big 

Ole Miss fan. Because she was a 

good girlfriend, Whitnie agreed to 

accompany Richard to an Ole Miss 

game in Oxford, and she thought 

he was taking her to dinner at the 

Ajax Diner on the Square before 

the game. “He had been acting 

a little funny, but I didn’t think 

anything of it.” 

When they got to the 

sidewalk in front of Square Books, 

Richard stopped and told Whitnie 

that on the very spot where they 

were standing, his grandfather 

had proposed to his grandmother 

65 years earlier. “Then he told 

me that he wanted to spend 

the rest of his life with me, and 

he got down on one knee and 

proposed.” 

Luckily, she said “yes,” because 

just above them on the balcony, 

her mother and his entire family 

were looking down on them. 

“They all clapped and cheered,” 

says Whitnie. “It was the sweetest 

thing.” 

The storybook romance 

began on Halloween in 2013. 

“His best friend married my best 

friend and that’s how we met,” 

Whitnie says. “We were at a 

Halloween party and hit it off. 

Somehow, we ended up singing 

karaoke somewhere and I sang 

the Ike & Tina Turner version of 

‘Proud Mary.’” 

Whitnie had a feeling she 

might see him again, and a couple 

of days later he texted, asking if 

she’d like to hang out. “He cooked 

me dinner the next week, and 

we just connected. We’ve been 

together ever since.” 

Richard was originally from 

Canton, and when the couple 

began planning their wedding, 

set for April 23, 2016, they chose 

to get married at Lake Caroline. 

42 •• Jan/Feb 2017 2017

LUCKILY, SHE SAID 

“YES,” BECAUSE JUST 

ABOVE THEM ON 

THE BALCONY, HER 

MOTHER AND HIS 

ENTIRE FAMILY 

WERE LOOKING 

DOWN ON THEM. 

“His parents live there, and most of 

our friends are in the Jackson area, 

so it seemed like a natural thing to 

do.” They got married on the pier, 

overlooking the water, and had 

the reception in the clubhouse. 

“It was beautiful.” 

Hers wasn’t a traditional 

wedding – “we wanted something 

that was more about us.” Whitnie 

walked down the aisle to Elvis’s 

“I Can’t Help Falling in Love with 

You.” Dan Confait played the song 

on an acoustic guitar and sang as 

Whitnie approached her groom. 

Her 12-year-old Pomeranian 

was her “dog of honor,” wearing 

a pink dress that matched the 

bridesmaids’, accented by a crystal 

necklace. After being pronounced 

husband and wife, the couple 

went back up the aisle to the Dolly 

Parton/Kenny Rogers song “Islands 

in the Stream.” It fit us. We love 

country music, and we love to 

have fun.” 

The wedding had a vintage 

shabby chic theme, with Mason 

jars filled with baby’s breath and 

pink roses lining the aisles. Her 

cake, created by Amy Davis of 

Turquoise Chandelier in Brandon, 

featured a cascade of pink roses. 

“I know it was my wedding, 

but I think it was the best ever,” 

said Whitnie. “We had the best 

time.” As the band (Smiley and the 

Young Guns from the Delta) played, 

the couple and their guests danced 

the night away. Before the night 

was over, she made a song request 

and got up on the stage. “This is 

the song I sang the night we met,” 

Whitnie said to her guests. “It’s the 

song I was singing when he fell in 

love with me!” 

As Richard and Whitnie made 

their exit, the band played the Ole 

Miss and Mississippi State fight 

songs while guests held sparklers. 

A New Orleans-style parade, 

complete with band playing 

“When the Saints Go Marching In” 

followed as the guests all shared 

their good wishes for couple 

to have a long and happy life 

together. 

The couple now resides in 

Madison. Richard is in logistics, 

working as a manager with JB 

Hunt, and Whitnie is the marketing 

director of Northpark Mall in 

Ridgeland. 

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LOOKINGFOR 

THE 

STORY 

Everyone has a story, don’t they? I often 

make up peoples’ stories in my mind so that I 

can fill in the gaps created from not knowing 

details—and I’m not entirely sure why I do 

it. I guess I’m just an observer of life. And 

because I like to write stories, I’m always on 

the hunt for one. 

My husband and I have even made a 

game of it. We’ll see a couple that we don’t 

know at a restaurant and spend the next 

thirty minutes creating their fictitious story. 

It has made for some hilarious conversations 

between the two of us as there are no limits 

to the depth of detail that make this couple 

extraordinary. 

On Sundays, when people are asked 

to come to the front of our church during 

invitational, I often cry at their “stories”— 

even though I don’t know what those are. 

I sometimes wonder if they’re broken and 

hurting and I all of a sudden ache for them 

and the burdens that they may carry. 

I imagine the single mom, raising a 

family alone and trying to make ends meet. 

Or the one that dreamed of children but 

struggled with infertility. I imagine the man 

that has recently lost his job and his insurance 

benefits only to have just gotten a bad report 

from the doctor. And all this is completely in 

my imagination, mind you. I can’t hear them 

when they speak to the pastors at the front of 

the church—but I can see them—and for some 

reason I’m compelled to give them a story. 

Maybe I’m crazy. Or maybe it’s how I make 

strangers more relatable. I have an intuitive 

desire to connect. 

Several years ago we had just moved 

into a new neighborhood with super-strict 

covenants. Our first Christmas season in our 

new home had come and gone and Mardi 

Gras and Valentine’s Day decorations had 

begun to pop-up everywhere. Every day I 

would ride by this one house that still had 

Christmas lights hanging from their eaves. 

And every day I would think, “Surely they’ll 

take those down soon.” 

I’m certain there were guidelines 

somewhere that addressed the timely 

removal of neighborhood Christmas 

decorations. If not, there needed to be. 

Another week would pass and the lights 

still remained. I had become indignant 

that they weren’t following the rules (what 

rules?). I mentally drafted the letter that 

would be sent to the homeowners association 

demanding that their lights be removed. 

When had I become Nosey-Nellie, the 

judgmental neighbor that made everyone else’s 

business her business? Why did I even care? 

Aren’t we all guilty of doing this in some 

form or fashion—making other people’s 

issues our business? Don’t we often judge 

people’s choices without fully understating 

their reasons for making them? 

The adored actress and comedian Betty 

White was once quoted as saying, “I don’t 

know how people get so anti-something. 

Mind your own business, take care of your 

own affairs, and don’t worry about other 

people so much.” She’s 94-years old. I wonder 

how long it took her to figure that out. 

So on the 21 st of February of the very 

first year in our new covenant-protected 

neighborhood, 58 days after Christmas and 

7 days after Valentine’s Day, the offending 

home was lit up like I had never seen. I’m 

certain it could be seen from space. Their 

Christmas tree stood defiantly in the living 

room window and the icicle lights that 

hung from the eaves blinked as if to signal 

their rebelliousness to the entire world. I 

absolutely could not believe my eyes. Their 

blatant disregard of holiday decorating code 

was mind-boggling. 

As I slowed my car and rounded the 

corner to get a better view, a banner that 

read, “Welcome Home Ryan” hung across the 

garage doors right next to a flag bearing the 

United States Marine Corps emblem. And then 

it made sense. Their son was returning home 

and they had “saved” Christmas just for him. 

I burst into tears. First of all, I felt 

grateful. My sense of patriotism immediately 

outweighed my sense of incredulousness. 

How thankful they must have been to have 

him home and in the safety of their loving 

arms. But then I felt embarrassed. They 

don’t make enough lights to express the joy 

my husband and I would feel had our own 

son been returning home. To this day I am 

changed as a result of that experience. 

When you look at a person, any person, 

remember that they have a story. Everyone 

has gone through something that’s changed 

them. Life is hard and everyone has ups and 

downs—and fears and pain. Give grace, love 

and support to those around you who may 

have struggles you don’t see. Our opinions 

don’t matter. But how we treat people, does. 

I “imagine” Ryan and his family to have 

had the most extraordinary Christmas-in- 

February that ever was. And now, when 

I see something that doesn’t necessarily 

make sense to me, I try not to criticize it but 

rather look for the story. After all, when you 

actually realize there’s something you don’t 

understand, then you’re generally on the 

right path to understanding all kinds 

of things. 


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The CHALKBOARD 

madison county Schools 

Germantown 

National Merit 

L-R: Brantley Hudnall (Commended Scholar), Owen Ivan (National 

Merit Semi-Finalist), Tommy Brunson (National Merit Semi-Finalist), 

Alex Usher (National Merit Semi-Finalist) 

Economic Summit Winners 

Seniors Breana Pigott, Trey Buckley, and Mac Lashley, were the overall 

champions at the International Economics Summit, beating out around 

70 teams. This competition is conducted through the Mississippi 

Council on Economic Education. 

Youth Legislature 2016 

Front L-R: Kylie Cockerel, Riley Angell, Baylie Baudier, Katelyn Adams, 

Molly Hutto (Teacher) Back L-R: Jake Kealhofer (Teacher) Harrison 

Grimes, Caleb Collins, Will Clark, Kathryn Mccullouch 

The Mississippi Youth Legislature is a model legislative and judicial 

program for high school students. Students from Mississippi public and 

private schools come together at our State Capitol and participate in a 

mock legislative session. Student participate as a legislator, attorney, 

supreme court justice, lobbyist, press delegate, or legislative page. Each 

legislator writes a piece of legislation that they debate through the 

legislature in hopes of having it signed into “law”. Each piece of proposed 

legislation, or bill, goes through the full legislative process. During each 

session, a full cabinet of officers (students) is elected to serve over the 

next year’s Youth Legislature. 

Highland 

Lazaire B. Martin is a stay-at-home mom that volunteers her time to 

making the lives of her children and our community a great place to live. 

She’s the 2016 Highland Elementary Parent of the Year. 

Elementary students participated in the Toys for Tots drive for two 

weeks. Children were excited to bring and donate a toy. Toys for Tots has 

been touching children’s lives all over the world for over 20 years. The 

students, teachers, and staff here at Highland were extremely glad to add 

more smiles in the world. 


Submissions provided by local officials from each individual district and not to be considered editorial opinion.

Madison Avenue 

On Thursday, October 27th, the Madison Police Department, 

Homeland Security agents, FBI agents, Mississippi Highway 

Patrol, and the Bureau of Narcotics assisted MAUE students in 

solving the crime of the missing chandelier. 

A week before the event occurred, the chandelier, made of 

recycled plastic bottles, was stolen from the library. The thief left 

behind a footprint, fingerprint, hair sample, drink in a cup at the 

top of the ladder and a note that said, “Sorry.” The students used 

these clues to figure out who the thief was. 

Students made statements to law enforcement officials about 

what they heard and saw. Six suspects were identified before 

Mystery Night. Students arrived Thursday evening and reported 

to their homeroom teacher. The students and parents watched a 

video outlining the evidence and the motives of each suspect. 

Three labs were set up to analyze the thief’s footprint, fingerprint, 

writing sample, drink sample, hair sample, and time card. The 

students used this information to eliminate suspects and identify 

the final two suspects. 

After completing the three labs, students moved outside to the 

stage to hear the FBI reveal the gender of the thief. Once the 

gender was revealed, Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler spoke to 

the thief and let her know that stealing is not tolerated in Madison. 

The thief apologized and then Judge Dale Danks sentenced her to 

fifty hours of community service at the Webster Animal Clinic. 




Mannsdale 

Look what Santa brought to Mannsdale! The Mannsdale library 

has a new Makerspace. A Makerspace is an area where students 

can create, invent, explore and build. Students are using a variety of 

materials from Legos to robots. They are learning the beginning 

stages of coding and using their imaginations in the process. The 

makerspace challenges tie in with the literature being read during 

Mrs. North’s storytime. These Mavericks love the new addition! 



Madison Station 

Elementary 

In October, the MSE kindergarteners visited the Jackson Zoo 

for lots of fun and smiles. 

On December 9th, Madison Station 2nd graders got to go on a 

trip with their passports to many different areas of the world 

that included Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Ireland, Canada, and 

France. The students learned about the different Christmas 

traditions in those countries as well as music, food and games 

they have. 

The students in 3rd grade had Egypt Day on November 17th. 

Egypt Day is a fun filled day where the kids dress in Egyptian attire, 

perform a play, play games and have food from the Egyptian 

culture. 




Madison Crossing 

Madison Crossing Elementary School students were visited by 

Germantown cheerleaders, dance team and football players who 

welcomed students to school and visited some of the classrooms. 

Amber Young, a senior at Germantown High School, is one of 65 

mentors at GHS. She comes to visit and works with her mentee 

at Madison Crossing Elementary. Amber attended Madison 

Crossing in elementary school and says it’s so much fun coming 

back to her old school. Raina Cross is a third grader and enjoys 

spending time with Amber twice a week. Amber was recently 

crowned Homecoming Queen at Germantown High School and 

plans to attend MSU and major in Elementary Education. 



MRA 

Our K5 classes had their Annual Christmas Program, “Happy 

Birthday Jesus”, in honor of Grandparent’s Day. All our parents 

and grandparents were invited to join us for this special day in 

celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. 

The K3 classes at MRA had their Annual Gingerbread Decorating 

Day on Tuesday, December 6th. The parents and/or grandparents 

were invited to come and help on this festive occasion. 




Christ Covenant 

The program for Christ Covenant School’s Grandparents Day this 

year was A Salute to America. Students in kindergarten through 

fifth grade performed patriotic songs and our middle school 

students served as hosts and hostesses. After the program, grandparents 

were invited to tour the classrooms. What a sweet time it is 

at CCS where we are privileged to honor each grandparent with a 

musical program and special time spent with grandchildren. 



Calendars 

Church Bulletins 

MoreThan 

Manuals Brochures 

Design 

Meets the Eye 

Embossing 

Letterhead 

Overprinting 

Folding 

Collating 

Storefront 

Banners 

Invitations 

Postcards 

Customized 

Mailing 

NCR Multi Part 

Menus 

Perfect Binding 

Information Booklet 

Personalization 

Sorting 

Scratch Off Envelopes 

Stationery 

Labels 

Die-Cuts 

Annual Reports 

Database Management 

Business Cards 

Foil Stamping 

500 Steed Road • Ridgeland, MS 39158 

601.853.7300 • 1.800.844.7301 

www.hederman.com 

Hometown Hometown madison • 57


The Time Coin 

Alonely Grace stared out the frosted 

window, watching the blustery north 

winds make havoc of the carpet of 

brown leaves. The New Year’s January seemed 

to taunt the warm memories of Christmas. 

The frigid temps and relentless winds 

combined to add misery to her loneliness. 

The noise and warmth of her Christmas company were sorely 

missed. Grace turned her back to the drab winter scene and sat down 

near the fireplace. The corner where her Christmas tree had blinked and 

twinkled was just another lonely corner in her home. The fire glowed 

brightly, but it was the only bright thing in the room. Loneliness with its 

dreary gray cloak wrapped around Grace with a smothering grip. 

She retreated to her closet to find a sweater but instead, pulled a 

cherished quilt from the top shelf. Sitting with the cover made by her 

mother added a love layer of warmth over her entire body. Grace 

touched the stitches and traced their long-ago artistry. The stitches 

were tiny and uniform – the work of a veteran seamstress. 

Grace remembered many of the fabrics 

– remnants from handmade dresses her 

mother had sown. The pink and white checked 

gingham was a favorite Easter dress that Grace 

wore with her Easter “bonnet” and white 

gloves. The red, white, and blue stars were a 

Fourth of July memory. 

As Grace studied the quilt, her thoughts turned from her loneliness 

to the treasure on her lap. Her mother had taken remnants and tiny 

scraps to create a covering stitched in love. She could vividly picture her 

mother leaning over the stretched cotton canvas that her dad helped 

erect in the den. 

Grace had walked around her mother’s “quilt factory” many times 

but never associated the creation with a treasure. Time and inevitable 

change had reversed that. 

The quilt would warm Grace on this lonely day and transport her 

to long ago memories and the blessings of a happy childhood. God 

would use the quilt to teach her that remnants – even scraps can be 

transformed into works of beauty by His touch – no matter our age. 

And loneliness? For today, it would ride off on the winter winds. n 


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Hometown Madison - January & February 2017

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