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FLOWOOD • BRANDON • PELAHATCHIE • PUCKETT • FLORENCE • RICHLAND • PEARL • STAR • PISGAH• RESERVOIR

Rankin

Hometown

V 7 #11

12.20

V 7 # 10

11.20

Providing Strength,

Hope and Guidance for

Your Divorce.

Mel Coxwell P.A.

A Family Law Firm

601-825-3124

20 Eastgate Dr. Suite E

Brandon, MS 39042

www.centralmslaw.com

Experience that Matters for a Brighter Tomorrow

6 • DECEMBER 2020

Hometown RANKIN • 7

AND A

Happy New Year!

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been

born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Luke 2:11

8 • DECEMBER 2020

Rankin

Hometown

FROM OUR PUBLISHER

I think most of us know the number 7

in the Bible is a significant number. A little

investigating found the number 7 appearing

more than 700 times in God’s Word.

In the Bible it stands for completion and

perfection. God’s seven-day creation was

definitely a perfect and complete time frame

for mankind. That special number has an

added significance for me this year- the year

of seven years of publishing Hometown

Magazines. How God has blessed! His

direction along with key staff members has

allowed me to look back over these seven

years with joy and fulfillment.

Mary Ann, I’ll never forget the day I met

you for the first time at Table 100 to discuss

you coming on board. I’d say I was a little

intimidated because I’d heard so much about

you and your background in advertising.

We definitely “clicked” on that very first day,

and I count you as my dear friend. Thank

you for all of the advice you give and editing

you do. And for the example you set through

your involvement in Shower Power helping

the homeless. You’ve truly been a blessing.

Daniel, not many graphic designers could

work on three magazines at the same time

and keep the ads rolling in as quickly as you

do. I wish I knew how many emails I’ve sent

you over the past seven years. Thank you for

coming along side me and helping me

accomplish my goals. You’re the best!

Brenda, what a pure JOY you are! It’s hard

to find someone who is the whole package,

but God blessed me with that when He sent

me you. Thank you for being so organized

and hard-working. You have a heart of gold

and I wouldn’t want anyone else sitting at

your desk. I love ya!

Alisha, I appreciate your contribution to

Hometown Magazines and for handling our

accounting. You’re a no-nonsense kind of gal

who doesn’t mind rolling up her sleeves and

helping decorate for an event or changing

out a doorknob. Thank you!

Caroline, you can accomplish more as a

part-time person than a lot of full-time people

could. I love your professionalism and your

intentional efforts to help me any way you

can. Thank you for thinking outside the box

and for bringing great ideas to the table.

I’m incredibly blessed with my work

family, husband of 30 years, parents, children,

and grandchildren. Has 2020 been a crazy

year? Absolutely! But God has been so

faithful, and I thank Him for the greatest gift

of all this holiday season- the gift of Jesus.

HOMETOWN STAFF

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Tahya A. Dobbs

CFO

Kevin W. Dobbs

CONSULTING EDITOR

Mary Ann Kirby

SPECIAL PROJECTS

MANAGER

Brenda McCall

LAYOUT DESIGN

3dt

SPECIAL PROJECTS

ASSISTANT

Caroline Hodges

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Othel Anding

ADMINISTRATIVE

ASSISTANT

Alisha Floyd

IN THIS ISSUE

The Way We Were 10

Reader Spotlight 15

Hometown Family 18

Handmade Christmas Treasures 26

Front Porch Memories 42

NWR Kids Q&A 48

Love and the Big Green Truck 54

Holiday Gift Guide 60

Cover Art Contest 88

Therapeutic Joy 96

On the cover: Cover art contest winner Jill Hardin, Northwest Rankin High School

www.facebook.com/hometownrankinmagazine. For subscription information visit www.htmags.com or contact us at info@HTMags.com / 601.706.4059 / 26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F / Brandon, MS 39042

All rights reserved. No portion of Hometown Rankin may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The management of Hometown Rankin is not responsible for opinions expressed by its writers or editors.

Hometown Rankin maintains the unrestricted right to edit or refuse all submitted material. All advertisements are subject to approval by the publisher. The production of Hometown Rankin is funded by advertising.


The way

WE were

Stephanie & Noel Daniels

Camille Anding

The year that Stephanie

Donnell exchanged vows with

Noel Daniels just happened to

be the same year that Noel’s

brother, Dusty, talked him into

joining the car sales business.

Fifty-two years later, on August 24,

they celebrated two anniversaries–

their wedding anniversary and

the beginning of Noel’s career in

the auto business.

In looking back over his career,

they agree it’s been a great ride.

Noel laughs and says, “It’s been

a business that’s provided some

really great trips and a demo!”

Stephanie joined the laughter

saying, “We can truthfully say

we’ve never had to buy a car!”

In looking back over their

lives, they also share childhood

losses. Stephanie’s mom died

when Stephanie was nine, and

her grandmother, Cora Jarmon,

became her second mother.

Noel’s dad died when he was

fourteen, making Noel the new

breadwinner. The oilfields of

Louisiana became his earliest

employer. At the young age of

nineteen, with five years of

experience, he was in charge of

running his own drilling rig in

the summer while attending the

University of Louisiana Monroe

on a football scholarship.

Noel and Stephanie first met

at the skating rink in Farmerville,

Louisiana – Noel’s hometown.

It was near the town of Marion,

Stephanie’s hometown. He was

eighteen, she was sixteen. It was

their good looks that attracted

them physically. Noel was “most

handsome” in his school, and

according to Noel, Stephanie was

the “prettiest” at Marion High.

They dated off and on for five

years before marrying at the First

Baptist Church in Marion. Noel

was twenty-four and already

conditioned to hard, manual

labor. Thirty-six hour shifts

were not uncommon in the oil

drilling business. In his teenage

and college summers, he worked

pipelines throughout several states.

As they began their first year

of marriage, Noel embarked on

a new job in a car dealership.

“We worked eight-to-twelvehour

days, six days a week,” Noel

recalls. His driven work ethic

and expertise in dealing with

people were keys to guiding him

from that first modest dealership

to the familiar Gray-Daniels

dealership that bore his name

and eventually included six

dealerships and over 500

employees.

Stephanie made the perfect

wife, according to Noel when he

shared how she stayed home to

raise their two daughters, Amy

and Allison. Noel credits

10 • DECEMBER 2020

“The Lord has

always taken

care of us.”

Stephanie for keeping the home

fires burning and rearing their

girls while he poured himself

into growing his car dealerships.

Today, daughter Amy is married

to Michael Courtney, and they

make their home in Jackson with

children, Daniel and Caroline.

Allison is married to Karl Ott

III, and they live in McComb.

They have two daughters, Emmy

and Clay.

Noel calls Stephanie his biggest

asset. “I wouldn’t be where I am

today without her.” The car

business meant several moves

for the Daniels, but Stephanie

made getting involved in church

a priority at every new home. She

was a leader in Junior League

groups and the local garden

clubs. Being a part of the Rankin

Health Foundation and planning

their fundraiser has brought her

added joy.

Stephanie has taught a Sunday

school class for the past twenty

years at Brandon Baptist Church,

where they are charter members,

and Noel serves as a deacon.

The church family has been a

vital support during her back

and neck complications over

the past several years. She’s

undergone ten surgeries and

still deals with constant pain.

She continues to affirm, “The

Lord has always taken care of us.”

Her active lifestyle has required

major adjustments due to the

surgeries, but Noel is her abled

assistant. Even after selling his

share in his dealerships that

he worked so long to grow, he

decided not to retire. Instead,

he and Joe Usry bought Joe Usry

Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

After two years they sold the

dealership and Noel joined

Watson Quality Ford as executive

manager and later, Roundtree

Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

And his tremendous work

ethic certainly hasn’t lessened.

It actually appears to have

mushroomed. Noel has recently

opened Noel Daniels Motor

Company at 219 Woodgate

Drive in Brandon.

Noel can’t discuss his fiftytwo

years of marriage without

an occasional business detour.

His name is familiar among

Mississippi businesses, and his

logo rides on the back of

trainloads of vehicles. He shares

his business secret: “Treat

everybody the same – and

remember that you are in the

people business regardless of

your trade.” As for his input

concerning employers, he says,

“You are only as strong as your

weakest link.”

He concluded his business

tips with one final thought: “The

stronger you build the foundation,

the higher you can build that

building.” Noel was definitely in

business mode when he shared

that tip, but there was no doubt

that he was also describing his

and Stephanie’s fifty-two years

of commitment. l





READER

SPOTLIGHT

Shanna

SPANN ________

Why did you decide to make Rankin County

your home?

Rankin County has always been my home.

I resided in the Florence area until my parents

moved us to Brandon in 1994.

Tell us about your family.

I am married Jeremy Spann, the owner of J.

Gerard’s Barber Salon in Pearl, and I am a

court administrator for Judge Haydn J.

Roberts in Rankin County Chancery Court.

We are a happily blended family that consists

of his three boys: Jayden G. Spann (23), Ian G.

Spann (17) and Kingston J. Spann (7), and my

two children: Alanna R. McLaurin (20) and

Jordan B. McLaurin (14). The strong and

different personalities make for the best times

in our home. We encourage our children to be

themselves at all times which makes for very

interesting and exciting conversations at our

dinner table.

What is your favorite memory of living in

Rankin County?

Definitely times spent with my family. I have

close relationships with both the paternal and

maternal sides of my family. Family gatherings,

holidays, and weekends at my grandmother’s

house and Sunday morning church services are

a few of my most enjoyable memories.

Although I have to admit, the best memory of

all is when we moved to Brandon!

Where are your three favorite places to eat

in Rankin County?

Hands down, our favorite place to eat in

Brandon is Mudbugs. However, because they

are seasonal, my husband and I will usually

dine at McAlister’s, while the boys love Sonic.

What are some fun things to do in Rankin

County on the weekends?

Shopping, shopping, and more shopping!

Seriously, over everything, I enjoy spending

time with my family. I love easy weekends

where nothing is required of us, and we have

no designated place to be. A nice relaxing

evening on the patio while my husband cooks

on the grill is the best! Prior to COVID-19,

Sundays were spent worshipping at Greater

New Friendship Baptist Church in Brandon.

Share some things you enjoy doing in your

spare time.

In my spare time…what’s spare time? Honestly,

I really enjoy reading a good book, but it seems

like forever since I’ve had an opportunity to do

so. I also enjoy spending time with my

grandmother; we love to watch Lifetime

movies together. I am also a member of Junior

Auxiliary of Rankin County where we’re

always up to something good!

Who is someone you admire and why?

The person I admire most is my grandmother,

Ms. Henry Lee Barnes. She is 85 years young,

and she is the pillar of our family and the

community. Filled with so much love and

wisdom, she is ALWAYS honest and fair,

whether the outcome favors you or not. Her

strength is unparalleled to anything I have ever

seen or experienced, and there has never been

anything I could tell her about my life that she

hasn’t already experienced. She truly loves the

Lord, and it manifests in every area of her

Christian walk. She gives God the glory for

everything and I believe that, as a result of her

prayers, I am who I am today. She is truly my

very best friend, and I love her from the

depths of my heart.

Where do you see yourself ten years from

now?

I pray that I will continue to have my health,

strength and sanity of mind. I’d hope that I’d

be a better person then than I am today, as I

will have garnered more life experiences. I

would also hope that I will have helped others

along the way and will have treated people as

I’d like to have been treated, regardless of who

they were and regardless of their circumstances.

Finally, I pray that my family and friends

would continue to be blessed in every way, as

well as for continued blessings and success in

my personal life and professional career.

What is your favorite childhood memory?

When my cousin Jennifer and I would explore

in the woods. We gathered eggs, fed horses and

played in the barn all day. When we got hungry,

we would gather fresh fruits and veggies and

eat them straight from our great-grandmother’s

garden! Then there were the times

my cousin Nicole and I would spend the

weekend at my grandmother’s house. She

worked at MSH and her shift ended at midnight

and we made it our business to be awake when

she arrived. The next morning my grandfather

would go squirrel hunting and he would come

home with his hunting vest full of them! My

grandmother would smother the squirrel with

gravy, along with grits, homemade biscuits and

a cup of coffee. It was the most delicious meal

but I now realize not only was she feeding our

bellies, she was nourishing our souls. After

breakfast, our only job was to play! FUN

TIMES!!

If you could give us one encouraging quote,

what would it be?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean

not on your own understanding; in all your

ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct

your paths.” - Proverbs 3:5-6,

What is your favorite thing about

Hometown Magazines?

I LOVE Hometown Magazine! It is filled with

tons of information and it is designed just for

our county. It keeps us current on everything

going on around us. I never miss an issue!


Register Now!

hindscc.edu/ready

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972 of the Higher Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities

Act of 1990 and other applicable Federal and State Acts, Hinds Community College offers equal education and employment opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin,

religion, sex, age, disability or veteran status in its educational programs and activities. The following have been designated to handle inquiries regarding these policies: EEOC Compliance: Sherry Franklin, Vice

President of Instruction/Career & Technical Education, Box 1003, Utica, MS 39175; Phone: 601.885.7002 or Email: EEOC@hindscc.edu. Title IX: Deandre House, Associate Vice President Student Services, Title

IX Coordinator, Box 1100 Raymond MS 39154; Phone: 601.857.3353 or Email: TitleIX@hindscc.edu.




TheMcNeils


Stacey (46) and Lynnette (47) are parents to Stacey’s son Tyler

(20) and their son Thorn (8). Stacey loves hunting and finds joy

in most everything outdoors. Thorn loves to run and is an avid

reader, so for this English teacher, that makes my heart sing–

which is something I love to do anyway. Our favorite thing to

do together is simply spend time with our family and friends.

We don’t have the picture-perfect family that you’ll see on

many social media profile pics because we are real about who we

are and what has shaped us into the people we have become.

Having both been married once before, we each have a deep,

heartfelt understanding of what we each need from and bring to

our marriage, and we strive daily to make sure the other person

always feels loved and valued. As such, we strive to set that

example for our sons.

Tell us how you and your spouse met,

and how long you’ve been married.

This is a story I love to tell, so it’s not easy to be brief. Stacey

and I have known each since we were about four years old and

grew up together as great friends–going to the same small school

and church in Raleigh, Mississippi, where our families still live

today. Our parents actually went to school together. I had such a

crush on him growing up but never said anything. Then, life

happened after graduating high school, and we didn’t see each

other again for 16 years. During that time we both were married

and divorced, but God brought us back together one night in

2007 at Belk.

Both my mom and aunt wanted to do a little shopping before

our dinner out that night, and as I was shopping, I thought I heard

my name but didn’t see anyone I recognized. After the second

time, this great looking guy said, “It’s me, Stacey.” Waiting,

because he had taken his mom by to shop as well, we talked for

half an hour, catching up on the past 16 years. Immediately after

seeing him, I couldn’t stop thinking, “God, what are You up to?”


Stacey asked me out to dinner then asked

me to marry him a year later in front of

Cinderella’s castle. Yep, Disney World, the

place where dreams come true! God has

blessed us immensely over the past 12

years, and our dreams have come true

together here in Rankin County.

Do you allow time to be with your

spouse for a date night?

Yes, we most definitely make time for

a date night. We each go to great lengths

to make sure the other person always feels

loved, appreciated, and safe, so making

time for each other is paramount in our

relationship.

What brings you the greatest joy

as a parent?

Watching our son grow as a confident

Christian brings us the greatest joy. Thorn

and I have the best conversations going to

and from school every day as we listen to

K-Love and Moody Radio. He’s listening,

discussing things on his mind, and

20 •• DECEMBER 2020

applying what he hears in his own life.

Hearing him say “I prayed,” in response

to any obstacle he may face makes us so

proud that he realizes the power of prayer.

It’s those moments we are so thankful for.

He’s also been a taekwondo student with

Master Lee at Lee’s Martial Arts since

2017. He’s now training and testing for

his black belt, which is no easy task, but

he’s realizing the value of hard work and

how it pays off.

Who is the financial manager in

your home?

This is a role that Stacey and I share

together. We discuss any major purchases

and our financial goals. We both believe

in his role as the leader of our family, and

he chooses to share that responsibility

with me.

When your child was younger, what

was your discipline philosophy?

We definitely believe we could be even

stricter than we are, but we both believe in

keeping kids accountable. Parenting isn’t

always easy, and one thing I’ve realized is

that parenting is a learning process. We

don’t get it right all of the time, but we

keep trying our best so that our son grows

up to be the best person, Christian, and

citizen he can be.

What do you see in your role as the

greatest benefit to your family?

In Thorn’s training, one of the five tenets

of taekwondo is having an indomitable

spirit. I think that is something that

Stacey and I both strive to exemplify in

our family in that we never give up. I grew

up riding horses, and when I’d get bucked

off, I learned to get right back on again,

even when I might have been a little

scared to do it. That’s such a life lesson.

There will always be obstacles to overcome,

but having that indomitable spirit is

what makes the difference. None of that

would be possible, though, without our

faith in whatever God’s will is for our lives.

We have learned to trust Him in all things

and to always live with a grateful heart,

praising God in the sunshine and the

storms.

What’s a quick go to meal that isn’t

fast food? And who does the cooking?

I’m the primary cook at our house, and we

have a few quick go-to meals–egg roll in a

bowl, Big Mac salad, our healthy version

of Outback’s Alice Springs Chicken, all

quick, easy, healthy recipes. Our favorite

meal though is to sous vide a steak for

about 3.5 hours then sear it on the grill for

a few minutes. Besides the sous vide, the

secret ingredient is the Fleur de Sel salt.

That’s an Ina Garten tip I learned years

ago. Add some veggies and fruit, and

we’re all set.

How long has Flowood been your

home?

Flowood has been our home for 13 years.

What are some of your favorite things

about Rankin County?

There are so many things that make us

proud to call Rankin County home.

Everything we need is here. And though

it is a suburban area, it’s small enough that

we still get to enjoy a safe, small town

atmosphere.

How do you spend your summer

breaks?

When I used to be a school administrator,

my summer breaks consisted of working

even while off contract. But we made a

change a few years ago, and God has given

us such perspective and guidance. After

dealing with infertility for a few years, we

were blessed with Thorn after praying for

him for so long. Now after making the

decision to go back into the classroom, we

make certain to spend quality time

together visiting our family, traveling,

having fun pool days with friends, and

simply enjoying being together.

What accomplishments make you

proud during your time living in

Flowood?

Probably the greatest accomplishment

we each could claim is that we are blessed

to do something every day that makes a

difference in people’s lives. Stacey works as

the lead radiation therapist at the Cancer

Center at Baptist Hospital. And though he

treats patients who are suffering from

cancer, his goal is to make each person feel

better, not only physically, but emotionally,

as well. Just a smile, a conversation, a

prayer makes such a difference in someone’s

day.

For me, I’ve been blessed to work with

students and faculty in K-12/college for the

past 23 years, and I’ve made so many great

relationships with children and families in

Rankin County and beyond. As the

former chair of the Millsaps College

Principals’ Institute, I was privileged to

work with an exemplary group of people

to help provide relevant, meaningful

professional development for school

administrators in Mississippi. Additionally,

my time teaching at Belhaven University

was so fulfilling in helping people to grow

as they pursued their goals of going back

to school for a bachelor’s degree. I taught

students who had just graduated high

school to those in retirement who just

wanted to earn their degrees and say they

were finally college graduates. Now, I’m so

blessed to be at Hartfield Academy where

I not only help students to grow academically,

but I also get to share my faith with

them every day. Being able to pray with

students and help them to grow in their

own walk with Christ is one of the most

fulfilling parts of what I do. Furthermore,

I decided to pursue my own health journey

last year, and after losing 50 pounds and

getting my own health in line, I now coach

other people just like me who are in the

pursuit of optimal health.

What drives you to have the job that

you have?

For Stacey, I love to sing his praises

because he is one of the most selfless

people I have ever known. I can attest to

the fact that he has such a giving heart,

and he finds immense joy in life from

helping others.

For me, I love that God has charged

me with helping our students to grow

academically and spiritually. Seeing that

light bulb moment occur for a child and

witnessing their pursuit of God are the

most rewarding experiences—knowing

that we can have an eternal influence upon

another person’s life.

I also work as a nutrition-based health

coach, helping people not only lose weight

but also improve their quality of life–

from people in their 20s to their 70s.

Seeing people improve the quality of their

daily life drives me to keep helping people

get healthy. I’m always thankful and

blessed when I check in and talk with

clients who share their struggles and

victories for the week. I heard someone

speak truth recently, saying that when we

have an unhealthy diet in our 20s, 30s, and

40s, we simply put on weight. But, when

we continue to eat that way in our 40s,

50s, and 60s, that unhealthy weight turns

into ailments, so getting our nutrition in

line and developing healthy habits are

keys to making long-term changes in our

health. Above all, it’s still a vehicle for

sharing my faith, as well. It is such a great

privilege to pray with a client because it

blesses me so much more than that person

could ever know.

Questions for Thorn

What’s your favorite thing to do

as a family?

“My favorite thing to do is go on

vacation. Corona has definitely put a

damper on that.”

What your favorite restaurant?

“I love Raising Cane’s Chicken, and my

favorite place to go eat with my family is

Amerigo. The chicken and the brownie

are awesome.”

What’s your favorite TV show?

The Mandalorian


SENIOR LIVING

at its

Finest !





Handmade

Christmas

treasures

Stories by Susan Marquez


It has been said that family traditions bring families closer together.

They help our kids feel a sense of belonging. They create memories

that will last a lifetime. They give us something to look forward to

and even go so far as help shape the character of our children.

Meet four women that have taken their tradition of ornament ¯

making well beyond routine memory making. They are creating

legacies that will last for generations to come.


Weda

lee

Mistie Desper

Giving back to others creates a ripple effect

of kindness that is unmatched. Weda Lee has

been blessing others for numerous years and

her tradition of gift gifting has touched the

lives of so many.


Mrs. Weda, at 82 years young, fondly

remembers, “My daddy would sell bushels

of corn when I was a young girl and would

always give a little extra to his customers.

Growing up in the country, we did not have

a lot and my parents were so generous.”

Having parents who gave so eagerly sparked

something in her heart. Seeing how just a little

extra could brighten someone’s day, she turned

the thoughtfulness she saw in her parents into

her own traditions of giving back.

Moving to Brandon in 1970, Weda and

husband, Bill Wade, began their family.

Children Melissa, Nancy, and Mark watched

their mother always give whenever she could.

Sadly, their father passed away at a young age.

At the time, a local newspaper covered a story

about their family. Daughter Melissa recalled

that the young reporter who came to meet the

family and cover their story was so intrigued

by her mother’s ornaments, who insisted that

she take one straight from the decorated tree

for herself. Melissa said, “Even as a teenager,

I could see how this act of kindness truly

touches people.”

Daughter Nancy added that as a teen, she

remembered her mother making ornaments

with the intention of giving them to others.

She said, “People would refuse to pick one

because who tells you to take an ornament off

their tree? So, we would have to assure them,

yes, she made them to give away!”

Remarried in 1985 to Bill Lee, she gained

three bonus children, Liz, Donnell, and Tim,

all of whom have been witness to the selfless

generosity and joy she has for others.

Making and giving ornaments began to grow

with each year. While teaching kindergarten at

First Baptist of Brandon for 17 years, Weda

would make ornaments for her students each

Christmas. She said, “I just really enjoy making

things for others. For my students, I remember

making all sorts of fun things like stockings,

angels, and snowmen.” These ornaments were

truly a labor of love as she cut and painted them

by hand for each of her students every year.

The other teachers liked the ornaments so

much that often times, they would ask her to

make some for their classes as well. Melissa

remembered, “Over the years, she is sure to

have made over thousands of ornaments for

teachers throughout Rankin County.”

Not only does Weda hand make ornaments,

she has participated in filling shoeboxes for

Operation Christmas Child since its

beginning over 10 years ago. This organization

provides a platform to share God’s love in a

tangible way to children around the world.

Being an avid church family themselves who

have benefited from the generosity of the

church in their own times of need, she strives

to always give back to others in the community

and abroad. Melissa said, “She and I are

traveling to Atlanta to volunteer at the processing

center. I want her to experience the big

picture of what the ministry does. I really wish

we could travel with the boxes and see a child’s

face when they open it up.”

Son, Mark, added, “I think we learned the

importance of having a church family and we

just looked out for each other. I think the

different ornaments and gifts were just a way

to reach out and make a connection and let

folks know that you care.”

Weda continues to make gifts for teachers

but now it is for her great grandchildren’s

teachers. Last year, she made soup cozies for

teachers at Rouse, StoneBridge, and Brandon

Elementary, as well as all of her children,

grandchildren, Sunday school class, and the

senior center. She is working away on her gifts

for this Christmas!

From humble beginnings, Weda has

devoted part of her life to making others feel

special and giving a little piece of herself and

her love of giving with every ornament she

crafts and gifts. “I just enjoy being able to give

and enjoy making someone else happy,”

Weda said.

Melissa closed by saying, “Mom doesn’t do

these things to get attention, she just quietly

does things because she enjoys blessing

people.” Weda plans to continue her tradition

as long as she can and hopes her “little

ornaments” continue to bring joy to others.


CarolMistie Desper

mcgahey

The vibrance of Christmas, special time with

loved ones, and all things that twinkle make the

season merry and bright but giving to others is

a tradition that will outshine all other memories.


Carol McGahey

has been hand

crafting ornaments

since she was a

young girl in the 3rd

grade. Now a mother

to three children and

a grandmother of two,

she continues to make

ornaments throughout the entire year, most

of which she gifts to others. She recalled that

while living in Louisiana as a child, a friend of

her mother’s introduced her to crafting and

ornament making. The rest, as they say, is

history. She has enjoyed making ornaments

and sharing them with others since she was

eight years old.

Carol expressed, “My favorite part is seeing

the joy that it gives people.”

For years, Carol has made handcrafted ball

ornaments for friends, family, customers, and

colleagues. Beginning with a simple round

Styrofoam ball, she creates a one of a kind

ornament in various styles and colors. The

typical size she makes uses approximately

200 pins, sequins, pearls, or beads and ribbon

and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. Carol

said she doesn’t have a certain style in mind

for most ornaments. She just begins and sees

where it goes. She admits, “It is therapeutic for

me.” Laughing as she remembered just how

therapeutic it can be, she recalled that once

boredom set in at the beginning of the

coronavirus pandemic, she sat down and

before she realized, had made 54 ornaments.

Being in a career of

conducting communication

for hospitals, she has met

people from near and far.

She has hand-crafted and

gifted ornaments to many

customers across the

country to make their

holidays a little more special. “Customers

will text me out of the blue when they get

their ornaments out–as they’re decorating for

Christmas–and text that they are thinking of

me,” she said.

Although she enjoys the traditional colors

for herself for the six Christmas trees she

places in her own home each season, she

handcrafts her ornaments to suit what others

like as well to match their home décor or

holiday style. Her favorite style to make is her

version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

“They are so fun with their googly eyes,” she

said. And in the South, we cannot forget

about the football rivalries. She stated she gets

many requests for college team ornaments

with the most popular being Ole Miss,

Mississippi State University, and University

of Alabama. Carol once made an entire set

of Alabama ornaments to completely fill her

brother’s office Christmas tree.

Carol has since passed this tradition on to

her daughter, daughter-in-law, grandchildren,

nieces, friends, and a few co-workers. She truly

enjoys making each one and giving with it a

small piece of her heart. And she hopes that

her crafts can give someone a smile every

time they place it on their Christmas tree.

She said, “It truly is the gift that keeps giving.”


Linda

aige

Susan Marquez

In the home of Paige Clayton of Flowood,

the Christmas tree, filled with hundreds of

ornaments, is like a scrapbook of her life.


“Each ornament is handmade, and each

tells a story in the life of me, my husband and

our children. It has become a huge tradition

and one that I love so much. It’s such a

precious thing.”

The ornaments have been lovingly

handmade over the years by Paige’s mother,

Linda Black. “My mother always did

Christmas up real big,” Linda recalls. The

daughter of an Air Force family, Linda’s

mother was from Mississippi and her father

was from Boston. “We moved often, and

lived all over the world,” she recalls. “But my

happiest times were spending time with my

grandparents in Choctaw County, Mississippi.

When we were there, my siblings and I

thought we had died and gone to heaven.”

Linda grew up learning to be crafty and

artistic. “My grandmother was into quilting,

and my mother taught us needlework.” The

first Christmas Linda was married to her

husband, Ricky, she realized they did not have

any Christmas decorations. “That was a real

awakening to me, as my mother had done

Christmas in such a grand way each year.” She

made do that first year with red Christmas

balls tied with red velvet bows, which is all the

young couple could afford. “I decided that

Christmas that I’d start making ornaments

for my future children. I wanted to send a

piece of me with them when they went out

in the world.”

The next year Linda gave birth to Paige,

who would be their only child. “I made a

commitment that I’d make two ornaments a

year, one for me and one for her to take with

her when she grew up and moved away. That

way, she’d have an ornament for each year of

her life.”

The ornaments, made of felt and sequins,

are made from Bucilla kits which Linda

picked out specifically to commemorate a

special event from that year. “Each one of the

ornaments has a date, and there is a story

behind it. The older we all get, the more

specialized each ornament is. The ornaments

have become the story of our family’s lives, or

at least the parts we can tell!” Linda has made

an ornament for Paige every year, and now,

almost twenty years into their marriage, Linda

has made an ornament for Paige’s husband,

and for their two children, who are ages 15

and 13. “My granddaughter plays volleyball,

so I’ve made her a volleyball player with her

jersey colors. My grandson plays football, so

I’ve made ornaments with his jersey numbers

and colors.” Linda says that she and Paige

easily have over 500 ornaments each. “Paige

has made some, but she was busy with school,

then her career and children, so she leaves the

ornament making to me!”

Linda doesn’t always stick to the kit

design. “She’s really good at modifying

and customizing the ornaments to fit the

occasion or person she is giving it to,” says

Paige. “I remember most of the kits featuring

blonde-haired girls, and I was brunette. We

went to several stores looking for brown felt.

She also custom designs ornaments on her

own. I can idea-generate, and she has the

follow-through. She puts her own personal

touch on everything.”

Paige says she has made a couple of special

ornaments for her mother. “I made one for

my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, and

I made one recently for a ‘monumental’

birthday she had.” Linda says the ornament

Paige made had daffodils on it, which are

Linda’s favorite flower. “It is so special to me.”

Paige’s favorite ornament is a replica Linda

made of her wedding cake. “It is a perfect

three-dimensional replica of my cake. It is

exactly to scale, very architectural. She even

had a slice out of the cake with the different

color layers inside crafted from sequins. It still

excites me today. I just love it.”

Paige says that she cannot always remember

what she got for Christmas, but she can

always remember the ornament. “We usually

get them at Thanksgiving every year.” Some

of the more special ornaments include bits of

fabric from special pieces of clothing in their

lives. “I once made an ornament out of Paige’s

first party dress, but only after my granddaughter

outgrew it,” recalls Linda. She also

made an ornament out of the hat Paige wore

when she was in a high school production of

Hello, Dolly. “These ornaments are our little

treasures,” says Linda. “They are special to us.

And it’s a fun thing for me to do.”



I love worshipping Jesus

and I am very thankful to

grow at a school where I can

experience His loving kindness.

At Hartfield, I have been

prepared for college and

encouraged in my faith in

Jesus. I am so grateful to be a

student at Hartfield Academy!

-Kyndal White, Senior

FIND YOUR WHY

(601) 992-5333 hartfield.org



A Vision of

Grace

DR. KEVIN JONES, PASTOR, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH RICHLAND

In the Bible, the first part

of Proverbs 29:18 KJV says,

“Where there is no vision,

the people perish.”

This familiar verse of Scripture encapsulates a

critical principle of effective leadership and has guided

leaders of all types of organizations for millennia. We

celebrate visionary leadership because it is exceedingly

rare and exceptional, and typically, visionary leaders

are lionized after the tenure of their leadership expires.

The Rev. Allen Stephens proved to be a visionary

leader among Rankin County Baptists and, in particular,

his leadership in Richland continues to shape the

contours of the ministry of First Baptist Church Richland

to the residents of Richland.

Allen Stephens served as the pastor of First

Baptist Church Richland from 1988 to 1994. During his

pastorate, Bro. Allen had a burden for the people of

Richland. He believed that many citizens of Richland

were underserved by the church, and he believed that

FBC Richland should be striving to meet the physical

needs of the residents of Richland as a means of

sharing the gospel with her neighbors in Richland.

Bro. Allen faithfully served the Lord during his tenure

as pastor until he was called to be the associational

director of missions for the Rankin County Baptist

Association. Though his ministry responsibilities had

changed, the burden he felt for Richland remained.

Just as vision is necessary for effective leadership,

the timing of leadership initiatives cannot be

overstated. Approximately two years ago, the vision

that lay dormant in Bro. Stephen’s heart reignited and

spurred him to see and seize an opportunity to reach

Richland with the gospel. The Rankin County Baptist

Association sponsored a mission, the Grace Baptist

Church in Richland, and in spite of the faithful service

and hard work of this mission and its members, the

mission was on the verge of becoming insolvent and

thus unable to effectively minister to the part of

Richland in which it was located. Bro. Allen reached

out to Dr. Kevin Jones, the current pastor of First Baptist

Church Richland, with an idea whose time had arrived.

Rev. Stephens suggested that the property of the

Grace Mission be given to First Baptist Church Richland

because FBC Richland had the resources to support the

ministries that could meet the needs of the people living

near the Grace Mission. The intersection of God’s vision

and timing proved powerfully effective. FBC Richland’s

membership agreed to assume responsibility for the

use and care of the Grace Mission campus, and the

Rankin County Baptist Association agreed to deed the

campus to FBC Richland. This property came to be

known as the Grace Campus of FBC Richland.

Upon the completion of the transfer of ownership,

improvements were planned and initiated by the church.

The two buildings on the property required significant

upgrades, updates, and improvements to enhance their

viability for future ministries. In addition to renovating

the existing buildings, FBC Richland saw a need to

increase the ministry capacity of the campus by

building an additional building in which to do ministry.

It was decided to name this new building The Stephens

Center in honor of the memory and ongoing legacy of

Bro. Allen Stephen’s vision and passion for reaching

Richland with the love of Jesus Christ.

Today, the Grace Campus consists of three buildings

that are used to minister to Richland. One building, the

Grace Harvest Building, houses a food pantry which

provides free, non-perishable food items to those in

need. Another building, the Grace Center, houses Hands

Up ministry. Hands Up ministry offers GED training,

English as a Second Language program, and various

life skills instruction for those seeking to improve their

lives through adult education. The Stephens Center

will house afterschool ministries, small group Bible

studies, VBS, and other group ministries.

None of the current or future ministries which

occur on the Grace Campus of FBC Richland would be

possible without God’s vision and love for Richland.

These ministries are built upon the leadership, hard

work and sacrifice of people like Rev. Stephens.

For additional information about the ministries of the

Grace Campus call 601-939-1715 Monday-Friday or visit

the church’s website at www.fbcrichland.org.



CALL NOW: 601-401-3299

Town Yarn

The Long & Short of It...

puckett

Puckett is a small town in Rankin County,

located eighteen miles south of Brandon.

The town Puckett has a current population

of about 350 people.

The history of Puckett begins in 1837, when Calvin Boone, one of

the first settlers, made his way there. Settlers came from Alabama

to Puckett. At the time, Puckett was under a different name, Clear

Creek. A man named Joshua Burnham applied for a post office in

Clear Creek, Mississippi. Joshua asked that the post office be named

“Clear Creek,” but another post office already had that name. He had

to instead think of a new name for the town, and decided to name it

after another pioneer family, The Pucketts.

For many years, Puckett was well known for a traveling show that

came through the community each winter. During this time, Puckett

was known as “the largest little show place” in the world. Puckett,

like most small communities, also had a church and public school.

In 1924, three cities, Mayton, Puckett, and County Line, came

together and joined their schools, which proved very successful

for all three communities.

The welcoming sign in Puckett was constructed in the 1950’s.

The iconic sign reads, “Welcome to Puckett, 300 good friendly folks

and a few old sore heads.” Puckett has its own public library,

volunteer fire department, post office, and water system.



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Front

Porch

Memories

Camille Anding

It’s the house on College Street – the one

with the happy porch – the porch the owners

call their favorite room in the house. From that

front porch Mary Ann and James (Jim) Baker

often wave at passing traffic and savor a

treasure-trove of delightful memories.


For Jim, the house was his grandmother’s home,

then his parents’ and now is a place where the Bakers’

five grandchildren visit them. Three generations

have captured and retained countless memories for

Mary Ann and Jim, as well as for family and friends.

Pelahatchie was home to Mary Ann’s parents,

and even though their property touched the backside

of Jim’s yard, Jim and Mary Ann didn’t start dating

until her senior year in high school. (A wartime job

of building Homestead Air Force Base had carried

Mary Ann’s dad and family to Florida until moving

back to Pelahatchie her tenth-grade year.)

Jim graduated the year before Mary Ann but

came home to Pelahatchie on weekends. Some mutual

friends arranged for a foursome after a Sunday night

church service, and romance budded. It bloomed

over the next five years of their dating.

Mary Ann Davis and Jim Baker were wed in

Pelahatchie Baptist Church on July 17, 1965. Jim

worked in retail the following years – jobs that took

his family to Texas and Louisiana before moving

back “home” in 1991.

The couples’ two daughters, Clair and Lauren,

and their families, have been entertained with stories

about Jim’s childhood. They can take you to the urn

in the cemetery adjacent to their property where Jim

hid his school day quizzes that got an F grade.

The home place was just a block from the school,

so Jim left for class when he heard the school bell

ring. He’s also described how his mother pruned the

bush across from the church, getting switches to

discipline his bad behavior in church. On one

occasion he demonstrated his new skill at whistling

– in the middle of the sermon. Out he went with his

mother to the “switch” bush!


The Bakers have always enjoyed traveling and

have made collectible memories during the two-week

vacations they took with their daughters. Now that

the family has grown to eleven, they still enjoy

“together” vacations but in two vehicles.

For Jim’s 80th birthday last year, Clair and

Lauren planned a vacation for their original family

of four to Asheville, North Carolina. Mary Ann

and Jim are excited about plans for sharing another

foursome birthday celebration in Gatlinburg and

the surrounding area.

The Bakers are active and agile and grateful that

their aches and pains haven’t caught up to their ages.

They’ve missed their domino games with friends due

to COVID, but the virus didn’t stop Jim’s Sunday

school class from meeting. They enjoyed Sunday

school in the church parking lot – with social

distancing guidelines. Jim laughed as he described

how church worship was underway again, following

safety guidelines, “But we all exit to the front porch

and group up to fellowship!”

When asked how the couple would like to be

remembered, Jim was brief – “He was a good,

ole boy.”

Mary Ann wants to be remembered as a good

mother and wife. Then she added, “When it’s my

time to go, I don’t want my friends to be sad and

tearful. I want them to play dominoes, eat, laugh,

and remember all the good times.” And the house

on College Street with the happy porch will have

lots of happy times to remember. l



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Mrs. Freeman , s

NWR Elementary

4th Grade Class

If I could give

my mom and

dad anything

in the world...

Abigail Hopkins

I would give my mom a day off

and I would not drive her crazy.

I would probably take her to the

mountains too because she

has done so much for me

and my family.

Landon Luckett

I’d give them my love,

because they’re my family

and they care for and raise me

as their child and they provide

me with food. I am grateful

to be their son.

Alleigh Etheredge

I would give my mom a new

job closer to our house because

she works in Lake and she

has to drive one hour to work

and one hour back.

Collier Mitchell

I would give them a nice house,

cars, and a lot of money so

we can go to Disney, because

they work really hard. If I couldn’t

do that, I would give them jobs

closer to our house because

they have to drive 45 minutes

to their work.

Maddox Halcomb

I would give them all the hugs

in the world because all the

love that they give to me I would

want to give back to them.


Sydney Courtney

I would give Mom cooking

books, because my mom loves

to cook for my family and she

loves when we like her food.

I would give my dad garden

tools because he loves gardening.

Brooks Frizell

I would give my mom a new

job, because my mom works

really hard for us and

I really appreciate it.

Katelyn Ross

I would give them a one-week

vacation because my mom and

dad work at IHOP and today

was my mom’s day off but no

one showed except my dad, so my

mom had to go to work to help.

Caroline Gordy

I would give them all my love,

because I love them a lot.

Samantha Fede

I would give my mom bracelets

because my mom always wears

bracelets and she loves them.

Then I would give my dad more

time off so he can spend time with

me and my brothers and sisters

because he has to work every

day, sometimes on the weekends

too. So that’s what I would

give my mom and dad.

Brooks Peden

I would give them a dream

vacation because they have

Sophi Monk

I would give them a pretty

house, because we have been

looking and they want a house

with a big yard and a pool.

They really do deserve it

for their hard work!

been begging me. Hometown RANKIN • 49


Aiden Hobson

I would give my dad a

Lamborghini because he likes

cars and I would give my mom

a dress because she likes

to look good.

Kyle Gaymes

I would become the president

and make it to where teachers

get paid more. My mom is a

teacher and I think she doesn’t

get paid as much as she

deserves, because she is kind

and hard working.

Kayden Scott

I would give my mom a break

from work, because she is tired

a lot from work and I love to

spend time with her. If she is

always at work I can’t spend

time with her, so I would give her

a nice break so I could spend

time with my mom.

Lucas Jones

I would give my mom a small

house that would be quiet and

a big patch of flowers because

she needs to relax after school,

also she loves flowers.

Ryan Davidson

I would give them a dream

vacation in Japan because

my mom misses the products

that they sold in Japan. My dad

misses his brother Joe so

I would surprise my parents

with a house in Japan.

Beau McGuire

I would give them one hundred

trillion dollars, because they

work so hard and my dad

wants the PS5 and my mom

wants a lot of plants.



Congratulations!

TO OUR OWN

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FOR HER NOMINATION AS

TOP 5 PHYSICAL THERAPISTS

IN RANKIN COUNTY!

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LOVE

and the

Big Green

Truck

Camille Anding

Have you ever stopped

to make a list of the things

and people you take for

granted?

It would be a lengthy list if we ever gave it

serious thought. One service that needs

to be on the list is garbage pick-up.

The individuals that drive and ride in back of these garbage gulping trucks carry

a variety of job titles – refuse collector, trash collector, and sanitation engineer.

But most just refer to them as garbage collectors.

They pick up what you no longer want – from paper trash, food scraps, and stinky

diapers to shrub trimmings, broken furniture and whatever else you designate as

garbage. Their schedules follow the same guidelines as postal deliverers – “snow nor

rain nor gloom of night.” There are a lot more days of extreme heat, rain and winter

chills on a Mississippi calendar than there are perfect conditions for heaving loads

of garbage from their repeated routes.

It would be interesting to know how many people actually know the names of their

“sanitation engineers.” According to the Sherman family you may be missing out on

some choice friendships.


Cade and Dianna Sherman’s young two year old,

Luke, was the first to notice the giant, green garbage

truck that made regular stops at their Pearl neighborhood

address. Then Donald, the regular garbage guy at the

back of the truck, noticed Luke and returned friendly

waves. By the time Luke turned three he was a regular

fan of his collector friends–Gerald, the alternate driver,

and Donald, who was always at the back of the truck

doing the lifting and dumping. There were always

waves, horn honks and brief conversations. Dianna

made pictures the day Donald gave Luke a dollar bill

for his birthday.

It was a sad day for the entire family when they sold

their Pearl home to move to a farm near Pisgah. Not

only did they hate to say goodbye to their neighbors,

but Luke and younger sister, Brooklyn, would be

saying goodbye to their collector friends.

On their last day before moving, it was a tearful

farewell for Luke, Brooklyn, and Dianna, when they

waited for their last garbage pickup. Donald reached

for a bag in the truck and handed it to Luke. It was a

giant “goody” bag of toys, coloring books, two waste

management caps and neon vests and Luke’s very own

replica of the big, green truck.

The move to the farm was bittersweet for the

children, because leaving friends behind is never easy.

Dianna tried to lift Luke’s spirits, assuring him that he

would have new friends at their next home.

On the first Saturday after moving into their rural

home, they were pulling out of the driveway to ride

into town for a breakfast treat. Dianna spotted a giant

garbage truck coming toward their home and said,

“Wait, let’s meet our new friends!”

As the green machine slowed down, they couldn’t

believe what they were seeing! It was Donald

springing off the back of the truck and Gerald in the

driver’s seat. Dianna described it as a God-thing. The

probability of having a route at their new home with

the same employees was unbelievable for all of them.

Gerald describes himself as a “people person” and tries

to be friendly with all the customers. “We’re always

waving at the little kids – they love the big truck.”

Donald was all smiles when he stopped to greet us!

A Waste Management employee for six years, Donald

described his associates as, “one big family.” “I enjoy

my work, especially when I get to meet great families

like the Shermans.” Fist bumps were passed, the garbage

container emptied and after some quick photos, the

special friends were on their way.

Our garbage collectors render a service we

underestimate and probably do take for granted. Let

this story be a reminder to extend them a hand wave

and an occasional snack would be even friendlier.

And thanks to big-hearted employees like Donald

and Gerald who not only pick up but leave behind

friendships and impressions that

could go a long way in

helping to “sanitize”

our culture. l




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Holiday

Gift

Guide

2

1

5

3

4

6

7


8

9

12

13

14

11

10

1. Half Shell Oyster House

Gift Cards

2. Alumni House

Gift Certificates

3. Polk’s Drugs

Customizable Stuffed Stockings

starting at $35.99

4. Alpha Trailer

Tow & Stow Adjustable Ball Hitch

5. Van’s Sporting Goods

Banded RedZone 2.0 Wader

6. Buffalo Wild Wings

Gift Cards

7. T&D Furniture

Kid’s Recliners with cupholders

$99.99 and tween size $149.99

Lots of colors to pick from!

8. Mockingbird Marketplace

ENewton 14k Gold Filled Bangle

9. Cups

Gift Cards

10. Southern Raised

Children’s Boutique

Rudolph Appliqué Christmas Set

$38 - sister sets available!

11. Rankin County Co-Op

Tire Horses

12. Vintiques

Myra Handbags

12. Dickey's Barbecue Pit

Gift Cards

13. Frederick’s Sales & Service

Blowers starting at $139.95



Merry

Christmas

from

Rankin

Hometown


SALUTE

to First Responders

Why did you decide to be a policeman?

I started working at the police department in 2001 as a telecommunicator.

We were able to ride along with the officers during

that time. I started to see the positive impacts that our police

officers had on people that were going through what could be

possibly the hardest moments in their lives. I wanted to make

a positive impact as well. I grew up and went to school in Pearl

so I wanted to help the people in the city where I live.

How long have you been with the Pearl Police

Department?

February will make 20 years.


I was born and raised in Pearl with amazing parents. I have one

older sister and one older brother. I have been married for four

years. We have a total of three children. We have a 21-year-old

special needs son and a 20-year-old daughter. We then started

over and have a 4-year-old daughter! The 4 year old is active in

gymnastics and keeps us super busy.

What is the toughest thing you have experienced in

your job?

I would say the toughest thing I have experienced is the loss of

life. It is our job to notify people when their loved ones are not

able to come home whether they were a victim of crime or a

victim in a car crash. As a crash receptionist, I have had to do

this more than I would ever care to. This part of the job never

gets any easier. It is heartbreaking and it stays with you.

Officer

Amanda

Thomasson

PEARL POLICE DEPARTMENT

Share some things you enjoy doing in your spare time.

I spend most of my spare time with my family. The 4 year old

keeps me busy between birthday parties, gymnastics, and playing

with Barbies or babies. During the week, I spend a good deal of

time at the office or in meetings so I try to make as much time

for her as I can on the weekends.

What are three things on your bucket list?

I would love to scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef. I would love

to learn to surf. I would also love to travel and visit the Seven

Wonders of the World.


Who is someone you admire

and why?

The person I admire the most is my dad.

He is a hard-working man that taught

me that you have to work for what you

get in life. He taught me that I can

achieve anything I want as long as I put

in a good day’s work to earn it. He also

taught me that I should never let the fact

that I am female in a predominantly

male field keep me from striving for and

achieving the goals I set for myself. That

piece of advice has always stuck with

me and pushed me to always do better.

It paid off because I am now the captain

of this department.

If you could give one piece of advice

to a young person, what would it be?

Pick a career you love. If you love what

you do and love who you do it for, you

never really have to “work” a day in your

life. You will be proud of the work you do

and happy to be able to do it.

LIFE CHANGES

AND SO DO YOUR

INSURANCE NEEDS.

Steven Wallace

601-825-5242

swallace@insassociate.com


the City of Pearl?

The people. The people in this city are

ready, willing and able to step up and

help a person in need. The unity in this

city is incomparable.


Rankin County?

My favorite thing about Rankin County

is the comradery. The law enforcement

agencies in this county work together

like a well-oiled machine. As an administrator,

this is a paramount because we

always know that help is coming.


Rankin

Hometown

Like

Us!


DISCOVER OUR

visitjackson.com/safertravel

#SafelyExploreJXN

#VisitMSResponsibly


Hometown

GOODNESS

Holiday Recipes

from the

Brandon

Garden Club

Brandon Garden Club has

been beautifying Brandon and

contributing to its quality of life

since it was organized in 1952.

It was federated with The Garden

Clubs of Mississippi, Inc. in 1953.

Many of these recipes are from

the club’s cookbook Roses, Recipes

and Reflections, which was

published as annual recipe

inserts from 2000 to 2016.

The cookbook is now a

collector’s item.

BGC members work year-round

to make Brandon a better place

to live. For information on BGC’s

projects, visit their website at

thebrandongardenclub.com

or Facebook.

_____________________________________________________

Blueberry Pound Cake

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 cup sugar

• 4 eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 3 cup all purpose flour, divided

• ½ tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Cream butter and sugar . Add eggs

one at a time and beat until light

and fluffy. Stir in vanilla . Sift together

flour, salt, and baking powder

(reserve one cup). Mix remaining

dry ingredients into creamed

mixture . Dredge blueberries in

the reserved cup of flour . Carefully

fold blueberry mixture into batter.

Pour batter into Bundt or tube pan

(or loaf pans), buttered and coated

in sugar (may use Baker’s Joy).

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and

15 minutes or until brown on top

and sides of cake are pulling from

sides of pan. Cool in pan for a few

minutes, then turn onto wire rack

to cool. Freezes well!

_____________________________________________________

Butterscotch

Nut Brownies

• 1 stick of butter, softened (½ cup)

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 cup light brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup cake flour


• ½ tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs,

one at a time. Stir in flour to which

baking powder and salt have been

added. Add vanilla and pecans.

Pour into greased, foil-lined 8” x 12”

pan. Leave ends of foil long enough

to lift cooked brownies out before

cutting. Bake at 350° for 25-30

minutes. Check at 20 minutes, do not

overbake. Cut into squares while still

warm. Dust with powdered sugar, if

desired. Sprinkle powdered sugar

onto serving plate to keep brownies

from sticking, or dip the bottom of

each square into powdered sugar.

Yield: 16 servings

To toast pecans:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread pecans

on a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven

for 5 minutes; stir. If additional

toasting is needed, continue to toast

and stir at 2 minute intervals until

pecans are toasted.


_______________________________________________________

Apple Cranberry

Casserole

• 12 oz. package fresh cranberries

• 4 cup sliced peeled apples

• 20 oz. can pineapple chunks,

drained and cut into smaller pieces

• 1½ cup sugar

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 1½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal

• ½ cup chopped pecans

• 1 stick margarine

• Dash of salt

Combine sugars, oatmeal, pecans,

salt, and margarine which has been

cut in. Toss with apples, cranberries,

and pineapple. Place in 9” x 13”

baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for

50 minutes covered with foil.

Uncover and bake 10 more minutes

Serves: 15

_____________________________________________________

Chili Cheese

Egg Casserole

• 1 stick of butter

• 10 eggs

• 2 egg whites

• ½ cup flour


• (2) 8 oz. cans of diced green chilies

• 1 qt. (4 cups) cottage cheese

• ½ cup mascarpone cheese

• 1 lb. Monterey jack cheese,

shredded

• ½ lb. shredded Monterey jack

cheese

• ½ lb. cooked sausage

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place

butter in 9” x 13” baking pan. Place

pan in oven until butter melts; pour

½ butter into small bowl and set

aside. Beat eggs and egg whites

slightly in large bowl, stir in flour,

baking powder, chilies, all cheeses,

salt and pepper, and mix well. Pour

egg mixture into a baking pan and

pour reserved butter evenly over top.

Bake 15 minutes in 400 degree oven;

reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake

35-40 minutes more, or until

casserole is set.

_______________________________________________________

Cracker Candy

• 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers

• 1 ¼ cup butter

• 1 ¼ cup firmly packed light

brown sugar

• 2 cup milk chocolate morsels

• ¾ cup toasted pecans, chopped

• ½ cup white chocolate morsels

Place crackers on a lightly greased

aluminum foil-lined jellyroll pan. Lay

whole crackers in a layer as close as

possible, break the remaining crackers

in half, and fill in any gaps. Bring

butter and brown sugar to a boil in a

saucepan, stirring constantly; cook

3 minutes, stirring constantly. Spoon

mixture over crackers and bake at

350° for five minutes, then turn oven

off. Sprinkle crackers with chocolate

morsels. Let stand in oven for 3

minutes or until chocolate melts.

Spread melted chocolate evenly over

crackers, and top with pecans and

white chocolate pieces. Lightly press

white chocolate pieces and pecans

into melted chocolate with the back

of a large spoon. Cool completely,

and cut candy into pieces. Store in

the refrigerator.

To toast pecans:

Place whole pecans in a microwave

safe dish. Dot with margarine.

Cook at high heat 5-6 minutes.

Stir after 3 minutes.

Note: Can be chilled overnight, and

broken into one large piece at a time,

placed on a cutting board and cut into

small pieces (use a sharp cleaver type

knife)

Yield: 2 lbs.

_____________________________________________________

Bayou Crawfish Dip

• 8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded

• 1 cup ground sausage, cooked and

drained

• 2 cup shrimp, cooked, drained,

and chopped

• 12 oz. bag of crawfish tails, cooked

• ½ cup green onions, chopped

• 1 cup sour cream with 2 T of

cornstarch, mix well

• 8 oz. cream cheese

• ½ cup celery, chopped

• ½ cup bell pepper, mixed colors

(red, green, yellow)

• 1½ T Tony Chachere’s

• 1 tsp. Tabasco

Combine all ingredients. Heat

thoroughly in pan. Serve in phyllo

shells. Garnish with extra shrimp.

Yield: 20 servings

_____________________________________________________

Cheese Ring

• 1 lb. cheddar cheese, grated

• 1 cup finely chopped pecans

• 1 medium onion, grated

• ¼ tsp. garlic powder

• ½ tsp. Tabasco sauce

• ¾ cup mayonnaise

• 1 jar strawberry preserves

Mix all ingredients (except strawberry

preserves). Press into lightly greased

one-quart mold and chill. Unmold

onto serving plate . Fill center with

strawberry preserves

_______________________________________________________

Eggnog Bread Pudding

• 10 oz. loaf stale French bread,

crumbled (or 6-8 cup any type

of bread)

• 4 cup eggnog (1 quart)

• 2 cup sugar

• 8 T butter, melted (1 stick)

• 3 eggs

• 2 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Mixture

should be very moist but not soupy

(consistency of oatmeal). Pour into a

buttered 9” x 12” baking dish (can use

butter spray). Place into non-preheated

oven. Bake at 350° for approximately

1 hour and 15 minutes, until top is

golden brown. Serve warm with sauce.

Freezing

Cook 45 minutes until eggs are

cooked. Cool overnight in refrigerator,

then freeze. To cook, refrigerate for

one day to thaw, then bake for about

one hour.

Variations: Add pineapple and

coconut and top with rum sauce;

add 3 lbs. of peanut butter M&M’s

and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

_____________________________________________________

bourbon Sauce

• 1 stick butter

• 1½ cup powdered sugar

• 2 egg yolks

• ½ cup bourbon (to taste) –

Can substitute your favorite fruit

juice or liquor

Cream butter and sugar over medium

heat until all butter is absorbed.

Remove from heat and blend in egg

yolk. Pour in bourbon gradually to

your own taste, stirring constantly.

Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve

warm over warm bread pudding.




HometownHomes • Your Source for Hometown Living

Want to

see your

listing

here?

Over 15,000 people will.

Call 601-706-4059!

HometownHomes



CITY OF BRANDON

Veterans Breakfast

Wednesday, November 11

Lt. Col. Thomas Tuggle, Special Guest Speaker



FLOWOOD FAMILY YMCA

Veterans Breakfast

Tuesday, November 10

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, Special Guest Speaker



Rediscover Joy With

Life Solutions That Work.

5611 Highway 80 East, Pearl MS • 601.939.6634 • crossroadscounselingms.com


CITY OF PEARL

Veterans

Program

Tuesday, November 10

Pearl Senior Center

Judge Kent McDaniel,

Special Guest Speaker

Photos by Gayle Ann Charnley


Memories of the Heart

Mary Ann Kirby

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories

and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year

for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.

Laura Ingalls Wilder


We all have our own memories of Christmases-past. Mine

mostly involve my grandmother’s house. I was the only child

of a single working-parent, and my mother and I would most

often rely on my grandmother to create and fulfill all our

holiday experiences. And she was happy to do it, too.

She’d have the yard man haul her eight-foot artificial tree

down from the attic every year and stand it in the corner of the

living room–along with ornaments stored in partitioned boxes

once gathered from some liquor store. We’d string the colored

lights around the tree and then I would begin the task of

strategically placing all the balls and tinsel garland. Sometimes

we’d use icicles to finish it off and it would inevitably end up

looking like an explosion of aluminum.

On Christmas morning the house would smell divine. There

would be a turkey in the oven along with cornbread dressing and

a sweet potato casserole. The dressing was a family favorite and

was especially delicious when served mashed-up with white rice

and gravy.

We’d be seated at the kitchen table and each place setting

would be complete with a freshly-ironed cloth napkin. Christmas

Day was not a day for folded paper towels. It was special. We’d

use the good plates, too.

Everyone had their glass of tea made from that granulated

instant tea powder-stuff that just dissolved in water–and one

solid can-shaped, ribbed, jellied cranberry sauce jiggled on a

saucer in the middle of it all. I never understood the cranberry

sauce. Or the Le Sueur peas, for that matter. Clearly I had not

yet developed a sophisticated palette. I was just a kid, after all.

And when it was time to give thanks, it would always be the

same: “Father we thank Thee for these and all our blessings.

Amen.” Didn’t matter who said it–it was always those exact

words. For decades.

✧ ✧ ✧

When my grandmother died in 2012, I brought her kitchen

table to my house. I didn’t have room for it but it was just one of

those things that I couldn’t part with. We had played countless

hands of double-solitaire on that table, had a thousand

conversations–and had eaten all those Christmas dinners.

I had to put it on the back porch. It wasn’t “in” the elements,

but wasn’t inside, either. Not surprisingly, after a few years, the

polyurethane began to peel and the wood was showing damage.

So I decided to refinish it. I sanded it, by hand, for no less

than twelve hours–with no TV and no radio. The sound of

rubbing away generations of DNA consumed me completely.

And after all the rubbing and sanding and scraping and

remembering, I got to bare wood. The table was completely raw.

And it smelled amazing.

It was a cross between cedar and perfume. It was an

emotional smell. I felt transported to another time. Memories

flooded my eyes.

✧ ✧ ✧

As the years wore on, Christmases at my grandmother’s

became less involved. There was less participation. She was

getting older. Everyone had other lives. They lived in far-off

places and experienced life’s normal distractions. Our group

had become fractured. Sometimes family dynamics, themselves,

presented their own difficulties.

At some point, gatherings and gifts had become more

obligatory and less meaningful. Christmas mornings were

filled with socks, and bathrobes, and packaged undershirts–

and stress. It was easier to give an envelope containing a

twenty-dollar bill. The faded excitement of Christmas

morning had become a distant expectation.

But on one particular Christmas morning, ironically the

last that I remember celebrating there, there was one wrapped

package that was larger than the rest. It disrupted the otherwise

low-lying landscape of the few gifts under the tree. It was a

single box, had one of those big puffy bows on top, and it had

my name on it.


Unlike so many times before, this wasn’t

something I had purchased myself, then

wrapped, and placed under the tree with a

tiny gift card in my own handwriting that said,

“To: Mary Ann, From: G’mama.” This was an

actual surprise! When I turned to her, she just

stood there, waiting, with a childlike twinkle in

her own eye.

I ripped the paper off of it like a six-year

old. And much to my astonishment, it was a

big, white, fluffy, teddy bear with a red knit hat

and scarf. What in the world? For the life of

me I couldn’t imagine what possessed her to

buy it. It was so completely uncharacteristic–

not to mention, I was grown!

But I didn’t care why. I loved it. That

moment captured and resurrected a magic

that had been missing on Christmas morning

for many years. I think it did the same for her,

too. We both squealed out loud and continued

to giggle throughout the day.

That bear served as a perfect reminder that

no matter where life takes you, or what life’s

circumstances deal you, it’s important to keep

the child-like magic of Christmas near. To this

day, I still have it.

✧ ✧ ✧

So now, every mid-November, we pull

down an eight-foot artificial tree out of our

own attic–the very same tree that my

grandmother had in her home. The kitchen

table wasn’t the only thing I inherited. And

while this one continues to show its age, and

I’ve threatened to get a new one a dozen

times, I never do. I’m not sure I can.

I’m keenly aware that the very things we

are doing in our home, my son may someday

do for his own children. I’ve tried to be very

deliberate in that regard. Intentional.

Nearly all the ornaments on our tree

reference a specific time in our lives or a

vacation that we took together. And, as has

become tradition, we get a new blown-glass

ornament every year. We have dozens of

them. There’s a football, a baseball, and a

buffalo marking our trip to the Grand Canyon.

We have Yoda as a nod to our Star Wars

phase, Lilly and Lucy–our beloved dogs that

have gone before us, and Thomas the Tank

Engine. We have a blown-glass peanut to

celebrate our fall peanut boils and now, in

addition, I pull out all our stuffed animal

friends to mark yet another special season

in life that has passed but is not forgotten–

my own white teddy bear being one of them.

These things are important, regardless of age,

and provide comfort and special memories

for our family.

Turns out, Christmas was never about

“stuff.” It’s about memories–childhood

memories that never fade. When all our kids

are grown and gone and making their own

memories, they may not remember the

specific gifts they got–but they’ll remember

the tree, and who was around it. And the

smells. And how they felt. And all the love

that was shared–at Christmas. l


Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County’s mission is to meet the needs of the under

served children and families in our community to help insure that their futures are bright.

rankinja.org

COMMUNITY IMPACT

• Partner with local Chambers of Commerce

for outreach

• Partner with The Mustard Seed

• Monthly activities with children at MS State

Hospital

• Clothes Closet for those in need

• Collect and distribute school supplies to

Rankin County students

• Positive reinforcement to students at RCSD

Learning Center

• Pen pals program with girls at Richland

Elementary

• Mentor children at the Juvenile Detention

Center

• Supply “Brave Kids Bags” for Child Protective

Services

• Wrap Christmas gifts for Hudspeth Regional

Center residents

• Weekend food program for Pearl Elementary

• Narrate stories through the StoryTime line


Schedule

Your Eye Exam, Too!

It Is A BIG DEAL!

Scheduling a yearly comprehensive eye exam with

Jackson Eye Associates is easier than making your

weekly manicure appointment. It Is A Big Deal!

Call one of our three convenient locations to schedule your exam.

For sunglasses, prescription glasses, or contacts

visit JEA Optical Boutique today!

JACKSON

601.353.2020

MADISON

601.853.2020

JACKSONEYE.COM |

CLINTON

601.924.9750

©2020 JEA


DISCOVER OUR

visitjackson.com/safertravel

#SafelyExploreJXN

#VisitMSResponsibly


Hunting & Fishing Expo

saturday, MarcH 6, 2021 / 9aM-5pM

Brandon Municipal coMplex

SPONSORED BY

AND DEER PROCESSING


&

Gives Back!

Dorothy Blair is this season’s recipient of Pure Air Consultant’s Heating/AC giveaway.

She is the widow of James Blair, a first responder shot and killed earlier this year in the line of duty

in Simpson County. Dorothy is raising four of her grandchildren and was

anonymously nominated for the Pure Air Heating/AC donation.

Pure Air Consultants was founded in 2004, and services everything within residential and commercial ventilation systems,

including HVAC repair and maintenance, new system installations, new construction installations, and even more

specialized services such as duct cleaning, air purification and dryer vent cleaning.

PAC is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured company.

TO NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THE PAC GIVES BACK PROGRAM, VISIT MYPUREAIRCONSULTANTS.COM


Rankin

Hometown

Cover Art Contest

For the 2020 holiday issue of Hometown

Rankin Magazine, we asked for submissions of

Christmas-themed art from high school art students

throughout Rankin county. We want to encourage

the artistic ability in the county’s brightest young

artists! We were thrilled to receive dozens of

entries, with the best being featured on the

following pages.

Congratulations to Jill Hardin,

Northwest Rankin sophomore,

for being chosen as our grand

prize winner and having her

submission appear on our cover!

Jill will also receive a $200 cash award

from Hometown Magazines.

Abbey Rhodes, Brandon High, 9th

Aurora Latimer, Brandon High , 9th

Addison Johnson, Brandon High, 11th

Ava Abernathy, Brandon High , 9th

Chandler Redmond, Brandon High , 9th

Chloe Davis, Brandon High , 9th

Merry

Christmas


Keygan Ammons, Brandon High , 9th

Laura Beth Thompson, Brandon High , 9th

Trinity Roberts, Brandon High, 9th Ariel Davis, Brandon High, 10th Ashia Brown, Brandon High, 9th Ashlee Menzik, Brandon High , 9th

Brady Gentry, Brandon High, 9th Brady Stuart, Brandon High , 11th Brantley Bullock, Brandon High , 9th Brooklin Duette, Brandon High , 10th

Clarence Williams III, Brandon High , 10th Haley Cagle, Brandon High , 9th Jacob Mergenhagen, Brandon High, 10th Jonathan Baeza, Brandon High , 10th

Lillian Robinson, Brandon High , 11th Mason Owen, Brandon High , 10th Meredith Dees, Brandon High , 10th McKenzie Belt, Brandon High , 9th


Aiden McLendon, Brandon High , 10th Sydney Thurlkill, Brandon High , 12th Taylor Lovell, Brandon High , 12th Tevin Rogers, Brandon High , 11th

Allen Troung, Northwest Rankin , 10th Anna Powlett, Northwest Rankin , 11th Ava Smythe, Northwest Rankin , 12th Baker Hall, Northwest Rankin , 10th

Cora-Leigh McDaniel, Northwest Rankin , 11th Katherine Westbrook, Northwest Rankin , 11th Kaua Filho Campos, Northwest Rankin , 12th Kiara Barnes, Northwest Rankin , 11th

Madison Mayes, Northwest Rankin , 10th Madison Stewart, Northwest Rankin , 9th Makayla Reed, Northwest Rankin , 11th Mason Tucker, Northwest Rankin , 11th


Tylar Wallgren, Brandon High , 11th Brady Gary, Brandon High , 9th Jordon Edwards, McLaurin High , 9th Abigail Hoeniges, Northwest Rankin , 10th

Caitlin Mixon, Northwest Rankin , 11th Camille Scott, Northwest Rankin , 11th Carol Stump, Northwest Rankin , 10th Chloe Easterling, Northwest Rankin , 12th

Kiara Bryant, Northwest Rankin , 11th Kiersten Morris, Northwest Rankin , 10th Lilly Piotrowski, Northwest Rankin , 12th Madison Cross, Northwest Rankin , 11th

Mina Bennett, Northwest Rankin , 9th Quinton Breedlove, Northwest Rankin , 11th Reese Simmons, Northwest Rankin , 10th Samantha Hoover, Northwest Rankin ,11th


Seth Holland, Northwest Rankin , 11th Seth McKee, Northwest Rankin , 10th Winnie Williams, Northwest Rankin , 10th Zoey Thompson, Northwest Rankin , 9th

Rebekah French, Brandon High, 9th • RUNNER UP

Amelia Gealogo, Northwest Rankin, 10th • RUNNER UP


Thanks

to everyone who participated!

Annsli Evans, Northwest Rankin, 9th • RUNNER UP

Zoe Ishee, Brandon High, 12th • RUNNER UP

Brianna Williams, Brandon High, 12th • RUNNER UP



W.I.S.H. Society Celebration Luncheon

November 12 / Country Club of Jackson



Anding

Therapeutic

“The things that

stay in motion

stay in motion.”

JoyCamille

This is an adage that Anthony Thomas, instructor and

owner of Gotham Dance Club, has been endorsing and

demonstrating for over three decades. Moving feet and body

to the rhythm of music appears to be a natural gift for Thomas,

but the accomplished dancer/performer states with resolve,

“I’ve never met anyone I cannot teach.”

Such affirmation hints of elitism, but one only has to watch

his fluid, rhythmic moves on the dance floor to recognize his

mastery of dance. Other factors also confirm his assertion.

During Thomas’ high school football days in Clinton, he

was a talented athlete, winning the “Most Valuable Player”

award his senior year. After graduation in 1983, he applied

for a summer job at Jackson Dance Club. He began training

to be an instructor and after only three months, the studio

owner invited him to open another dance studio in Baton

Rouge, Louisiana. Thomas was now a very young but gifted

instructor, and his desire to travel and see the world beyond

Clinton was about to materialize. He would never have

imagined that dance shoes would be his ticket.

One year later, Michael Howard of Hattiesburg offered

him a teaching position in Phoenix, Arizona. His skill

progressed, and in 1988, Thomas was offered an instructor

position that moved him to Manhattan, New York.

After teaching in the “hustle and bustle of the big city”

for thirty years, Thomas decided to return to his roots of

Clinton and continue his career in his own studio. In 2019,

he opened Gotham Dance Club located at 207 West Jackson

Street in Ridgeland. Bringing his talent and experience to

Ridgeland has attracted eager students from the area.

Cassandra Walter teamed with Thomas soon after he

opened his studio – not as a fledgling student but as an

accomplished dancer. Not only was Cassandra excited about

having an outlet for her “dancing addiction,” she became an

associate of Thomas to assist in classes and compete in

competitions.


Walter’s credentials are also impressive. At age fifteen, she

attended Juilliard School of American Ballet for a year. The

Big Apple captivated her heart, but after a year, her daddy said

to come home. Dixie Darlins at the University of Southern

Mississippi was her next opportunity to showcase her rhythm

and dance.

Law school was on her radar, so she transferred to Ole

Miss to earn a degree in public administration before

entering law school. She’s practiced law for thirty-two years

and is presently the special assistant for Attorney General

Lynn Fitch.

It wasn’t until 2011 that Cassandra got on the ballroom

floor. Through a fundraiser competition in a local “Dancing

with the Stars,” she and John Murphy were chosen as partners.

After six weeks of practice, they performed in the competition

and won. From 2011 to 2019, Cassandra spent every weekday

lunch break practicing ballroom dancing with Murphy.

After Murphy’s death from a surgery complication,

Cassandra and Thomas met, and the dancing continued. She

says, “Ballroom dancing is a life skill that’s going to be lost…

unless we keep teaching it.” Cassandra’s seven nieces and

nephews will carry on the art, thanks to their aunt’s lessons.

Gotham Dance Club is open Monday - Friday from 1pm

to 9pm for private and group lessons. Two times each month

on the first and third Saturday evening from 8pm to 10pm,

students and guests meet at the club for the Practice Party, an

evening of dance and socializing. It serves as a fun experience

to practice newly learned dance steps in a group setting –

and for only $10.

Thomas encourages dancing from a recreational

standpoint – a it’s great alternative to the treadmill! He also

appreciates the New England Medical Journal’s report that

dancing offers physical therapy and that tango dancing has

shown positive results for slowing down Alzheimer’s.

“We promise to make dancing easy and fun,” Thomas

assures. Cassandra adds, “It’s just a joyful art!” If you’re looking

for a fun activity to replace the “moves from the couch to

the refrigerator and back,” call Gotham Dance Club at

845-825-9610 for questions about “dancing with the stars”

– a joy that will be therapeutic!


Gotham Dance Club

classes will be made

available at The Vault

in Brandon on the

following dates for

$20 per person:

January 6, 13, 20, 27,

February 3, 10.

Call 601-260-9277

for details.


The CHALKBOARD

Pisgah

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says,

‘I’m possible!’” – Audrey Hepburn

Thinking back to how we started the 2020-2021 school year, things did

seem impossible. How can we effectively teach our students through a

computer screen? How will we read with each student? How can we build

relationships? These are the fears we faced back in August. Together, we have

overcome these challenges and are doing the impossible.

Even though this year started unlike any other, we’ve had a lot of great

things going on here at Pisgah. Several of our teachers, across all grade

levels, are continuing to persevere with distance learning. Not only do they

have full classrooms with students social distancing, they are also conducting

live ZOOMs for students who cannot attend in person.

We are doing everything we can to keep things as normal as possible.

We recently celebrated our “Dragons of the Quarter.” While we were unable

to have the large ceremony in the cafeteria, we did our best to make these

students feel special with mini celebrations inside each of their classrooms.

We also celebrated Mrs. Augusta Foust as our “Teacher of the Year.” She is

our sixth-grade math teacher and makes learning so much fun!

As the school year progresses, we will continue tackle all the obstacles

that come our way with growth-mindsets. GO DRAGONS! PISGAH STRONG!


Northwest

The famed author C.S. Lewis has been quoted as

saying, “You can’t go back and change the beginning,

but you can start where you are and change the

ending.” The exterior of Northwest Rankin Elementary

School might look the same but the interior is vastly

different than any other year since its beginning 35

years ago. While we had no control how Covid would

affect our school, we can start where we are, change

the ending, and go beyond it.

Masks up – a phrase that’s become second nature

to all involved at NWRE. What was once a dreaded

concept has become as natural as walking. Both staff

and students made adjustments in their communication

styles to accommodate this requirement for being

around others and it works! We’ve become more

expressive in our delivery of lessons, making sure

everyone can hear and understand what is being

shared. It’s not the ideal way to instruct students but

we’re changing the ending to create successful

classrooms.

Six feet of social distance – a concept in theory

that would be easy to implement, a migraine to

conceptualize when lesson planning, but an invested

way to execute our daily activities at school. In all

honesty, every aspect of teaching had to be adjusted to

maintain six feet of separation – from eliminating close

contact group work to accommodating the academics

of choice learners who are at home receiving their

education. Once again, it’s not the ideal way to instruct

students but we’re changing the ending to create

successful students.

Our teachers couldn’t change the beginning of

Covid but they continually go beyond it, stepping

outside their comfort levels, meeting every new

challenge, to create the most astounding lessons

imaginable for a remarkable ending of the 2020-2021

school year. You can’t hide our Cougar pride!


The CHALKBOARD

Florence

2020 has been unusual, to say the least. The 2019-2020 school year

ended with lots of disappointment for the Florence Eagles as they watched

entire sports seasons get canceled, prom canceled, and graduation turn

into a drive-thru ceremony.

The summer led to more uncertainty as they wondered if they would

be back together at FHS. They wondered if they would have sports. They

wondered if they would have homecoming and prom. They missed friends

and classmates who moved to distance learning and homeschool.

However, the Eagles have grown stronger. They found resilience and

determination. They have realized that there are some things that Corona

can never take away.

The student council, football team, varsity dance team, varsity

cheerleaders, counseling department, and digital media team decided that

Homecoming 2020 will celebrate the things that corona can’t take away.

For Homecoming 2020, Eagles at Steen’s Creek, Florence Elementary,

Florence Middle, and Florence High celebrated their pride, their

friendships, their talents, their education, and their spirit. The preparation

began with videos created by the FHS digital media team. The team

visited all 4 zone schools to document Eagle groups and teams thriving in

spite of Corona. Sports teams showed off their skills and spirit. The bands

and choirs displayed their rhythm and musical talent. The academic

teams and service teams showed their dedication and commitment. The

FHS JROTC showcased their discipline and technique. Every K-12 Eagle

proudly demonstrated his or her pride, strength, and courage.

Because social distancing would not allow for the usual large

parade, the student council, cheerleaders, and dance team planned a

Thursday night pep rally outdoors at Eagle Field. The groups worked

diligently to make sure that every Eagle could be invited and every safety

precaution was taken. Mini-pep rallies were conducted Friday morning

outside of Florence Elementary and Steen’s Creek Elementary as the FES

and SCE Eagles were given performances by the JROTC, FHS Big Red

Band, varsity cheerleaders, and varsity dance team. The Little Eagles

made signs to wish their FHS Eagles football team good luck in the

homecoming game.

During the week, the Eagles used the craziness of Corona to plan fun

dress-up days. Monday was Ugly Mask Day. Students decorated masks

to make them as tacky as possible. Students celebrated Vacay To Staycay

Day on Tuesday as they dressed for all of the summer adventures that

Corona ruined. On HoliDAZE Wednesday, students dressed for a holiday

that Corona wrecked. On Thursday, every Eagle remembered that Corona

can’t take their graduation by wearing their class year. Finally, on Friday,

every Eagle celebrated Eagle pride by wearing red, black, and white.

Because there could be no homecoming dance, the student council

jumped on the TikTok dance craze and sponsored a competition to create

the best videos. Local businesses jumped in to support by donating prizes

for category winners. Several student groups created dance videos that

corresponded with the theme and showed their spirit and Eagle Pride.

Principal Tony Martin even made a cameo in a video with the varsity

dance team.

The week ended with the crowning of 2020 Homecoming Queen

Sara Grace Jackson, Football Maid Maggy Greer, and an Eagle

homecoming victory over Quitman.

Although the 2020 football season looked different and created the

need for adjustments, the Eagles have grown closer and learned that that

#Coronacant take away the things that truly matter.


Two students from Florence High School were awarded the high school

Heisman for the 2020-21 school year. Each year, the Heisman Foundation honors

students that excel academically, in their chosen athletic fields, and establish

themselves as community leaders.

Jarren Sanford, a senior punter, is the son of Todd and Denise Sanford.

Jarren has competed on a state and national level through Ray Guy Kicking

Camps and is ranked a 4.5 Star Punter. He is currently ranked #19 in nationally

for high school punters. Jarren was ranked as the top punter in Mississippi’s 4A

division for the 2019-20 season. Jarren has maintained a 4.0 grade point average

throughout high school and has been enrolled in advanced, college-preparatory

course load. He is also a member of the Florence High School Fellowship of

Christian Athletes.

Kayla Allen, a senior member of the Varsity Dance Team, is the daughter

of Richie and Joy Allen. Kayla has been involved in competitive dance since a

young age and has spent several years as a member of the Collaborates

Competition Team at Studio Sole Dance. She has been with the varsity squad

for 4 years. In this time, she was elected as a co-captain in her sophomore year

and served as captain for her junior and senior years. She has been named an

All-American by the Universal Dance Association for three consecutive years as

well as received special awards for leadership and technique from UDA. Kayla

has maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout high school and has been

enrolled in both advanced placement and dual-credit coursework. Kayla is also a

member of the Florence High School Medical Science Academy and the Beta Club.


The CHALKBOARD

Hinds Community College

High school can be a rough introduction to adulthood, which for Octavius

McCollum meant his path to success as a student would get only rougher.

Diagnosed with autism at age 2, McCollum, 23, of Jackson, earned an

occupational diploma at Murrah High School but lacked critical credits for

a full diploma. “My mom thought it was best for me to just get the occupational

diploma since it was better for people with special needs like me and who aren’t

as advanced as others,” McCollum said. In 2018, a chance connection between

a member of his family’s church and an instructor in the adult basic education

program at the Rankin Campus resulted in where he is today – more confident in

his social skills and more solid in his job skills. The program allows adult

students to train for a job skill while earning their High School Equivalency

certificate at the same time. Students, prepared to be job-ready in six months to

a year, train in high-demand areas and earn national certifications. In 2020,

McCollum earned a career certificate in culinary arts and scored well on the

Career Readiness Certificate test, a key measuring stick for potential employers

who choose to use it. “And if there’s something I don’t understand, my chef is

there for me. Cooking relaxes me and gets me comfortable with my classmates.”

Rouse Elementary

Big things are happening at Rouse Elementary! October has been a super busy

month, full of all sorts of fun and exciting things for our kindergarten and first

grade classes. Students at Rouse Elementary just finished their annual Write a

Check Campaign. This year they raised at total of $39,100, exceeding our goal!

Money raised from past campaigns has been used to purchase printers, paper

and ink for our teachers, a sound system in the cafeteria for future class

programs, new books in our book room and musical instruments for our music

class! This year our fabulous PTO will be using the money to purchase even

more wonderful things to enhance our learning. For all their hard work, all Rouse

students enjoyed Pajama Day as a reward for their outstanding participation!

Other incentives were costume passes, participation in our Paw Party Parade,

photos with Bully, and a wild animal showcase. We also had 15 classes that

had 100% participation and got to pie the principals! We are blessed with the

BEST principals and so thankful they graciously agreed to get super messy.

What a great start to our school year. We can’t wait to see what the rest of

the year holds for us!


Pearl High School

Pearl Public School District students celebrated National Red Ribbon Week October 26 - 30.

Red Ribbon Week is a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and violence. PPSD observed the week

to encourage making healthy choices and staying drug-free. As part of the week, students participated in themed dress-up days.


TheTime COIN

Camille Anding

A Christmas miracle! That’s what I need

this month.

Some extra hours – even minutes would be a

welcomed miracle to collect ingredients that always

stock our pantry and fridge every December and the

time to bake the Christmas confections.

Any simplification of the annual gift shopping would

be another miracle. Sometimes the search for the

perfect gift involves threading through traffic jams or

long hours of web shopping. Neither is conducive to

“Peace on Earth, Good Will toward Men!”

A sure cure to the hectic malady that seems to

swamp my Decembers is to quietly reflect on the

origin of our Christmas celebration and the miracles

needed then. Mary was a teenage girl already engaged

to Joseph. Surely she was consumed with wedding

thoughts and the excitement surrounding such an

event. Then the unbelievable happened. An angel

bringing mind-boggling news visited her.

Mary, the highly favored teenager, would bear a

son, the SON of God, and the miracle birth would

transpire while she remained a virgin. And Mary’s

response was simply, “May it be to me as

you have said.” Amazing! Certainly that

response reflects why she was chosen.

Then the days passed. What did her

parents think as their daughter’s physical

form changed? What would prevent

Mary’s being stoned, a practiced punishment for

females getting pregnant before marriage? How would

Joseph treat her in such a scandalous circumstance as

perceived by the community?

The baby grew along with the probable whispers of

the small town. Somehow a census was ordered at the

worst possible time. Mary was nearing delivery, but she

was required to travel the 85 miles to Bethlehem,

sidesaddle on a donkey.

Mary’s need for miracles mounted. The baby’s birth

was near, but Joseph found every inn filled to capacity.

Were the streets the only place left for her to lie down?

No, there was the offer of a stable with hay and a

manger.

I think about labor pains after an exhausting four

to seven day ride on a donkey, a stable for a delivery

room, and a husband as her only family member

or aid. No warm, fleece wraps. No heated water for

wiping away dust and fetal remains. No soft linens

for Mary or her newborn.

My reflecting dwarfs my need for Christmas

miracles. The miracle I most need this

Christmas is a heart overflowing with praise

and thanksgiving for the Savior being born,

and the earthly parents that were willing to

play a part in the greatest of all miracles –

“God in flesh appearing.” ●



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