Civic organizations

CIVIC/COMMUNITY CLUBS

A.J.F.C. Community Action

P. O. Box 1196 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-6349 Assistance to low or no income families. Energy, nutrition, rent and weatherization assistance. Case management.

American Legion Post #12

121 W. Enterprise Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-754-7861 601-835-8173 Promotes patriotism for the community and source of information about veteran benefits. Supports Boys State. Monthly meetings, third Tuesday at State Bank, 7 p.m.

American Cancer Society

P. O. Box 539 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-4771 State Chapter - fundraising projects. Handles memorials.

American Heart Association

4830 McWillie Circle Jackson, MS 39206 601-321-1200 Handles memorials.

American Red Cross

P. O. Box 193 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-2771 Provides assistance to families whose homes have been affected by a natural disaster. Provide services to military servicemen and their families, such as emergency loans and phone messages. Provide training and certification in lifesaving skills, such as CPR, first aid and water safety.

Bogue Chitto Community Women’s Auxiliary

P. O. Box 364 Bogue Chitto, MS 39629 601-996-0160 A non-profit organization that encourages women of all ages to render charitable services that are beneficial to the general public by bringing the community together for reconciliation and restoration in unity and in growth. Through leadership development and character building will prepare our youth for good citizenship by serving and caring for others. Play a vital part both active and constructive in exposing our youth to multicultural materials through varied activities.

Boswell Group Home

Brookhaven, MS 39601 Houses individuals between 21 and 55 with some type of emotional and/or developmental disability.

Boy Scouts of America

Jackson Office 855 Riverside Drive Jackson, MS 39202 601-948-6111 Through this program, boys learn character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness; mental, physical and moral.

Boys & Girls Club

522 N. Third Brookhaven, MS 39601 This program is available to boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 16. It instills in them a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.

Brookhaven Alpha Lions

717 Ann St. Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-757-9591 Supports Adult Work Center. Supports all Lion Club activities. Yearly screen test eyes for Martin School, Fannie Mullins and West Lincoln. World Service Day — personal items for Country Brook residents. Supports local charities. Helps with hearing impaired and diabetes. White Cane Day for Sight Foundation. Lions Sight Van for eye screening. Supports MidSouth Foundation.

Brookhaven Animal Rescue League (BARL)

P. O. Box 3477 Brookhaven, MS 39603 601-757-4367 Website: www.barl.net E-Mail: info@barl.net Non-profit, no kill, volunteer-based animal welfare group that arranges shelter and basic veterinary services for abandoned and orphaned animals until they can be placed with families. No animals are killed just because they are unwanted. BARL provides medical care, food, and housing for these animals. The League also seeks to reduce the number of unwanted animals through education regarding the value of spaying and neutering. All League animals are spayed or neutered. Spay/neuter is available to the elderly and low income families at low cost.

Brookhaven Beautiful

P. O. Box 978 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-1411 Continuous effort to beautify Brookhaven.

Brookhaven Camellia Society

717 Rollins Drive NW Brookhaven, MS 39601 Interested in the growth and development of camellias. Holds an annual show open to the public.

Brookhaven Housing Authority

501 Brookman Drive Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-833-1781 Provides low income apartments. Rent is based on income.

Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce

Garrick Combs, Executive Director Katie Nations, Program Director P. O. Box 978 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-1411 Community improvement and economic development

Brookhaven Little Theatre

Organized to present a wide range of live theatrical productions for the people of Brookhaven.

Brookhaven Police Department Dispatchers

P. O. Box 560 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-2424 Will check with a local outreach ministries to see about a bed for overnight.

Brookhaven Trust

P. O. Box 615 Brookhaven, MS 39602 Promotes historical and cultural excellence.

Exchange Club

Operates the Exchange Club Park for community parties. Sponsors S.W. Mississippi Agency Child Protection. Gives annual scholarship. Puts out flags on eight holidays. Holds annual fair and livestock show.

Girl Scouts

Girl Scouting is all about fun, friends, and fantastic opportunities for every girl, everywhere. Most girls can join a local troop or group for fun and friendship, but they also learn about building character, self-esteem, strong values and serving their communities — the core qualities of Girl Scouting.

Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County

P. O. Box 618 Brookhaven, MS 39602 Habitat Office 601-823-4061 Non-profit, Christian housing ministry.

P. O. Box 169 Brookhaven, MS 39602 Service projects include: RIF, Child Welfare, Christmas project, EARS, Crown Club, life choices and scholarships.

Kappa Kappa Iota Alpha

431 Storm Ave. Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-833-8023

Knights of Columbus

1000 S. Jackson St. Brookhaven, MS 39601 Charitable organization made up of Catholic men. Assistance to handicapped and mentally ill based on need, not religion or race. Community service, patriotic activities and pro-life.

Lincoln County Master Gardeners

Rebecca Bates 301 S. First St., Room 201 Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-835-3460

Lions Club - Noon

Sponsors annual Lions Club Beauty Pageant and sell pecans in the fall to raise funds for assisting needy individuals who are sight and hearing impaired. Support Lions Quest, a drug awareness program, in our local school system. The Brookhaven Lions Club scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving Lincoln County student at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Test eyesight on students each year.

Lions Club - Evening

2015 Parkhill Lane SE Bogue Chitto, MS 39629 601-734-2697 Sells light bulbs and pecans to provide services for sight and hearing conservation.

Ole Brook Wind Symphony

601-643-8353 Community band for all ages. Performs twice a year.

Order of the Eastern Star

100 Mississippi St. Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-835-1169 Grants scholarships in any field of religious training. Contributes to heart and cancer research foundations and dyslexia.

Rose Craft Garden Club

546 W. Monticello St. Brookhaven, MS 39601 Participates and promotes educational, civic and community beautification projects through planting and study of flowers, shrubs, trees and flower designs.

Rotary Club

Meets Thursdays at noon at Poppa’s. Focuses on community service projects and scholarships. P. O. Box 539 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-835-3597

Servitium

P. O. Box 889 Brookhaven, MS 39601 601-835-3033 Promotes youth activities. Sponsors John W. “Dub” Sproles scholarship annually, given to high school student from Lincoln County in pursuit of higher education. Sponsors teams in Dixie Youth Baseball and AAU Basketball. Annual contributor to the Brookhaven Youth Soccer Organization.

United Way of Lincoln County

Pam Cartwright P. O. Box 978 Brookhaven, MS 39602 601-833-1411 Supports 23 local agencies.

Woodmen of the World Lodge

Fraternal insurance society. Provides American flags to schools, government agencies and churches. Works with children ages 8 - 15, with their youth program. Also offers senior camp for members 60 and over. Monthly meetings. To reserve the Woodmen of the World Lodge, contact Dorothy Hill at 601-833-9483.

ARTS TAKE CENTER STAGE AT MSA

Whether it is vocal, dance or any other discipline of study offered, Mississippi School of the Arts excels in student accommodation and experience.

The school takes applications annually from students in their 10th grade year and teaches students in their 11th- and 12th-grade years.

The disciplines that students may choose are vocal music, visual arts, theatre, dance, literary arts and media arts, the newest discipline added in the 20162017 school year.

In the future, the school hopes to include an instrumental music discipline to its list of programs.

MSA teachers expose the students to high-quality artwork of all types, and traditional teaching styles are mixed with a few non-traditional elements to get students out of their comfort zones. A strict regimen of classes and total immersion in their subject of interest help seal their unique experience at the end of the school year.

As for what type of student is accepted into the school, MSA Executive Director Suzanne Hirsch said, “We really look for kids who are inspired, dedicated, independent and, above all, open-minded.”

Hirsch said students at MSA have an artistic voice that needs to be heard but they are encouraged to always respect others and their voices, too.

Over the years, MSA students have won multiple awards and honors, including national, regional and state awards as well as National Scholastic Art awards.

The arts school also serves the community by exposing people of all ages to different types of artwork. With 10 to 20 events per year, families and individuals alike no longer have to drive an hour to experience the arts.

“As a native of Mississippi, I feel honored to work for a school like MSA,” Hirsch said. “It has made a positive contribution to our kids and community.”

Brookhaven native artist Wyatt Waters paints on West Cherokee Street downtown.

The best in local news, sports and weather is at your fingertips. In print & online.