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verybody who has ever played golf has some interesting stories, and one of mine occurred at Quail Hollow Golf Course. The story actually has nothing to do with golf — meaning swinging a club to advance the ball toward the hole. It has more to do with why Quail Hollow was fun to play. This occurred one afternoon in the 2000s. I was playing a round by myself and was on a tee box. Before I got ready to hit, I saw a deer emerge from some nearby trees and walk slowly toward me. I stayed still, watching as the deer continued to approach. Fifty yards away, then 20, then 10. It got to the point where I wondered what the deer would do when it saw me. Finally, about 15 feet away, the deer noticed. It slightly changed direction and kept on going. I have no memory of any golf I played that day. Frankly, I never was any good at anything except putting. But that’s my Quail Hollow golf story, and as you’ll see inside, it’s good that the Scenic Rivers Development Alliance has stepped up and will keep the course open.
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Change of course
Quail Hollow Golf Course looking, playing its best in a long time with Scenic Rivers, new golf pro at the helm.
In this issue:
Glass act
Keto craze Diet has local couple shedding pounds, feeling better
In step with:
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Tina Brumfield
Publisher - Jack Ryan Editor - Matt Williamson Advertising Manager - Vicky Deere Advertising sales-
Blues power!
Liberty man’s creations a cut above craftiness.
38 Coleman makes his own stage in Magnolia 4
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It’s Monday somewhere Ann Jackson’s sure-fire, dump-it-all-in red beans and rice recipe is a winner
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LeWair Foreman, Tam Greene, Christy Thornton & Sheila Wallace.
pulse is a publication of J.O. Emmerich & Associates Inc. and is produced in association with the Enterprise-Journal, 112 Oliver Emmerich Dr., McComb, Mississippi. For more copies or advertising information, call 601-6842421, write P.O. Box 2009, McComb, MS 39649 or e-mail advertising@enterprise-journal.com.
Volume 11, Issue 2
On the cover: The autumnal hues of the season are illustrated in a whimsical display of gourds and pumpkins.
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Stained glass 6
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Dan Toler creates beauty from destruction
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Finding art in stained glass By Ernest Herndon LIBERTY — Don Toler’s interest in stained glass got off to a stormy start. He was living in Charleston, S.C., in 1989 when Hurricane Hugo blew in. Among casualties was a church with stained glass windows. “A lot of (churches) were destroyed. There was one of them up for sale because the parish wasn’t going to refurbish it,” he said. Some friends of Toler bought it for a home, and when he helped them move in, he noticed the glass. “The question for me was, ‘What are you going to do with all this stained glass?’ ” he recalled. The friends gave most of it to him, and a coworker at the school where he taught showed him how to work with it. For his first piece — which he still has — he took chunks of broken
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Toler designed the letter ‘T’ into this piece of glass artwork.
mother’s (Gordon) side. n n n Toler’s work space is a covered breezeway between his carport and store room. Potted plants, lawn furniture and artwork give it a bit of the ambience of Charleston or New Orleans. To work, he lays a wooden door across a pair of sawhorses for a surface. Using a sketched pattern to go by, he measures a piece of stained glass and applies a diamond blade glass cutter. “You score it and hopefully it breaks in a straight line,” he said. A grinder smooths out imperfections. Don Toler He wraps the edge of each piece plex shapes. with copper foil and rubs the foil Toler used to take his work to smooth with a piece of wood. festivals and craft shows to sell. “Each piece of glass, each seam, Too often, people would say they each connection has to have coploved a piece but it was the wrong per foil,” Toler said. size or color for their needs. So Next he puts Flux bonding Toler switched to custom work. agent on the foil and solders it. Initials and house numbers are “That’s what holds it in place,” popular designs, as well as abstract Toler said. art. Grooved strips of zinc or lead “Some people hang them in the serve as framing. window, some hang them in the “It’s not hard to learn how,” garage, some hang them in the pa- Toler said. “It’s hard to get that tio,” he said. “It’s not to replace smooth round bead.” the window. It’s pretty decorative.” n n n He buys stained glass at Hobby Toler, 71, was born and raised Lobby, at a shop in Baton Rouge west of Liberty. He got a bacheor from a Delphi glass catalog. He lor’s degree in elementary educaalso etches glass, carving designs tion from University of Southern into windows and mirrors. Hang- Mississippi and a master’s in gifted ing in his carport is a large mirror and talented education from Unietched with a Celtic knot in hon- versity of South Alabama at Moor of his Scottish heritage on his continue d on page 10 glass and soldered them together. The result is a mix of gold, cream, blue-green and lavendar pieced together in squares and rectangles. As time went on, Toler learned how to design and cut glass to the shapes he wants. A typical piece hangs on chains in front of a regular window. Most of the shapes are geometrical “because of my skill level,” Toler quipped, citing the difficulty of cutting out curved and com-
“Some people hang them in the window, some hang them in the garage, some hang them in the patio. It’s not to replace the window. It’s pretty decorative.”
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bile. After teaching briefly in Baton Rouge, he joined the faculty at Amite School Center for its first five years. “Then I became a gypsy, literally,” Toler said. His 40-year teaching career took him to Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, North and South Carolina, Louisiana — even Iran. “That was during the time of the shah, and when he was ousted, we were ousted,” he said. Toler spent 22 years in Charleston before retiring to his parents’ vacant home in Amite County in 2013. He not only makes art, he collects it. His house is a showcase of paintings and sculpture. Much of it he buys on cruise ships, which typically have art galleries and will ship pieces home for customers. Toler still loves to travel and takes one big cruise each year and several small ones. Last year he cruised the Mekong River in Vietnam; before that, the Yangtze River, China. This year, the South Pacific. He’s a member of the Pike County Arts Council and sells his works via Facebook, word of mouth and at Hunny B gift shop in Liberty. Prices range from $100 up. For more information, call Toler at 657-8730. n Don Toler measures a piece of stained glass at his shop behind his house.
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Back on course 2018 Fall-Winter Issue
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Quail Hollow seeing quick improvements under guide of Scenic Rivers By Travis Conne lley olling hills, lush greens, beautiful scenery. These are some of the luxuries many golfers have come to know and love at Quail Hollow Golf Course in McComb. But the state-owned course was in danger of being closed until receiving some help from a local source. “The state was struggling with revenue with this particular golf course,” said Rep. Sam Mims V,
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Golfer Ronnie Lindsey hits a shot on the ninth hole at Quail Hollow Golf Course. R-McComb. “They had made a decision that they wanted to go in a different direction with the golf course.” Enter Scenic Rivers Develop-
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ment Alliance, a local organization that agreed to lease the course from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Under the new leadership,
which became official on Aug. 15, Quail Hollow began experiencing a revitalization aimed at helping return the course to prominence.
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A golfer hits a drive from the tenth hole at Quail Hollow Golf Course.
For Scenic Rivers Executive Director Joseph Parker, the decision to invest in Quail Hollow was an easy one. “When we look at quality of life components in our area, especially when we talk about regional and economic development, which is what Scenic Rivers is trying to do, it was crucial for us,” he said. “It’s hard to attract new industry, new jobs, new businesses to town and in the next breath you begin to talk about losing those quality of life components. Being born and raised in Pike County, (Quail Hollow) is near and dear to my heart, and for a lot of folks in Pike County, so its huge not only for the economic side but also for the quality of life for our area for the citizens.”
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Under the new management, the goal is to make Quail Hollow a destination golf course not only for locals but also for residents beyond Pike County. “I think one of the things that we are trying to roll with is ‘Rediscover Quail Hollow,’ ” Parker said. “Marketing is a huge component now for us. We’re making sure we get the word out to not just the local folks but also people who live in the surrounding areas. People who live 100 to 150 miles from here who would play golf at Quail Hollow and to let them know that the destination is back in business.” And to run and help maintain the course, Parker turned towards a golf pro with ties to the area.
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Brookhaven native Ronny Ross was Director of Golf and Golf Coach at Wolf Hollow Golf Course in Wesson when Parker contacted him. “I was approached by Joseph Parker back in February or March,” Ross said. “He just wanted some advice on how he should look at things and I was not looking at leaving my job by any means. He told me how he was in the process of trying to lease the property from the Mississippi (Department of ) Wildlife and Fisheries. “Basically, at the time, he just wanted me to advise him on some stuff. As the process kept going, it was evident that they were going to close the golf course if this deal didn’t get done. I prayed about it and thought about it a lot and finally figured out that maybe this
The pro shop at Quail Hollow Golf Course at Percy Quin State Park has seen vast improvements since its takeover by Scenic Rivers. is what I want to do, you know, challenge myself a little bit, get out of my comfort zone and take on this project. “Fortunately I had proven myself enough to these guys that when they advertised for the job, I applied for it and they let me have it.” Ross added that the course has a huge impact on the local area.
“I think that it has an incredible impact, and we are going to get that back again.” he said. “It’s just going to take a little time.” And even though Ross said turning the course around is a process, he immediately made his mark when it came to revitalizing the clubhouse. “We closed for a couple of days to transition, get my golf shop
stuff in here. And we changed things around in the golf shop just to make it a little more inviting and to let people know that change is coming, bear with us and that we’ve got some great ideas.” Despite Ross saying that revitalizing the course could take some time, avid Quail Hollow golfers are already seeing change less than a month after Scenic Rivers took over. “Ronny has already cleaned up a lot of areas that need to,” said golfer Jerry Stubbs. “He’s cut areas that were very wet. He’s gone in there and cut them the way they needed to so that we can have sun and wind come in there and dry them out. And it’s improving the course already.”
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Golfers have raved about how new management has revitalized Quail Hollow Golf Course. Another local avid golfer, Bobby Booker, echoed what Stubbs said, adding that having Ross there not only as a course manager but also as a golf pro is extremely beneficial. “Having a pro out there, someone that understands golf and can give lessons and can help people with problems with their clubs, you know with stuff like that, that’s an important factor to have at a golf course, because we didn’t have anything like that out there before.” he said. “Having Ronny out there now because he is very-well versed in golf, he knows grasses and he knows what it takes to take care of a golf course. We are all really hopeful right now. It is just a matter of being able to bring the people back and get business up so that they can really start making money again.” For Mims, he is glad to see that the course is returning to what it once was. “The local golfers who utilize Quail Hollow have been loyal supporters of these efforts and understand that these changes are necessary to continue the goal of restoring Quail Hollow to one of the premier golf courses in Mississippi,” he said. Ross believes that continuing to improve Quail Hollow back to what it once was at its peak is vital for the future of the course. “None of this works if the golf course is not in good condition,” Ross said. “So the golf course, I think, got worse over time. And people just quit coming to play and they were choosing to spend their money elsewhere. That’s the challenge ahead of us is to get the golf course in a position that when our friends from Louisiana or whoever, our members that are taking pride in the place, when they leave here they are going to tell their friends, who are going to tell their friends about how, ‘Wow Quail Hollow is back, it’s in good shape!’ n
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A seasoned staple 1/2 cut green bell pepper 11/3 Tbsp. finely minced garlic 2 Tbsp. freshly minced parsley 1 lb. ham, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 hambone with meat on it cut into 4- or 5-inch lengths or one ham hock 1 tbsp. salt 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper pods. 2 whole bay leaves. 1/2 tsp. dried thyme. 1/8 tsp. dried basil 2 qt. cold water Boiled rice
Red beans and rice a key to any cook’s repertoire After the awful, torrid heat of this summer, I am gratefully looking forward to the autumn days enjoying my favorite football teams on the television and watching a huge pot of fresh green peanuts on my stove slowly simmering. It's true I love a fire in my fireplace, a big, color- ANN ful bouquet of fall JACKSON leaves in a vase by a big bowl of just- CLEAN fallen acorns from PLATES n my huge oak tree. I love turning my cooling system off and enjoying the fresh cool air coming in through an open window. I like nothing better than having a light cover over me in my big, comfortable bed. And I love making delicious, stick-to-your-ribs foods. Yes, autumn is a wonderful time of year.
Red beans and rice is one of my favorite cold-weather recipes, an easy dump-in-the-pot meal. I have had many a plate of red beans and rice but this is the best recipe I have used yet. Try it. I highly recommend using Ma Bell sausage. How lucky we are to have this delicious sausage, a
Drain the soaked red beans in a colander and put them, along with all the other ingredients, in an 8- to 10-quart pot, adding just enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil on high heat, then simmer on low heat for 21/2 to 3 hours until the beans are tender and a thick, natural gravy has formed. Add about 1 cup of water towards the end of cooking if the mixture appears too dry. During product of Pike County, right cooking, stir frequently and scrape here at our doorstep! I like the hot down the sides and the bottom of variety, but use mild if you like. the pot with a wooden spoon or spatula to prevent from scorching. Stir the entire mixture thoroughly RED BEANS AND RICE about once every half hour. When 2 lb. dried red beans, soaked the beans are cooked, turn off the overnight heat. To serve, ladle 11/2 cups of 2 lb. sausage, cut into pieces. beans mixture over about 2/3 2 c. Green onions cups of cooked rice. n 2018 Fall-Winter Issue
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Keto craze Magnolia couple credits diet with shedding pounds, feeling better hat is this Keto craze, anyway? Is it a trend, or a new fad diet? Is a Keto diet the new Adkins? Why should I pay any attention to a seemingly flash-in-thepan, “trending now” topic? My wife Elise and I, the “Magnolia Parkers” but who are transitioning into “The Roaming Parkers,” have adopted a Keto lifestyle, and are not looking back. As we prepare for our golden years, we’ve built a presence in our community publishing and blogging about their travels, adventures, conservation and food. Barely five months into the “diet,” together we have lost more than 70 pounds. It turns out the Keto diet and lifestyle is not new, but is a growing trend among active, health-conscious individuals who want to divorce the traditional American diet full of sugar and carbs. Obesity contributes to the major chronic disease killers in Mississippi — heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers (https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/43,0,289.html). In an all-you-can-eat buffet of soul food, Mississipians love their biscuits, sweet tea and fried every-
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thing, with a side of fries. The Keto diet, in comparison, is a very challenging choice. It takes a good deal of research and a PAT great amount of PARKER will power and determination. ROAMING But the people PARKERS who are choosing n a ketogenic lifestyle, swear by it — and their numbers are growing while their waistlines are shrinking. Following a ketogenic diet means eating more fat and protein while cutting down or completely cutting out foods high in carbs. By doing so, the body is forced to burn fats rather than carbohydrates for energy. Our American diet is full of carbs and sugar, which our bodies convert into glucose for fuel. As it turns out, if you remove carbs from your diet, the liver will convert fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. These replace glucose as an energy source, and having an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood is known as a sate of ketosis — burning fat instead of sugar.
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In Keto Clarity, the authors explain how ketones are produced naturally when the body is in fatburning mode, which happens when glucose isn’t available. Your body changes from a sugar-burner to a fat-burner. Depending on your current diet and lifestyle choices, becoming keto-adapted can take as little as a few days or as much as several weeks or even months. And getting out of ketosis can happen in an instant, by grabbing just one cookie, experiencing a little stress, or maybe even by taking a few bites of pasta. There are laundry lists of benefits to being healthy from the inside: feel better, live longer, save money on medications and hospitalizations. Studies have been going on for decades testing and measuring the benefits of having ketones in the blood. Those benefits include weight loss, improved brain function, diminished rates of heart disease and diabetes. More ongoing studies providing amazing information regarding how ketones improve metabolic function, fight certain cancers, as well as being linked with helping patients with seizures and traumatic brain injuries.
Cauliflower and cheese casserole, broccoli salad, sautéed onions with slices of a ribeye, rare.
Ph oto by Elise Parker What’s not to love? Show me the ketones, right? Because our American diet is fraught with cheep choices that include quick and easy processed food full of sugar and carbs, changing your eating habits to be more keto-friendly is a lifestyle choice. It is not just one keto meal on occasion, eating a “fat
bomb” or trying a keto-friendly lunch once a week. Being inconsistent with your nutrition can have devastating effects. Besides changing your eating habits, you may have to consider changing your shopping patterns and your cooking methods. But who hasn’t been heartbroken from a situation with a friend or a loved one struggling with a health condition related to obesity, heart disease or diabetes? Who would choose that
struggle, if you know that there is a better lifestyle? Whether in Magnolia or roaming, we will always love good food, good company and grand adventures. While challenging, the keto lifestyle isn’t impossible; we hope that more Mississippians will take advantage of the growing availability of healthy foods. It’s never too late to be in control of your nutrition! Here are two of our favorite dishes:
QUICHE BITES
FAT BOMB
3 eggs 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream 2-3 slices crispy bacon, chopped/crumbled 1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped mix eggs and cream - fill in pre-sprayed muffin tin; sprinkle bacon and onions on top salt and pepper to taste; bake 10-15 minutes @ 350
1/2 jar natural peanut butter 1-2 tbsp coconut or MCT oil 2-3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 bag unsweetened coconut flakes Mix oil and PB, add in cocoa powder, adding coconut last. Press mixture into candy forms. Freeze - try not to eat more than one a day! n
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In step with:
Tina Brumfield Hospital marketing? Check. Lots of volunteer work? Check. Church and family? Check! By Mack Spe ncer ne of the familiar faces associated with Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center may not be a doctor, but she is involved in Operations. Tina Brumfield is director of public relations and marketing for the hospital, as well as director of the Southwest Regional Medical Foundation, which holds the Operation fundraiser every year. “Operation is intended to be a low-cost, fun evening,” Brumfield said. “Tickets are $25, and that gets a fun time for foundation members and the community and raises awareness of the services the hospital offers. It’s a win, win, win, win, win.” It might be said that Brumfield is integral to the operations of a lot of organizations in McComb and Pike County, whether the businesses owned by herself and her husband Pat, civic groups like Junior Auxiliary and the McComb Garden Club, or their church family at Centenary United Methodist. Brumfield didn’t end up operating far from home. She grew up in the Busy Corner community of Amite County and started college at Southwest Mississippi Community College before transferring to Mississippi
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University for Women, where she was an English and journalism major. She has spent much of her working life at the hospital, putting in 20 years before leaving and staying home and devoting time to her family and organizations. That lasted for two years, and then she became, as she said, “terribly bored.” She found another marketing job with a nonprofit hospice care and spent five years there before returning to SMRMC four years ago. She markets the services of SMRMC, Lawrence County Hospital, St. Luke’s Home Health and Hospice and 11 clinics to the public, as well as communicating those, employment benefits and other information to hospital system employees. Of all the things she publicizes, Brumfield feels a special affinity for hospice care. “I just want to shout from the rooftops the benefits of hospice care,” Brumfield said. “It provides the highest level of pain medication and control, chaplains and social workers. You can have hospice in a nursing facility. Every time someone enters hospice care, the family says, ‘Why didn’t we do this sooner?’ It speaks volumes.” She also has her passions for service.
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Brumfield works with the Pike County Military Support Group, aiding the families left behind by the area’s deployed National Guardsmen with anything from a card during a hospital stay to refrigerator repair. “When Bobby McDaniel called to ask us to help, we had no hesitation,” she said. The family supports the Pike County Arts Council as well, and has for 36 years. Brumfield and her husband are past presidents of the organization. “Pat and I believe you have to have arts in the community,” she said. She also backs St. Andrew’s Mission, the community service organization that runs a senior center and a soup kitchen in McComb, provides home services to
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Shuffle to the Chefs, a benefit for St. Andrew’s Mission, is just one of many causes Brumfield, left, helps with. Here, she’s pictured with, from left, Niki Gibson, Melanie Whitaker and Melissa DeCoux. the elderly, runs several area thrift stores and more. Brumfield and her family are a
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big part of Shuffle to the Chefs, St. Andrew’s biggest fundraiser of the year, where the purchase of a
ticket gives attendees access to the offerings of many area chefs and restaurants.
Brumfield’s daughter Christina, a graduate of Millsaps College and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., volunteered the last four years to have a booth at the Shuffle Event and convinced her then-fiancé Christopher John Mitchell — also a chef, and her husband as of September — to have a booth, as well. Pat has served as a bartender. Christina helped out with projects for the garden club and United Givers of Southwest Mississippi, yet another organization Brumfield supports, and Brumfield is proud that her daughter is picking up the torch of community support. “She learned at a young age to give back,” Brumfield said. “She’s volunteering in the community, and that thrills me more than anything.” She said Christina would eventually like to open her own restaurant in the area, which would add to the family’s business legacy. The Brumfields own Brumfield Oil, which operates Marathon gas stations and convenience stores in the area, as well as PJ’s Coffee and Baskin-Robbins in McComb, and are investors in FitLife. The Brumfields consider their businesses another way to be of
‘We could have chosen to live other places, but we’re still here.’ Tina Brumfield
service to the community, by hiring high school and college students whom Pat can teach about business and life. “It’s a joy watching him mentor young people,” Brumfield said. “I’ve been married to a man for the past 36 years who has put his heart and soul into this community,” she said. “We could have chosen to live other places, but we’re still here.” McComb would be the poorer without Brumfield’s heart and soul, too. n
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Episcopal Church of Our Redeemer in Magnolia was founded in 1868 and celebrates its 150th anniversary in October.
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Episcopal Church of Our Redeemer Celebrating 150 Years
By Ernest Herndon ack around 1874, a judge named William Coyngham from Pennsylvania got off the train in Magnolia, missed his step and tumbled to the ground, sustaining a serious injury, possibly a fractured skull. Dr. Achilles P. Sparkman of Magnolia, an Episcopalian, cared for him as best he could, but Coyngham ultimately died of his injury. “When Judge Coyngham’s son came to Magnolia to claim his father’s body, he asked for an Episcopal priest,” according to a booklet titled “The Episcopal Church in Pike County” compiled by the Rev. Gene Asbury in 1999. “On finding that Magnolia had neither priest nor a church building, he offered the ($1,000) grant to help build the church as a memorial to his father.” The Episcopal church in Magnolia had been organized in 1868 by the Rev. John Hewitt, but it only had four active members and met in Sparkman’s home. Coyngham’s grant, along with donations by Sparkman and others, paid for a building — the same building in use today — and the congregation grew slowly, with 21 communicants by 1885. In 1955 the church was remodeled and a parish hall added. “The renovations, however, preserved the 19th century structure, and the church building remains much the same today as it was in 1875,” says the church history. At 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, Church of Our Redeemer marks its 150th anniversary with a celebration
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of the Eucharist followed by a reception. “Come on down, we’d love to have you,” said lifelong member Dr. George “Chip” Leggett. “The Episcopal Church welcomes you,” added the Rev. Victor McInnis. n n n The Episcopal church began in Pike County in 1859 with Church of Our Savior in Osyka and Christ Church of Summit. The history book gives conflicting dates for their closing, reporting that the Osyka church closed in either 1920 or 1934, the Summit one either 1969 or 1978. Gethsemane Church opened in Chatawa in 1866 in connection with a boys’ school but closed three years later after the pastor moved. Gethsemane became St. Mary of the Pines school for Catholic girls and is now a retirement home for the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Church of the Mediator in McComb was organized in 1873. In 1978 it merged with Church of Our Redeemer to become a yoked parish, sharing a rector, with Redeemer meeting at 8 a.m. Sundays and Mediator at 10:30, and both meeting in McComb on fifth Sundays. The Magnolia church now has an attendance of 15 to 22 members, depending on the time of year. “It’s a very warm, hospitable church,” said longtime member Sally Denman Johnson, 84. She was baptized, confirmed and married at Church of the Mediator in McComb, and began attending Redeemer when she and her late husband John retired to Magnolia in 1976. John’s ashes are now buried in the colambarium beside the church.
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The architecture at Church of Our Redeemer still retains the original character from 1875. Johnson finds comfort and sanctuary in the Episcopal faith. “It’s not primarily a church of rules; it’s a church of love,” she said. “Jesus doesn’t set down many rules at all, just love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as ourself.” Leggett, 70, quips that he was born next door at Beacham Memorial Hospital and brought over for his baptism. “I’ve been here forever, and the very first memories I have are toddling down the aisle,” said the retired dentist. Back then the church wasn’t airconditioned, and Leggett recalls being mesmerized by the wasps that would find their way inside. “I learned more about wasps than I did about Jesus at an early age,” he joked. He became an acolyte, or altar boy, at 8 and later served as senior warden, filling in when no priest
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was available. “It’s just something about this building that is so sacred and so special,” Leggett said. “It’s just such a historical place for the town of Magnolia, not just the Episcopal church. Theologians say it’s not about the building, it has nothing to do with this building. I would ask them why is it I feel so special when I come into this building. It’s part of who I am.” n n n So is outreach. In February, Leggett will make his 34th annual mission trip to Honduras — part of a long list of parish ministries, ranging from local to overseas. The parish is a founding member of the McComb Interdenominational Care Association and also supports St. Andrew’s Mission’s F.I.G. Tree (Filling in the Gap) and PALS (Pike Animal League Shelter). The Episcopal Church Women hold fundraisers twice a year to support diocesan projects.
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Memorial garden creates a quiet space beside Church of Our Redeemer. “We’ve given a number of children school supplies monthly,” said Virginia Goza, a member with husband George since 1976. “We don’t know who they are and they don’t know who we are.” Also, “we are very good about taking care of our own,” Goza said, referring to such activities as cooking for shut-ins. Parish members even help support an orphanage in Uganda, Africa, and two members plan to visit there next year. McInnis became pastor in November 2017. “It’s been an absolute delight,” he said. The Episcopal denomination has women clergy and is known for being inclusive of everyone regardless of race or sexual orientation. McInnis noticed a statement to that effect in the parish bulletin when he came to the parish. “This happens to be one of the few parishes I ever saw it in print,” he said. “As soon as I saw that, I knew we would get along. Plus, it’s a family feeling.” That feeling even crosses political lines, he said. “We have solidly conservative people and we have solidly liberal people. I was so glad to find a parish where that’s still in place.” “The Episcopal church has always called itself Catholic and Protestant,” Johnson said. “It does-
n’t recognize the pope, of course, but it has bishops. It came from the Church of England.” “ ‘Via media’ –— the middle way between Catholicism and Protestant,” said McInnis. “That holds true today. We are very grounded in liturgy like the Catholic church and the Lutheran church.” Church members cite a book, “Those Episkopols” by Dennis R. Maynard, as a good description of what their denomination is like. The author, a priest, sums up the attitude of the church: “Welcome, all of you! Welcome, those of you who carry sins so secret and so devastating that you fear ever being completely forgiven. Welcome, those of you who are prisoners of your own secrets. Welcome, those of you who carry hate in your hearts for your brother, sister, mother, father. Welcome, those of you who are confused in any way and beaten down with guilt. Welcome, those of you who have gone to this House of Worship or another and received not mercy, but condemnation. Welcome, those of you who have been so wounded by your own sins or the sins of others that you need to feel the solace of the Heavenly Father. Welcome, those of you who are so wearied by the changes and chances of this transitory life that you need to rest in the presence of the Eternal.” n 2018 Fall-Winter Issue
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One Quiet Night Bill Stephenson, left, portraying Joseph, ands Liam Ogden, portraying baby Jesus, smile during a production of the ‘One Quiet Night’ Christmas pageant by the Helping Hands Ministry of Central Baptist Church.
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Helping Hands Ministry puts on a memorable Christmas show By Matt Wi lliamson ne Quiet Night” is perhaps the only church Christmas pageant that gets put on in January, sometimes February. The singing is mostly off key and the actors might sometimes forget their lines, but it’d be difficult to find more heart and enthusiasm among a theatrical lineup this side of Broadway. And if the goal of theater is to let the audience forget their worries and devote their emotions to what’s taking place on stage, then the annual post-Christmas pro-
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duction by the Helping Hands Ministry at Central Baptist Church in McComb is a resounding success. Sherrie Wall and her husband Bill established Helping Hands at the church, where they are members, in 2004 as a way to provide activities with a spiritual component for children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. “Our pastor then was Bro. Tracey Hipps,” Sherrie said. “His sister had Down Syndrome and that’s one reason when we were approached.” The Walls also had a personal connection to helping those with special needs.
2018 Fall-Winter Issue
Donald Ray Magee, playing Joseph, passes a doll representing Jesus, to Stacey Lang, playing Mary.
Above, Josh Rayner, one of the three wise men, enters bearing gifts for the Baby Jesus. At right, Sherrie Wall, who along with her husband Bill established the Helping Hands Ministry, has directed and played music for the production since its inception. Bill’s brother was severely disabled, and Sherrie worked as a pediatric nurse and was already familiar with many of the members the outreach would serve. The group started with nine members and has grown over the years. "Few are members of the church,” Sherrie said. “They are from every denomination, and we encourage that.” Linda Coney’s daughter Tonya first asked the couple if they could put on a vacation Bible school, and they did. "It was such a huge success that they came and said, ‘Could you do something on Sunday?’ and I said, ‘I'd love to,’ ” she said.
And just about every Sunday since 2004, Bill has made his rounds in the church bus, picking up members to embark on a day’s worth of activities. "We were brave. We took them everywhere,” Sherrie said, recalling trips to the Mississippi Children’s Museum, the Washington Parish Fair, ringing bells for the Salvation Army and packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, among other events. 2018 Fall-Winter Issue
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Matthieu Tamor, who went from playing Baby Jesus to becoming a shepherd over the years, looks at the audience as angels sing. Most of the group also attends longtime children’s librarian “Miss Mattie” Rials’ Favorite Few Sunday School Class at McComb First Baptist Church. The Walls said Rials, who also has the Wednesday’s Friends activities for many members in the group at the McComb Public Library, was a big inspiration. “We learned from the best,” Sherrie said. But it’s the Christmas pageant that the group is best known for. The program has two showings, one on a Saturday and another on a Sunday, with a smaller cast that usually consists of differ-
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ent actors playing different roles. The Walls said they decided to have the program after Christmas because the time leading up to the holiday is just too hectic for everyone involved. “Christmas is so busy that we decided to do it the first two weeks in January, and when someone commented that the program was not at Christmas time, one of our children said, ‘Well, I don't think Jesus was born on Dec. 25,'” Sherrie said. “We laughed and said, 'Well, you're probably right.’ They always come back with something.’
2018 Fall-Winter Issue
Rehearsals are “organized chaos,” Bill said. Linda Womack plays piano and Sherrie does a lot of the singing to carry the program along, although cast members take the mic and have their own solos. When it comes to singing, “they’re not intimidated,” Sherrie said. She said she tried to teach the three wise men to sing “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” but the melody was too complex. Instead, they made up their own song, “We Three Kings” to the tune of “Three Blind Mice.” The program is a lot of work and it can be emotional to see it all come together, Sherrie said. “The first year that we did it, it was so moving I started to tear up, and what I learned is, if I cry, the whole group cries,” she said. Keeping the group going comes with its challenges. For
one, its members have many different disabilities, all with their own special needs. “It’s all ranges of disabilities in this, from cerebral palsy to Down’s to brain injuries to autism,” Sherrie said. And because of that, some of the members, now in their 40s and 50s, come to experience severe health problems. Their families are aging too, leaving many parents to wonder what will become of their children when they are no longer able to care for them. “As they age, their parents are passing away, and this is a new challenge for us,” Sherrie said. “Some will go with siblings. Some will go with other relatives. The concern or the prayer of their parents is what will happen to their children as they age.” Sometimes the Walls take in
some of the children. “Through this we have taken two young boys that we have cared for as a ward of the court,” Sherrie said. Gracie Guillot, whose daughter Layla Brumfield has been involved in the ministry, said Helping Hands is a Godsend for her family. “Layla absolutely loves Helping Hands with the things they get to do each week,” she said. “And I get a break for a few hours.” Linda Coney said the Walls have a special touch when it comes to engaging with her daughter Tonya and the other members. “It’s a blessing to our children, and Sherrie can get them to do things we can’t do, like sing a solo,” she said. She recalled how the group also quilted a patchwork cross that won first place in an art
competition. Yvonne Davis, whose son Marty is a member of Helping Hands, also had high praise for the Walls. “It takes a vision, and Mrs. Sherrie has a calling from the Lord with this ministry. Her and Mr. Bill, they have the biggest hearts of anybody I know, except for Miss Mattie,” she said. Rials said Central Baptist is lucky to have the couple. “Central Baptist has been a marvelous friend and supporter of that group,” she said. But Wall said it’s not just her and Bill behind all of this. They truly feel guided by God. She recalled one of the members having a seizure during church service and using her medical training to attend to them. “I think God prepares you along the way for what your ministries will be,” she said. n
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A place for the blues Bluesman Coleman opens live music venue, restaurant in Magnolia
experience, so why not stop in Magnolia, Pike County, and get a taste of what you’re going to see in these other places?” Coleman said. Through Coleman’s social media pages and his touring as a blues musician, Coleman said he continues to promote Magnolia. Though Sipp’s Place has gotten By Gopika Nair visitors from several places, Coleman said the turnout at the club ipp’s Place is a world of its can be hit or miss, partly because own. The 2014 Internapeople are not aware of the venue. tional Blues Challenge “The question I’ve been asked winner and blues musiseveral times is, ‘Is it safe to cian Castro “Mr. Sipp” Coleman come here?’ ” Coleman said. “It said he wanted his restaurant and is safe to come here. Sipp’s Place blues club to be reminiscent of big is not a place of color, so we cities such as New York, New Ordon’t care what color you are, leans and Chicago while incorpowhat denomination, what your rating elements of Magnolia. background is — it’s all about “I would hear a lot of the time, the blues here.” ‘Oh, man, this doesn’t even seem For Coleman, the blues foslike we’re in Magnolia or in Pike tered love, joy, peace and happiCounty,’ ” Coleman said. ness, and those who have visited Castro ‘Mr. Sipp’ Coleman opened Sipp’s Place on Railroad Boulevard Located on 143 Railroad Ave., earlier this year. (Photo by Elise Parker) Sipp’s Place have told him as Magnolia, Sipp’s Place is the only much, he said. blues joint in town, and Coleman’s space. “I set the stage up the way I want to play at Sipp’s Place. In addition to live entertainPerformers have included blues ment, Sipp’s Place also features vision was completed after nearly would love to go to a venue and have it be set up,” Coleman said. musicians King Edward, Christhree years of work. free events such as Karaoke Night “So far, out of all the bands I’ve tone “Kingfish” Ingram, Kern Coleman rented a building, on Thursdays, Gospel Brunch on Pratt and Stevie J. Blues. formerly a flea market and barber- had playing here, everyone comthe first and third Sundays of pliments how great the sound is, Because Magnolia is located be- every month and Open Mic Night shop, toward the end of 2014. how wonderful the equipment is. tween Jackson and New Orleans, on Sundays, which is one of the Sipp’s Place opened to the public Coleman said Sipp’s Place has at- most popular events right now. in March 2018 after transforming … “When the situation is like tracted visitors from all over the the storefront into a blues venue. “I believe that the love is better that, that makes musicians want to nation and world, such as AusThe walls, once barren, white than money,” Coleman said. “At tralia, the Netherlands, France and this point, just to see my homeand old, have been repainted and come and play.” Live music shows start at 9 Switzerland. now hold 110 guitars that belong town enjoying themselves in a safe p.m. on Saturdays. An advocate "The ultimate idea was when to Coleman, including his first place where they can get good for live music, Coleman said he people fly into Jackson to get the one. Each tells a story about his food, nice atmosphere and great wanted to create a place where Delta experience, a lot of the times music, that does my heart some life. musicians all over the world would they drive to get the New Orleans good.” n He also added a stage to the
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2018 Fall-Winter Issue
2018 Fall-Winter Issue
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GOPIKA NAIR | ENTERPRISE-JOURNAL
Gail Pate and her husband made a lifelong dream come true by opening the restaurant Tater’s in Summit.
Restaurant offers down-home cooking By Gopika Nair As a mother to 14 children, Tater’s owner Gail Pate knew she could cook. Tater’s, which opened July 2, is located on 702 Laurel St., Summit. In 2016, Pate and her husband moved back to Mississippi from Texas. After she made the move, Pate was looking for something to do. “I didn’t want to go out into the working world,” Pate said. “With my age, it’s hard to be hired.
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“No matter how long you’ve been with a company and how great your rating is, once you become a senior citizen, it’s hard to be employed by someone else.” The restaurant’s name came from a nickname Pate’s husband was given at work.
‘We’re not trying to get rich. It’s about offering a good service, offering jobs and enjoying what we’re doing.’ Gail Pate “Our last name is Pate and when my husband first stepped foot on Shintech Inc. property, for some reason, his supervisor started calling him ‘Tater Pater,’” Pate said. “This has always been my husband’s dream, to have just a small-town mom-and-pop restaurant. Unfortunately, because of his disability, he can’t do that. But my children and I are making it happen.”
In February, Pate invested and leased the space that now accommodates Tater’s. While creating the menu, Pate said she knew she wanted to offer affordable lunch options, catering mostly to senior citizens and the working class. Because Pate lived in south Texas for 30 years, she said the food at Tater’s is influenced by a blend of different cuisines. In addition to a set menu, Tater’s offers lunch specials every day, including fried catfish and fried shrimp at an economical price. Tea and fries are served with every meal at no additional cost. The restaurant seats 20 people, and on its busiest days, Pate said all 20 seats are filled. The restaurant has its highs and lows. Pate has four employees working at the store, but she helps clean, do the dishes, cook and a little bit of everything else. “We’re not trying to get rich,” Pate said. “It’s about offering a good service, offering jobs and enjoying what we’re doing.” n
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Looking chic at the Backyard Boutique By Gopika Nair The Backyard Boutique knows that moms want to look cute, too. Owner Mandie Carney said her original target demographic for the store at 815 Robb St., Summit, was high school and college kids. But over time, she realized she wanted to target 25- to 45-year-olds. “People forget that moms want to look cute, and a lot of the moms were happy to find cute, trendy stuff that they could wear,” Carney said. Carney opened the Backyard Boutique in Summit in June after moving from Jayess, where she ran the store for two years. While in Jayess, 80 percent of her customers were from Pike County, she said. “We had outgrown our space in Jayess,” Carney said. “It was getting to the point where we were having to build, add on, think of something different, and this one was plenty of room.” Since opening in June, Carney said business has been steady, even during the summer months when things usually become slow. Every day she receives new shipments. The Backyard Boutique’s vendors include Fripp, Umgee and Judy Blue. Carney purchases jewelry and clothing from small, local businesses. Two local jewelry lines that the Backyard Boutique carries are Liliflur and JBL jewelry, both of which are based in Summit. “If I would wear it, I buy it,” Carney said. “Very rarely will I reorder something. If something’s in
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GOPIKA NAIR | ENTERPRISE-JOURNAL
Backyard Boutique owner Mandy Carney shows off some of her merchandise.
high demand, I’ll reorder it, but … we’re in a small town and you don’t want everyone wearing the same clothes. A lot of my ladies want something different.” The items that Carney usually reorders are jeans and, because fall is coming up, popcorn sweaters. Prior to opening a store in Jayess, Carney did the two-yearlong marketing program at the Southwest Mississippi Community College. “When we started discussing business and retail, I just fell in love with it,” Carney said. For six years, she owned a children’s store, but said the timing wasn’t right because she had just had a son. Now that her children are older, Carney decided to open the Backyard Boutique. In Jayess, Carney only had plans to run an online store. She bought a small barn to use it for storage. “When I told people that, they said, ‘No, we want to shop,’ ” Carney said. “I literally have
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women driving all the way from Columbia, Natchez, Amite County, and I thought, ‘OK, maybe this will actually work out.’ ” The Backyard Boutique also
carries an array of prom dresses with the goal of being a one-stop store for girls and women alike. Sizes include small, medium and large, but Carney orders plussize clothes as well. “That’s been a huge thing for the store,” Carney said. “A lot of my plus-size customers have been really happy I carry that because where we’re at, that’s limited.” In addition to clothes and jewelry, the Backyard Boutique also sells soaps and bath bombs, which Carney purchases from Louisiana. The Backyard Boutique is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. n