39042-23web

Our 

Town 

2023

2 • Our Town 39042

39042 Our Town • 3


39042 

PUBLISHER & EDITOR 

Tahya Dobbs 

CFO 

Kevin Dobbs 

CONSULTING EDITOR 

Mary Ann Kirby 

ADMINISTRATIVE 

ASSISTANT 

Alisha Floyd 

SPECIAL PROJECTS 

ASSISTANT 

Caroline Hodges 

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 

Nikki Robison 

SOCIAL MEDIA 

MANAGER 

Lexie Ownby 

STAFF ASSISTANT 

Debby Francis 

ADVERTISING 

ASSISTANT 

Melissa Kennon 

LAYOUT DESIGN 

Daniel Thomas 

3dt 

STAFF 

PHOTOGRAPHER 

Othel Anding 

Copyright HTMags.com / 601.706.4059 

200 Felicity Street / Brandon, MS 39042 

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be 

reproduced without written permission from the publisher. 

The management of Hometown Publications is not responsible 

for opinions expressed by its writers or editors. 

Whether you’re brand new to our community or have 

been here for years, Our Town–39042 will help you 

find answers to questions about how the city works 

and how to get things done. This is a reference book– 

and you’ll find plenty of information about our local 

businesses as well as opportunities to engage with 

the city and other residents. We’re so glad you call 

Brandon home. 

INSIDE 

• Letter from the Mayor 6 

• City Government 9 

• New Resident Info 10 

• Parks & Recreation 14 

• Senior Services 17 

• Library 19 

• Childcare 21 

• Churches 23 

• Medical 25 

• Where Your Feet Are 26 

• What’s In a Street Name? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 

• Retired Teacher Q&A 74 

• Friends 78 

• Magic of Lights 84 

• A Wish Come True 90 

• A Neighborhood Blessing 94 

• Clubs 100 

• Schools 108 


From Mayor Butch Lee 

In the blink of an eye, we find ourselves one year from the last 

update and now in the middle of 2023. And what a year it is! 

Brandon can proudly claim many successes on which we can look 

back. Every bit of Brandon’s success speaks to the hard work and 

collective efforts of our board of aldermen, our city department 

heads, and our staff. Not only is the vibrancy of our community a 

credit to the administrative and operational works of our city 

team, but it is also a direct reflection of the contributions of our 

local businesses and our citizens of Brandon. 

The completion of the Grants Ferry Parkway – Phase C-2 is a 

perfect example of how all areas of Brandon came together to enable 

the success of this project. Aldermen, administration, staff, 

residents, and business owners, worked together to accomplish 

this portion of the project. Ongoing improvements within our 

water and sewer systems ensure that our infrastructure can support 

a healthy future for our residents. Projects like this and many others 

help us to provide a sound community for you and your families. 

Here in Brandon, residents can enjoy a multitude of community 

events. From our parks and recreations department to our thriving 

senior center, and numerous other city-sponsored events, everyone 

can find a place to meet neighbors and make friends. Just this 

past April, the City of Brandon hosted the Brandon Jubilee 2023. 

The five-day event hosted midway rides, an artists’ market, family 

movie night, pickleball, baseball, and wheelchair tennis tournaments 

culminating in a night of music with Lynyrd Skynyrd and 

guest Randy Houser. We look forward to the Brandon Jubilee 

becoming an annual event and hope you do too. Another event of 

note this past year was our Magic of Lights holiday light extravaganza. 

The first year of hosting was a huge success with over 

40,000 vehicles from local visitors to visitors as far away as Dallas 

and Atlanta. Magic of Lights is sure to grow and become a mustsee 

holiday event right here in your hometown. 

Brandon’s ranking as the 2nd safest city in Mississippi for six 

years in a row allows for residents and visitors to gather and enjoy 

all that Brandon has to offer. Along with safety, our community 

boasts A-rated schools. Often you can find our Brandon Police 

Department partnering with our schools encouraging a solid 

relationship with our peace officers and fostering a strong, safe 

learning environment. Partnerships like this are what people see 

in our thriving community, calling them to join in and make 

Brandon their hometown. 

Even when emergencies happen, like the flash flood in August 

of ’22, Brandon made national news with pictures of neighbors 

helping neighbors. This incident required evacuation of an assisted 

living home—another example of the dedication of our community. 

First responders, city employees, and nearby residents quickly 

jumped into action. The Brandon Fire Department continually 

reports quick response times at our board of alderman meetings, 

contributing to our high safety rating. 

From large emergency response events to the tiniest of gestures 

from a thoughtful neighbor, I am thankful for the community of 

people we call Brandon. We at the City of Brandon are your neighbors. 

We hope to continue this forward motion from this past 

year and will only strive to get better. We look forward to the good 

things to come—and are grateful for your support as we do. 




The Brandon Board of Aldermen meets twice a month, on the first and third Monday 

of each month, starting at 6:00pm. If a holiday falls on that Monday, the board meets 

the following day. All board meeting agendas and minutes can be found at 

www.brandonms.org 

DEPARTMENT HEADS 

Angela Bean 

City Clerk 

abean@brandonms.org 

Brian Roberts 

Fire Chief 

broberts@brandonms.org 

Wayne Dearman 

Police Chief 

wdearman@brandonms.org 

Sam Hawkins 

Community Development 

Director 

shawkins@brandonms.org 

Paul Brannon 

Public Works Director 

pbrannon@brandonms.org 

ALDERMEN 

Sharon Womack 

Alderman at Large 

swomack@brandonms.org 

601-624-3603 

Jarrad Craine 

Ward 1 

jcraine@brandonms.org 

601-454-2506 

Cris Vinson 

Ward 2 

cvinson@brandonms.org 

601-824-8884 

Harry Williams 

Ward 3 

hwilliams@brandonms.org 

601-825-8970 

Lu Coker 

Ward 4 

lcoker@brandonms.org 

601-573-0281 

Dwight Middleton 

Ward 5 

dmiddleton@brandonms.org 

601-278-9637 

David Farriss 

Ward 6 

dfarris@brandonms.org 

601-540-1711 

Aldermen & Department Heads 


New Resident Info 

Brandon was incorporated in 1831 as the county seat of Rankin County, Mississippi. 

Over the years, Brandon has experienced positive growth while maintaining its 

small-town charm. Brandon has an A-rated school district, a Class 4 fire rating, and 

is the 2nd safest city in Mississippi. The City of Brandon is 1 of 14 Welcome Home 

Cities in the state, as recognized by the Mississippi Development Authority. 

Brandon Police Department 

1455 West Government Street 

Brandon, MS 39042 

601.825.7225 

Brandon Fire Department 

601.824.4636 

Station 1 

629 Marquette Road 


Station 2 

6577 Grants Ferry Road 


Station 3 

147 Kennedy Farm Parkway 


Station 4 

1058 Star Road 


Station 5 

16 Woodgate Drive 


Station 6 

213 Poindexter Street 


Rankin County 

Emergency Management 



601.825.1499 

Rankin County Safe Room 



601.825.1480 

Rankin County Tax Collector 

Vehicle Registration and Title 

211 East Government Street 


601.825.1467 

Driver’s License Location 

3851 Highway 468 

Pearl, MS 39208 

601.420.6342 

Circuit Clerk’s Office 

211 East Government Street 

Suite A, Brandon, MS 39042 

601.825.1475 

M-F 8:00am - 5:00pm 

Marriage License 

• No appointment is needed, 

but you must arrive by 4:30pm. 

• The bride and groom must 

come to the circuit clerk’s office 

together to apply. 

• Marriage license cost $37 

- CASH ONLY. 

• Proof of age must be provided 

in the form of a driver’s license, 

birth certificate, or other legal 

documents. If either applicant is 

under 21 years of age, he/she 

must have consent from parents 

or legal guardians. 

• If applicants have previously 

been married and divorced or 

lost a spouse through death, the 

applicant will need to provide 

the month, day and year the 

marriage ended. 

• Once a license is issued, it does 

not expire. 

Rankin County Chamber 

of Commerce 

601-825-2268 

Public Works Department 

1000 Municipal Drive 


601.824.4579 

601-824-4579 

water@brandonms.org 

Monday-Friday 8am-5pm 

The City of Brandon Public 

Works Department consists of 

five divisions: water, sewer, streets, 

sanitation, and water administration. 

Together these divisions provide 

many of the basic services that 

are required for those that work 

and live in the City of Brandon. 

Some of the Public Works 

Department services include 

• Pothole and asphalt repairs 

• Water and sewer infrastructure 

maintenance and operations 

• Maintenance of City right-ofways 

and storm water drainage 

systems 

• Major and minor infrastructure 

projects 

• Operations and maintenance 

of traffic signals 

• Street signage maintenance 

• Garbage pick-up 

• Mosquito abatement 

• Review of subdivision 

construction plans 

• Residential leaf pickup 

• Emergency response during 

inclement weather events and 

other situations 

• Utility Billing Services 


Community Development 

601-825-4580 

www.brandonms.org/departments/ 

community-development 

A building permit is required for: 

Shops and other accessory 

buildings, roofs, pools, additions 

and structure to remodels. 

A building permit is not required 

for: Fences, painting, replacing 

rotten wood and small cosmetic 

remodels. 

For electrical, plumbing and sewer 

repair projects, please contact the 

office for permit requirements. 

A rental inspection is required for 

all rental homes before tenants are 

allowed to move in and establish 

water and power accounts. 

All new Entergy and Southern Pine 

accounts must be accompanied 

by a permit issued by Community 

Development. Please contact the 

office for further information 

regarding power connections. 

For all permitting questions: 

permitting@brandonms.org 

For all code enforcement 

questions: code@brandonms.org 

Amphitheater 

The Brandon Amphitheater, 

opened in 2018, has become a 

premier music venue for artists 

and guests. From Chris Stapleton, 

Dave Matthews, and Imagine 

Dragons, guests can enjoy 

chart- topping artists at this 

beautifully-set venue. 

City Hall Live 

The City of Brandon also holds 

concerts and events at Brandon 

Municipal Complex. There are 

6-8 events held at “City Hall” 

annually, and they average 600- 

1200 visitors per event. These 

events bring an average of 6,600 

visitors. Located at the Brandon 

Municipal Center, the City Hall Live 

is the sister venue to BAMP. From 

children’s entertainment to music 

legends, this venue offers an 

intimate atmosphere where every 

seat is the best seat in the house. 

042 Farmer’s Markets 

• May 11, 2023 

• June 8, 2023 

• July 13, 2023 

• August 10, 2023 

• October 26, 2023 

Events & Parades 

• 042 Farmers Market 

• Fall Festival 

• Veterans Breakfast 

November 2023 

• Downtown Tree Lighting 

• Magic of Lights 

• Christmas Parade 

December 1, 2023 

• Princess Ball 

• Krewe de Roux 

• Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast 


Special Events 

Carley Keyes 

Events Coordinator 

Brandon Municipal Complex 

1000 Municipal Drive 


601-825-5021 

Spaces for rent for private parties 

and or meetings available at 

City Hall or the Public Library 

Located at City Hall 

Two meeting spaces with 660 

square feet per room. Both rooms 

come with a drop down screen, 

ceiling projector, and counter for 

refreshments. Rental rates begin 

at $200 plus a $100 refundable 

deposit. 

For a larger room we offer our 

Senior Center with 132 capacity 

and 2,646 sq. ft. room. The center 

features a drop down screen, 

ceiling projector, sound system, 

microphone, and full kitchen. 

Rental rates begin at $400 plus 

a $200 refundable deposit. This 

rental includes sixteen tables and 

128 chairs. Additional tables and 

chairs are available for an additional 

rental charge. 

The largest room we offer is our 

Civic Center with 3,771 square 

feet room. The center offers two 

drop down screens, two ceiling 

projectors, sound system, 

microphones, and prep kitchen. 

Rental rates begin at $1,750 

plus a $500 refundable deposit. 

This rental includes twenty tables 

and 160 chairs. 

There is a flag depository for 

old flags located at City Hall. 

Located at the Public Library 

At the city’s public library we offer 

a larger room with 1,748 square 

feet. The room offers a number 

of tables and chairs, drop down 

screen and a full kitchen. 

The rental fee if $400 plus 

a $200 refundable deposit. 

A smaller conference room is 

available at the library during 

library hours only. The room 

includes a projector, drop down 

screen and a large conference 

table which can hold 20 people 

comfortably. Rental fee for this 

conference room is $125 plus a 

refundable deposit of $75. 

*all fees and deposits are 

subject to change 

Cemeteries 

Grounds maintained by 

Brandon Parks & Rec 

Brandon Memorial 



Plots at can be purchased 

through City Hall at 601-825-5021 

Ponderosa Cemetery 

231 Appleridge Road 


Brandon Historical Cemetery 

165 Old Depot Road 


Light of Liberty 

School Road 


Brandon 

Amphitheater 

8190 Rock Way Drive 


Grace Young 

Box Office Manager 

601-724-2726 

601-278-3876 

Facebook: BrandonAmpMs 

*Tickets available through 

Ticketmaster or the box office 

City Hall Live 

*Tickets available through 

Ticketmaster 



Parks & Recreation 

Brandon Parks 

& Recreation 

105 Kennedy Farm Parkway 


601-825-3047 

www.brandonparkandrec.com 

BBrandon Parks & Recreation 

Vbrandonparks_rec 

Jennifer Byrd 

General Manager 

Parks and Recreation facilities continue to 

be a local and regional draw for athletics, 

tournaments, and events. Brandon has 

eight parks spread across 425 acres. 

Brandon City Park 



• 7 Full-Size Tennis Courts 

• 3 Junior Tennis Courts 

• 1 Children’s Playground 

Quarry Park 

222 Boyce Thompson 


• 6 Baseball/Softball Fields 

with artificial turf 

Shiloh Park 

330 Shiloh Road 


• 17 Baseball/Softball Fields 

• 11 Soccer Fields 

• 4 Pickle Ball Courts 

• 3 Playgrounds 

• 1 Splash pad 


Splash Pad 



601-825-3047 

Monday-Friday 10am-5pm 

Saturday 10am-6pm 

Sunday 1pm-6pm 

Free Admission 

(Ages birth- 12 months and over 50) 

$5 Admission 

(Ages 1 - 49) 

Individual Season Pass $50 

Family of 4 Season Pass $150 

$25 per additional person 

Party packages available 



The City of Brandon Senior Center 

is a recreation center for persons 

55 years of age and older. They are 

located at 1000 Municipal Drive 

inside Brandon City Hall. The Senior 

Center offers a variety of programs, 

special events, activities and classes 

which are low-cost or absolutely 

free! Call 601-824-7095 or visit to 

find out more. 

Fitness 

• Sit & Be Fit 

• Cardio Combo 

• Tai Chi 

• Yoga 

• Line Dancing 

Special Events 

• Day Trips 

• Luncheons 

• Holiday Events 

Activities 

• Learn to play Bridge 

• Crochet 

• Men’s Coffee 

• Learn to Speak 

Spanish 

• Book Club 

• Bible Study 

• Dominoes 

• Art 

• Music Group 

• Beading Class 

Senior Services 


BECOME A MISSISSIPPI 

FARM BUREAU MEMBER 

AND SAVE TODAY! 

For complete details on these benefits and more, 

contact the Rankin County Farm Bureau office 

at 601-825-5056. 

WWW.MSFB.ORG 




601.825.2672 / cmrls.lib.ms.us 

Branch Manager 

Amy Lee brbm@cmrls.lib.ms.us 

Hours of Operation 

Monday - Thursday 9:00am - 8:00pm 

Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm 

Saturday 9:00am - 4:00pm 

Services Offered 

• Black and white printing/copying 

• Color printing/copying 

• Scanning • Faxing • Wireless Printing 

Services provided by the 

Friends of the Brandon Library 

• Free shredding services 

• Notary services / Nominal fee of $3. 

Available 10am-7pm Monday-Thursday, and 

10am-4pm on Friday. Additional times available 

by appointment. 

Library 



For many years, childcare services have been an important and essential part of 

today’s working parents’ needs. Infants to kindergarten-age children are given care, 

training, and environments for learning social interactions. Our community offers 

these exceptional “second homes” for our children. 

Brandon Methodist Kindergarten 

Ages 3-5 years old 

www.brandonfumc.org/kindergarten 

205 Mary Ann Drive / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.5958 

Circle of Friends Learning Center II 

Ages 6 weeks - 4 years old 

2006 Creek Cove / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.2387 

Childcare 

Crossgates Baptist Kindergarten 


crossgates.org/weekday 

8 Crosswoods Road / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.2734 

Crossgates Methodist Children’s Center 


thechildrenscenterbrandon.com 

21 Crossgates Drive / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.0555 

First Baptist Brandon Children’s Center 


www.fbcbrandon.com/childrens-center 

309 S. College Street / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.8686 

Kids Are Kids Learning Center 


462 Luckney Road / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.0402 

Little Cam Cam’s Learning Center 


305 W. Jasper Street / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.7951 

Miss Mandy’s Christian Daycare 


783 Marquette Road / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.6224 

Silver Spoon 


213 Woodgate Drive South / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.824.6093 

Tikes 2 Tots Family Childcare 


213 Commerce Drive / Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.3101 


Ease Your Day, 

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© 2023 Cadence Bank. All Rights Reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. 


Living in our hometown of Brandon with churches “on every corner” is a blessing and 

freedom we often overlook. Read our list of local churches in a spirit of thanksgiving! 

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one 

another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:25 

Brandon Assembly of God 

995 South College Street 


601.825.8188 

ag.org 

Brandon Baptist Church 

100 Brandon Baptist Drive 


601.824.1781 

brandonbc.org 

Brandon First United Methodist 

205 Mary Ann Drive 


601.825.5958 

www.brandonfumc.org 

Brandon Presbyterian Church 



601.825.5259 

www.brandonpres.com 

Crossgates Baptist Church 

8 Crosswoods Road 


601.825.2562 

crossgates.org 

Crossgates United 

Methodist Church 

23 Crossgates Drive 


601.825.8677 

www.crossgatesumc.org 

First United Pentecostal 

Church of Brandon 



601.825.7569 

brandonupc.com 

Grace Baptist Church 

1013 MS-471 


601.824.7334 

www.gracebaptistonline.net 

Heart Church 

107 Office Park Drive 

Inside The Club at Crossgates 


601.506.0714 

Hope Fellowship 

500 North College Street 


601.824.9088 

www.hfcbrandon.org 

Journey Church 

Downtown 


601.874.9595 

journeypeople.cc 

Meadow Grove Baptist Church 

3221 Louis Wilson Drive 


601.825.5704 

www.meadowgrove.org 

North Brandon 

Church of Christ 

1029 MS-471 


601.825.6497 

northbrandoncc.com 

Rock Star Baptist Church 

303 Tamberline Street 


601.825.2560 

www.facebook.com/ 

RockStarMBChurch 

St Luke’s Episcopal Church 

104 North College Street 


601.825.5839 

stlukes.dioms.org 

The Pointe 

1120 Star Road 


601.591.1154 

www.thepointebrandon.com 

Churches 

Crossview Baptist Church 

687 Burnham Road 


601.825.0412 

crossviewbc@att.net 

First Baptist Church 

of Brandon 

Office 

309 College Street 


Sunday Worship 

175 Boyce Thompson Drive 


601.825.6766 

601.825.3141 

www.fbcbrandon.com 

Nativity Lutheran Church 

495 Crossgates Boulevard 


601.825.5125 

www.nativitylc.org 

New Life Assembly of God 



601.824.3030 

ag.org 

New Vision Fellowship 

652 Luckney Road 


601.591.1267 

nvfms.org 



Healthcare delivery is changing. In addition to great medical care, patients expect easy 

access, affordability and convenience. In Brandon, we have a high standard with a focus 

on quality, convenience and a personalized care experience. We are able to bring acute 

and long-term care services closer to home through the following providers: 

Baptist Medical Clinic 

Family Medicine - Brandon 

1490 West Government Street / Suite 10 

Brandon, MS 39042 / 601.825.1936 

Family Health Care Clinic 



Greenfield Family Healthcare 


Brandon, MS 39042 / 601-824-0988 

Merit Health Medical Group 

Primary Care 

2841 Highwy 18 

Brandon MS 39042 / 769-241-6207 

Merit Health Rankin 

350 Crossgates Boulevard 


Merit Health Medical Group 

Orthopedics 


Brandon, MS 39042 / 601-376-2818 

Rankin Children’s Group, PLLC 

1405 Crossgates Drive West 


Rankin Primary Care Clinic 

103 Service Drive 


Region 8 Mental Health Services 



Richard C. Randolph, M.D., P.A. 

348 Crossgates Boulevard / Suite 2200 


St. Dominic’s 

Family Medicine - Brandon 



TrustCare 

1645 West Government Street / Suite F 


Medical Facilities 


Melanie McMillan 

Coach Kelsa Walker 

Where Your 

Feet Are 

When Kelsa Walker was a junior in high school, she went on a mission trip to Honduras. 

While there, she felt strongly that she was being called to work with young women. 

At the time, she imagined that she would go into full-time ministry in some capacity 

but didn’t know exactly what that would look like. 


ollowing high school, she earned 

earned a business degree from 

Delta State University and took a job at 

an agriculture company. “It took about thirty 

days of sitting behind a desk to realize it 

wasn’t for me,” she says. 

“I decided to get my teaching certificate 

through the alternate route program at 

Mississippi Valley State University and began 

teaching at Strayhorn School in Tate County.” 

Walker was a good athlete in high school, 

so it was only natural that she ended up 

serving as the coach for varsity basketball, 

softball, and cross country at Strayhorn. 

Although she was happy in Tate County, 

she needed services for her son that the 

school district didn’t provide at the time. She 

reached out to her uncle, Dr. Clyde Muse, for 

guidance. “I wanted his recommendation on 

where to find the resources my son needed, 

and he strongly recommended Rankin County 

schools,” says Walker. “I applied for a teaching 

position at Brandon Middle School and knew 

immediately that’s where I wanted to be. 

I began as a 7th grade math teacher there 

in 2009.” 

While teaching at Brandon Middle School, 

Coach Walker met basketball coach Linda 

Dear. “I had never lost my love of coaching, 

and I spent lots of time in the gym watching 

practices and talking with Coach Dear. She 

was so good to me and my children and 

made a big impact on my life. When she 

asked me to be her assistant coach, I gladly 

said yes.” 

In 2012, Kelsa was approached by Athletic 

Director Brad Peterson about starting a 

volleyball program at the middle school. 

“I knew nothing about volleyball,” Walker says, 

“but Coach Peterson assured me I could do it, 

that I could prepare them for the high school 

team. I had serious doubts, but I realized the 

Lord was opening a door. Who was I to say 

that door didn’t look like it was supposed to? 

His ways are not our ways.” 

Coach Walker hit the ground running, 

determined that the first middle school team 

would be competitive and successful, in spite 

of her lack of knowledge of the game. “God 

put people around me who poured into me 

and taught me the game,” says Walker. After 

two years coaching at the middle school, she 

became the head coach at Brandon High 

School, where she has been for nine years. 

She has clearly learned a thing or two about 

volleyball, as she has led the team to compete 

in the state championship, five times, and won 

it in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022. “The first 

group of seventh graders I coached at the 

middle school won the state championship 

as seniors at Brandon High, and that was the 

first volleyball state championship in school 

history, which made it even more special,” 

says Walker. “On paper, our program shouldn’t 

be where it is. It’s the Lord’s favor and blessing.” 

Coach Walker’s list of accolades is 

impressive, and a testimony to the hard work 

and dedication she has put in to learning the 

game she had never played. With a record 

of 253-57, she’s been named NFHS Coach 

of the Year twice, as well as the MAC Coach 

of the Year, and reached 200 career varsity 

wins in 2021. Her greatest impact, however, 

is on the players themselves, so much so 

that two of her former players now coach 

alongside her. Laine Marler, Class of 2018, 

is the assistant volleyball coach at the high 

school, and Olivia Garrett, Class of 2017, 

coaches the middle school team and assists 

with the high school team as well. Coach 

Walker has also been blessed to see 

numerous players go on to play at the 

collegiate level. 

Walker’s family has been a huge support 

to her on her coaching journey. Kelsa and 

her husband, Stephen, have four children, 

and their first grandchild, Walker, was born in 

December. Daughter Keeley and her husband, 


Hunter, Walker’s parents, live in Birmingham where Keeley is a pediatric nurse. Their son 

Wesley is a 2019 graduate of Brandon High School and is an accomplished musician. 

Dysart is a senior who will continue his academic career at Mississippi College where 

he’ll play football. Son Graydon is in the 8th grade at Brandon Middle School where he 

was recently named Mr. BMS. “My family has been an integral part of our program,” says 

Coach Walker. “From cheering from the sidelines to running the scoreboard and video 

board, there’s nothing they haven’t been willing to do. They love this team as much as I 

do. It’s definitely a family affair.” 

It is evident when talking with Coach Walker that leading this team is far more than 

a job. She loves the players and invests in their lives as much off the court as on. “When 

I went on that mission trip years ago, I never imagined that being called to minister to 

young women would be through coaching, yet that’s exactly what God had in store,” 

says Walker. “I’ve learned that your mission field is where your feet are.” 

“Coach, Mentor, Friend…these are just a few words that 

come to mind when I think of Coach Kelsa Walker. 

Having had the opportunity to learn the game of 

volleyball under Coach Walker and now sharing 

that knowledge with young ladies, is a dream 

come true. Not only has she paved the way for 

me to excel as a coach, but she has also taught 

me that winning off the court is just as important 

as winning on the court. I will be forever grateful for 

the impact she has made in my life, and I am so thankful 

for the opportunity I have been blessed with to work side by side 

with Coach Walker at Brandon High School.” 

– LAINE MARLER 

“Coach Walker is the most 

competitive yet tender-hearted 

person I know. She has been 

that way from the beginning 

and knows how to build up 

her players, school, and 

community. I am truly 

grateful for the influence 

she’s had on my life.” 

– OLIVIA GARRETT 


“I played for Coach Walker from the seventh grade all the 

way to my senior year of high school. What I remember 

and value most about Coach Walker is that her love 

for the game never overpowered the love she had 

for each player on her team. Coach Walker has a 

way of seeing people’s potential before they even 

see it themselves, and she knows how to bring it 

out of you each and every day. Coach Walker will 

always be more than a coach to me. She is my 

mentor and role model and has ultimately shaped me 

into the player and person that I am today. I will always be 

thankful for her.” 

– KATE BASS 





Most of us probably don’t 

pay attention to street names, 

especially if we know the route. 

Here are the stories behind 

some of the streets and 

roads we often travel. 

Charla Mitchell Jordan 


College Street 

This street connects Highways 471 and 

468. It was one of the few original streets 

named in 1830 by Thomas S. Shaw when 

he surveyed Brandon. Brandon Female 

College, incorporated in 1867, was located 

at the intersection of South College and 

Jasper Streets. A historic marker identifies 

this area as “Seminary Square” and states, 

“The Brandon Male and Female Academy, 

later named Brandon Female College, 

was on this site until 1923, when it was 

replaced by Brandon High School.” 

Fun fact: Brandon’s first traffic light was 

at the intersection of College Street and 

Government Street/U.S. Highway 80. 

Overby Street 

This street is parallel to and one block 

west of College Street. It was named for 

the Overby family. Beginning in 1929, 

Overby family members Peter Lee Overby, 

Clay Overby, Norris Overby, and Ruel 

Overby all owned businesses in downtown 

Brandon, including a drug store, general 

merchandise store, and a movie theater 

(Lynne Theater). Overby Drugs in the 

Overby Building at the corner of College 

Street and U. S. Highway 80 was a landmark 

in downtown Brandon from 1946 

until the building burned in the late 1980s. 

Poindexter Street 

This street is parallel to and one block 

east of College Street. Poindexter was 

one of the names considered as a name 

for Brandon when it was incorporated in 

1830. George Poindexter was the second 

governor of Mississippi, 1820-1822, and 

is generally recognized as the “Father of 

Mississippi’s First Constitution.” 

Suzie Blue Court 

This street is in Hearts Ease Subdivision 

off East Sunset Drive. Susie Blue Buchanan 

(note different spelling) was the first 

woman to be admitted to practice before 

the Mississippi Supreme Court and was 

one of the first to be admitted to the 

Mississippi Bar in 1916. She specialized 

in land abstracts, and her book of Rankin 

County plats known as the “Susie Blue 

Book” is still used today. Suzie Blue Court 

is only a few blocks from the Buchanan 

family home now known as “The Magnolias” 

on College Street. 

Paige McDill Road 

This road connects U. S. Highway 80 East 

to Trickhambridge Road near the Rankin 

County Co-Op. It was named after Paige 

McDill, an 18-year-old Hinds Community 

College student who died in 1992 of 

injuries suffered in a traffic accident on 

Trickhambridge Road. 


Kennedy Farm Parkway 

This street borders Shiloh Park. Carroll 

Henry Kennedy, born in Rankin County 

in 1902 to Richard and Marion Kennedy, 

was a businessman and member of the 

Mississippi State House of Representatives 

1956-1960 and 1964-1976. He owned 

thousands of acres of land in Rankin 

County. Shiloh Park is located on farmland 

previously owned by the Kennedy family, 

hence the name “Kennedy Farm Parkway.” 

Shiloh Road 

This road starts at Louis Wilson Drive, 

goes past Shiloh Park, and continues 

through Shiloh to Pelahatchie, where it 

intersects with Highway 43. Oral history 

states that in the late 1820s, a small group 

of pioneer pilgrims was traveling westward 

through Mississippi in covered wagons 

pulled by oxen. A little girl in the group 

was swinging from a grape vine, and she 

fell and died. After her burial, her parents 

would not continue the journey, and a 

greater part of the group decided to remain 

and settle there. They felled trees and built 

homes and a small church. The settlement 

was known as Shiloh Community. 

Mary Ann Drive 

Connecting the downtown Brandon 

square to Louis Wilson Drive, this street 

was renamed Mary Ann Drive after Mary 

Ann Mobley was crowned Miss America 

1959. Mary Ann won the crown in 

September 1958, and the new street sign 

was in place by October 3, 1958, when she 

was welcomed home with a huge parade 

down Capitol Street in Jackson and then a 

motorcade through downtown Brandon. 

Louis Wilson Drive 

This road connects U. S. Highway 80 

East to Highway 18 South. Brandon native 

Louis Hugh Wilson was the first and only 

man to enlist in the U. S. Marine Corps 

as a private and then climb his way to 

commandant, the top position of the 

Corps. He won the Medal of Honor in 

World War II (Fonte Hill, Guam, 25-26 

July 1944) and served in important 

capacities in the 

Korean and 

Vietnam 

conflicts. 

Busick Well Road 

This road begins at Mary Ann Drive 

and dead ends near Louis Wilson Drive. 

From 1905-1909, Busick’s Mineral Wells 

and Hotel was one of the leading resorts 

in Mississippi. In addition to the hotel, 

there were four guest houses, a golf course, 

and croquet courts. It was known for its 

excellent food and, of course, mineral 

water. It was built two miles south of 

Brandon by Henry Anderson Busick, a 

prominent merchant, businessman, and 

extensive landowner in Rankin County. 

It burned in 1909, and Mr. Busick then 

built a family home on the property. 




2nd Annual 

I Remember Martin 

Parade & Festival 

January 16 

Brandon Middle School 



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City of Brandon 

2023 

Princess 

Ball 

Hometown Magazines had the 

privilege of sponsoring nine 

beautiful young girls to attend the 

City of Brandon’s Princess Ball 

held on February 10th. 

They were treated to shopping 

and picking out their own dresses 

which were provided for the event, 

and were also provided beautiful 

corsages from Chapman’s Florist. 

What a fairytale night! 

Thank you to these 

City of Brandon officers for 

stepping up and making the evening 

extra special for these young ladies: 

Officer William McIntyre 

Officer Nick Pittman 

Sgt. Brad Martin 

Investigator Robbie Reid 

Officer JP Dragoo 

Officer Aaron Conley 

Officer Troy Dukes 

Asst. Chief Marshall Pack 

Chief Wayne Dearman 





Brandon Garden Club 

Tablescapes 

Luncheon 

February 24 




www.MichaelGuest.ms 

Paid for by Friends of Michael Guest 

39042 

Our 

Town 


COMING SUMMER 2023 

We are excited to announce JJB Brands 4th Moe’s Southwest Grill and re-opening our 

Pizza Hut in one location. Soon you will be able to hear “Welcome to Moes!” and where 

NO ONE OUTPIZZAS THE HUT! at 316 Stripling Lane in Brandon, MS. 

JJB Brands was founded in 2017 and is locally owned and operated. Find out more about 

us at www.JJBBrands.com 

Currently accepting applications to join our upbeat and fun atmosphere, flexible schedules 

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Text “HUT” to 242424 

Text “JJBMOES” to 242424 

YOU look AWESOME to work with! 


50 • Our Town 39042 

Krewe de Roux 

Parade & 

Block Party 

February 17 

Sponsored by 

Rankin County Chamber 

and City of Brandon

Krewe de Roux 

Gumbo Cook-Off 

& Car Show 

February 18 

Sponsored by Rankin County Chamber 

and City of Brandon 


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58 • Our Town 39042 

Brandon 

Mayor’s Prayer 

Breakfast 

MAY 4 • BRANDON CITY HALL



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August 15, 2022 

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BRANDON 

WE LOVE Serving YOu! 

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CITY OF BRANDON 

Veterans Day 

BREAKFAST 

NOVEMBER 11 • BRANDON MUNICIPAL COMPLEX 




DOING BUSINESS 

WITH A NEIGHBOR 

FEELS GOOD. 

Steven Wallace 

601-825-5242 

swallace@insassociate.com 





Calendar of Events 

June 24 Dog Days of Summer 

September 21 Wine Down Downtown 

October 19 Wine Down Downtown 

October 21 OKTOBERFEST 

November 16 Wine Down Downtown 

November 30 Christmas Tree Lighting 

For more info visit us at 

www.brandonmainstreet.com 

Your Brandon Main Street is a not-for-profit organization 

that is 100% volunteer led, focused on helping to grow 

Brandon area businesses. We know there are currently 

more tools and options than ever to support local 

businesses. We take pride in being comprised of local 

business owners and leaders, striving to advocate 

on behalf of Brandon area businesses. 

Brandon is much more than another great city. 

Brandon is a true community! This is a direct result of 

our residents, leaders, business owners, and visitors. 

The Brandon Main Street will work to continue 

fostering that sense of community and 

connecting people with one another. 

We are a different place. 

We are Brandon! 


Retired 

Brandon 

Teachers 

What is 

something 

your students 

would be 

surprised to 

know about 

you? 

Leslie Sirmon 

25 years teaching 

All 25 years teaching in Brandon 

My students AND friends would be 

surprised to know that I would go back to 

the classroom in a minute if I could have 

the same kids and teach the same things! 

And I have most of my class pictures and 

I pray that they are happy and have good 

memories of 4th grade. 

Susan Cates 

25 years in education 

24 of them in Rankin County 

I started my career at Sebastopol, taught 

12 years at Pelahatchie Elementary, and 

the last 12 years in Brandon as an administrator 

at Rouse and Brandon Elementary. 

I think my students would be surprised 

to know just how special they make me 

feel when I see them out and about and 

they recognize and remember me being 

their kindergarten teacher or one of their 

principals way back when. It is super 

exciting to know you have played a key 

role in their life. 

Pam Sparks 


in Rankin County 

28 years in Brandon 

My students would be surprised to know 

that I’m a dead eye at target shooting, 

and that I once (purposely) hung upside 

down while zip lining! 


Susan Lott 


23 years teaching in Brandon 

My students would probably be surprised 

to know I contemplated teaching physical 

education at one time. 

Ginger Parker 



My students might be surprised to know 

that I travel about 9,000 miles, one way, 

to visit my daughter who lives in Australia. 

Susan Puckett 


8 at Rouse Elementary 

First Grade 

My students may be surprised to know 

that I like to dance. When my husband 

and I were dating in the ‘70s, we won a 

disco dance competition. Funny thing was 

that we weren’t even aware that we were 

in a contest on the dance floor. I guess we 

had the best unplanned choreography to 

“Staying Alive!” 

Carol Booth 



I think my students would be surprised 

that I attended Brandon School grades 

1-12. They may also be surprised to know 

that I am still alive. 

Brenda Emmons 


All 30 years in Brandon 

Grades 2-4 

I am an avid Brandon and MSU sports fan, 

but they probably don’t know that I played 

basketball from 7th grade through junior 

college. 




Friends 

Sarah Rein 

So many of the stories we came to 

love as children are centered on great 

friendships. As an adult, it’s still hard 

to think back on the tale of Charlotte’s 

Web and not tear up at the sacrifice 

Charlotte makes to save Wilbur. 

And if you or your children have read 

Where the Red Fern Grows, you’ve 

openly wept at the special love Billy 

and his hounds shared. 

If these imaginary tales of affection 

capture our hearts, how much more do 

we gravitate to stories of authentic love 

between our fellow human beings? 

Brandon is often touted as a growing 

city with small-town charm - a place 

that still has that family feel and where 

people treat each other like friends. 

Enjoy a few of the many stories in our 

town that prove that is still the case. 

I’ll be there for you, when the rain 

starts to pour.... 

When Abby Troxler graduated from college at Mississippi State University 

in 2004, she knew she wanted to make her home in Brandon. She and her 

husband Drew, who she married in 2006, wanted to return to the town they’d both 

grown up in. Abby wanted to teach in the school system she’d graduated from, and 

they couldn’t imagine raising a family anywhere else. 

Returning to their home community would prove to be vitally important - but for 

reasons Abby couldn’t have imagined at the time. In 2011, after teaching third grade 

for eight years, Abby gave birth to their first child - a boy they named Baker. 

Heartbreakingly, Baker experienced serious complications after birth that led to his 

death at only two months of age. Their Brandon family was quick to step in. Abby 

shares, “When we lost our first son, the outpouring of love and support we received 

from my principal at the time - Dr. Sue 

Townsend - was literally indescribable. 

They would meet in the library at 6:30 and 

hold hands for prayer if Baker had a surgery 

that day. They raised money and had a 

special day they called Hats Off to Baker 

Day. It was one of the most humbling things 

I have ever witnessed.” 

The next year, the Troxlers welcomed 

their second son, Baylor. Beginning a new 

year of teaching while processing the loss 

of Baker and also getting ready to welcome 

Baylor was not an easy load to balance. But, 

in a sweet reminder of the closeness of their 

hometown, every one of Abby’s new 

students knew the story of Baby Baker. Their families had talked about him, and 

prayed for him. And now, they were excited to celebrate the Troxlers’ new addition 

while keeping Baker’s memory alive. In fact, Abby has a handful of students from 

that special third grade year - they’d now be in their twenties - who stayed in 

touch...checking on Abby and sending cards and messages. 

In addition to the community at large, Abby has a group of Brandon friends she 

has been close to for almost fifteen years. Much like Abby and Drew, these couples 

graduated from Brandon and chose to buy homes in the ‘042 area. They started 

their families around the same time and are getting to watch their children attend 

the same schools they did. In God’s kindness, several of those friends had sons 

the same year Abby had Baker. She has been thankful to have a front-row seat to 

the friendships that would have been Baker’s and imagine her oldest son running 

around with the group. With Baylor only one year younger, he has a built-in set of 

friends and loves the thought of feeling near to his big brother through them. 

During her initial year teaching at Brandon Elementary, Abby met another first-year 

teacher who became like a sister - Rebecca Penton. They’ve remained the best of 

friends for the last twenty years. Drew was also fortunate to form a close group of 

friends who bonded around their “Fantasy Football League.” The league led to a full 

on draft with a board, men’s weekends at the lake, and culminated in a trophy 


celebrating the winner. That lucky winner would then return the prize the following year. After a decade 

of losing graciously, Drew finally took home the trophy this past year. What none of the men knew then 

was that it had changed hands for the final time. 

On March 28th, 2023, Drew shockingly and unexpectedly passed away. In the blur of the following 

days, weeks, and months, their friends formed a circle around Abby and Baylor - bearing their burden 

with them in whatever ways they could. The night of Drew’s death, they began pouring into the hospital 

to pray and be present and help with funeral plans. “They stayed with me at my house, answering the 

door and talking to guests when I couldn’t get out of bed, stocking our house with groceries, snacks, 

and toiletries without my even asking. They picked up Baylor and took him on fun outings or to play 

with their own kids so he was busy and entertained. They’ve prayed for me non-stop and changed 

plans at the last minute when they knew I needed someone to 

come be with me.” People have bought keepsakes for Abby to 

remember Drew by and made sure to check on Drew’s parents 

and sister as well as Abby’s parents. Drew’s friends and Baylor’s 

soccer team dads have even raised money and organized 

someone to take care of Abby’s yard for the next year. 

Perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of their story is 

how well these men and women are modeling friendship for the 

next generation. Baylor’s select soccer team was supposed to 

play in a tournament the weekend after Drew’s death. But the 

coach, manager, and parents, all agreed they needed to 

withdraw from the tournament and prioritize something more 

important. All of the parents took the kids to “Spinners” that day 

and they skated, bowled, played arcade games and just 

enjoyed time together. 

Drew’s football league has decided to “retire” the trophy and 

are giving it to Baylor with their names and phone numbers 

engraved on the back so he can always reach out to one of his 

dad’s friends when he needs to. 

When it was time for Abby and Baylor to step back into their 

everyday reality, all their people were ready. “My first day back 

at StoneBridge was almost two weeks after Drew passed, and 

it was a day I was very nervous about. When I walked into my 

empty quiet classroom that morning, several teachers had 

written all kinds of sweet notes. There was a grief book from a 

friend, a card from the entire school, Chick-fil-A, donuts and 

coffee, just laid out ALL over my desk and I was in awe of the 

kindness these teachers naturally have in them. Countless people, including my principals, Dr. LaMarcus 

Norman, Dr. Melissa Stephens, and Melanie Wells, as well as our counselor, Christy Tigrett, checked in 

on me and told me to take my time and if I needed a minute, I could just sit in their office and cry. 

That made it so much easier.” 

Baylor’s teachers (both Brandon graduates - Lana Purvis & Alison Campbell) have been such 

blessings for him to have his fifth-grade year. “They were absolutely amazing during this tragic time. 

His classes made precious cards with all of his favorite things drawn on them with sweet letters and 

uplifting messages. They had a bag of his favorite candy and goodies on his desk when he returned 

and just made him feel so special and loved.” 

“I have only been able to survive these tragedies because of the incredible support I have 

received from the community, and I am so proud to say I live in Brandon.” 


I’ll be there for you, like 

I’ve been there before... 

There is no substitute for longevity in a friendship. 

New friends are a gift to be treasured but there is nothing 

like a shared history to bond you to someone. Being with 

people who know your stories, your family, and your inside 

jokes feels like being at home. Friendships that last 

decades are hard-won but oh-so-comfortable once you 

have them. 

In the 1970’s Sally Larson began a friendship with a 

handful of ladies who, unbeknownst to them at the time, 

would see each other through the remainder of their adult 

lives. Like the formation of a rock band, the group was 

recruited a few at a time from 1972-1973. One lady would 

bring in someone else they knew from the subdivision (all 

the women lived in Crossgates - in fact, four of them still do), 

and then that woman would invite her next door neighbor, 

etc. Eventually, the group grew to include eight regulars - 

Carol Atkinson, Tally Carrol, Nancy Ranager, Charlene 

Pierce, Jamie McKlemurry, Joyce Wiman, and Pat Wolcott. 

“We began having cookouts with our husbands on 

Friday or Saturday evening. Everyone would bring something. 

And we all had children in the Brandon schools 

together. Most days we just said we’re meeting on one 

of our decks at 5:00 or 5:30. We called it porching, and 

we did that for years...just getting to know each other. 

None of us had cell phones, of course, so that was how 

we socialized. We learned about each other’s families and 

where we grew up. The pace of life was just slower.” And, 

in contrast to so many women in today’s world, Sally insists 

they did not feel the need to clean up or get put together 

to have each other over. “Oh gosh, we were always in blue 

jean shorts - it was very casual.” Substitute black yoga 

pants for denim shorts, and I think this advice translates 

really nicely for our generation. 

Eventually, the group started going on trips together. 

One of the couples had a lake house and another had a 

cabin in the mountains. There were lots of girls’ trips and 

laughs. But when you are friends for forty years, there is 

plenty of heartache to walk through as well. One of the 

original eight has since died, two have moved away, and 

each of the women has lost their husband. But they got 

through it together. “It wasn’t always easy, but we just 

nourished those friendships, found things in common, 

and supported each other.” 


I’ll be there for you, 

‘cause you’re there 

for me too... 

When Mattie Holly and Mariah Morris met in 

kindergarten, it seemed an unlikely pair to develop 

a close friendship. 

Kelly, Mattie’s mom, recalls, “They were really kind of 

opposite in personality. Mariah is quiet and reserved, 

and Mattie will talk to anyone and you never know what 

she’ll say.” But the pair seemed destined for a special 

connection right away. Kelly continues, “It was like they 

never really got tired of each other and balanced each 

other out so well. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them have 

a fight and they just understand each other. They 

understand the other’s good and bad days and don’t get 

jealous or mad.” And truly, how many pre-teen girls could 

you say that about? 

Their friendship blossomed throughout elementary 

school as they grew a shared love of dance at Mississippi 

Metropolitan Dance Academy. Fast forward many years 

and the pair has just made the Brandon Middle School 

dance team together. Their childhood is filled with 

memories of tailgating at the high school football games 

and spending the night at each other’s homes. 

It helps that their mothers are close friends - even 

serving as president and vice-president of the middle 

school’s PTO - who are able to model a healthy friendship 

for their girls. 

And if you ask the girls what they love about each 

other? Mattie says, “Mariah is kind, always thinking of 

others and just completely slays (a term lost on those 

of us who are middle-aged readers but seems to be 

quite positive)! I love everything about her.” 

Mariah says, “Mattie has been a true friend through 

thick and thin. She is always up for a good time, no matter 

how silly, and I know I can count on her for anything.” 

When asked what advice these young girls - with 

so much life ahead of them - would give about what’s 

important in a friendship, they give an answer we would 

all do well to remember. “We always put each other 

before ourselves.” 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, 

but in humility count others more significant than 

yourselves. –Philippians 2:3 




SUSAN MARQUEZ 

The Brandon Amphitheater was transformed into a light-filled venue 

for the 2022 holiday season. The drive-through holiday-themed display ran 

from November 18, 2022, and lit the night sky nightly through January 9, 2023. 


The “Magic of Lights” display is a nationwide production by Family Entertainment Live, 

a family-oriented entertainment holding company headquartered in Medina, Ohio. 

Partnering with FEL were local sponsors Entergy and WLBT-TV. “We were excited to 

bring Magic of Lights to the Brandon community and the Brandon Amphitheater for 

the first time ever and hope it becomes an annual holiday tradition,” said Ken Hudgens, 

CEO of Family Entertainment Live. 

The event featured dozens of light displays, illuminated canopies, and digital 

animation, all constructed with over two million lights, including one million 

individual LED lights. “With our focus toward being a quality community for 

families to live, work, and play, the City of Brandon Amphitheater is the natural 

destination to host an enjoyable, drive through Christmas presentation of this 

caliber for people of all ages,” says Brandon Mayor Butch 

Lee. “Our efforts are geared towards transforming our 

Quarry Park Trails that surround the Brandon Amphitheater 

into a magical experience filled with memorable moments 

for years to come. We are excited this year to be one of 21 

locations in North America to host a Magic of Lights show. 


Attracting a show of this magnitude, with sister show events 

in locations such as the NFL Gillette Stadium in Boston, the 

NFL Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and the 

Daytona National Speedway in Daytona, Florida, speaks well 

for our hometown and life in Brandon.” 

Ted Fortenberry, regional vice president and GM of WLBT 

says, “We were excited to present the Magic of Lights at 

Brandon’s Amphitheater. It was the perfect setting for this 

fantastic family holiday experience. Helping to bring in events 

like Magic of Lights so families can create lifelong holiday 

memories fits perfectly with WLBT’s commitment to serve 

the communities of Central and Southwest Mississippi.” 

Visitors to the event enjoyed the tour’s displays from the 

comfort of their own vehicle. Displays featured a 32-foot tall, 

animated Mattel’s Barbie, and prehistoric Christmas display 

featuring life-sized dinosaurs celebrating the season. Other 

displays included a Big Foot Monster Trucks, Winter Wonderland, 

as well as Magic of Lights favorites including the Twelve Days 

of Christmas, Toyland, and the 200-foot long Enchanting 

Tunnel of Lights. “Magic of Lights is a nostalgic and festive 

experience for guests of all ages,” says Hudgens. 

Each Magic of Lights venue features custom scenes that 

will become a tradition for that location while some portions 

of the scenes will be new, never before seen displays. The 

numbers to create the event are staggering. The total Magic 

of Lights event used 12.6 miles of light cord. It takes 3,750 

man-hours to set up each Magic of Lights event. Each Magic of 

Lights event uses about ten miles of steel to build the displays 

and ten miles of LED lighting installed inside of the displays, 

which are designed, bent, cut, and welded into about 800 

frames that are combined in different color configurations to 

create each show’s giant winter holiday scenes. Each frame 

of each scene is designed using state-of-the-art technology. 

And each display is hand-built in-house from fifteen pages of 

design specifications. Scenes are as high as 32 feet tall, and as 

long as several hundred feet. 

An exciting addition to this year’s Magic of Lights at the 

Brandon Amphitheater is a Holiday Village. Families will be 

able to enjoy the holiday festivities up-close and in person. 

Mayor Lee says more than 40,000 vehicles visited the Brandon 

and Rankin County communities. “This Christmas light event 

has paved the way for this to become an annual, family 

friendly show in the years ahead.” 

Watch for earlybird ticket sales to begin in October 2023. 



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A Wish Come True 

DANIEL BAILEY 

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit 

charitable organization that allows children with critical 

illnesses to experience the fulfillment of their greatest 

wish. Make-A-Wish grants more than 15,600 wishes 

per year. However, there is a massive gap between that 

number and the 27,000 children diagnosed annually 

with qualifying illnesses. Each year, Brandon High 

School raises funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation 

of Mississippi in hopes of allowing more children to 

be able to have their wish fulfilled. Students, parents, 

faculty, teachers, and administrators all participate in 

these fundraising events. 

This school year, Brandon High School was given the 

honor of pairing with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of 

Mississippi to fulfill the wish of local student Ames Lee. 

Ames is a 9-year-old boy who is fighting acute 

myeloid leukemia (AML). He was diagnosed with 

AML on January 6, 2022. Ames has had a bone 

marrow transplant that was donated by his younger 

brother. He lives in Pelahatchie with his family and is 

a third-grader at Pelahatchie Elementary School. 

Ames enjoys playing with his toy figurines and loves 

animals and Roblox. When given the opportunity to 

choose, Ames chose to go to Yellowstone National 

Park in Wyoming. 

Brandon High School started plans for the most 

recent Make-A-Wish fundraiser in the fall of 2022. 

The Class of 2023 was in charge of the first fundraising 

event. They wanted to do something to “give back.” 

As a class, they set a goal to raise $371, or roughly $1 per 

student. Through the first fundraiser, the class of 

2023 raised $386, passing their goal. 

In the spring of 2023, the Brandon High School 

student council began brainstorming fundraising ideas 

for Make-A-Wish. The sponsors came up with the idea 

of a teacher-only silent auction. Clubs and businesses 

donated items or gift cards for the auction. Teachers 

then bid on each item with all proceeds going towards 

the charity. Overall, the auction raised $851 for the 

Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Another way teachers got involved was through 

buying hamburger lunch plates. The hamburgers and 

sides were cooked and donated by Brandon High 

School’s Ag department. Through this fundraiser, the 

Ag department helped raise $820 for Ames. After 


ainstorming more ideas, Make-A-Wish t-shirts were 

proposed. The student council loved the idea and 

designed a T-shirt for this specific Make-A-Wish 

fundraising event. 

With the help of local business, Charlotte’s 

Screen Printing, the student council sold specially 

designed t-shirts to people in the City of Brandon 

raising $1,260. The final fundraiser before the pep 

rally to celebrate Ames was selling stars. The stars 

were blue stars that were hung in the hall of Brandon 

High School. After purchasing a star, students could 

either write their name or the name of a loved one 

who was currently battling, or who had previously 

battled cancer, on the star. For many students, the 

stars were more than just a way to donate to a good 

cause. This allowed them to donate in memory of 

loved ones. 

Critical illness has affected many people’s lives and 

for some students, helping Ames achieve his dream was 

far more personal than just a fundraiser. Each star 

that was sold was worth $1 and the student council 

raised $978 for the fundraiser off of stars alone. 

On March 10, 2023, BHS held the Make-A-Wish 

pep rally to celebrate Ames and how much the school 

had raised for him. Students donated money on the 

way into the pep rally, raising an additional $614. 

The pep rally was over two hours long, and while there 

were other events, the main focus was on Ames. 

Numerous “We love Ames” chants occurred and 

Ames was given VIP seating. During the pep rally, 

a Make-A-Wish representative, Ames, and his 

mother, were presented with a check from Brandon 

High School. The goal for the fundraiser was $2,000 

to cover expenses for Ames’ trip to Yellowstone. The 

check was for $4,523, more than doubling the school’s 

initial goal. Not only did the school far exceed its 

expectations, but the amount raised this year was the 

largest in school history. 

On behalf of Brandon High School and the 

Brandon High School Student Council, thank you to 

everyone who donated to allow Ames to experience 

his dream. 



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A Neighborhood Blessing LEXIE OWNBY 

What is Christmas? For the Center Pointe covenantsprotected 

community that is nestled on 72 acres in the heart 

of East Brandon off Trickhambridge Road, Christmas is a lot 

of things. It all started with a group of several ladies from the 

early neighborhood in 2005—Eleanor Johnson, Judy Williams, 

Becky Merrill, and Mary Jane Kennedy, just to name a few. 

After getting together in prayer to decide on a theme for 

Christmas that would be God-honoring, the women of the 

neighborhood came up with the idea of putting white wooden 

cut-out letters at the beginning of the subdivision that read 

“Christmas Is….” Each homeowner could choose a word of their 

own desire, Christ-honoring or seasonal. 


“As you went down Center Pointe Drive and the other streets, 

each house would have white letters outside of their house 

with what ‘Christmas Is…’ to them. You would see Jesus, 

Redeemer, Hallelujah, and keep driving farther, followed by 

Peace on Earth, Christ, Family, and Angels Singing,” said Center 

Pointe homeowner Mary Jane Kennedy. 

Homeowner Vernon Johnson took it upon himself to 

inexpensively cut out all the letters and paint them white, 

with the help of other husbands in the neighborhood. He also 

stores all the molds at his home for more words and phrases 

to come as new neighbors move in each year and are eager to 

participate in the neighborhood Christmas tradition. 

Through the past 16 years, a manger scene made from wood 

was added as well as a Christmas tree. The “Christmas Is…” 

tradition has become a Center Pointe neighborhood blessing 

and is something each homeowner looks forward to every 

holiday season. Don’t forget to put Center Pointe subdivision 

on your list when out looking at Christmas lights! There are 

so many reasons to be thankful this season and make note of 

what Christmas is and means to you! 






Clubs 

The definition of a club - a group of persons organized for a social, literary, 

athletic, political, or other purpose. Brandon offers a great choice for those inclined 

to organized social gatherings. Our area clubs have united members who have 

invested in the advancement of our hometown. Check out this list in our area: 

Rotary Club 

Founded in 1905, Rotary is the world’s oldest and largest international service organization. The 34,000 Rotary 

clubs across the globe are composed of 1.2 million business leaders, friends, and neighbors located in over 200 

countries and territories. Together they create positive, lasting change in their local areas and around the world. 

From community service to working for a polio-free world, Rotary’s universal motto is “Service Above Self.” 

Rotarians in Rankin County participate in a multitude of service projects such as children’s literacy and reading 

programs, student scholarships, helping needy families at holidays, hosting community blood drives, assisting 

with building community parks, providing dictionaries to third graders and supporting clean water projects abroad. 

The Rankin County Rotary Club meets at noon in Genna Benna’s private dining room. 

www.rotary.org/join • 601.572.7319 

Crown Club 

Service Project of Junior 

Auxiliary of Rankin County 

Crown Club encourages the young 

women of Rankin County during 

their 8th through 12th grade years 

to build leadership skills, foster 

good character, and understand 

the importance of good citizenship. 

Crown Club members experience 

the act of caring for others through 

community service projects. 


The Exchange Club of Crossgates 

Exchange, America’s service club, is a group of men and women 

working together to make our communities better places to live through 

programs of service in Americanism, community service, charities, youth 

activities, and its national project, the prevention of child abuse. This club 

was formed in 1976 as a local chapter of the National Exchange Club 

dedicated to the Exchange Club covenant of service. The Exchange 

Club of Crossgates meets at Penn’s Restaurant on Highway 80 on the 

1st Thursday of every month at 6:30pm. 

Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County 

Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County is a non-profit service organization for 

women who desire to serve and improve their communities. Through a 

variety of hands-on projects that cover a wide sector of the community, 

JARC members implement the ideals of their national motto: “Caring 

Hearts. Helping Hands. Changing Hearts.” 

rankinja.org / publicrelationsjarc@gmail.com 

www.crossgatesec.com / 601-825-5442 / 601-398-7654 Louise Pipitone 

Rankin County Chamber Youth Leadership 

The Youth Leadership Program helps young leaders develop responsible 

community leadership roles and impact the future of Rankin County! 

The students will familiarize themselves with community opportunities, 

needs, problems and resources. They will have effective dialogue, 

establishing friendships among participants and community leaders. 

Students will learn advanced leadership and management skills such as: 

• Goal setting 

• Effective communication 

• Decision making 

• Team building 

• Motivation and organization 

• Work ethic development 


Clubs 

Brandon Mayor’s Youth Council 

The City of Brandon Mayor’s Youth Council is a group of approximately 

40-50 students from area high schools, both public and private. Mayor’s 

Youth Council mission is to serve as role models in the community and 

among the youth of Brandon by serving as an example and by taking 

an active role in community sponsored activities and volunteer work. 

Members are required to earn service hours through sponsored events 

to raise funds for community projects that improve our city and unity all 

age groups in our community. 

Some events and projects they’ve worked on this year 

• Back 2 School Bash 

• Sports Evaluations for Parks & Rec 

• Brandon Memorial Cemetery Cleaning/Prepping for Wreaths 

• Dog Jam Night 

• Brandon First United Methodist Fall Festival 

• City of Brandon’s Fall Festival 

• Veterans Day Breakfast 

• Christmas Parade 

• Wreath Day Ceremony at Brandon Memorial Cemetery 

• Angel Tree Adoptions – 93 angels got adopted 

• MLK Day Parade 

• Toured the Mississippi State Capitol 

• Princess Ball 

• Krewe De Roux Parade & Gumbo Cook-off 

• Communities Working to Unite Youth’s Suicide Summit 

• Easter at the Ag. Museum 

• Brandon Jubilee Days 5K Trail Run/Walk 

• Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast 



Clubs 

Garden Club 

Brandon Garden Club, Inc. has been a driving force for 

beautification and historic preservation in Brandon for 70 years. 

On March 1, 2024, the club will hold its annual Tablescapes 

Luncheon Fundraiser at Brandon Municipal Complex. The 

Tablescapes Luncheon is the club’s only fundraising event, 

and it sells out quickly. Reserve your tickets now by emailing 

thebrandongardenclub@gmail.com or contacting any club 

member. 

The theme for the current year is “Growing Flowers and 

Friendships.” The club’s projects support the goals of our 

federated organizations: The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc., 

Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc., and National Garden Clubs, Inc. 

SOME OF THE CLUB’S ONGOING PROJECTS INCLUDE: 


Providing year-round maintenance for plants in the atrium and 

main lobby; decorating the lobbies for Christmas; decorating 

for special City of Brandon events, including the Mayor’s 

Prayer Breakfast, Memorial Day Breakfast, Fall Festival, and 

Veterans Day Breakfast. 

Education 

Providing hands-on gardening at The Spot Downtown for 

Rankin County School District special education students; 

providing displays and programs at Brandon Public Library; 

funding scholarships at Hinds Community College and 

Mississippi State University. 

Cancer awareness 

Planting and maintaining the “Plant It Pink” flower bed in 

downtown Brandon. 

Commercial landscape awards 

Recognizing businesses with outstanding commercial 

landscaping. 

Old Brandon Cemetery and Brandon Memorial Gardens 

Planting memorial trees, placing memorial tree markers, and 

coordinating maintenance with the City of Brandon. 

Veterans 

Maintaining flower beds surrounding two Blue Star Memorial 

Markers donated by the club. 

Look for us on Facebook, visit www.thebrandongardenclub.com, 

or email us at thebrandongardenclub@gmail.com. 

1 

2 


4 

3 

5 6 7 

10 

FROGS 

Nature’s Barometer 8 

Display by Brandon Garden Club 

11 

Celebrating 

National Garden Week 

June 4-10 

National Pollinator Week 

June 11-17 

1 BGC received 13 top awards in 2023, including the Overall “Public Relations Award” 

from The Garden Clubs of Mississippi, Inc. and First Place for “Publicity Press Book” 

from the six-state Deep South Garden Clubs, Inc. region. 

2 Annual Tablescapes Luncheon Fundraiser. 

3 Members provide landscaping and hands-on gardening for students in Rankin County 

School District’s ASPIRE program at The Spot Downtown. 

4 National Garden Clubs, Inc. awarded a Plant America grant to Brandon Garden Club 

to build a greenhouse at The Spot Downtown. 

5 Blue Star Memorial Marker flower bed at the Rankin County Justice Center was 

relandscaped in 2022. The club received a First Place Award from The Garden Clubs 

of Mississippi, Inc. for the project. 

6-7 Veterans Day Breakfast centerpieces created by members were repurposed into 

Bundles of Joy and delivered to assisted living facility residents. 

8 Commercial Landscape Award was given to the City of Brandon for maintenance of 

Old Brandon Cemetery. 

9 Members “Deck the Halls” at Brandon Municipal Complex each year for Christmas. 

10 Co-Chairmen for “Deck the Halls” are Shelby Harry and Delena Hamel. 

11 National Garden Week and National Pollinator Week are celebrated throughout June 

with a display and activities at Brandon Public Library. 

9 




Schools 

Rouse Elementary 

Rouse Elementary School 

is home to kindergarten and 

1st graders in the Brandon 

Zone of the Rankin County 

School District. 

151 Boyce-Thompson Drive 


rse.rcsd.ms 

601.825.5437 


Brandon High 

Brandon High School is a 

6A high school and is home 

to 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th 

graders in the Brandon Zone 

of the Rankin County School 

District. 



bhs.rcsd.ms 

601.825.2261 


Schools 

Brandon Middle 

Brandon Middle School is 

home to 6th, 7th, and 8th 

graders in the Brandon Zone 

of the Rankin County School 

District. 



bms.rcsd.ms 

601.825.5998 


StoneBridge Elementary 

StoneBridge Elementary School 

is home to 2nd and 3rd graders 

in the Brandon Zone of the Rankin 

County School District. 

115 StoneBridge Boulevard 


sbe.rcsd.ms 

601.824.3287 


Schools 

Brandon Elementary 

Brandon Elementary School 

is home to 4th and 5th graders 

in the Brandon Zone of the 

Rankin County School District. 

125 Overby Street 


bes.rcsd.ms 

601.825.4706 



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