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Hometown Rankin - April & May 2017

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volume 4 number 2<br />

april <strong>2017</strong><br />

A Diamond Star<br />

____________________<br />

From Goal To Gold<br />

____________________<br />

Broken Silence


If I get sick or<br />

become unable<br />

to take care of<br />

myself or my<br />

responsibilities,<br />

who do I trust<br />

to help me?<br />

WE HELP CONCERNED PEOPLE FIND ANSWERS TO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS EVERY DAY.<br />

12 Woodgate Drive, Suite F • Brandon, MS • 601.724.1870 • palmerslay.com<br />

Christopher P. Palmer chris.palmer@palmerslay.com / Craig L. Slay craig.slay@palmerslay.com<br />

2 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 3


Lend Me Your Ears and<br />

Enjoy Better Hearing<br />

We are a locally owned and operated hearing health provider with<br />

offices in Brandon and Vicksburg. For over 27 years we have been<br />

working in our local communities to bring better hearing health<br />

and to truly improve the quality of life.<br />

Brandon<br />

601-724-8855<br />

103 Service Dr.<br />

Brandon, MS<br />

Martin Case<br />

ACA, NBC-HIS,<br />

COHC Board Certified<br />

Hearing Instrument<br />

Specialist<br />

Vicksburg<br />

601-301-9420<br />

2222 S. Frontage Rd.<br />

Vicksburg, MS<br />

BVH<br />

Brandon•Vicksburg<br />

Hearing Health<br />

2<br />

enjoyurears2.ms@gmail.com<br />

1-888-493-3277<br />

bvhearinghealth<br />

www.hearinghealthms.com<br />

• Good for check and clean •<br />

• Ask about 0% financing •<br />

• Free batteries with apt. •<br />

• Monthly Specials •


PUBLISHER & EDITOR<br />

Tahya A. Dobbs<br />

CFO<br />

Kevin W. Dobbs<br />

CONSULTING EDITOR<br />

Mary Ann Kirby<br />

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES<br />

Dacia Durr Amis<br />

Kati Gaines<br />

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />

Camille Anding<br />

Beth Bowman<br />

David Jett<br />

Mary Ann Kirby<br />

Courtney Lange<br />

Susan Marquez<br />

Leah Mitchener<br />

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER<br />

Othel Anding<br />

ADMINISTRATIVE<br />

ASSISTANTS<br />

Alisha Floyd<br />

Brenda McCall<br />

LAYOUT DESIGN<br />

Daniel Thomas - 3dt<br />

ADVERTISING DESIGN<br />

Leah Mitchener<br />

• • •<br />

www.facebook.com<br />

/hometownrankinmagazine<br />

For subscription information<br />

visit www.htmags.com<br />

Contact us at info@HTMags.com<br />

601.706.4059<br />

26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F<br />

Brandon MS 39042<br />

• • •<br />

All rights reserved. No portion of <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

may be reproduced without written permission from<br />

the publisher. The management of <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

is not responsible for opinions expressed by its<br />

writers or editors. <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> maintains the<br />

unrestricted right to edit or refuse all submitted<br />

material. All advertisements are subject to approval by<br />

the publisher. The production of <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

is funded by advertising.<br />

Spring has sprung and with it comes some important celebrations.<br />

<strong>April</strong> 26th is Administrative Assistant’s Day and it’s our pleasure to<br />

feature a few invaluable <strong>Rankin</strong> County administrative assistants in<br />

this issue–and their behind the scenes talents. I can’t pass up this<br />

opportunity to give a shout out to my own administrative assistants,<br />

Brenda McCall and Alisha Floyd. With the continued growth of<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> Magazines, my work load grows and would be impossible to<br />

maintain without them. These two special ladies do a remarkable job<br />

and I’d hate to have to continue my job without them. Knowing<br />

they’re always there for me and will volunteer for most any job keeps<br />

our <strong>Hometown</strong> business functioning. So although they don’t have<br />

their own feature in this issue, it has their fingerprints all over it, and<br />

I thank them!<br />

We also wanted to celebrate Mother’s Day and found generations<br />

of mothers and daughters to be a refreshing and unique way to salute<br />

all mothers and mothers-to-be. In my family, we no longer have four<br />

generations of women living, but I’m thankful for the time I had to<br />

share with my precious grandmothers. And I really don’t have words<br />

to describe what my own mom means to me. I pray I can be half the<br />

mom to my children that she has been to me.<br />

But before we celebrate Mother’s Day, we’ll celebrate Easter, the<br />

resurrection celebration which tops all celebrations. Be inspired when<br />

local pastor David Jett shares his thoughts on the day that take the<br />

sting out of death.<br />

It’s truly a spring of celebrations! I’m so grateful to our faithful<br />

advertisers and all of our new advertisers for making it possible to<br />

share these celebrations through this publication. We are blessed!<br />

On the cover: Four generations: Glenda Vinson, Brenda Vinson Murphy, Ashley Shivers, Brooke Elizabeth Shivers<br />

In this issue A Diamond Star . . . . . . . . . . 8<br />

Broken Silence . . . . . . . . . . 15<br />

Ten Educated Blessings . . . . . . . 17<br />

From Goal to Gold . . . . . 32<br />

Walker Wilbanks 44<br />

The Moments that Matter Most . . . 50<br />

Of Medicine & Murder . . . . . . . 56<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 5


: architects<br />

: engineers<br />

: interior design<br />

J. Guadalupe Arellano, AIA<br />

Principal Architect<br />

118 Service Drive, Suite 9<br />

Brandon, Mississippi<br />

601.829.6915<br />

jarellano@pryor-morrow.com<br />

pryormorrow.com<br />

6 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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8 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Rankin</strong> County Chamber<br />

COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR<br />

“Catch the Wellness Wave”<br />

Entertainment:<br />

Wed, <strong>May</strong> 10, <strong>2017</strong><br />

9 AM - NOON<br />

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Free Health Screenings!<br />

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Local Health Organization Exhibits<br />

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I highly recommend this office!” - Stephanie<br />

Call today for a free consultation!<br />

Jackson | Ridgeland | 601.856.3054 | BVOrtho.com<br />

10 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


– ADVERTISER SPOTLIGHT –<br />

Baptist Hospital<br />

Receives Nursing Recognition<br />

Susan<br />

Marquez<br />

On March 16, Baptist Medical Center received the nation’s top honor<br />

for nursing excellence. The Magnet Recognition Program is given by<br />

the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate of the<br />

American Nurses Association, to hospitals satisfying a set of criteria<br />

designed to measure quality patient care and professional nursing<br />

practice. Only seven percent of hospitals in America have been granted<br />

Magnet recognition and Baptist is the only hospital in Mississippi to<br />

receive this designation. Magnet designation first emerged in 1990 as<br />

a way to recognize hospitals that successfully attracted and retained<br />

high-quality nurses, even during periods of nursing shortages.<br />

The news of the recognition was made via a telephone call in which<br />

ANCC representatives gave official notification to nursing leaders at<br />

Baptist, including Chief Nursing Officer and Baptist Medical Center<br />

Chief Operating Officer Bobbie Ware, MHSA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE;<br />

Baptist Nursing Excellence and Research Coordinator Tina Magers,<br />

Ph. D., RN-BC; and Vice-President of Nursing Brenda Howie, Ph. D.,<br />

MSN, RN, NE-BC as well as the nursing staff and other Baptist clinicians<br />

and employees.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong><br />

Congratulations on this honor! How did this come about?<br />

Bobbie Ware<br />

We made a decision about ten years ago that we wanted to aspire to<br />

receive Magnet recognition for our nursing services at Baptist. The criteria<br />

are very stringent. It’s oftentimes easy for management to set a goal, but<br />

to have everyone get on board with that goal to see it through is another<br />

story. It required a major commitment from all of our staff nurses and<br />

clinical nurses. They are the ones who are touching the patients and<br />

making a difference in their lives on a daily basis.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong><br />

Why is this recognition important for Baptist?<br />

Ware<br />

Patients today have many options when it comes to choosing a health<br />

provider. It’s our goal to provide integrity, compassion, excellence,<br />

stewardship and innovation to our patients and their loved ones.<br />

We are extremely proud to have earned our profession’s highest level<br />

of recognition.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong><br />

Was it difficult to reach this level of nursing excellence?<br />

Ware<br />

There were times we weren’t sure we’d make it! But at the same time,<br />

we knew our efforts were helping to improve the quality of care provided<br />

to our patients, patient safety, as well as professional development. It has<br />

been a strategic direction we wanted to take and we continually worked<br />

on it. Changing a culture takes patience and time. Healthcare is constantly<br />

changing. There are new technologies and new approaches to medicine<br />

all the time. Throughout those changes, we have kept our eye on the<br />

goal and we are thrilled to have accomplished it.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong><br />

What surprised you most about the process?<br />

Ware<br />

To meet the criteria of the Magnet Recognition Program, we had to supply<br />

massive amounts of data and numbers and such. Tina Magers led the<br />

task along with nursing leaders across our organization. Documentation<br />

had to include numerous examples of excellence, and evidence that<br />

structures and processes are in place to promote consistent quality<br />

outcomes. The most rewarding part of the process was when we got to<br />

the surveys because that’s where we heard first-hand from the patients<br />

and families. We got to learn more about things we don’t see daily–<br />

those interactions between nurses and patients and family members that<br />

make all the difference in a sometimes difficult situation. That’s so<br />

heart-warming, and a great reminder of why we got into this field.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong><br />

Where do you go from here?<br />

Ware<br />

This honor is the ultimate affirmation of quality and excellence in the<br />

care of patients from nursing and from everyone in the organization.<br />

Words cannot express the gratitude we have toward all our staff in taking<br />

us on this journey to improve patient outcomes, while at the same time,<br />

increasing job satisfaction. We will now use the Magnet as a foundation<br />

to add to evidence-based practice and to continue to improve patient<br />

outcome.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 11


12 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Annual Golf Tournament<br />

Castlewoods Country Club<br />

March 24<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 13


Photo Credit: Kelly Price, MSU Athletics/Media Relations<br />

14 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


A<br />

Diamond<br />

Star<br />

Camille Anding<br />

Jake Mangum’s bio as a Mississippi State baseball player would probably<br />

bore a non-sport reader because it goes on and on and on. In fact, his<br />

accomplishments on the baseball field from Jackson Prep through his<br />

freshman year at State could render him a fictitious super athlete–except<br />

Jake Mangum is the real deal.<br />

He was named 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year and<br />

First Team All-SEC, and led the team with a .408 batting<br />

average. That’s just naming a few of his numbers. With<br />

such an unbelievable set of stats, Jake doesn’t hesitate<br />

when asked his number one highlight in his young career.<br />

It was winning the SEC Championship last year.<br />

Jake’s career began like most young men’s – in his back<br />

yard with his dad, John, pitching to him. John, a former<br />

NFL player for nine seasons, built a batting cage for Jake<br />

when he was six-years old. A love for the sport and the<br />

professional and loving instruction by his dad were<br />

instrumental in elevating Jake to his present status.<br />

Through his own experience, Jake is able to offer<br />

advice to other aspiring athletes: Keep working hard,<br />

make yourself, and leave off excuses. A key philosophy<br />

in his own drive has been to learn to control what you<br />

can control and stop worrying about those things you<br />

can’t control.<br />

As a college student and athlete, Mangum finds time management<br />

his greatest challenge. He’s a business finance major with goals of being a<br />

financial planner–but only after he explores all possibilities as a baseball<br />

player.<br />

So far, his favorite SEC field he’s traveled to has been LSU. He describes<br />

it as, “a great atmosphere with its 10,000 plus fans.”<br />

State teammates gave him the nickname Guam his freshman year from<br />

a misspelling on his locker. Somehow that doesn’t sound like the right fit<br />

for this rising star. Time and more records may help to label him according<br />

to his gift with a bat. Hopefully that gift will be instrumental in taking #15<br />

and his team to their <strong>2017</strong> dream destination–Omaha. n<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 15


“Our vision is to see our graduates equipped<br />

for life and ready to serve God.”<br />

– David Horner<br />

Head of School<br />

Hartfield Academy is committed to seeing life preparation take<br />

place in every aspect of our school including academics, athletics,<br />

and the arts. Our graduating seniors have an average ACT score of<br />

25. They all have bright careers ahead of them.<br />

Contact us to schedule a tour of the school.<br />

601.992.5333 HartfieldAcademy.com<br />

16 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 17


Making a House a HAVEN<br />

Leah Mitchener<br />

Sacrifice is hard. Our natural instinct<br />

as humans is to seek out things that<br />

make us happy and comfortable, and the<br />

thought of abandoning those pleasant<br />

familiarities makes us ill-at-ease. But<br />

there are the special few that choose to<br />

sacrifice their own comfort and safety<br />

for the sake of others–our military<br />

members.<br />

Though they are the strong among<br />

us and the face of bravery against our<br />

enemies, they often come home from<br />

war needing a little help of their own.<br />

Enter PriorityOne Bank and Wounded<br />

Warriors of Mississippi. These organizations<br />

teamed up recently to make the<br />

day-to-day lives of two local wounded<br />

veterans a little bit easier with the help<br />

of grants and contractors for some<br />

much-needed home improvements.<br />

HAVEN, or Housing Assistance for<br />

Veterans, is a grant program from the<br />

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas<br />

created to help offset home improvement<br />

costs for veterans and service members<br />

disabled from active duty since September<br />

11, 2001. As vice president and branch<br />

manager of member bank PriorityOne<br />

(not to mention himself an Air Force<br />

veteran), Brian Hughes wanted to get in<br />

on the action of giving back. “A lot of<br />

veterans don’t go out seeking help, but<br />

they’re some of the most appreciative<br />

people,” said Brian. With the help of<br />

Cheryl Bruce, founder of Wounded<br />

Warriors of Mississippi, Brian was put<br />

in contact with two deserving veterans:<br />

John Patterson, and Joseph Bryan.<br />

John Patterson joined the military in<br />

1995 to “serve his country and make it<br />

a better place for his family.” During his<br />

service (around 2005), he was wounded<br />

in a Humvee rollover accident that caused<br />

him to have major hip issues and PTSD.<br />

Brian was able to procure a $7,500 grant<br />

to help renovate the master bathroom in<br />

John’s home. Where there once was a<br />

garden tub now stands a roll-in shower<br />

with floor-to-ceiling tile and grab bars<br />

for safety. John said it “was a lifesaver”<br />

because the new layout made it much<br />

easier to bathe his service dog, a British<br />

lab named Tucker, not to mention<br />

himself.<br />

Countertops were raised and cabinetry<br />

beneath the sink was removed for ease of<br />

access from a wheel chair should he need<br />

those accommodations in the future, and<br />

a new ADA-compliant commode was<br />

installed with grab bars just inside a<br />

privacy nook. The work was completed<br />

by Alex Burns Contractors, and judging<br />

by John’s excitement about the outcome,<br />

it’s safe to say they did a fantastic job.<br />

After an explosion went off near his<br />

tank in Iraq, Joseph “Joey” Bryan began<br />

to suffer from PTSD and TBI or<br />

traumatic brain injury which affects his<br />

memory and vision, as well as pain in his<br />

knees and back. Joey was the gracious<br />

recipient of new floors in his home<br />

through the grant program and the work<br />

of contractors from Born Again Roofing<br />

and Remodeling. Over a span of about<br />

two years, the existing carpeting in his<br />

house had begun to loosen and bunch up<br />

in places causing him and his family to<br />

trip over it. Joey says, “Now everything is<br />

18 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


magnificent! Everything is level, the<br />

tiling is straight, and it’s durable and easy<br />

to clean. They did a really professional<br />

job. Brian Hughes was awesome, too.<br />

We are so grateful.”<br />

“I’m going to try and do a couple more<br />

of these,” said Brian of the grant projects.<br />

Member banks are only allowed a total<br />

of $21,000 annually in HAVEN grants,<br />

but for someone who has a servant’s<br />

heart and is as dedicated as Brian Hughes<br />

is, he is sure to succeed in finding<br />

additional resources for these heroes.<br />

These stories of camaraderie are<br />

always heartwarming and maybe you’re<br />

now thinking how to actually be a part<br />

of it. If you are a wounded veteran or<br />

even a life-long civilian that just wants<br />

to lend a hand with Wounded Warriors<br />

of Mississippi, there are several ways<br />

that you can get involved. Monetary<br />

donations are always appreciated to<br />

aid the needs of disabled vets, as well<br />

as volunteering your time to do things<br />

like help with yard work or be a handyman<br />

around the house.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 19


City of Brandon<br />

<strong>2017</strong><br />

Princess<br />

Ball<br />

20 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 21


©2014 Ergon, Inc. All rights reserved.<br />

ergon.com<br />

22 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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New Patients Welcome<br />

Our Doctors<br />

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Visit us at www.thechildrensclinicms.com or<br />

find us on at /childrensclinicms<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 23


Broken Silence<br />

David Jett / Senior Pastor / Crossgates Baptist Church / Brandon, MS<br />

Undistracted focus is a major key to accomplishing great things. Athletes spend hours upon hours training their minds<br />

to remain mentally focused during grueling events. A basketball player who makes the buzzer-beating basket or a golfer<br />

sinking the winning putt both attest to the necessity of undistracted focus.<br />

In the Bible, we witness this same unrelenting focus by Jesus during the crucifixion. His six-hour torturous<br />

impalement tells of Him speaking only seven times. His silent focus while redeeming mankind from the curse of Adam’s<br />

sin was undistracted…almost. Almost? What could possibly have distracted Jesus and broken His focused silence?<br />

Following His beating, which should have killed Him, the flesh-torn, blood-soaked Jesus<br />

was led by soldiers outside the city where He was hung on a wooden cross. Metal spikes<br />

driven through His hands and feet kept His mutilated body suspended on the pole for<br />

all to see. In this position, Jesus asked the Father to forgive those responsible–then he<br />

fell silent. As the sin of mankind<br />

climbed on His shoulders, He chose<br />

to bear the burden silently and alone.<br />

During this period of silence,<br />

three verbal attacks were waged<br />

against Him. The first attack<br />

came from the scoffing rulers.<br />

Dissatisfied to simply revel in<br />

their apparent victory, the<br />

rulers wanted to pour more salt<br />

into His open wounds. “He saved<br />

others; let him save himself, if he is<br />

the Christ of God, the Chosen One!”<br />

(Luke 23:35), they spewed.<br />

Jesus could easily have rebuked them by pointing to<br />

their own self-implication in quoting a one-thousand-year-old<br />

prophecy regarding Messiah. “All<br />

who see me mock me; they make mouths at me;<br />

they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the Lord; let<br />

him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he<br />

delights in him!’” (Psalm 22:7-8). These<br />

religious rulers, who were experts of the<br />

Scriptures, knew this to be a Messianic<br />

Psalm, yet were blinded by their jealous<br />

rage. But Jesus chose not to rebuke<br />

and remained in focused silence.<br />

24 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


The second verbal attack began to rise from the mocking<br />

soldiers. Above Jesus’ head hung an inscription proclaiming<br />

His crime. “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” (John 19:19).<br />

To these soldiers officiating His crucifixion, Jesus was just one<br />

more would-be rebel squashed under the foot of almighty Rome.<br />

Stationed in Palestine, they had almost certainly heard Jews<br />

claiming that their King would come and break the Jewish people<br />

free from Roman occupation.<br />

Now peering up at this pitiful excuse of a king, they began<br />

mocking Him by offering to serve Him a toast of sour wine.<br />

“Let’s have a toast fit for this king” they mocked, laughing at the<br />

absurdity of the notion. “If you are the King of the Jews, save<br />

yourself!” (Luke 23:37), they shouted as Jesus continued to hang<br />

in silence. His focus was undeterred by those scoffing and mocking.<br />

It was here that the third verbal attack was waged, this time by<br />

the railing criminals crucified on either side of Jesus. At first they<br />

were both reviling Him (Mark 15:32), but one suddenly grew<br />

quiet. “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)<br />

shouted the criminal, while the other began having his eyes<br />

opened to the gravity of the moment. Something colossal was<br />

happening through the man called Jesus and this thief was an<br />

eyewitness.<br />

A similar silent focus came upon this convicted felon and he<br />

suddenly began to understand. Jesus is the King! As the King of<br />

the Jews, He has the power to pardon even the most notorious of<br />

convicted felons! In this revelation, the thief shouted at the other,<br />

“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of<br />

condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due<br />

reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”<br />

(Luke 23:40-41). Then turning to Jesus he said, “Jesus, remember<br />

me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42).<br />

At this moment eternity pauses while Jesus, moved by this cry<br />

for mercy, breaks His silence. “Truly, I say to you, today<br />

you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43).<br />

Unflinching through all the scoffing, mocking, and railing abuse,<br />

Jesus breaks His silence when He hears one lost sinner plead<br />

for mercy.<br />

Do you ever feel like God gives you the silent treatment? Have<br />

you called out to Him but received no response? Would you like<br />

to see the silence of heaven broken when you pray? Remember,<br />

God peers as much as He hears - He looks at the heart as much as<br />

He listens to the prayer!<br />

The Lord remains silent to our religious scoffing and worldly<br />

mocking that questions His redemptive ways and limits His<br />

redemptive grace. The Lord also remains silent when we attempt<br />

to use Him as our easy way out of problems. Much like the thief<br />

who railed, “Save yourself, and us!” we want God to deliver us<br />

from our problems without delivering us from ourselves.<br />

However, anyone who humbly cries out for mercy will experience<br />

the break of heaven’s silence! Call to Him today! n<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 25


Junior Auxiliary of <strong>Rankin</strong> County<br />

Children’s Benefit Gala<br />

Saturday February 25, <strong>2017</strong> | McClain Lodge<br />

Honoring Rick & Liza Looser<br />

26 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 27


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28 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 29


Camille Anding<br />

There are ten of them – three boys and seven girls –<br />

all children of Rosie Moore and her deceased husband, Quincy Charles Moore Jr.<br />

Rosie said she really wanted twelve children, but she calls herself “wonderfully blessed”<br />

with the ten that God gave them.<br />

After I met eight of them and experienced the warmth and<br />

love that the siblings expressed for their mother and each other,<br />

it’s easy to agree with Rosie about her ten blessings.<br />

Quincy and Rosie met in the 8th grade and married after<br />

graduating high school. Rosie would study his assignments<br />

during the day while he was working and going to college and<br />

help “tutor” him when he got home in the evenings. As their<br />

family grew, Quincy’s dream was to see all ten of their children<br />

earn college degrees. He had graduated from Tougaloo<br />

College and was a teacher at Powell Middle School plus the<br />

football, basketball, baseball, and track coach.<br />

While Quincy was able to realize a portion of his dream<br />

before his death eleven years ago, his wife, Rosie, has seen its<br />

fulfillment. All ten children have earned their Bachelor of Arts<br />

with several master and doctorate degrees among them. What<br />

an accomplishment for parents and the students.<br />

30 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Front row, L-R<br />

Candace Moore Bold - #7<br />

• Jackson State University<br />

• Working on Master’s at Belhaven<br />

• Teacher at Whitten Preparatory<br />

Middle School, Jackson, MS<br />

Mother, Rosie Moore<br />

• Retired LPN<br />

Angela Moore - #5<br />

(twin to Anthony)<br />

• Jackson State University<br />

• Disciplinary Studies<br />

• Teacher at Whitten Middle School,<br />

Jackson, MS<br />

Yolanda Moore - #10<br />

• University Southern Mississippi<br />

• BA in Nursing<br />

• Nurse Educator at University of<br />

Mississippi Medical Center<br />

Back row, L-R<br />

Cynthia M. Ellis - #8<br />

• Jackson State University<br />

• BA in Social Work<br />

• Supervisor for Child Social Services,<br />

<strong>Rankin</strong> County<br />

Cassandra Moore - #9<br />

• Mississippi College<br />

• Nursing<br />

• Region 8 Mental Health Center,<br />

Brandon, MS<br />

Anthony Moore - #4<br />

• University of Southern Mississippi<br />

• Belhaven Specialist Degree<br />

• Principal at Chastain Middle School,<br />

Jackson, MS<br />

Kevin Moore - #3<br />

• Jackson State University<br />

• Therapeutic Recreation<br />

at Mississippi State Hospital<br />

Dr. Pamela Moore - #6<br />

• University Southern Mississippi<br />

• PhD from Jackson State<br />

• Environmental Science<br />

• Mississippi Broadcasting<br />

Education Department<br />

#1 (Not Pictured)<br />

Dr. Jacqueline M. Jackson<br />

• Auburn University<br />

• PhD, Computer Science<br />

• Professor at Jackson State University<br />

#2 (Not Pictured)<br />

Dr. Quincy Moore<br />

• Auburn University<br />

• University Medical Center<br />

• PhD in Microbiology<br />

• Professor at Prairie View A&M<br />

University, Texas and a minister<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 31


32 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

Love your<br />

children,<br />

knowing they<br />

are a gift you<br />

must mold,<br />

and always put<br />

God first<br />

in your life.


However, the Moore parents are the real heroes in<br />

this education success because they were their children’s<br />

foundational educators. That appears to be the secret<br />

in their success story.<br />

Even though the siblings were raised as stair steps<br />

in a small four-bedroom, two-bath home, they were<br />

taught that love triumphs over material blessings.<br />

They seldom saw new clothes and never any expensive<br />

name brands. Hand-me-downs and sharing were<br />

necessary parts of their survival, but they grew strong<br />

spiritually, physically, and mentally in their loving<br />

environment. Yolanda said, “We never realized we<br />

were poor until we were grown and looked back over<br />

our childhood.”<br />

Church attendance was a priority in the Moore<br />

family. Choir gave Rosie and her daughters another<br />

means of worship. During the interview, musical<br />

talents were brought up and a “heavenly choir”<br />

seated around the Moore’s dining table began to sing,<br />

“How Great is Our God.” The musical blend of<br />

harmonies from the daughters was amazing – almost<br />

matching the sibling harmony that lined the room.<br />

The children were taught a strong work ethic<br />

beginning at an early age. “Everyone had a job to do,”<br />

Kevin interjected. Anthony added, “We all took turns<br />

on kitchen duty and God help those whose dishwashing<br />

day fell on Saturday. That was the big cooking day<br />

when Mama used all ten cooking pots!”<br />

When they reached employment age, they got jobs<br />

at McDonalds in Richland. At one time, five of the<br />

Moore children operated the business. Rosie laughed<br />

and said, “They called it Moore’s McDonalds.”<br />

They have fond memories of playing athletics and<br />

being coached by their dad. The homemade basketball<br />

goal built by their dad was a great backyard pastime.<br />

Both parents were strict but loving in their discipline.<br />

Rosie explained, “If one of the kids did something<br />

wrong, I would give them a little talk. A second offense<br />

would be a stern warning. The third offense was three<br />

strikes and you’re out. I would tell them to go get me a<br />

switch off of the tree!”<br />

If the kids ever got in arguments or fights with each<br />

other, they would have to hug and kiss and say, “I love<br />

you.” Laugher broke out again when Rosie said they<br />

didn’t argue much because they didn’t like that kissing.<br />

Back-talk to parents was never tolerated in the<br />

Moore home. She shared a single incident when one<br />

of her sons answered her disrespectfully while she was<br />

driving into town. She asked what he said, and he<br />

replied with an additional bit of disrespect. Rosie<br />

pulled the vehicle over and told him to get out of the<br />

car. “I don’t drive the devil!” she said.<br />

The young man had to walk home and wait on the<br />

front porch until she returned. Rosie never had another<br />

problem with the back-talk.<br />

Rosie added, “God has really blessed – there was no<br />

jail, no drugs and no drinking, but there was plenty of<br />

laughter.” The house rang with it during the interview.<br />

Two sisters present at the interview skyped brother<br />

Quincy in Texas and sister Jacqueline who was called<br />

to a late meeting at Jackson State. Those were the only<br />

two absent among the ten, but even they were included<br />

in the laugher and fun stories via Wi-Fi.<br />

When Rosie was pregnant with her sixth child, she<br />

was getting a check-up at a local clinic when a staff<br />

person asked, “You haven’t found out what causes<br />

this?” Rosie recalls going home heart-broken over the<br />

brash question. She went out on her back porch and<br />

watched her five young children playing in the dirt<br />

–“just being kids.” As she wiped away her tears, she<br />

heard God speaking to her; “Rosie, look at those<br />

children. I see teachers, nurses and preachers.”<br />

Today, Rosie still remembers that moment of<br />

encouragement as she sits, surrounded by the Moore<br />

children who are teachers, nurses and preachers.<br />

For parents, Rosie offers solid, proven advice:<br />

Pray and seek God. Love your children, knowing they<br />

are a gift you must mold, and always put God first in<br />

your life.<br />

Rosie is presently enjoying her retirement from<br />

nursing. (She went to Hinds Community College<br />

and earned her LPN after her children were grown.)<br />

Her family, including her fifteen grandchildren, occupy<br />

a major portion of her time. She continues to share<br />

her wisdom with the next generation, praying that<br />

they, too, will be blessed with a double education. n<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 33


Brandon Garden Club<br />

Tablescapes<br />

Luncheon<br />

February 24, <strong>2017</strong><br />

34 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 35


Don’t spend the<br />

summer bored...<br />

...take online classes!<br />

Registration begins <strong>April</strong> 4.<br />

Classes begin <strong>May</strong> 30.<br />

$110 per credit hour<br />

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<br />

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<br />

<strong>May</strong>s-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<br />

Now open in Richland • 601-748-4512<br />

Commercial Buildings<br />

Metal Roofing<br />

36 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

Residential Buildings<br />

Pole Barns


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 37


HOMETOWN SALUTE<br />

Business<br />

Administrators<br />

The business world is synonymous<br />

with pressurized schedules, critical time<br />

management, and juggling multiple<br />

relationships. The load can become<br />

overwhelming, and would, if not<br />

for the incalculable aid of the<br />

administrative assistant.<br />

They’re usually equipped with<br />

an extra set of senses to see problems<br />

before they occur, hear good and bad<br />

news before it affects the administration,<br />

and blankets possible problems<br />

with kindness and attention.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> is featuring<br />

six of these talented administrative<br />

assistants–all nominated by our readers.<br />

Take note of how their gifts benefit<br />

and enhance the business world<br />

and diffuse so much of the stress.<br />

Jennifer Smith<br />

Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong> High School<br />

How long have you been in this position?<br />

I began my position here as an MSIS Secretary/Registrar in <strong>May</strong><br />

of 2015. I walked back in the door after graduating here in 2000.<br />

What is your favorite thing about your job?<br />

My favorite thing is helping others. I enjoy meeting new students<br />

as they come and it makes my heart happy when I can ease their<br />

nerves some as so many come in very apprehensive as a new<br />

student. Getting to know students and knowing, or hoping,<br />

you leave a positive impact on their lives brings so much joy.<br />

Is there something that stands out as a special memory?<br />

My most favorite thing that will now be a forever memory<br />

would be watching both our boys and girls soccer teams become<br />

champions. As a Cougar alumni, soccer mom, and employee<br />

of NWRHS, it was so fulfilling to watch what they put into it<br />

and the efforts they gave. They worked so hard for those titles<br />

and I could not be more proud to be a Cougar!<br />

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

“Don’t wait until tomorrow to be extraordinary today.”<br />

and “Don’t ruin a good today by thinking about<br />

a bad yesterday. Let it go.”<br />

38 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Tashia Harris<br />

Community Bank<br />

How long have you been in your current position?<br />

I have been employed here for almost 22 years with<br />

20 of those years as administrative assistant to Freddie Bagley,<br />

our past-president and CEO, and current chairman of the board.<br />

What’s your favorite thing about your job?<br />

At the top of my list is our people. I am so blessed to be able to<br />

come to work each day and work alongside such talented, caring<br />

and knowledgeable people.We not only care about each other<br />

but we care about our communities and our customers.<br />

Do you have a favorite memory of something<br />

that has happened at your place of work?<br />

After 22 years, I have many fond memories but one in particular<br />

comes to mind when we had someone from out of town passing by<br />

our bank and noticed our scripture on our sign. They called to<br />

thank us for sharing “the Message”. They later moved to <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

County and chose us as their bank. I was very humbled by that.<br />

Pamie Jaynes<br />

Peachtree Village<br />

How long have you been in your current position?<br />

16 years.<br />

What’s your favorite thing about your job?<br />

Meeting and getting to know all the wonderful elders<br />

from different places and learning about their lives<br />

and getting great wisdom. That can not be bought!<br />

Do you have a favorite memory of something<br />

that has happened at your place of work?<br />

Being honest, I really do not have a favorite memory<br />

because every day I can make wonderfully<br />

new ones! They are all great!<br />

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

If it’s not broke, break it; meaning giving them<br />

a better quality of life without boundaries,<br />

let them make decisions about their well being.<br />

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

Don’t pretend. People appreciate you being upfront and honest.<br />

Second, a good understanding on the front end leads to<br />

a good long friendship–both of which go hand and hand<br />

with our Community Bank philosophy.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 39


Rosa Madden<br />

<strong>Rankin</strong> County Chamber<br />

How long have you been in your current position?<br />

March 6, <strong>2017</strong> was my 10-year anniversary<br />

with the <strong>Rankin</strong> Chamber.<br />

What’s your favorite thing about your job?<br />

Not a single day at the office is the same. I love being<br />

creative, staying crazy busy and working as part of a team.<br />

Do you have a favorite memory of something<br />

that has happened at your place of work?<br />

I LOVE our annual <strong>Rankin</strong> County Job Fair!<br />

Someone could walk in that morning and leave<br />

a couple of hours later with a job. That’s life<br />

changing and “rock-their-world” worthy!<br />

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

Two pieces of advice I’ve held onto over the years:<br />

Speak less, listen more -and- If you don’t try,<br />

the answer will always be ‘no’.<br />

Terry McAlpin<br />

Sta-Home Health<br />

How long have you been in your current position?<br />

14 years.<br />

What’s your favorite thing about your job?<br />

Through the many years I have worked for Sta-Home,<br />

I have been able to work with people, in the past and present,<br />

that you can see, through their daily lives, the commitment they<br />

have in allowing our precious Savoir Jesus Christ to shine in<br />

everything they do. This type of loyalty and commitment<br />

makes working here both a pleasure and a privilege<br />

Do you have a favorite memory of something<br />

that has happened at your place of work?<br />

I worked for Sta-Home almost 7 years before leaving<br />

for 3 and have been back for 14. The day I was able<br />

to come back is one of my most favorite memories.<br />

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

Do the best you can while implementing the core values of<br />

Sta-Home; honesty, integrity, respect and attitude of service.<br />

40 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Liz Lenington<br />

Flowood Elementary<br />

How long have you been at your current position?<br />

I have been employed by <strong>Rankin</strong> County<br />

School District since September 29, 2005<br />

and at Flowood Elementary since 2007.<br />

What is your favorite thing about your job?<br />

My favorite thing is difficult to identify. I have so many<br />

things I love at Flowood Elementary! But if I had to choose<br />

just one thing, it would have to be the amazing children and<br />

parents here at the school! I love to see their smiling faces.<br />

Is there something that stands out as a special memory?<br />

As in the former question, I cannot isolate one favorite memory–<br />

every day holds a new experience and new challenges. This job is<br />

always changing and allows me to create new memories each day.<br />

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

The best advice I have ever been given is to strive to follow<br />

the Golden Rule each day - “Do unto others as you would<br />

have them do unto you”. I try to treat others as<br />

I treat my family - my Flowood Family!<br />

Barbara Adams<br />

Administrative Assistant to<br />

Richland <strong>May</strong>or Mark Scarborough<br />

How long have you been in your current position?<br />

I have been employed by the City of Richland<br />

since November 2008.<br />

What’s your favorite thing about your job?<br />

Having the opportunity to work with<br />

all the citizens and employees of the City.<br />

Do you have a favorite memory of something<br />

that has happened at your place of work?<br />

At the second City’s Christmas on the Square, we had our<br />

young violin players performing. After their performance Santa<br />

arrived on his motorcycle and I was to escort him to his chair for<br />

all the children to visit with him. Before I could get him to his chair,<br />

I was literally run over! It felt like 144 little violin players coming<br />

after me! They all wanted to get to Santa first. It was not pretty!<br />

I sometimes still have nightmares.<br />

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?<br />

My mom always told me to give 100%<br />

and then some more if needed.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 41


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42 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

The Following Is Not For Print/For Information Only


Adventure abounds<br />

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From athletics and academics to robotics and arts,<br />

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<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 43


Quarterly Luncheon<br />

March 7<br />

Pearl Community Center<br />

Speaker Craig Slay<br />

44 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Giving Back!<br />

Pure Air Consultants has never taken the support of the community for granted and recently decided to give back in a<br />

way that could potentially make a life-changing impact in the lives of a deserving person or family. PAC, Southern Pipe,<br />

and <strong>Hometown</strong> Magazines set out to identify someone who needed a new heating/air conditioning system, and after<br />

reading the many entries submitted online, not one but TWO families were selected.<br />

Adam and Katie Puckett have two disabled children;<br />

Caroline is 8 years old and was born with a severe<br />

congenital heart defect and also has cerebral palsy.<br />

She has had three open heart surgeries and continues<br />

various therapies for related issues. Luke is 4 years<br />

old and has spina bifida. As a result, he does not have<br />

feeling in the lower portion of his body and walks with<br />

braces and canes. He also has various therapies for<br />

related issues. Katie used to work full-time, but with<br />

both children having therapies and doctors’ appointments,<br />

working was impossible. They live in an older<br />

home and every year they have had to call someone<br />

to come out and patch up their old A/C system.<br />

Ken Bullock works hard as a nurse and as a medic<br />

for the Air National Guard, but never can get ahead.<br />

The couple have a 7-year-old son who was diagnosed<br />

with leukemia at the age of 3. As of March 17th, he<br />

will have been out of treatment for one year, but still<br />

has many issues due to the chemotherapy he received.<br />

He has at least one doctor appointment each month.<br />

Due to all of his appointments, Brittney is unable to<br />

hold a job, and Ken found out he lost his job last <strong>May</strong><br />

while their son was in surgery. They were completely<br />

without work for almost three months. The family has<br />

lived in their house for 13 years, and have an A/C unit<br />

that was old when they moved in, and they have problems<br />

with it several times a year. It has been hard to<br />

keep up with all of the repairs on such a limited income.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 45


46 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


From One<br />

Generation<br />

to the Next<br />

Camille Anding<br />

It was an observant person who understood families and said,<br />

“They’re like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts.”<br />

For sure, a few “nuts” are scattered through our families. <strong>May</strong>be there’s<br />

a black or spotted sheep – and maybe every member is not blood-kin,<br />

but for the majority of these God-ordained collections of humans<br />

in a family - we stick like glue or hair and bubble gum!<br />

This issue’s Mother’s Day feature highlights generations of families<br />

and personal looks at their own generation. You’ll see some similarities<br />

and some vast changes, but there’s one constant – love.<br />

That key ingredient binds families together from “start to finish.”<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 47


Eloise Barnhill Roberts<br />

Graduated from<br />

Pearl High School<br />

in 1956<br />

Brooklyn Byrd<br />

2 Years Old<br />

Hannah Wade Byrd<br />

Graduated from<br />

Pearl High School<br />

in 2010<br />

Teressa Roberts Wade<br />

Graduated from<br />

Pearl High School<br />

in 1982<br />

48 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


What was your favorite childhood game?<br />

Eloise Jacks!<br />

Teressa Hop Scotch<br />

Hannah Red Rover<br />

Brooklyn Patty Cake<br />

Describe a typical high school<br />

outfit you would wear to school.<br />

Eloise I always wore skirts and a sweater.<br />

We always wore a slip under the skirt to make<br />

them stand out with saddle oxfords and socks.<br />

We normally wore a scarf in our hair or around<br />

our neck.<br />

Teressa Jeans with IZOD shirts and jelly shoes<br />

and boat shoes.<br />

Hannah Jeans and a cute top from either<br />

Hollister or Abercrombie & Fitch with Wallabees.<br />

What age were you allowed to<br />

begin dating?<br />

Eloise 15<br />

Teressa 16, but it had to be more than one couple.<br />

Hannah 9th Grade<br />

Describe a date night during<br />

your generation.<br />

Eloise A drive-in movie and straight back home.<br />

Teressa Getting something to eat, then going to<br />

hang out with all your friends in the McDonald’s<br />

parking lot.<br />

Hannah Going to a scary movie and getting<br />

ice cream afterwards.<br />

As a child, what was your favorite<br />

sweet treat?<br />

Eloise Once a week, we were able to go to the<br />

store and get a candy bar–always a Baby Ruth.<br />

Teressa Petit Fours from Primos.<br />

Hannah Cosmic Brownies<br />

Brooklyn Kit-Kat (she calls them Kitty-Kat)<br />

Who was your favorite movie star?<br />

Eloise Elvis Presley<br />

Teressa Patrick Swayze<br />

Hannah Hillary Duff<br />

Brooklyn Mickey Mouse<br />

Briefly describe a typical church service<br />

you remember as a child.<br />

Eloise We went to church every Sunday no matter<br />

what. We always sang the 1st, 2nd, and last verse<br />

of every hymn. We would memorize all the words<br />

and page numbers.<br />

Teressa We went to Sunday school every Sunday<br />

and then church. The entire family set on the back<br />

row and if we talked, our mom would make us<br />

come sit right next to her.<br />

Hannah Waking up early and going to Sunday<br />

school and then staying for the church service.<br />

Brooklyn Going to church each Sunday and<br />

waiting on the preacher to come get me and take<br />

me to children’s church!<br />

What was your favorite family vacation<br />

growing up?<br />

Eloise Each year, on the 4th of July, we always<br />

traveled to our annual family reunion.<br />

Teressa Going to Gatlinburg with the entire<br />

family.<br />

Hannah Going to Gulf Shores each year.<br />

How did your parents discipline you?<br />

Eloise Our daddy just gave us a look that would<br />

freeze you.<br />

Teressa We would get spanked with a wooden<br />

spoon and then have to get in front of the TV to<br />

hug and say I’m sorry to the sibling that you<br />

fought with.<br />

Hannah They either took something away or<br />

spanked me.<br />

Brooklyn Gets put in corner.<br />

What is the most important value<br />

your parents taught you?<br />

Eloise Your word is your bond; Say it, Mean it,<br />

Do it!<br />

Teressa To always respect and to say “yes ma’am,<br />

no ma’am and yes sir, no sir” to our elders.<br />

Hannah Always give to the less fortunate and<br />

treat others how you want to be treated.<br />

What was a favorite Christmas memory?<br />

Eloise Getting a bike for Christmas that had to be<br />

shared with a sibling but still being so grateful!<br />

Teressa Getting to sit in front of our silver tinsel<br />

tree with the color wheel that made the tree<br />

change colors.<br />

Hannah My parents getting me my first cell<br />

phone!<br />

How did you celebrate birthdays<br />

as a child?<br />

Eloise I don’t remember ever really celebrating<br />

birthdays.<br />

Teressa We had parties and always got to invite<br />

friends over.<br />

Hannah My parents and I always went out to eat<br />

and had the restaurant sing happy birthday!<br />

Brooklyn Having party with family and friends.<br />

What was your scariest thought or<br />

biggest fear growing up?<br />

Eloise Being scared of the dark.<br />

Teressa I was always scared that someone was<br />

going to kidnap me because my brothers and<br />

sister always told me that.<br />

Hannah My scariest thought was always losing<br />

one of my parents.<br />

What was a family tradition that you<br />

insist or insisted on passing down?<br />

Eloise Getting together every Sunday with all the<br />

family regardless of what was going on.<br />

Teressa We always get together one night over<br />

the weekend to cook, usually on Sunday late<br />

afternoons and everyone comes.<br />

Hannah Always going to communion on<br />

Christmas Eve.<br />

What chore did you most dislike<br />

as a teenager?<br />

Eloise As a child, my chore every day was to wash<br />

the dishes and wipe down the cabinets. We<br />

washed in one pan and rinsed in another pan.<br />

Teressa My job was to dust and I still don’t like it<br />

as of today.<br />

Hannah Washing dishes!<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 49


Glenda Vinson<br />

Graduated from<br />

Puckett in 1952<br />

Ashley Shivers<br />

Graduated from<br />

Puckett in 1999<br />

Brooke Elizabeth<br />

Shivers<br />

6 Years Old<br />

Brenda Vinson Murphy<br />

Graduated from<br />

Brandon High in 1976<br />

50 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


What was your favorite childhood game?<br />

Glenda Tag. And I enjoyed riding our horse “Dilly”.<br />

Brenda Hopscotch.<br />

Ashley Red Rover.<br />

Brooke Hide and go seek.<br />

Describe a typical high school outfit<br />

you would wear to school.<br />

Glenda Homemade skirt and blouse with a<br />

sweater and bobbie socks with saddle oxfords.<br />

Brenda Bright colored bell-bottomed pants with<br />

colorful tops, jeans, and skirts.<br />

Ashley Colored jeans with matching socks,<br />

Dexters and body suits or tucked-in shirts.<br />

Brooke T-shirt and leggings.<br />

What age were you allowed to<br />

begin dating?<br />

Glenda 17 and had to be home by 10pm.<br />

Brenda 16.<br />

Ashley 15.<br />

Describe a date night during your<br />

generation.<br />

Glenda Movie or just get together with friends.<br />

Brenda Movies.<br />

Ashley Go out to eat, sometimes bowling or a<br />

movie, then go ride “the block” in Magee or back<br />

to Puckett to “hang out”.<br />

As a child, what was your favorite<br />

sweet treat?<br />

Glenda Homemade ice cream.<br />

Brenda Homemade vanilla ice cream.<br />

Ashley GG’s apple dumplings.<br />

Brooke Cotton candy ice cream.<br />

Who was your favorite movie star?<br />

Glenda Loretta Young<br />

Brenda Farrah Fawcett<br />

Ashley Julia Roberts, Matthew McConaughey<br />

Brooke Elsa and Anna<br />

Briefly describe a typical church service<br />

you remember as a child.<br />

Glenda Singing old hymns and preaching.<br />

Brenda Sitting quietly and reverently<br />

– traditional service.<br />

Ashley Traditional service – singing, greeting,<br />

and preaching.<br />

Brooke Going down to children church.<br />

What was your favorite family vacation<br />

growing up?<br />

Glenda Going to the mountains in Tennessee.<br />

Brenda Six Flags in Texas.<br />

Ashley My GG & Papa (Glenda and Brent)<br />

took my brother and me to Disney World.<br />

Brooke The beach.<br />

How did your parents discipline you?<br />

Glenda Spanking.<br />

Brenda Spanking.<br />

Ashley Spankings with a belt or grounding<br />

from going out.<br />

Brooke Get grounded from things I like.<br />

What do you think was the most<br />

important value your parents taught you?<br />

Glenda Hard work and honesty. Always going<br />

to church.<br />

Brenda Respect, equality, love of family and<br />

family gatherings.<br />

Ashley Christian based values and respect.<br />

Brooke How to use good manners.<br />

How did you celebrate birthdays<br />

as a child?<br />

Glenda Mamma would cook my favorite meal<br />

and make my favorite cake. No big party.<br />

Brenda Birthday cake and ice cream with friends<br />

and family.<br />

Ashley McDonald’s or Chuck E. Cheese’s.<br />

Brooke Pump It Up. Magician. Swimming.<br />

What is a favorite Christmas memory?<br />

Glenda Going to my grandparents and being<br />

with my cousins.<br />

Brenda Santa bringing me a baton and a little red<br />

dress (costume made by my momma) to twirl the<br />

baton in.<br />

Ashley Christmas Eve at GG & Papa’s was and<br />

still is the highlight of my Christmas.<br />

Brooke Disney World tickets.<br />

What was your scariest thought or<br />

biggest fear growing up?<br />

Glenda Very fearful of snakes and wild animals.<br />

Brenda Being run over by a cow. Dad told me to<br />

stand at the gate on the farm, not let the cows out.<br />

I took off running and told him “I wasn’t a<br />

country girl.” Now I live in the country. HA!<br />

Ashley Making bad grades.<br />

Brooke Sleeping by myself.<br />

What was a family tradition that you<br />

insist or insisted on passing down?<br />

Glenda Regular family gatherings.<br />

Brenda Family gathering on Christmas Eve night<br />

eating chili and soup, waiting on Santa’s arrival by<br />

tracking him when news came on.<br />

Ashley Annual beach trip to Seagrove with the<br />

“Puckett Crew” the week of July 4 with all of our<br />

family and a lot of our friends.<br />

What chore did you most dislike<br />

as a teenager?<br />

Glenda Any outside work.<br />

Brenda Dusting furniture.<br />

Ashley Dusting/polishing furniture.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 51


Jessie Cleo Bailey<br />

(Memaw)<br />

Graduated from<br />

Brandon High School<br />

in 1938<br />

Barbara Burrage Sanders<br />

Graduated from<br />

Brandon Academy<br />

in 1978<br />

Shelby Sanders Ezell<br />

Graduated from<br />

Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

in 2011<br />

Patricia Bailey Burrage<br />

(Nani)<br />

Graduated from<br />

Brandon High School<br />

in 1957<br />

52 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


What was your favorite childhood game?<br />

Cleo Hopscotch and skating.<br />

Pat Being an only child for 13 years I didn’t play<br />

many games. Loved paper dolls and Monopoly<br />

and canasta as I grew older.<br />

Barbara Barbies, spoons, cards, and playing<br />

basketball in the driveway.<br />

Shelby My brother and I would always make<br />

“forts” in our bedrooms and play for hours.<br />

Describe a typical high school outfit you<br />

would wear to school.<br />

Cleo A print dress.<br />

Pat Circular skirts or gathered skirts I made from<br />

colorful feed sacks with designs, and a blouse<br />

or sweater.<br />

Barbara Pantsuit or jeans.<br />

Shelby Jeans and a cute shirt.<br />

What age were you allowed to<br />

begin dating?<br />

Cleo 14<br />

Pat Early teens, I think.<br />

Barbara 15<br />

Shelby 16<br />

Describe a date night during your<br />

generation.<br />

Cleo The boy came to my house and we just sat<br />

around. He had to go home at ten.<br />

Pat 25¢ movies, hot dog and cake afterword.<br />

Barbara A movie and pizza.<br />

Shelby We would typically just go to the movies<br />

and grab dinner somewhere.<br />

As a child, what was your favorite<br />

sweet treat?<br />

Cleo Ice cream.<br />

Pat Tea cakes, the old timey ones.<br />

Barbara Chocolate soda at Dairy Queen.<br />

Shelby My mom would always make blueberry<br />

trifle and still does to this day. Yum!<br />

Who was your favorite movie star?<br />

Cleo Clark Gable.<br />

Pat Elvis and Roy Rogers.<br />

Barbara I didn’t have one.<br />

Shelby I don’t have one.<br />

What chore did you most dislike<br />

as a teenager?<br />

Cleo Washing dishes.<br />

Pat Dust-mopping the floors. I didn’t especially like<br />

washing Sunday dinner dishes, either.<br />

Barbara Doing dishes.<br />

Shelby Keeping my room clean.<br />

Briefly describe a typical church service<br />

you remember as a child.<br />

Cleo Sunday school first then to the sanctuary for<br />

song service and preaching.<br />

Pat Unlike today, you sat quietly in the sanctuary<br />

upon entering until leaving. We sang hymns and<br />

listened to long sermons. We certainly did not<br />

write or mark in our Bible.<br />

Barbara Very traditional hymns sung from a<br />

hymnal and service – and no talking.<br />

Shelby We would always meet Nani and my aunt<br />

and uncle for church.<br />

What was your favorite family vacation<br />

growing up?<br />

Cleo We didn’t go on vacation.<br />

Pat We didn’t have family vacations.<br />

Barbara Going to the beach in a camper with<br />

family and friends.<br />

Shelby Every year we take a family beach trip.<br />

We love the beach!<br />

How did your parents discipline you?<br />

Cleo With a switch.<br />

Pat You were sent out to get a peach tree switch.<br />

And not too small or you had to go choose<br />

another one!<br />

Barbara Only one or two spankings with a<br />

switch, and I was grounded.<br />

Shelby I always went over on my minutes for<br />

my cell phone and would get grounded for<br />

months on end.<br />

What was the most important value<br />

your parents taught you?<br />

Cleo The value of a dime. To make do with what<br />

you had.<br />

Pat Save everything. You might not be able to find<br />

or buy another one. Church and God.<br />

Barbara Family comes first. Be kind to others,<br />

have patience, work hard, and be honest.<br />

Shelby My parents taught me to always stand up<br />

for what I believe in.<br />

How did you celebrate birthdays<br />

as a child?<br />

Cleo With a birthday cake and a gift.<br />

Pat I always had a birthday cake and a present or<br />

two. I only remember one party with guests or<br />

friends.<br />

Barbara Birthday cake from Daily Maid and<br />

family dinners.<br />

Shelby Birthdays were always a big deal in our<br />

household. We would always have a homemade<br />

chocolate cake with chocolate icing.<br />

What was a favorite Christmas memory?<br />

Cleo Being around the tree which was lit with<br />

real candles.<br />

Pat Having Christmas with extended family.<br />

They would come over to sing Christmas hymns<br />

and exchange gifts with their siblings and other<br />

family members.<br />

Barbara The year we got a car and the keys were<br />

hidden in the tree. And going to my grandmothers<br />

and waiting for Santa to come.<br />

Shelby Memaw would always tell the story of<br />

Christmas, reminding everybody what the season<br />

is really about.<br />

What was your scariest thought or<br />

biggest fear growing up?<br />

Cleo I had a fear of mad or rabid dogs.<br />

Pat At night, I would always hurry to close my<br />

bedroom door before something in the dark<br />

would get me.<br />

Barbara I don’t remember being afraid of<br />

anything. We were happy and safe.<br />

Shelby 9/11 happened when I was in the 3rd<br />

grade so I never really have known a life without<br />

the threat of terrorism.<br />

What was a family tradition that you<br />

insist or insisted on passing down?<br />

Cleo Our Christmas and Thanksgiving family<br />

get-togethers with meals.<br />

Pat Christmas is a special time spent with family<br />

for food, fellowship, gifts, and celebrating Jesus’<br />

birthday, most of all.<br />

Barbara When I was a child, we always went on<br />

family vacations and I have continued it as my<br />

children have grown. Our Christmas holidays are<br />

full of tradition, too. I hope my children will keep<br />

these going.<br />

Shelby On New Year’s Eve, we would all gather in<br />

the living room wearing our New Year’s hats that<br />

my mom and dad bought the first year they were<br />

married. They had a glass of wine, my brother and<br />

I had Sprite in our wine glasses and would eat<br />

pistachios while staying up for the ball drop.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 53


Bethany Sabins<br />

(daughter of Carolyn)<br />

Graduated from<br />

Richland High School<br />

in 2005<br />

Carolyn Boteler<br />

Graduated from<br />

Florence High School<br />

in 1973<br />

Jamie Higdon<br />

(daughter of Carolyn)<br />

Graduated from<br />

Richland High School<br />

in 1996<br />

Sydney & Karlie Higdon<br />

Ages 10 & 7<br />

Betty Black Quick<br />

Graduated from<br />

Crystal Springs High School<br />

in 1948<br />

54 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


What was your favorite childhood game?<br />

Betty Skating in the street.<br />

Carolyn We lived in a house that was above<br />

ground and we could play under the house. I had<br />

two brothers and a neighborhood full of boys so<br />

we had the best roads to play with cars under the<br />

house. I had a Barbie playhouse made out of<br />

cardboard and I loved to make clothes for my<br />

one Barbie and Ken.<br />

Jamie Afternoons were spent outside climbing<br />

trees or playing on the swingset. My aunt taught<br />

me how to play a fierce game of solitaire, too.<br />

Bethany Softball. From the age of 5 to 18, I<br />

played some type of softball. It may have been<br />

slow pitch or fast pitch, rec ball or select ball, and<br />

even school ball, starting in junior high. Even as<br />

an adult, I have played a few co-ed softball games.<br />

Describe a typical high school outfit you<br />

would wear to school.<br />

Betty A gathered skirt and a button-up-the front<br />

shirt made by my mother.<br />

Carolyn Mini dresses in double knit polyester<br />

were the latest trend along with bell-bottom pants.<br />

Jamie Most days were just jeans and a t-shirt.<br />

Bethany Unless I had to wear my cheerleading<br />

uniform or my ROTC uniform, I would go for<br />

t-shirts with jeans, sweats, or gym shorts.<br />

What age were you allowed to<br />

begin dating?<br />

Betty I didn’t do much dating but probably in the<br />

10th or 11th grade of high school.<br />

Carolyn 15 with a group and 16 on a single date.<br />

Jamie I think I was about 15 when my parents<br />

allowed me to start dating.<br />

Bethany I began “dating” in junior high, but did<br />

not actually go on a real date until freshman year<br />

of high school.<br />

Describe a date night during your<br />

generation.<br />

Betty We would go to the drive in theatre and<br />

had a Coke and popcorn. The cost was 50 cents<br />

for everything. I am still married to the person I<br />

dated and we are celebrating 67 years this year.<br />

Carolyn We would go to the drive in movie in<br />

Pearl or on Hwy. 80 in Jackson. Then we would<br />

go to McDonalds. Of course, the other hang out<br />

was the infamous Chuck Wagon on Hwy 49.<br />

Jamie Friday nights were often spent at a football<br />

game or at someone’s house watching movies.<br />

Bethany Date nights for me included anything<br />

from hanging out at a friend’s house, going to the<br />

movie, going out to eat, or going bowling.<br />

As a child, what was your favorite<br />

sweet treat?<br />

Betty My grandmother’s homemade tea cakes.<br />

Carolyn We lived across the street from a little<br />

store and for a dime we could get a Coke in a glass<br />

bottle and lots of candy.<br />

Jamie A Coke Icee after school from Bridges<br />

Quickie!<br />

Bethany Hands down, a Coke Icee! And I still<br />

love them today!<br />

Who was your favorite movie star?<br />

Betty Shirley Temple<br />

Carolyn Honestly, I don’t remember watching a<br />

lot of TV so I didn’t have a favorite movie star.<br />

We played outside most of the time. I always<br />

wanted to watch the Wizard of Oz but it came on<br />

Sunday nights and we were at church. We only<br />

had one TV and it was black and white. We didn’t<br />

get a color TV until I was a teenager.<br />

Jamie Brad Pitt was a favorite, but my walls were<br />

covered with posters of New Kids on the Block.<br />

Bethany To be honest, I can’t think of a favorite<br />

movie star. I enjoy watching movies, but rarely<br />

had/have time to watch them.<br />

Briefly describe a typical church service<br />

you remember as a child.<br />

Betty I went to a small country church, Pilgrim’s<br />

Rest Baptist Church in Crystal Springs. There, my<br />

Sunday school teacher told me about Jesus. My<br />

pastor was a Mississippi College student but he<br />

was very good. After that, we moved to town and<br />

went to First Baptist Church. It was there we<br />

attended with our grandparents, as well. I knew<br />

better than to act up in church. We sat still and<br />

listened. There was no children’s church.<br />

Carolyn We were always at church as a family.<br />

On Sunday mornings, we could go to church<br />

with our Bible, our offering envelope that had<br />

attendance, stay for church, read my Bible daily, all<br />

marked. (I certainly could not go to church with<br />

everything not marked!) I would wear a dress,<br />

patent leather shoes that I picked out for my<br />

birthday at Kennington’s downtown, and matching<br />

purse and gloves. I knew better than to misbehave<br />

in church or I would get in serious trouble when<br />

I got home.<br />

Jamie Sundays always began with Sunday school<br />

and then worship service. I grew up singing out of<br />

the Baptist hymnal.<br />

Bethany Every Sunday we would go to Sunday<br />

school and worship service. I loved spending<br />

time with friends at church and sitting in the front<br />

middle section as a part of our youth group. We<br />

all thought we were super cool when we were<br />

finally able to sit with the youth group.<br />

What was your favorite family vacation<br />

growing up?<br />

Betty We didn’t have family vacations because we<br />

couldn’t afford it.<br />

Carolyn We would always go to my aunt’s house<br />

in the Delta. We would play in the woods with my<br />

cousins, shell many bushels of peas or butter<br />

beans, and then put them up. We looked forward<br />

to that every summer.<br />

Jamie Snow skiing was, and still is, a favorite family<br />

getaway.<br />

Bethany It is hard to pick just one, but I loved our<br />

trip to San Diego, California, and Puerto Vallarta,<br />

Mexico. Also, we have been snow skiing<br />

numerous times in Colorado, Utah, and New<br />

Mexico. I love these trips as well.<br />

How did your parents discipline you?<br />

Betty I only got two spankings in my lifetime. My<br />

mother spanked me with a comb and my daddy<br />

with a yardstick that my mother used for sewing. I<br />

got tongue lashings from my mother.<br />

Carolyn My mother would spank me with a<br />

switch. Daddy used the good ol’ belt. Of course I<br />

was the good child and didn’t have to get many<br />

spankings.<br />

Jamie My mom will tell you I spent many hours as<br />

a child sitting in the corner.<br />

Bethany I was a little stubborn (and still can be),<br />

so I’ve had it all–grounded from TV and phone,<br />

grounded to my room, mouth washed out with<br />

soap, spankings with a belt or switch, and even a<br />

few extra chores.<br />

What was the most important value your<br />

parents taught you?<br />

Betty Church was an important part of life; and to<br />

be truthful in everything.<br />

Carolyn To have God first in my life and then to<br />

do my best.<br />

Jamie Set your priorities. Always put God first<br />

and family second.<br />

Bethany Hard work.<br />

How did you celebrate birthdays as a<br />

child?<br />

Betty My best friend was 5 days older than me<br />

and, at the age of five, we started spending our<br />

birthdays together and continue to do that now.<br />

Carol Pevey Clay and I have been friends for 82<br />

years. Our families were friends as well.<br />

Carolyn We didn’t have birthday parties like my<br />

girls or my grandchildren. We had a homemade<br />

cake with candles. It was a family gathering.<br />

Jamie Birthdays always included lots of friends<br />

and family.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 55


Bethany My mom loves to decorate and celebrate any holiday, including<br />

birthdays. We usually had a family dinner on the day of your birthday to<br />

celebrate and then I would have a birthday party with friends that weekend.<br />

What was a favorite Christmas memory?<br />

Betty I played dolls as a child and one of my favorite Christmases was when<br />

one of my older friends gave me a doll dresser for my dollhouse.<br />

Carolyn The first year that Santa did not come at night was so sad to me.<br />

He came while we were across the street at the little store. We always had a<br />

“real” tree that we could go to the woods and cut down.<br />

Jamie Christmas Eve is always spent with my dad’s extended family and<br />

Christmas night with my mom’s side of the family. Gathering around the table<br />

and spending time with cousins, aunts and uncles are always special times.<br />

Bethany I can remember one year, on Christmas morning, we were<br />

opening our presents from Santa. Dad and I noticed a large deer in the<br />

pasture behind the house. So Dad and I stopped opening presents and<br />

tried to stalk and kill the deer. I was in a t-shirt, pajama shorts, and flip flops<br />

walking through the pasture that was covered in frost! Dad and I were<br />

unsuccessful on stalking and killing the deer, but it was definitely one of my<br />

favorite memories.<br />

What was your scariest thought or biggest fear growing up ?<br />

Betty I didn’t have a fear of anything.<br />

Carolyn I don’t remember being scared of anything or having any fears.<br />

That means I felt very secure in my surroundings and having parents to<br />

take care of me.<br />

Jamie I don’t really remember having any fears.<br />

Bethany I don’t recall a scary thought or a big fear, but I was a “worrier”<br />

about everything. I had ulcers in my mouth all the time that I had to swish<br />

a solution of Benadryl, Maalox and Lidocaine. I also had shingles at the<br />

age of 12 that Dr. Polk told me were due to stress and worrying!<br />

What was a family tradition that you insist or insisted on<br />

passing down?<br />

Betty Getting the family together as often as possible. Making fruit cake<br />

was passed on to me and it stopped there.<br />

Carolyn I think going to church is the most important things that my<br />

parents taught me and that we have carried on with our daughters. There<br />

was never a question on Saturday night if we were going to church but<br />

rather get your clothes out and mark your envelope and put it in your Bible.<br />

Jamie Sunday lunch with family.<br />

Bethany My immediate family gets together for most all holidays,<br />

including New Year’s, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day,<br />

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays. My extended family gets<br />

together for Christmas, as well! I want my little boy to grow up and<br />

remember the holidays spent with family!<br />

What chore did you most dislike as a teenager?<br />

Betty Bringing in wood for the fireplace because that was how we heated<br />

our house.<br />

Carolyn Without a doubt, folding clothes. As a child it would be hanging<br />

clothes out on the clothesline when it was cold. We didn’t have a dryer.<br />

Jamie Being 9 years older than my sister, she was always tagging along after<br />

school and on dates.<br />

Bethany All of them!<br />

56 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 57


58 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 59


60 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

A Night With The Stars<br />

Special Needs Prom<br />

Febuary 28, <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 61


62 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


ankin<br />

RECIPES<br />

Apple Pie<br />

• 3 apples, Granny Smith<br />

• 1 stick margarine<br />

• 1 egg<br />

• ¼ tsp. cinnamon<br />

• ½ cup flour<br />

• 1 deep-dish pie crust<br />

• 1 regular pie crust<br />

• 1 ¼ cups sugar<br />

• 1 tsp. vanilla<br />

Peel apples. Core and slice into chunks. Mix flour,<br />

sugar and cinnamon. Melt margarine and add to<br />

sugar mixture. Add egg and vanilla and stir well.<br />

Add chopped apples to mixture and pour into<br />

deep crust. Regular crust should be removed<br />

from pan and thawed. Place it on top and trim.<br />

Pinch edges of both crust together. Bake at 325°<br />

for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold.<br />

Two cups blueberries, 3 cups peaches or 3 cups<br />

pears may be substituted for the apples.<br />

Hot Corn Casserole<br />

• 2 cans white whole kernel corn<br />

• 8 oz. cream cheese<br />

• ½ cup butter<br />

• ½ cup cut-up jalapeno peppers<br />

Mix all together. Bake at 350° until bubbly<br />

Chocolate Chip Cake<br />

• 1 cup cooking oil<br />

• 1 (6-oz.) box instant chocolate pudding mix<br />

• 4 eggs<br />

• 1 T. vanilla<br />

• ¼ cup water<br />

• 1 package butter flavor cake mix<br />

• 8-oz. sour cream<br />

• 6-oz chocolate chips<br />

Mix well; cook in greased bundt pan. Bake at 325°<br />

for 1 hour. Cool 10-15 minutes.<br />

Coconut Cake with<br />

Sour Cream Filling<br />

• 1 butter yellow cake mix<br />

• 8-oz. sour cream<br />

• 2 cups sugar<br />

• 3 packages fozen fresh coconut<br />

• 1 large Cool Whip<br />

Mix cake as directed and bake in 2 layers; cool.<br />

Slice layers in half to make 4 thin layers. Mix sour<br />

cream, sugar and 2 packages of coconut. Let sit<br />

1 hour. Serve out 1 cup and mix with cool whip.<br />

Spread rest of filling between layers. Frost top<br />

and sides with Cool Whip mixture. Sprinkle the<br />

other pack of coconut on top and sides. Best if<br />

refrigerated for 3 days before serving. Freezes<br />

well if covered tightly.<br />

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole<br />

• 2 cans cream of chicken soup<br />

• 1 whole chicken or 4 chicken breasts<br />

• 2 packages crushed Ritz crackers<br />

• 1 stick margarine melted<br />

• 1 T. poppy seed<br />

• 8-oz. sour cream<br />

Broil chicken, pull off bone and chop into pieces.<br />

Mix with soup, sour cream and poppy seeds. Put<br />

into long dish and top with crackers. Melt butter<br />

and pour over crackers. Bake at 350° for 30 or 40<br />

minutes or until browned.<br />

Homemade<br />

Strawberry Ice Cream<br />

• 2 cans condensed milk<br />

• 1 pint whipping cream<br />

• 1 large package strawberries<br />

Finish filling one-gallon ice cream freezer container<br />

to freezer line with 2% milk.<br />

Mexican Cornbread<br />

• 1 ½ cup corn meal<br />

• 1 T. sugar<br />

• 3 tsp. baking powder<br />

• 1 tsp. salt<br />

• ¾ cup cheese<br />

• 1 cup cream corn<br />

• 1/3 cup oil<br />

• 2 eggs<br />

• Jalapeno pepper to taste<br />

• 1 cup buttermilk<br />

Mix together. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes.<br />

Evelyn McMillan has lived in Pelahatchie for most of her life. Family and friends have been the grateful recipients<br />

of her home-cooked meals for many years. She has many requested recipes, but her coconut cake is a long-time favorite.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 63


64 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 65


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66 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 67


<strong>Rankin</strong> County Chamber, Pearl Public School District,<br />

& <strong>Rankin</strong> County School District<br />

honored National Board Certified Teachers & Staff<br />

Thursday, February 16 at Table 100 in Flowood<br />

68 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


SERVING OUR COUNTY<br />

Deputy Drew Payne<br />

RANKIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT<br />

Why did you decide to become a Sheriff<br />

Deputy?<br />

The same reason all officers get into law enforcement.<br />

For the money! OK, that statement is not accurate at all.<br />

It sounds cliché, but it’s a true calling. I felt God calling me<br />

to this department and it’s the only one I applied to. I enjoy<br />

helping people and a career in law enforcement provides<br />

multiple ways to help people.<br />

How long have you been with the<br />

<strong>Rankin</strong> County Sheriff’s Office?<br />

This November will make 10 years.<br />

Tell us about your family.<br />

I grew up on a family farm, which still operates today.<br />

I have a younger brother in college at Mississippi State.<br />

My wife is a nurse at UMC. We have 5 dogs. One belongs<br />

to the Sheriff’s Department, K9 Voodoo. He goes almost<br />

everywhere I go and he beats me to the truck when it’s<br />

time to go to work.<br />

What is the toughest thing you have<br />

experienced in your job?<br />

The “toughest thing” can vary with each officer. For me,<br />

I would have to say notifications. Walking up to a person<br />

that you’ve never met and having to tell them that their<br />

loved one has been hurt or has died is tough. You know<br />

that what you’re about to say is going to change their life.<br />

You watch their world crumble in front of you. It’s that<br />

moment and those exchange of words that I never forget.<br />

Share some things you enjoy doing in your<br />

spare time.<br />

Anything that has to do with hunting and fishing. As soon<br />

as one season ends, I gear up for the next.<br />

Who is someone you admire and why?<br />

I admire those that I’ve met that have had to endure<br />

personal tragedies or difficult endeavors. Despite the<br />

challenge, they continue to press on without feeling sorry<br />

for themselves. I think they deserve the most admiration.<br />

Where do you see yourself in ten years?<br />

Hopefully, I’ll be wherever God is needing me.<br />

If you could give one piece of advice to<br />

a young person, what would it be?<br />

Most people don’t ever start because they don’t want to<br />

be seen starting at the bottom. Don’t be most people.<br />

What is a favorite childhood memory?<br />

The countless hours hunting and fishing with my<br />

grandpaw.<br />

What is the biggest mistake you think<br />

young people make today?<br />

I think the biggest mistake anyone, not just young people,<br />

can make is automatically rejecting something they know<br />

nothing about.<br />

What is your favorite thing about<br />

<strong>Rankin</strong> County?<br />

The people. There are a lot of great citizens in <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

County. I was getting fuel at a service station in Brandon<br />

a few weeks ago and a couple pulled in behind me but<br />

they never got out. Once I was done fueling, he pulled<br />

up beside me and said “I got your six brother,” and drove<br />

away. There is always some type of benefit where someone<br />

or a group is trying to help provide for someone else’s<br />

needs. It’s just a great place to live and work.<br />

What are three things on your bucket list?<br />

I don’t really have a bucket list. I’m a spur-of-the-momenttype<br />

person.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 69


70 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


From<br />

Goal<br />

to<br />

Beth Bowman<br />

GOLD<br />

From the love of a grandmother and encouragement of<br />

family in one of the smallest towns in Mississippi, Tori Bowie<br />

emerged to become a three time Olympic champion.<br />

Tori’s story doesn’t begin the way most award winning athlete’s stories begin.<br />

She was given up by her mother and placed in foster care at two years of age.<br />

After a court battle, her grandmother, Bobbi Smith was able to adopt Tori and her<br />

sister, Tamarra. Bobbi provided the consistent love, encouragement and care that<br />

Tori and her sister so desperately needed.<br />

Growing up in Sand Hill, Tori did many of the things that kids do in small<br />

towns–including learning to play outdoors in the mild Mississippi weather. Often,<br />

she and her sister, and a multitude of cousins, would have contests to see who<br />

could run the fastest, who could jump the farthest over the ditch, or who could<br />

shoot the most baskets. These games became the background for Tori as she<br />

entered middle school and high school. She began to see how God had created<br />

her body for sports and competition. Tori began to realize her potential.<br />

At Pisgah High, Tori played basketball and competed in track and field.<br />

She was a two-time high school state champion in 100m, 200m, and long jump.<br />

Many schools offered scholarships her senior year of high school but she ended<br />

up at the University of Southern Mississippi where she continued competing in the<br />

long jump. In 2011 she was a two time NCAA champion in the outdoor and indoor<br />

long jump.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 71


An accident left Tori on the couch with a broken jaw in 2012–watching<br />

the Olympics. It was the first time she had really watched the competition. She<br />

remembers saying to her uncle, “I am going to compete in the next Olympics.”<br />

And although she didn’t know exactly the path that would take, she had set her<br />

heart and mind on the goal to compete in Rio in 2016.<br />

Although the majority of her success in sports had not been derived from<br />

sprinting, Tori knew she wanted to change from the long jump to sprinting and<br />

so she convinced her coach to let her train. Later in 2012, she won a bid to train<br />

at the Olympic training facility in Florida and she moved there to work toward her<br />

Olympic goal.<br />

In Florida, Tori found her sweet spot in the sprint but she discovered a far<br />

more important sweet spot–trusting in God. She shared, “When I moved to Florida,<br />

it was my first time to be away from all my family. I learned to trust and depend on<br />

God completely.” Out of her loneliness, Tori found that she could depend on the<br />

Lord for strength. One of her popular Instagram posts is Habakkuk 3:19,<br />

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like<br />

the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on to new heights.”<br />

The world was watching, as was <strong>Rankin</strong> County, as Tori achieved her dreams in<br />

the August 2016 Rio Olympics. She won three Olympic medals including gold in<br />

the 4x100 relay, silver in the 100-meter dash, and bronze in the 200-meter dash.<br />

Her Olympic records make her the fastest woman in the USA and the second<br />

fastest woman in the world.<br />

Tori’s humility is easy to see and she credits her family with keeping her rooted<br />

and grounded. She credits God with her athletic ability. “I do my work in training but<br />

I give God all of the praise for the outcomes,” Tori remarked during the interview.<br />

This girl loves Mississippi and <strong>Rankin</strong> County. In between her shoots for Adidas<br />

commercials, modeling gigs and training for her next gold medal, Tori comes home<br />

to Sand Hill as often as possible. And when she is home, what is her favorite activity?<br />

She loves to pick up her younger brothers and sisters and hang out with them.<br />

Tori shared in the interview that she wants her siblings to know their big sister.<br />

No doubt the time spent together will involve some backyard races, ditch jumping<br />

and shooting hoops. Who knows? The next gold medal Olympian may be starting<br />

to train among the security and love of family in our very own <strong>Rankin</strong> County.<br />

72 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


DON’T MISS TORI AS<br />

SHE COMPETES IN THE<br />

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS<br />

IN LONDON, ENGLAND<br />

THIS SUMMER!<br />

TORI’S FAVORITE<br />

MISSISSIPPI FOODS<br />

Anything cooked by<br />

her grandmother but<br />

especially homemade<br />

biscuits, chicken and<br />

dumplings, chitterlings<br />

and gravy.<br />

TORI’S CUCUMBER<br />

RECIPE<br />

Slice home grown<br />

cucumbers in ¼” slices,<br />

add salt and pepper<br />

and a splash of vinegar.<br />

Delicious!<br />

TORI’S ADVICE TO<br />

MISSISSIPPI KIDS<br />

Embrace your journey.<br />

Use all of your story to<br />

motivate you to achieve<br />

your goals.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 73


74 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 75


76 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Walker<br />

Wilbanks<br />

Leaving a Legacy of Life<br />

SUSAN MARQUEZ<br />

65 22<br />

On an evening like any other,<br />

Sheila Wilbanks was in her<br />

kitchen, preparing dinner for<br />

her family. Their teenage son,<br />

Walker, strolled in and asked<br />

a simple question. “Mama, are<br />

you an organ donor?”<br />

That brief encounter later made the<br />

difference in the lives of five people, and the<br />

lives of friends, family, future children and<br />

even future grandchildren. “I had never<br />

really thought about it,” said Sheila. “Walker<br />

asked me why I wasn’t a donor, then he told<br />

me that he wanted to do it.” Walker was<br />

sixteen, and about to get his driver’s license.<br />

In Mississippi, people have an option to be<br />

an organ/tissue donor by marking a box on<br />

their driver’s license form. “He kind of<br />

pressed the point, so I told him I’d do it.”<br />

A few months later, Sheila and her husband<br />

David, found themselves in a hospital waiting<br />

room facing the unimaginable. Walker had<br />

just passed away. According to Dr. Joe M.<br />

Pressler, Director of Pulmonary and Critical<br />

Care at University of Mississippi Medical<br />

Center, Walker suffered from cerebral<br />

edema secondary to exercise-associated<br />

hyponatremia. It happened during a Jackson<br />

Prep football game where Walker, a junior,<br />

was playing in the season opener against<br />

Oxford High School. During the first half,<br />

Walker’s sodium level dropped so low that a<br />

shift of water into and out of his brain tissue<br />

caused the brain to swell–so much so that<br />

the skull caused compression of his brain.<br />

Walker died the following Monday afternoon,<br />

on August 25, 2014.<br />

In the hospital, a family care specialist<br />

from the Mississippi Organ Recovery<br />

Agency (MORA) asked the Wilbanks if<br />

they would consider donating Walker’s<br />

organs to others in need. “My first reaction<br />

was ‘No,’” said David Wilbanks. “I couldn’t<br />

imagine them cutting my baby.” But Sheila’s<br />

mind went right back to the conversation<br />

she and Walker had had in her kitchen. “He<br />

wanted to be an organ donor,” Sheila told<br />

David. She recounted their conversation–<br />

and David reluctantly agreed.<br />

That decision, on that most tragic day,<br />

meant extended life for five people. “It was<br />

a God-thing,” said David. He went on to<br />

explain that MORA sends a letter to the<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 77


family, after the fact, and outlines what organs<br />

were used. “We know that Walker’s liver was<br />

placed in a 45-year-old man in Georgia. His<br />

heart went to a 14-year-old boy in Louisiana.<br />

The lungs went to someone in Florida, and<br />

each of his kidneys was given to a different<br />

person–one of those being Sara Thornberry,<br />

a 34-year-old in Fairhope, Alabama, who was<br />

dying from complications of diabetes. “Sara<br />

is the only recipient we’ve met,” said Sheila.<br />

“She also got Walker’s pancreas.”<br />

While the Wilbanks had a vague knowledge<br />

of MORA before Walker’s death, they are now<br />

very involved in the organization, attending<br />

and participating in events, and speaking to<br />

groups on MORA’s behalf. “It’s been like<br />

therapy for us,” said Sheila. “They are like<br />

family.”<br />

The Wilbanks’ active involvement with<br />

MORA came in 2015, when they attended a<br />

Wall of Heroes event at UMMC. “They had<br />

pictures of all the people who have donated<br />

organs, and it really hit us how important<br />

organ donation is. We talked to Chuck<br />

Stinson, because we knew, right then, that<br />

we had to put Walker’s story out there.”<br />

Stinson is the director of community<br />

service and relations for MORA, a position<br />

he’s held for eight years after a career as a<br />

television sportscaster. He said, “The Wilbanks<br />

family is very special. They are really like<br />

family to us. The fact that five people are<br />

alive and living active lives today is a testament<br />

to what Walker was about, and what the<br />

family is about. They honored his wishes.”<br />

“And it’s a testament to what MORA is<br />

about,” he went on to say. “We come to<br />

people at the absolute worst time of their<br />

lives, a time that was not expected, and we<br />

are there because there are after-life decisions<br />

that must be discussed. Because Walker had<br />

already had that conversation with his mother,<br />

she knew what to do. And because they made<br />

the decision they did, generations of lives are<br />

changed. It’s not just the recipient who is<br />

affected. It affects their loved ones, and even<br />

their future children and grandchildren. The<br />

impact of organ donation is far-reaching.”<br />

David Wilbanks said one of the first things<br />

they did was to speak at the State Capital.<br />

“We then raised $10,000 at an 8K race that<br />

was largely attended by Walker’s friends. We<br />

told them this was Walker’s senior party and<br />

we wanted them all to come!”<br />

The work the Wilbanks have done has<br />

helped to raise awareness of organ donation<br />

among the students at Jackson Prep, where<br />

their youngest son, Landon, is a junior. “Four<br />

kids in Walker’s class wrote essays and got<br />

scholarships from MORA,” David said. A<br />

Walker Wilbanks Scholarship Fund has been<br />

established with the current goal of giving<br />

scholarships for $2265 each year. Walker’s<br />

baseball jersey number was 22, and his<br />

football jersey number was 65. “We hope<br />

that eventually the fund will grow and we<br />

78 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


can give scholarships for $6522,” David<br />

continued.<br />

The numbers 22 and 65 have a special<br />

significance beyond jersey numbers. David<br />

had bumper stickers made with those same<br />

numbers and students and parents at<br />

Jackson Prep have displayed them on their<br />

vehicles. “We’ve had 22-65 sightings from<br />

across several states,” laughed David. “And<br />

each year, when kids begin getting their<br />

driver’s licenses, the requests for more<br />

bumper stickers come rolling in!”<br />

The Prep family has been essential in<br />

comforting the Wilbanks in their time of<br />

need. David said the hospital was inundated<br />

with students on the night Walker was taken<br />

to the emergency room. “The security<br />

guard told us there were 300 to 400 students<br />

assembled in the parking lot to pray for<br />

Walker.” The outpouring of prayer by so<br />

many has had far-reaching effects on the<br />

students. “We’ve been told that numerous<br />

kids were led to Christ because of that.”<br />

The Wilbanks are a faith-filled family,<br />

and they have seen the hand of God<br />

throughout their experiences. “I didn’t<br />

realize how much God was involved when<br />

he took Walker,” David said. “He spent two<br />

months during the summer of 2014 playing<br />

baseball on a special team in Georgia. I took<br />

a leave of absence from work and we lived in<br />

a motor home. It was a special time we had<br />

together, which I will be forever grateful for.<br />

When he wasn’t playing that summer,<br />

Walker was running and we joined a gym<br />

together, so he would work out. I think,<br />

looking back, that God was preparing Walker’s<br />

body to be as healthy as possible, so that his<br />

organs could be used by others when it was<br />

time for him to go.”<br />

Stinson said that although he never met<br />

Walker, he feels like he knows him well.<br />

“We learn so much about the donors, and<br />

we get really close to the families, if they<br />

allow us to. The family care specialists are<br />

connected to the families for years after<br />

their loved ones are gone. They also work<br />

closely with the recipients, who sometimes<br />

struggle because they survived and their<br />

donors didn’t. Some want to meet the<br />

donors’ families, some don’t.”<br />

Understanding what the families go<br />

through and working to honor what they’ve<br />

done is something the folks at MORA do<br />

every day, according to Stinson. “We strive<br />

to honor their decision to be an organ and<br />

tissue donor through all we do.”<br />

While MORA works year-round to<br />

educate people on the importance of having<br />

conversations about organ and tissue<br />

donation, <strong>April</strong> is National Donate Life<br />

Month. The agency will host events around<br />

the state. For more information, log on to<br />

www.msora.org. n<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> madison <strong>Rankin</strong> • 79


BEFORE<br />

~ S O F T WA S H , H OT WA S H & P R E S S U R E WA S H I N G P RO S ~<br />

AFTER<br />

BEFORE<br />

AFTER<br />

OUR WORK,<br />

IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.<br />

V i s i t u s o n l i n e @ a l l p r o e x t e r i o r c l e a n i n g . c o m<br />

BEFORE<br />

AFTER<br />

80 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 81


The<br />

Moments<br />

that<br />

Matter<br />

Most<br />

Mary Ann Kirby<br />

82 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Having a child grow<br />

and change so rapidly<br />

creates a sense of nostalgia<br />

(and sometimes panic)<br />

in me like few things do<br />

and I often find myself<br />

reflecting back on my own<br />

childhood as a measure of<br />

comparison. There are<br />

particular memories that<br />

stick out in my mind–<br />

like sitting at the kitchen<br />

table with my grandmother<br />

playing endless hands of<br />

double solitaire and learning<br />

how to fry chicken in her<br />

cast iron skillet–that I hold<br />

near and dear to my heart.<br />

Then I think about the life<br />

that my husband and I have<br />

created for our son and<br />

wonder, of all the memories<br />

(good and bad) that he’s<br />

sure to have, what will he<br />

actually hold onto?<br />

I have to remind myself, on a near-constant basis, that I am actually contributing<br />

to a narrative that my son could possibly play in his mind for the rest of<br />

his life. And that one day, he’ll be creating and instilling memories and moments<br />

and traditions, God-willing, into his own children based on that narrative.<br />

No one has to be reminded that life is short. I already feel the personal<br />

pressure of not “maximizing” my time here on earth as I have tendencies of<br />

taking the same paths over and over again and have made, admittedly, little effort<br />

to change it. I get into these epic ruts where days or even months may pass and<br />

then I look up and it’s Christmas again! I start to calculate how many Christmases<br />

I have left–and I again worry that I’ve wasted precious time. Why do we do this<br />

to ourselves? Or maybe it’s just me.<br />

I really do have good intentions, though, and know I need to do better.<br />

So, in the spirit of spring renewal, I am becoming more intentional about<br />

making the most of every minute and creating the kind of legacy that will<br />

endure long after I’m gone. I’m gonna live like I’m dying, as Tim McGraw<br />

would say! (A quick side note, I’m not dying. I’m just middle-aged, hormonal,<br />

and waxing philosophical.) Hopefully it will serve as an important way to stay<br />

focused on what matters most.<br />

As parents, we tend to stress about things that don’t matter all that much,<br />

don’t we? Our kids probably aren’t going to remember every detail of our home<br />

decor or how perfectly the beds were made. They likely won’t remember that<br />

time the laundry was all piled up on the laundry room floor or whether our<br />

refrigerator was stocked with name brands or generics. And if that’s the case,<br />

and I hope it is, then what will they remember?<br />

Well, I think they’ll remember traditions . . .<br />

Despite my own parents divorcing when I was four and living full-time with<br />

my mom, there are some really specific things that I remember about my dad’s<br />

parents. I remember that they were tall. My dad is 6’6” and his dad was 6’5”.<br />

And I know that they loved to play golf and his mother made “trash” every year<br />

at Christmas. So several years ago, I decided to start making trash during the<br />

holidays, too. I went out and bought a huge glass canister with a lid that would<br />

hold up to two gallons of the savory homemade snack mix and, despite having<br />

no idea if the recipe was even remotely similar to that which I’d had so many<br />

years before, it turned out deliciously and my son now totally identifies it with<br />

Christmas–just like I did all those years ago.<br />

Kids have deep need for predictability. They’ll remember, with great fondness,<br />

the traditions you establish—whether it’s a weekly game night, places you<br />

regularly travel for family getaways, or, in our case, Sunday dinners around the<br />

table, a custom started by my own maternal grandmother. Be deliberate<br />

about creating some traditions that they’ll want to pass on to their own children<br />

someday.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 83


I think they’ll remember the times they felt safe...<br />

There’s a vulnerability and a need for protection in the heart<br />

of every child, regardless of their age. Our kids will remember<br />

the times we chased the monsters from under their bed, kept<br />

calm during a storm, or talked them through a tough situation<br />

they encountered at school. When children feel safe and<br />

secure, they learn to trust other people. And when they<br />

learn that they can trust the adults around them, it helps them<br />

grow up happy, healthy, and better able to enjoy the world.<br />

I think they’ll remember the times we gave them our undivided<br />

attention...<br />

“Watch this! Mom, watch this!” Lord, how many times can<br />

we “watch this?” But kids measure love basically by our<br />

attentiveness to them. The times you stop what you’re doing<br />

to watch them–or when you go outside to throw the ball or<br />

actually jump on the trampoline–those will be the memories<br />

etched into their hearts and minds forever. Take the time to<br />

do the little things with your kids, because in the end, those<br />

will be the moments that matter most.<br />

I think they’ll remember the way we interacted with our spouses...<br />

We laugh a lot in our house–thank goodness! And,<br />

unbeknownst to him, my child is forming his views of love and<br />

relationships, in large part, by watching how my husband and<br />

I treat each other. I hope to have the kind of marriage that<br />

would make him excited to get married someday–and in the<br />

meantime, it’s nice that he actually still enjoys being around us.<br />

They’ll remember our words of affirmation–and our words of<br />

criticism...<br />

A child’s heart is like wet cement and the impressions<br />

made early in life will harden and become permanent over<br />

time. They’ll base their sense of identity, capability, and even<br />

self-worth largely upon the words we speak to them. And<br />

certainly while part of our job as parents is to correct and<br />

discipline them, our words must be full of love, encouragement,<br />

and positive reinforcement, even when we’re angry.<br />

We must be encouragers. The world certainly has enough<br />

critics already.<br />

So, time marches on. We can’t stop it, rewind it, or fast<br />

forward it. But don’t be fooled by all the pages of a calendar–<br />

there are only as many days of the year as we make use of.<br />

Appreciate every second to the fullest extent possible–and<br />

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84 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 85


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<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 87


88 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Of<br />

Medicine<br />

&<br />

Murder<br />

Courtney Lange<br />

The term “Renaissance Man” might come to mind when you hear the<br />

name Darden North. A native of the Mississippi Delta, North is not only a<br />

board-certified physician in obstetrics and gynecology, he is also a national<br />

award-winning mystery and thriller novelist.<br />

He’s a physician partner at Jackson Healthcare for Women and is a daVinci<br />

robotic surgeon in gynecology. He is active in his profession, serving as the<br />

local director of the American Institute of<br />

Minimally Invasive Surgery and as a<br />

member of the editorial advisory board<br />

of the Journal of the Mississippi State<br />

Medical Association and as an associate<br />

editor the Obstetrics & Gynecology<br />

International Journal. He also serves as<br />

chairman of the board of the Mississippi<br />

Public Broadcasting Foundation.<br />

But North is different from most doctors–you can actually read his<br />

writing. He has authored five books to date including Points of Origin, which<br />

received recognition in Southern Fiction by the Independent Publisher<br />

Book Awards. North’s novel, House Call, was recognized as a finalist in<br />

Mystery/Suspense by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The<br />

screenplay of his third book, Fresh Frozen, is currently in film development<br />

and his most recent novel, Wiggle Room, has been described as an “actionpacked,<br />

medical thriller.”<br />

“Although my books are classified as medical thrillers, they are different<br />

than what you might think of when you hear the term,” North said. “Most<br />

medical thrillers center on a medical procedure or virus or something that<br />

is technical in some way. My books focus on the characters, many of whom<br />

happen to work in the medical field or profession. I think, for that reason,<br />

these books have a broad appeal and offer something different.”<br />

His new novel, The Five Manners of Death, is a contemporary thriller set in<br />

Jackson and Oxford. The book begins when a construction worker uncovers<br />

a skull dating back to the 1960s, on the University of Mississippi campus,<br />

and follows a woman’s desperate attempt to erase history as she counts<br />

down the five ways to die. Suicide, accidental death, natural causes, and<br />

cause-undetermined are soon crossed off the list–leaving the woman to<br />

believe that only homicide remains.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 89


North said that his most recent book actually began with a different title in<br />

mind, but his mother Evelyn, who was a long time high school English instructor<br />

and who has a strong background in literature, suggested a different title, after<br />

having read the novel. North said he often leans on his mother to answer questions<br />

on grammar and as a proofreader.<br />

“If there is a gene for literature–if it is something that can be inherited, it came<br />

to me from my mother,” North said.<br />

North’s writing and publishing career sprung its roots early in his life when he<br />

won a book cover contest for Charlotte’s Web in junior high school and later at the<br />

University of Mississippi, as editor-in-chief of the 1978 Ole Miss yearbook and<br />

1982 Medic. Prior to attending medical school, North graduated magna cum laude<br />

from the University of Mississippi, where he also served as vice-president<br />

of the Associated Student Body, president of the Interfraternity Council, and<br />

Order of Omega. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order, Omicron Delta<br />

Kappa and Mortar Board. North was also named to the University of Mississippi<br />

Hall of Fame.<br />

In addition to being a physician and author, North leads workshops on<br />

constructing mysteries and thrillers at writing seminars and has participated in<br />

several author panels at author conferences including Killer Nashville, Murder<br />

on the Menu, and Murder in the Magic City. He is also available for appearances, book<br />

signings, and book clubs.<br />

He lives in Jackson with his wife, Sally, who is a realtor with Nix-Tann &<br />

Associates. The two met, became friends, and fell in love on the yearbook staff at<br />

Ole Miss. The couple has two adult children, William and Anderson, who work<br />

in the medical field, two dogs, and two grand-dogs. His son, William, is getting<br />

married this summer and moving back to Jackson with wife Kelsey to join the<br />

Runnels Plastic Surgery Center practice. His daughter Anderson is a registered<br />

nurse currently working towards her nurse practitionership in Florida. In his<br />

spare time, he walks to stay fit, travels with family, spends time with friends,<br />

gardens, hunts, watches Ole Miss football, reads and listens to fiction and, of<br />

course, imagines his next novel.<br />

The Five Manners of Death will be available for purchase in June, but can be<br />

pre-ordered online or at your favorite local bookstore.<br />

For more information, visit dardennorth.com and follow him on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at<br />

/DardenNorthAuthor or email at darden@dardennorth.com.<br />

90 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 91


Desserts First<br />

Celebrating 100 Years of<br />

Girl Scout Cookies<br />

March 4, <strong>2017</strong><br />

Jackson Yacht Club<br />

92 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 93


94 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 95


96 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Bank of Yazoo<br />

an adopter for<br />

Pearl High School<br />

hosted a<br />

Hall of Fame Luncheon<br />

to recognize the recipients<br />

and their families at<br />

River Hills Club<br />

Monday, February 27<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 97


98 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

READER<br />

SPOTLIGHT<br />

Jennifer<br />

Anderson<br />

Why did you decide to make <strong>Rankin</strong> County<br />

your home?<br />

My husband and I decided, before getting married,<br />

we would make <strong>Rankin</strong> County our home. We<br />

both desired a safe, prosperous community with<br />

good schools, to start a family.<br />

How long have you lived in <strong>Rankin</strong> County?<br />

I moved to <strong>Rankin</strong> County in 1999.<br />

Tell us about your family.<br />

I am married to Jimmy Anderson from Wesson,<br />

Mississippi. He and I have a 16-year-old daughter,<br />

Baleigh, and a 14-year-old son, Cole. Baleigh is a<br />

10th grader at Hartfield Academy and Cole is an<br />

8th grader at Brandon Middle School.<br />

What is your favorite memory of living in<br />

<strong>Rankin</strong> County?<br />

My 18 years of being in <strong>Rankin</strong> County are filled<br />

with many memories. I would say the whole<br />

package of raising my family here–births to<br />

baptisms, swinging at Winner’s Circle Park,<br />

pow-wows at Pinelake Preschool, play dates with<br />

friends to small groups at church...and now our<br />

current season of life–Friday night lights and<br />

teenagers!<br />

Where are your 3 favorite places to eat<br />

in <strong>Rankin</strong> County?<br />

Being the executive director of the Flowood<br />

Chamber, I believe <strong>Rankin</strong> County has a wide<br />

variety of options and I like to support them all.<br />

However, I would say my three favorite are: Half<br />

Shell Oyster House, Amerigo and Mudbugs.<br />

What are some fun things to do in <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

County on the weekends?<br />

There seems to always be an event happening<br />

on the weekends, but if not, there are plenty of<br />

options. I would suggest taking advantage of<br />

Flowood’s Nature Park, Winner’s Circle Park,<br />

the many new bike trails, golfing, or kayaking the<br />

Reservoir. Two of my favorites are shopping and<br />

Sunday brunch at Table 100.<br />

Share some things you enjoy doing in your<br />

spare time.<br />

To be honest, I enjoy anything, as long as I can be<br />

with Jimmy and our children. Our schedules are so<br />

hectic, I crave family time. We enjoy pool-time,<br />

camping, hunting, and laughing.<br />

What are three things on your bucket list?<br />

After losing my mom 10 years ago to a genetic<br />

brain disease, things were really put into perspective<br />

for me. There have been many occasions since that<br />

I wish I could have shared with my mother. So with<br />

our family medical history, I would say to be able to<br />

grow old with Jimmy, to see both of our children<br />

marry and start families would be my blessing and<br />

bucket list.<br />

If you could give us one encouraging quote,<br />

what would it be?<br />

“Never put off till tomorrow, what you can<br />

do today!”<br />

Where do you see yourself in ten years?<br />

Well, I would like to think I would be retired and<br />

on the beach, but that is not reality. My parents<br />

instilled in me a very strong work ethic, so I will<br />

certainly not be retired at 52! Flowood has my<br />

heart, so I would like to say I would be still<br />

working in some capacity to further our city’s<br />

progress.<br />

Who is someone you admire and why?<br />

I would have to say I admire Flowood <strong>May</strong>or, Gary<br />

Rhoads. He has been my mentor and friend for<br />

the past ten years. He has played a large role in my<br />

career, whether he realizes it or not. I admire the<br />

fact that he is, first and foremost, a Christian and<br />

not afraid to show his faith. He not only leads his<br />

family, but our city, on this foundation. I believe<br />

this is what makes Flowood the special community<br />

it is. He has taught me that family comes first. He<br />

has taught me how to work hard, treat others, and<br />

negotiate business. He has also hurt my feelings<br />

and made me cry multiple times. I later realized,<br />

he was just stretching me and helping me grow.<br />

I think this is called tough love.<br />

What is your favorite childhood memory?<br />

I would have to say family vacations! Both of my<br />

parents were school teachers, which tells you two<br />

things: We had little money, but lots of time! We<br />

spent our summers tent camping all over the<br />

country. I remember my mother proudly boasting<br />

we had been to like 40 of the 50 states before I<br />

was in high school. These great memories of family<br />

time have molded me into appreciating family time<br />

with Jimmy, Baleigh and Cole.<br />

What is your favorite thing about<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> Magazines?<br />

I love the effort that is put forth in showcasing the<br />

many assets of <strong>Rankin</strong> County. I live in Brandon<br />

and obviously work in Flowood, but I enjoy seeing<br />

and sharing all that <strong>Rankin</strong> County has to offer.<br />

I believe Tahya and her team do a great job of<br />

marketing and promoting <strong>Rankin</strong> County. n<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 99


Ashley Stringer<br />

She always cleans our house.<br />

Marley Kate Price<br />

My mom never gets down. She’s<br />

always happy and energetic.<br />

Ethan Alexander<br />

She’s nice and cares<br />

about me.<br />

What’s your<br />

favorite thing<br />

about your<br />

Mom?<br />

We asked 12 Richland Upper Elementary<br />

5th graders to tell us a little something<br />

about their moms. The answers are as<br />

varied as the students themselves...<br />

Madison James<br />

My mom cares for me<br />

and loves me VERY much.<br />

Delaci Hudson<br />

My mom is so lovable.<br />

She loves me and my brother.<br />

100 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

Hope Gros - Assistant Principal<br />

There are so many things that I<br />

love about my mom but my favorite<br />

is that she is forgiving.<br />

Gabby Hernandez<br />

She always takes me places that<br />

are fun and she cares about me<br />

very much.<br />

Toby Price - Principal<br />

My mom is 73-years old and is the<br />

hardest working person I know. She<br />

still works 12 hours a day—and it’s<br />

because she wants to.


Orlandria Smith<br />

Love!<br />

Joel Hoover<br />

A new car.<br />

If you could<br />

give your mom<br />

anything in the<br />

world, what<br />

would it be?<br />

Isaac Collier<br />

I’d give her<br />

a million dollars.<br />

Cayden Conner<br />

I’d probably give her a really good<br />

coffee machine because she<br />

drinks a lot of coffee.<br />

Lawson Byrd<br />

I’d give my mom a<br />

million dollars to buy<br />

anything she wanted.<br />

Brian Loredo<br />

A big fancy kitchen<br />

because she likes<br />

to cook.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 101


102 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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Canton Office: (601) 859-3464<br />

Madison Office: (601) 605-2259<br />

Ridgeland Office: (601) 957-9292<br />

Yazoo City Office: (662) 746-4312<br />

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<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 103


gift guide<br />

professional eyecare<br />

Hello Sunshine glasses<br />

from Kate Spade<br />

The Outlets of MS<br />

Nike Factory Store<br />

Nike LunarEpic Low Flyknit<br />

rankin county co-op<br />

Great Selection of Yeti Products<br />

The Outlets of MS<br />

Haggar Factory Store<br />

Polk’s<br />

Great Selection of<br />

Easter Home Décor<br />

The Outlets of MS<br />

dressbarn<br />

Floral Dress<br />

Cole Haan<br />

Shoes, Wallet & Hand Bag<br />

Mockingbird marketplace<br />

Elements trays & trivets<br />

from the Annieglass Collection<br />

104 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Super Shakes<br />

Shake Wear, Super Gear,<br />

sample packets and snacks.<br />

brandon discount drugs<br />

Patricia Massey Pottery<br />

Jackson Eye Associates<br />

RayBan Sunglasses<br />

chapman’s florist<br />

Artwork by Mississippi Artist,<br />

Alex Ladner<br />

“Church”<br />

that southern accent<br />

Rustic Wooden Crosses<br />

O! How Cute<br />

Musee Bath Bombs<br />

Miss Priss<br />

Clothing Boutique & Gifts<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 105


106 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

Northshore Elementary<br />

Me & My Guy<br />

Dance<br />

February 4, <strong>2017</strong>


<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 107


108 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 109


The CHALKBOARD<br />

RANKIN COUNTY SCHOOLS<br />

East <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

Academy<br />

After winning the History Bowl at Madison Central, the ERA History Quiz<br />

Bowl Team will advance to the National History Bowl Competition in<br />

Washington D.C. in <strong>April</strong>.<br />

Senior class members of East <strong>Rankin</strong> Academy’s robotics team were invited by<br />

MSU Bagley College of Engineering outreach to present their state and regional<br />

award-winning robot at the Mississippi Manufacturers Legislative Reception and<br />

Governor and Mrs. Phil Bryant.<br />

K4 and K5 classes enjoy learning at their<br />

Krayon i-Pad Kiosks.<br />

Over 50% of our seventh grade class qualified for Duke University’s TIP Program and took the ACT test<br />

in February with the highest individual score being 25 among our 7th graders this year.<br />

K4-6th graders participate in our Avery Gordon Math<br />

and Science Discovery Lab.<br />

ERA Varsity Girls Team won 2016-17 Class AAAA Division II Basketball Championship<br />

110 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong> High School continues to<br />

strive toward its full potential by becoming a leader<br />

in the state of Mississippi through its talented<br />

students and dedicated faculty. Although there are<br />

a multitude of achievements Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong><br />

High School has obtained in the past, the 2016-<br />

<strong>2017</strong> school year has been one of the most<br />

productive in Cougar history.<br />

Out of over 240 high schools in Mississippi,<br />

Northwest is one of the twenty-four schools to<br />

receive an “A” rating. Regarding academic<br />

excellence, the walls of Northwest are decorated<br />

with banners of over fifty students who have made<br />

at least a 30 composite score on the ACT—the<br />

most of any school in <strong>Rankin</strong> County. Northwest<br />

is named second in the number of national merit<br />

finalists in Mississippi public schools, with eight<br />

finalists.<br />

Academics, although an important aspect of<br />

Northwest’s accomplishments, are not the only<br />

area in which the student body holds precedence.<br />

Northwest is home to over thirty cultural clubs and<br />

academic organizations. These clubs support a<br />

wide variety of interests, ranging from Robotics<br />

and Physics Club to Yoga and Indian Culture<br />

Club. Twenty-two of Northwest’s athletic teams<br />

and sports were eligible for Scholar Athlete teams,<br />

all of which received that prestigious honor.<br />

Full of positivity, optimism, and unwavering<br />

school pride, Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong> High School is<br />

home to the largest student section in the state.<br />

With both girls and boys soccer teams winning the<br />

state championship, the supportive student body<br />

showed up and showed out to cheer on their fellow<br />

classmates.<br />

Whether it is in the crowds for an academic<br />

team meet or in the stands for Friday Night Lights,<br />

Northwest <strong>Rankin</strong> High School has continually<br />

strived for excellence and will actively promote<br />

cougar pride for the <strong>2017</strong>-2018 school year.<br />

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

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 111


The CHALKBOARD<br />

RANKIN COUNTY SCHOOLS<br />

Brandon Elementary<br />

Venture students on a robotics team at Brandon<br />

Elementary recently received the championship award<br />

at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) State Competition<br />

in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This award will allow them to<br />

represent, not only their school and city, but also the<br />

state of Mississippi at the FLL World Championship in<br />

Houston, Texas, <strong>April</strong> 19-22, <strong>2017</strong>.<br />

The 5th grade Pup Patrol team, coached by Donna<br />

Mabus, Steve Ciaravino, and Danny Beard, built a robot<br />

named Murphy out of technic LEGOS and<br />

programmed Murphy to use his sensors to acquire the<br />

highest points in the robot game at the state<br />

competition. The competition also had a research<br />

component that required students to select an animal to<br />

study, identify a problem, and develop a solution. The<br />

Pup Patrol chose to study shelter dogs after identifying<br />

the problem of overpopulation of dogs due to the lack of<br />

spaying or neutering pets. Their research revealed that<br />

about 2.4 million healthy, adoptable cats and dogs are<br />

euthanized in U.S. shelters each year – that’s one every<br />

thirteen seconds.<br />

Interviews with local shelters and veterinarians led<br />

the students to determine that the high cost of spaying and neutering contributed to this problem. Their solution includes making and<br />

selling a dill pickle called “I’m in a Pickle Pickles” that would include a label that would educate consumers about the problem. You can find<br />

out how to help the pups get to the world competition by liking their Facebook page Pup Patrol 6615.<br />

Hartfield Academy<br />

Jake Holaday signed with Wheaton College.<br />

Back: Coach Jeff McFerrin, Ethan Holaday,<br />

Eli Holaday, Molly Holaday, Molly Knight,<br />

Jim Knight<br />

Front: John Holaday, Jake Holaday,<br />

Amy Holaday<br />

Jacquez Ollie signed with Hinds Community College.<br />

Back: Coach Chris Mixon, Head Coach Jeff McFerran<br />

Front: Jerrian Young, Jacquez Ollie, Will McClinton<br />

Kyle Waterbury signed with Holmes Community College.<br />

Alex Waterbury, Scott Waterbury, Kyle, Jill Waterbury,<br />

Head Coach Jeff McFerran, Andi Waterbury<br />

112 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Discovery<br />

Christian<br />

The third grade class at Discovery Christian celebrated Dr. Seuss’ Birthday/Read<br />

Across America Day. They read many books and did many activities. They<br />

culminated the fun by dressing as Whos and performing a reader’s theater of the<br />

book How the Grinch Stole Christmas for other grades.<br />

Mrs. Jessica’s 1st grade students at Discovery Christian School celebrated their<br />

100th day of school by dressing up as “100 year old people.” Along with dressing<br />

up, the first graders participated in a variety of 100th day activities.<br />

After studying about dinosaurs and how “Two Are<br />

Better Than One” (teamwork), Mrs. Jessica’s 1st<br />

graders at Discovery Christian were given paper, glue,<br />

toilet paper rolls, and paper towel rolls and asked to<br />

create their own dinosaur fossil. Students also were<br />

able to name their dinosaurs. It was a fun and exciting<br />

way to wrap up their dinosaur unit.<br />

After receiving a support letter in her folder; Abby<br />

Burleson, a first grader at Discovery Christian<br />

School, brought in a box FULL of box tops. After<br />

counting them, the school realized that she had sent<br />

in an astonishing 1200 box tops. We appreciate the<br />

great support from our students and sending in box<br />

tops is just another way we can continue to make<br />

our school great!! Thank you Abby!!<br />

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

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 113


The CHALKBOARD<br />

RANKIN COUNTY SCHOOLS<br />

Pelahatchie #PelahappyTHEplacetolearnandgrow<br />

This is how we Roll in FiFTh GRade<br />

science aT PelahaPPy<br />

Students in Ms. Buynar’s class are testing how friction<br />

affects the speed of a toy car on a track with different<br />

materials on the track. The lesson is titled, “Hot<br />

Wheelin’ Physics.” The children in this class are<br />

experiencing science rather than just being given<br />

information. The teacher has given them the<br />

opportunity to discover the different types of materials<br />

that affect the speed of the Hot Wheels car. The<br />

students measured the time and distance of the<br />

movement of the car to calculate the speed. After<br />

completion of the experiment, students analyzed the<br />

data, discussed the results, and created a bar graph with<br />

the data in groups. The final activity included students<br />

sharing whether or not their hypotheses were correct and<br />

justifying their conclusions based on their data. “This<br />

was really fun, but it was a little hard,” stated one of the<br />

children in the class. Research has proven that students<br />

are more engaged in what they’re learning, and have a<br />

wider context for understanding the material rather than<br />

just hearing a lecture or memorizing facts.<br />

Ms. Buynar’s science classes are great examples of<br />

inquiry-based learning.<br />

Park Place<br />

PPCA is excited to announce the expansion of our campus with the addition<br />

of a new academic building. The groundbreaking ceremony celebrating the<br />

commencement of construction for our new academic building was<br />

Wednesday, March 22. This new academic building will hold additional<br />

classrooms for our 7th-12th grade students as well as administrative offices.<br />

We are excited to celebrate the blessings and progress from God!<br />

Congratulations to<br />

senior Allie <strong>May</strong> for<br />

being named a national<br />

Wendy’s High School<br />

Heisman winner.<br />

Eligibility for the<br />

Wendy’s High School<br />

Heisman begins with<br />

maintaining a GPA of<br />

3.0 or better. Heisman<br />

winners must be proven<br />

leaders and role models<br />

within their school and<br />

community, as well as participate in at least one of the 47<br />

sponsored sports recognized by the National Federation<br />

of State High School Associations. Allie has maintained a<br />

4.0 average all while starting on the PPCA softball and<br />

basketball teams. This is a well-deserved honor for Allie’s<br />

hard work and dedication.<br />

114 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Pisgah<br />

The goal of Pisgah Elementary School is to provide a<br />

safe and secure climate for all students who come to<br />

school to learn and succeed. A qualified, experienced<br />

staff works together to assure that the students are<br />

prepared to continue on their pathway to success<br />

through high school graduation. We just celebrated<br />

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday and Read Across America. Students<br />

dressed up as favorite storybook characters and read<br />

their favorite books to other students. We also<br />

encourage our older students to mentor younger<br />

students. These students check in with each other and<br />

read or review daily assignments together. Our babies<br />

just love the partnership!<br />

We want to congratulate Mrs. Mary Rogers for<br />

being RCSD’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, and<br />

Mrs. Dyess for being selected RCSD’s February<br />

Elementary Administrator of the Year. Our students<br />

and faculty are moving from great to best!<br />

Steens<br />

School and community partnerships can be a powerful way to share in the responsibility of<br />

educating our future. Steen’s Creek Elementary School is fortunate to have many local<br />

organizations and businesses that value education in our area.<br />

Steen’s Creek partners with the local Florentine Club each year to ensure that each student<br />

has the necessities to be the best they can be. Mrs. Chelsea Rushing, the school counselor,<br />

coordinates the efforts with Mrs. Dianne Roberts of the Florence Florentine Club. The<br />

Florentine Club has been able to provide classrooms with essentials such as school supplies,<br />

student clothing, Clorox wipes, Lysol and snacks for students in need. Having these resources<br />

guarantees that all student’s needs are met for learning.<br />

Last summer the school was able to provide summer programs to target students that needed<br />

extra help in reading and math. When the school needed daily snacks, the Florentine Club<br />

stepped up and provided! The students enjoyed having a brain break and refueling as they<br />

expanded their knowledge with this intensive remediation program.<br />

The school PTO and local club members also collect Box Tops that directly donate funds to<br />

classroom teachers for classroom materials. These funds are given to the teachers each August and<br />

January to assist in the purchase of specific classroom materials/activities that will enhance<br />

instruction. This community partnership has been a blessing for the students and teachers of<br />

Steen’s Creek. Thank you to all of the community members and organizations that invest in our<br />

students at Steen’s Creek, because of you we are moving from a great elementary school to the best<br />

in the state! Eagle Pride!<br />

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

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 115


The CHALKBOARD<br />

RANKIN COUNTY SCHOOLS<br />

Pearl Public<br />

School District<br />

Pearl Public School DiStrict hoStS FirSt beSt PracticeS exPo<br />

The Pearl Public School District hosted a professional development event for<br />

educators in the district. Nearly all of sessions were hosted by school personnel. The<br />

purpose of this expo was to host an event that allowed district faculty and staff the<br />

opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise. Over four hours, there were<br />

sixty sessions for teachers and sixteen sessions for assistant teachers. These sessions<br />

covered a wide-array of topics.<br />

Topics that focused on specific subject areas included such sessions as Inflatable<br />

Space – An Experience with Constellations, Mastering Multiplication and<br />

Understanding Its Importance in Relationship to Mathematics, Geocaching Across<br />

the Curriculum, and Building Reading Skills. Sessions to assist with classroom<br />

management ranged from Effective Grouping: Importance of Brain Breaks to Angry<br />

Birds Equal Happy Students. Sessions were also available on using technology in the<br />

classroom, first aid, managing classroom behavior, improving communication, and<br />

many more! Staff were allowed to select sessions based on their own interests and<br />

needs through an online registration process.<br />

Not only did the expo provide an incredible opportunity for staff to share best<br />

practices with their peers, but it also helped establish connections among staff from<br />

different grades and buildings to support student learning and achievement. A<br />

special thanks is extended to the PTSOs of each school and other community<br />

partners for sponsoring the snacks and door prizes. PPSD hopes to make this a<br />

bi-annual event.<br />

116 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


Rouse<br />

Spring is in the air at Rouse Elementary! As you enter the building you<br />

can feel the excitement. The students of Rouse have many things to be<br />

excited about this time of year. Teachers and students celebrated Read<br />

Across America Week and Dr. Seuss’ birthday by dressing as their favorite<br />

Dr. Seuss character. Many parents sent treats for the students and some<br />

even made green eggs and ham. This is just one of many celebrations<br />

students look forward to as we turn the corner and enter into the final<br />

phase of the school year.<br />

Students will participate in the Lung Association’s SuperKids events.<br />

They will learn about the importance of making healthy choices and as well<br />

as physical activity. This event could not take place without our wonderful<br />

PTO and parent volunteers.<br />

The final events of the year will be the highly anticipated Beach Day for<br />

our kindergarten students. First grade students will participate in Luau Day.<br />

Both of these events feature water slides, popsicles, games and many more activities throughout the day.<br />

As faculty, students, parents and community prepare for the end of another school year, the students of Rouse will carry with them the<br />

memories made from these events. With the support of our wonderful community, PTO, volunteers, our faculty and staff Rouse<br />

Elementary is truly moving our students from great to best. Spring is in the air and excitement abounds!<br />

Puckett<br />

Friday, March 3 was a very exciting day for<br />

students at Puckett Elementary. Many students<br />

dressed as their favorite Dr. Seuss characters and<br />

anxiously awaited the arrival of the mystery reader.<br />

Students entered the library where many community<br />

members (police officers, librarians, MS Forestry<br />

Association) greeted them ready to share their<br />

favorite Dr. Seuss books. During this time students<br />

were able to enjoy a birthday cupcake in honor of Dr.<br />

Seuss and meet Thing 1, Thing 2, the Cat in the Hat,<br />

and the Lorax.<br />

Upon the completion of the Read Across America<br />

Celebration, students who excelled and<br />

demonstrated outstanding behavior throughout the 9<br />

weeks, were rewarded with an extra recess and special<br />

snack. Students were able to visit different<br />

playgrounds, participate in games, and enjoy a bag of<br />

popcorn with a Capri Sun. We would like to extend a<br />

thank you to each person who participated in either<br />

event. Without the support of our community, PTO,<br />

teachers and staff these events would not have proven<br />

to be the success they were.<br />

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

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 117


The CHALKBOARD<br />

RANKIN COUNTY SCHOOLS<br />

Richland Upper<br />

everythinG we Say or Do matterS….<br />

One of the things that makes Richland<br />

Upper special is how well our teachers treat<br />

our special needs students. One of our<br />

guiding values is that everything we say or do<br />

matters because our students are watching.<br />

Our teachers know that their students will<br />

treat our friends with special needs based on<br />

how they see us treat them. So we make<br />

every possible effort to include our special<br />

needs students in every aspect of the school, regardless of their ability.<br />

Our special education staff and general education teachers work closely each day to come up with a schedule that allows each student to<br />

spend time with their peers in a typical classroom setting. Thanks to the teachers’ partnership and commitment, we have seen so many<br />

positive aspects. One of the positives is that our teachers call these students, friends. They aren’t just anyone else’s—they’re ours.<br />

Brandon High<br />

Along with over 150 students from 6 different schools, Brandon<br />

High School students participated in the <strong>2017</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> County<br />

Archery Championship on March 9th. The Brandon team started<br />

two years ago with just 28 students and has grown to 45.<br />

118 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


McLaurin<br />

The recently established McLaurin DECA (Distributive<br />

Education Clubs of America) club is led by advisor, Ted Palmer, with<br />

twelve members. They received three state titles from the DECA<br />

State Convention. Meagan Brown placed 5th in the “Principles of<br />

Business Marketing” competition, Laura Stephens placed 2nd in the<br />

“Principles of Business Management” competition, and Kenning<br />

Bridges placed 1st in the “Principles of Hospitality and Tourism”<br />

event.<br />

This year, the Jr. Beta<br />

Club began the Paw<br />

Packages project where they<br />

collected stuffed animals and<br />

blankets for first responders.<br />

Each year in November, the<br />

Beta Club holds a special<br />

Veterans Day Program and<br />

hosts breakfast for attending<br />

veterans. They hosted<br />

Valentines for Veterans and<br />

Game Day at State Veterans<br />

Home in Collins, Miss. For<br />

National Beta Week, the<br />

students made ice cream<br />

(L to R): Emma Little, Meagan Brown,<br />

Jacob Knight, and Laura Stephens<br />

sundaes for special needs<br />

students. Throughout the<br />

year, the students routinely clean<br />

teachers’ classrooms for beautification projects and tutor both<br />

elementary and MAC students. The MHS Beta Club took first place<br />

in the character skit and third place in the Spotlight on Service project<br />

in the State Beta Convention in Biloxi in February <strong>2017</strong>.<br />

DECA Picture (L to R): Advisor Ted Palmer, Laura Stephens, Meagan<br />

Brown, Bradley Lawrence, D.C. Bridges, and Kenning Bridges<br />

The co-sponsors of the Beta Club are D.C. Bridges and Kris<br />

Morris. Morris received the Beta Gold Key Award at the State<br />

Beta Convention.<br />

“I have been the Beta Club co-sponsor for junior and senior<br />

Beta at McLaurin for two years. I enjoy working with Beta because<br />

it teaches students leadership skills, character building, focus on<br />

academic achievement and a heart for service. In all that we do we<br />

try to lead by serving others. Beta is more than an organization for<br />

smart kids, although scholarship is required and encouraged. The<br />

component of service to others is strong and requires careful<br />

thought and planning. We reach out to serve our school and<br />

community through campus clean up events, tutoring peers and<br />

elementary students, helping teachers as needed, veterans<br />

programs, assisting first responders, our special needs students, and<br />

many more. Serving as a Beta Club sponsor is very rewarding to<br />

see students become independent thinkers, problem solvers and<br />

gain group building and leadership skills that will be extremely<br />

valuable as they graduate and make their mark on the world.”<br />

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

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 119


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120 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


HOMETOWN<br />

Sponsored by<br />

For ten weeks, Renasant Bank and <strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> Magazine<br />

honors school personnel throughout <strong>Rankin</strong> County for outstanding<br />

work in their fields. Nominations are accepted through Facebook<br />

each week and those receiving the most nominations are awarded<br />

gift baskets from our sponsor. We are pleased to have been able to<br />

celebrate with these amazing school employees that were voted on<br />

by their peers. Thank you to all who participated and congratulations<br />

to our first three winners.<br />

<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Rankin</strong> • 121


Camille Anding<br />

The Time Coin<br />

Juicy Fruit chewing gum and smiles<br />

always partner with my husband. It’s<br />

because his grandmother kept an ample<br />

supply in her car and when her grandkids<br />

rode with her, the aroma of Juicy Fruit rode<br />

along. In addition, she was generous in<br />

passing out that treat along with other<br />

candies and sweets.<br />

“She was one of the kindest people I ever knew,” he says often when<br />

remembering her, and her fragrances of love and generosity still linger<br />

through her tokens of love, especially Juicy Fruit!<br />

I can still picture my daddy standing in front of the sink and<br />

medicine cabinet mirror in our childhood home with his face lathered<br />

in soap and his muscular arm moving the razor in smooth paths down<br />

his jaws. A rinse of cold water and a brisk towel-dry would make for the<br />

last step – a splash of Old Spice cologne.<br />

That wonderful, masculine aroma drifted out of the bathroom and<br />

down the hall. It followed him to the kitchen and to goodbye hugs.<br />

I’ve seen a few recent Old Spice ads and they, like most, tilt heavily<br />

to the sexual appeal. That’s really not necessary. The cologne’s strong<br />

manly scent can stand on its own and lasts<br />

decades in a child’s memory. It will always<br />

remain one of my favorite fragrances.<br />

Another special fragrance is the jonquil.<br />

I grew up thinking it had to be the state<br />

flower because Mother planted hundreds<br />

of bulbs every spring for years. They bloomed<br />

in between rocks, in the back yard, front yard, lower front yard and on<br />

both sides beneath the family home. Our den always had fresh<br />

bouquets of spring jonquils permeating the air, chasing out the stale<br />

winter odors. Some of those jonquil bulbs moved with us to Brandon,<br />

and their aroma still lifts my spirits and relocates me to childhood joys<br />

with my mother.<br />

A verse from II Corinthians is one of my favorites. It speaks of<br />

God’s children diffusing the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.<br />

When I think about fragrances that delight us and are radiated<br />

around us, I try to imagine the fragrance of kindness, generosity, or<br />

courtesy. Does respect leave an aroma? Can even a smile have a<br />

fragrance or what about sacrifice? What an arsenal of “aromas” we<br />

possess and what an assault we could make on life’s harsh pollutions. n<br />

122 • <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong>


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124 • June 2015<br />

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