Invitation Oxford - October 2016

INVITATION Oxford OCTOBER 2016

ANNIVERSARY

Celebrating 10 years of Invitation Oxford

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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#1 Re/Max Team in MS in 2014 & 2015 LEGACY R EALT Y

Mark C. Cleary (713) 303-8924

Markccleary@gmail.com

Blake Cannon (662) 380-7144 blake@oxfordvip.com

102 Esplanade Ridge • • • • •

$205,000

3 Bed 2.5 Bath Pristine Condition Wood Floors downstairs Stainless Appliances Washer/Dryer Included

Alison Alger (662) 832-1697

Shelbi’s Place NEW Homes Starting at

$143,900 Act Fast and Choose Your Finishes!

3 Bedroom /2 Bath 4 Floor Plans to Choose From!

alisonmalger@gmail.com

Contact Mark Cleary (713) 303-8924

lee.pittman1@gmail.com

Starting in the mid $200,000’s

Mid - Late September

Starting in the mid $300,000’s

Lee Pittman (662) 645-3695

Experience the beauty and serenity of Tuscan Hills - with 2 stocked lakes - just 5 minutes from Downtown!

ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE:

Measuring in at just under 1 mile from campus, 800 Park includes luxury features like gas fireplaces, 10 foot ceilings and heart pine floors. Professionally designed, each of the 4 floor plans are one level and have private screened in porches overlooking Pat Lamar Park and Davidson Creek. There is also a pet park that will be exclusive to the 800 Park owners.

The 800 Park development has plans to include some specialty retail shops, as well.

The Belmont

at 1769 East Jackson

$499,000

305 Mary Sue Street

115 Yocona Ridge

•3 BR/2 Bath

•3 BR/2 Bath, Fresh Paint

•Large Fenced in Backyard

•Large Living Room & Large Kitchen

•Beautiful Floors

•Fenced in Backyard

$159,900

$169,900

On the corner of East Jackson Avenue and Bramlett Blvd, you are a zip to campus and a short distance to the square! Enjoy every bit of this condominium with a screened in porch, outside balcony, two car garage, top-notch finishes and large open living area!

The Hamlet

A charming Old-English style development located in the heart of the medical community and just minutes from Oxford’s downtown square !

Starting in the mid-$300,000’s

112A Cedar Hill Drive

108 Vail Cove

•4 BR/2 Bath, 1.5 Acre Lot

•3 BR/3.5 Bath, Main Level Master Suite

•Large Open Living Room

•Stamped Concrete Floors & Granite Counter Tops

$275,000

LEGACY R EALT Y

$190,000

Features include: Wet Bar Private Courtyards Gas Range 10’ Ceilings Garages available

Complimentary interior design service to help customize finishes on new builds.

Search the entire Oxford Market at www.MarkClearyOxford.com and www.OxfordVip.com •662.234.5621 1923 University Ave Oxford, MS 38655 Each office independently owned and operated. All information deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and subject to change without notice.

Harrison Square

Coming Fall 2017

Oxford’s Premier Luxury Condominium Located in the Heart of Downtown Oxford.

Just Steps from the Square!

• Roof top terrace • 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms • Gated Community • Gourmet Kitchen • Private Balcony • Gas Stove Top Oven • Washer/Dryer • Wet Bar

• Wine Cooler and Ice Maker • Gas Fireplace • Engineered Hardwood Floors • Elevator • Reserved Parking Per Unit • 10’ Ceilings • 8’ Solid Core Doors

Mark C. Cleary (713) 303-8924

Markccleary@gmail.com

1583 Buchanan • Easy Walk to Square • 4 BR/4.5 Bath

$685,000

244 CR 303

7005 Bluff Lane • 4 Bed 4 Bath • 3 Covered Porches • Access to Goose Creek Tennis Club

•Almost 16 acres • 4 BR/3 Bath, 3150sf •Gunite Pool

(Old Taylor Rd) • Beautifully Manicured • Huge Custom Shop •Close to Town

$949,000

$649,000

129 Sivley $1,395,000 • Walk to the Square!

• 3900sf , 5 BR/4 Bath • Wrought Iron

• Wolf Subzero • Marvin Doors/Windows Show Home

• 5 Bed 3 Bath • 10 Min. from Ole Miss

Show Home

Courtyard w/Gate

33 CR 143 • 3 Car Garage

$599,900

1300 Beanland

7003 Macdui

71 CR 141

600 Centerpointe Cv.

Oak Terrace Unit #103

• Located in the Heart of downtown Oxford

• Custom-Built Home

• 5 Bed 4 1/2 Bath

• 4 Bed 3.5 Bath

• Open & Inviting Living/

• Completely Updated

• Oxford City Schools

• Saltwater Pool

• Large Living Room

• Top of the Line Finishes

• Main-Level Master

• 6.3 Acres

• Beautiful Sparkling Pool

• Access to the 80 Acre Private Lake

• Large Shop and RV Parking

• Large Fenced-In Yard

$699,000

$525,000

2611 Little Street

Oxford Square #96

• 3 Bed 3.5 Bath

• 3 Bed 2 Bath condo

• End Unit Condo in Oxford Station • Heart of Pine Floors • Large Open Patio

$399,000

LEGACY R EALT Y

702 Fleur de Lis • 3 Bed 3.5 Bath

• Optional Garage Available • Less than 1mi. from UM • Gated Community • Hardwood Floors

$118,000

• Large Master • Private Fenced in Patio

$247,500

$649,000

$345,000

416 Andalusia

4435 Sardis Lake Dr.

• 4 Bed 3 Bath

• Beautiful Lake View • 107 Acres, Large Lake

• City Schools • Two - Way Fireplace • Access to Highlands Lake

$399,999

$450,000

Kitchen Area/Dining Area

• Main Floor Master Suite • New Trane HVAC

$529,250

126 Oxford Creek Dr • 3 Bed 2.5 Bath • Brand New Construction • Community Pool • Brick Feature Wall in Dining Room

$310,000

Search the entire Oxford Market at www.MarkClearyOxford.com and www.OxfordVip.com •662.234.5621 1923 University Ave Oxford, MS 38655 Each office independently owned and operated. All information deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and subject to change without notice.

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

OCTOBER 2016

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Invitation Oxford turns 10 this month, and we still love the view of the Square from the City Grocery balcony.

Cheers! photographed by Joe Worthem

PHOTOGRAPHED BY SALLY MALONE

ON THE COVER

IN EVERY ISSUE 10

Letter From the Publisher

14

What’s Happening

18

Community Corner

20

Healthy Living

24

In Season: Rutabaga

99

Out and About

104

I Am Oxford: Beth Ann Fennelly

ANNOUNCEMENT 28

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Anderson & Nigh

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

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FEATURES

EVENTS

42 Food for Thought

30

Kate DiCamillo Book Reading

SFA magazine and podcast Gravy tells the stories of food and culture in the South.

32

Night for Nonprofits

34

Stone Park Family Fun Day

47 Power Players

36

Lewis Black Comedy Show

These local women are making a difference through their work with the community.

38

A Night in August

54 The Bold and the Beautiful

72

Oxford Art Crawl

74

Dancing Like the Stars

76

LHS vs. Lake Horn Football

78

First-to-Know Breakfast

80

Crimes of the Heart

82

Shelter a la King

84

Small Hall Concert Series

64 A Stitch in Time

86

Food Truck Fight

A Corinth business creates historical reproductions not only for local customers but also for Hollywood movies and Broadway shows.

88

OPD Family Fun Day

90

Fire Up & Calm Down Workout

92

Bradley Gordon Art Reception

94

Crosstown Classic

96

A Mighty Voice

The Mawufemor fashion line pays homage to the creator’s homeland of Ghana.

59 A Bright Idea The Edison is Oxford’s new shared work space where people from different professions create, counsel and network under the same roof.

68 10 Years of Invitation Invitation Oxford turns a decade strong this month. Take a look back at some of our favorite moments from the past 10 years.

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October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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THE PUBLISHER

W

hen I arrived in Oxford in 2006 with a reporter’s notebook, a small point-andshoot camera and a dream to start a magazine, I never imagined that one day Invitation Oxford would celebrate its 10th anniversary. But this month, that’s exactly what we’re doing, and I want to thank all of you for that.

Thank you to our advertisers, who have supported us financially month after month, year after year. You have allowed our product to remain a free publication that tells the stories that make Oxford and Lafayette County great.

Thank you to our readers, who pick up thousands of copies of the magazine each month and allow us to take photos of you at events around town. Thank you for letting us into your homes and giving us the opportunity to share your stories.

I did not do this alone. From the first issue, this has been a team effort. My mother,

ANNIVERSARY

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who now calls Oxford home, took our very first cover photo with that tiny camera. My husband helped me create the concept of Invitation and for many years edited every word that was published. In the early days, the magazines were delivered to the garage of Lee Uhlhorn, a longtime friend who encouraged me to follow this dream. We’ve come a long way.

The staff of Invitation Magazines work hard, and their talent surpasses any expectation I ever had. We are committed to and love this community we call home. Invitation Oxford wouldn’t be here today if it were not for those I am honored to work with every day. I am thankful to be part of such a wonderful group of professionals who care deeply about what we do and strive to produce the very best magazine for this community.

There are many other people who are also committed to Oxford, and you’ll meet some of

Invitation Oxford turns a decade strong this month.

Flip to page 68 to take a look back at some of our favorite moments from the past 10 years.

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

them on page 46. These amazing women invest their time, effort and vision in our community.

Baretta Mosley, Robyn Tannehill and Marian Barksdale all have unique perspectives about why they serve others in the capacities they do.

Individually and collectively, they help make our schools, our city and our county a great place to live.

So here’s to 10 more years. I’ll be 49 by that time, and who knows what new adventures and challenges we will have faced together?

Whatever those are, Invitation Oxford is honored to be the magazine you read to celebrate this community.

Thank you so much for 10 successful years.

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

publishers

Phil and Rachel West

editorial

EDITOR IN CHIEF Lena Anderson CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Emily Welly EVENTS EDITOR Mary Moreton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sunny Young Baker Melanie Crownover Ginny McCarley Toni Overby EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Katherine Henson

art

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Hallie Thomas STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Worthem ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Becca Bailey Zach Fields Holly Vollor CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Joey Brent Michaela Cooper Mike Stanton

COPY EDITOR Kate Johnson

production

advertising

office

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Jennifer Bolton Alise M. Emerson Leigh Lowery Lynn McElreath Stacey Raper Moni Simpson Whitney Worsham ADVERTISING INFORMATION ads@invitationoxford.com

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Emily Suber

BUSINESS MANAGER Hollie Hilliard COMPTROLLER Julie Clark DISTRIBUTION Donald Courtney Brian Hilliard MAIN OFFICE 662-234-4008

To subscribe to one year (10 issues) of Invitation Oxford or to buy an announcement, visit invitationoxford.com.

To request a photographer at your event, email Mary at mary.invitation@gmail.com.

Invitation Oxford respects the many diverse individuals and organizations who make up north Mississippi and strives to be an inclusive representation of all members of our community.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

OCTOBER 2016

10/1

Memphis vs. Ole Miss Football Time TBD, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Wear red.

10/8

The Great 38 Race In honor of former Ole Miss football player Chucky Mullins, Run Oxford and UM Athletics partnered with the Palmer Home for Children for the final race of the Inn at Ole Miss Grand Prix series. Participants will run 3 or 8 miles through the University of Mississippi campus and finish at the 38-yard line of VaughtHemingway Stadium. great38.racesonline.com

10/13-16

Southern Foodways Symposium: Corn as Symbol, Sustenance and Problem The Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi hosts its 19th annual fall symposium. Chefs, food writers and others will participate in a series of panels, discussions, dinners and social events. To become a member of the SFA, visit southernfoodways.org.

10/15

Gateway to the Delta Festival The sixth annual festival includes live music, art and craft vendors, food and more. The event, which celebrates the culture, tradition and people of the Mississippi Delta, is sponsored by the Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort (CARE).

Charleston, Mississippi, at the Court Square charlestongatewayfestival.org

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

10/18 Cherub The duo from Nashville plays a collection of dance, funk, rock and electronic music.

Doors open at 8 p.m., the Lyric, tickets $21-$26, lyricoxford.com

10/18

10/21

Teams of two contribute three bottles of the same wine for a blind tasting where participants will vote for their favorites. The fundraiser will include a gourmet cheese tasting and music by Skid Rouges, and benefits the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and The Moak Scholarship Fund.

7-9 p.m., the Powerhouse, tickets $40 per team oxfordarts.com

Hosted by the Cedar Oaks Guild, local actors and community members dress in costume and perform monologues while portraying famous Oxonians. Proceeds go to the maintenance of the Cedar Oaks historic home.

5:30 and 7:30 p.m., St. Peter’s Cemetery Tickets, $15, available at the Powerhouse or at spiritsofoxford16.bpt.me.

Three Blind Wines

Spirits of Oxford

10/20-21

Conference on the Front Porch The inaugural conference highlights the architectural and sociological importance of the front porch in the American South. In addition to the lectures and panels, registration includes six meals, an evening porch concert and an evening porch play.

The Mill at Plein Air, Taylor theconferenceonthefrontporch.com

10/28

Double Decker Bus Tour Hop on the double-decker bus for a guided tour from Oxford historian Jack Mayfield.

The route runs through the Square, the University of Mississippi campus and other points of interest.

2 p.m., Oxford Visitors Center visitoxfordms.com

10/29

Comic and Toy Show – Oxford Edition Presented by Discordia Culture Shop.com, the greater southeastern U.S. Comic Con expo features pop culture artists, vendors and exhibits.

10 a.m.- 10 p.m., the Powerhouse comicandtoyshow.com

10/29

Auburn vs. Ole Miss Football Time TBD, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Wear red.

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written by Katherine Henson

A piece of Oxford history is nestled near Avent Park, just over 2 miles from the Square.

The Greek Revival structure, built by William Turner in 1859 to serve as his family’s home, has proven its resilience in the face of turmoil.

In 1864, Turner’s sister Molly Turner Orr organized a fire brigade to save the house after it was set aflame by Union troops. More than a century later, the house was moved from its original location at the corner of Jefferson and North Lamar (now where the Graduate hotel sits) to its new spot at 601 Murray St. It was then, in 1963, that a group of local women, led by Mary Alice Tate, saved the historic structure when it was on the verge of being abandoned. The home came to be called Cedar Oaks, named for the stately trees on the new property.

Today the home is preserved and maintained by a group of more than 40 members that make up the Cedar Oaks Guild. The committee, which works with the Historic Sites Commission, gives tours of the house, hosts private events and throws fundraisers to help contribute to the upkeep of the home.

Along with its annual Cookiepalooza event in December, the guild will also host Spirits of Oxford at St. Peter’s cemetery this month.

For the event, handmade luminaries created by local Girl Scout troops will light the cemetery’s pathways, and members of the community will perform monologues as historical Oxford residents from the 1850s to the 1950s.

“There is a spirit for all types of genres that people would enjoy learning about,” Marianna Ochs, Cedar Oaks co-chairwoman, said.

Nine actors will perform, with characters including an artist, notable educators, a sheriff and a previous resident of Cedar Oaks.

“This year we will have a well-known Oxonian performing as one of the spirits,” said Susan Westbrook, Cedar Oaks co-chairwoman.

Spirits of Oxford will be held at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 21. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the Powerhouse or at spiritsofoxford16.bpt.me. Cedar Oaks is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. every Friday for tours.

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

CEDAR OAKS

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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS written by Katherine Henson

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise awareness for the disease. It’s about assisting those affected by cancer, raising money to support the cure and teaching early detection techniques and prevention practices.

Wanda Dent has worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi for 39 years and for the past two has been a nurse navigator at the hospital’s Cancer Center.

Dent, who is also a breast cancer survivor and received her treatment at BMHNM, knows how important breast cancer prevention is.

“We are doing everything we can to spread the word on prevention and bring cancer screening to the forefront,” Dent said.

That includes financial assistance for those who may not be able to afford the screening.

Thanks to donations from organizations such as the Susan B. Komen Foundation and the Panhellenic Council at the University of Mississippi, the center is able to offer free mammograms to those in need. The Panhellenic Council’s annual CARE (Cancer Awareness Research and Eradication) Walk raised more than $50,000 in 2015.

“Since Jan. 1, we have done over 70 free mammograms in Oxford using those funds,” Dent said.

She encourages both women and men to learn all they can about breast cancer prevention. The Cancer Center is located at 504 Azalea Drive in Oxford.

For more information or financial assistance for a mammogram, call Wanda Dent at 662-513-9610 or 662-513-9609.

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RUTABAGA

written by Sunny Young Baker

S

ummer may be over, but the chance to buy fresh, seasonal produce is not. With the arrival of fall comes the availability of ingredients like carrots, greens, onions and the often-overlooked rutabaga.

The root vegetable, which is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip, is referred to as a “swede” outside the United States. The white and purple-skinned produce has a sweet and nutty flavor and is full of vitamins and antioxidants.

Rutabagas are often prepared much like potatoes and make a great additions to soups and stews. They are harvested in cooler temperatures and appear at farmers markets in early autumn.

Betsy Chapman, director of the Oxford City Market, says October is a great time of year to visit and buy fresh produce from the market, where farmers will bring in their fall crops.

“People think when tomato season is over that the market is over, but fall is one of the best times to farm in Mississippi,” Chapman said.

Chapman has been the OXCM’s director since 2014, but her love of fresh food began when she was a child and taught herself how to cook.

“When I was 10, I got ahold of a cookbook called Sweet and Sugar-Free, and I made all the recipes,” she said.

Her interest in natural, unprocessed food was fostered even further during her time working for Yokna Bottoms Farms. Chapman was able to get out in the fields and learn the ways of farming, which is a big reason she’s so invested in the community market.

“I want to grow this market so that our vendors and farmers can make a sustainable living,” she said.

Beginning Oct. 1, Oxford City Market will become Oxford Community Market and will be open 3-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m.1 p.m. Saturdays at the Community Pavilion on University Avenue. Chapman encourages Oxford and Lafayette County residents to come out and enjoy the farmers market this fall.

“Walk away with a new fruit or vegetable, and get creative with it in the kitchen,” she said.

Smoky Rutabaga Bisque 4 Tablespoons butter 1 sweet yellow onion, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 chipotle pepper 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 clove garlic 4½ cups chopped rutabaga 1 cup chopped carrot 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock 1-2 cups heavy cream Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, chipotle pepper and

thyme. Season with salt and paprika. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add garlic, rutabaga and carrot; cook 2 minutes. Add stock; simmer slowly until vegetables are tender, approximately 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly; then stir in cream to desired creaminess. Put all contents in blender or food processor; puree until smooth.

Serve in large soup bowls with a garnish of fresh thyme and an additional drizzle of cream, and a side of crusty bread.

Most of the ingredients for Chapman’s Smoky Rutabaga Bisque can be purchased at the community market. For an updated list of vendors and ingredients each week, find Oxford Community Market on Facebook.

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LENA ANDERSON & BRYAN NIGH

ena Anderson and Bryan Nigh of Kansas City, Missouri, are happy to announce their engagement following a brief courtship of 26 years.

Their first date took place in the fall of 1993 on a school trip to an amusement park, where the couple shared a romantic yet awkward first kiss on the bus home. Later that night, Anderson wrote I love Bryan in her diary and told her best friend that she was going to marry him when they “got older.� Nigh broke up with her one month later.

After attending their senior prom together as just friends, Anderson and Nigh again attempted dating following high school graduation. Their relationship ended at the start of college when Anderson decided to date a football player.

They remained close friends for nearly two decades when a casual Christmas catch-up lunch turned into love at long after first sight.

The couple plans to marry next May in their hometown of Maryville, Missouri. The attire will be zoot suit optional.

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

we are on the MOVE! & will be headed to our new location 1901 A Jackson Ave in December! * Follow us on Facebook for updates!

10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m Mon-Sat Open home game Sundays 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

1737 University Ave. Oxford, MS 662.281.8004 October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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View more photos at invitationoxford.com.

KATE DICAMILLO EVENT Square Books Jr. hosted children’s book author Kate DiCamillo Aug. 21 at the Powerhouse. The reading included games, refreshments and baton-twirling and lessons from the Ole Miss Feature Twirlers. photographed by Joey Brent

Eloise and Heather Marks

Annjelle and Alisha Lantrip

Sophie Quinn and Susie Adams

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Kate DiCamillo and Jill Bennett Moore

Mya and Marie Mott

Sarah Ligon with Archer and Colin Beach

Nicole Dowdell, Lynn Roberts, Haley Shiver and Cecile Roberts

Jeanne Moore and Ginny Davis

Mary Charles and Connie Ramsey

Tyler and Miller Marks

Call us

3716 Lyles Dr. Beautiful home in Grand Oaks Oxford City Schools $635,000 Call Sarah Hamilton

Today!

48 CR 362 Newly renovated 4.6 acres beautiful lake $948,000 Call Eric Calton

Molly Barr Rd. Oxford City Schools 39 acres $1,200,000 Call Midge McCay

Sarah Hamilton (662) 801-3640 sarahhamilton.realtor@gmail.com

Eric Calton (662) 832-1616 fbcarlton3@gmail.com

54 CR 398 168.3 acres, 2 lakes, 3 barns $1,346,400 Call Sarah Hamilton

Midge McCay (662) 607-1650 midgemccay@gmail.com

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View more photos at invitationoxford.com.

NIGHT FOR NONPROFITS Night for Nonprofits, held Aug. 18 at the Powerhouse, was sponsored by Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT) and raised $10,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi. photographed by Joey Brent

Sarah Hasselle, Andrew George and Kate Teague

Maura Wakefield, William Kneip, Adam Lee, Maddie Blevins and Matthew Porchivina

Deb Helms and Rita Carli

Don, Courtney, Julianna and Ernest Ross

Barbara Anderson Young and Betty Patton

Jennifer Yancy and Pam Swain

Ray Neilsen and Kelly Jeffers

Cory Swain and Chris Glaze

Don and Marsha Cole

Heather Williams and Emma Tkachuck

Andrea Spencer and Kris Carsley

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Dorothy Laurenzo and Teresa Faust

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

HOTTY TODDY FROM ALL OF US! (662) 234-3878 CARRIE FULLER (901) 487-1299 JEAN DAULTON (662) 816-0348

WIL MATTHEWS (662) 832-1266 LARRY MCCAY (662) 816-1667

WWW.CMREHOMES.COM

SARAH HAMILTON (662) 801-3640 MIDGE MCCAY (662) 607-1650

ERIC CARLTON (662) 832-1616

CARLYLE THOMAS (662) 934-3515

BETSY PATTON (662) 801-4502

CHERIE MATTHEWS (662) 816-0499

RHONDA RODGERS BECKY TAYLOR (662) 419-0948 (662) 544-2146

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View more photos at invitationoxford.com.

FAMILY FUN DAY A back-to-school family fun day was held Aug. 20 at Stone Park. The event included educational speakers, a visit with members of the police and fire departments, games and face painting. photographed by Joey Brent

Kim and Kenneth Buford

Laticia James and Messiah Pearson

Molly Jones, Emonica Booker and Makyah Harris

Andrew McGee and Sherrod Rucker

LET OUR MOM HELP YOU FIND THE PERFECT

OXFORD HOME! 34

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Takiah Booker and Timiiyh Harbey with Alijah and Valerie Coleman

Diarra Giddens, Tray LeSueur and Jeremiah Brown

Charles Harris with Shannon Buford and Kandice Mayes

Shaquita Curry and Belinda Carter

Kim Buford and Mike Thompson

CARLYLE THOMAS

Mobile: 662.934.3515 Office: 662.234.3878 Fax: 662.234.3876 carlylegraves@gmail.com www.cmrehomes.com

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View more photos at invitationoxford.com.

LEWIS BLACK SHOW Comedian Lewis Black performed his stand-up routine on Aug. 26 at the Ford Center. The show was part of his national tour The Emperor’s New Clothes: The Naked Truth Tour. photographed by Jessica Richardson

Adam Gray and Keaton Walls

Kent Jordan and Corinne Williamson with Nikki and Jason Verlangieri

Molly Neff and Autumn Smith

David and Anita Kimery with Kathy and Chester Cohron

Gina and Bob O’Connor

Tanner Ebrecht and Gabe Montez

Justin and Amanda Spencer

Beth and Robert Molpus

Victoria Bobo and William Palmer

Lily Arellano and Janet Reynaldo

Jacob Owens and Gregory Crow

names names Kathy names andnames Benjamin names Neff names names

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Sarah Scott and Bryce Bossin

Pat and Ginger Brown with Jennifer and Paul Edwards

Deepika and Jay Dey

Jack Summer, Warren Welch and Lauren Dominguez

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View more photos at invitationoxford.com.

A NIGHT IN AUGUST The sixth annual Night in August was held Aug. 20 at Plein Air in Taylor. The family-friendly event included a live performance by the Kudzu Kings, food vendors and a fireworks display. photographed by Joey Brent

Angie Sicurezza and Lowry Harper

Shannon and Lee Ferguson

Reeves, Tara and Russ Baugh

Matt, Nora, Murphey and Leah McKenzie

Sarah Smith and Brooke Driskell

Randy and Brittanni Bundren

Donna and Bo Martin

Courtney McCoy and Kim Maples

Toni Coleman and Henry Clark

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Jace Tidwell, Jodey Varner and Cory Sweeney

Kate, Harry and Case Embry

Audrey and Molly Kirkland

Donovan and Richard Childers with Dan Shell

Irene Van Riper and Cindy Burnette

Lindsey Lott, Linsey Lawrence and Nikki Latham

John, Angie and Bella Trott with Lisa Jenkins, Hadley Grace Tatum and Jamie Jenkins

Anne, Charlie, Tommy, Sarah Jane and Michael McCauley

Marcie and Macie Childers

Audrea Moore with Erin and Scotty Ford

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$7 • WINTER 2015 • A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FROM THE SOUTHERN FOODWAYS ALLIANCE

Winter Reading

for thought

MAHALIA JACKSON’S GLORI-FRIED CHICKEN

Gravy, the award-winning Southern Foodways Alliance publication and podcast, tells the stories of food and culture in the American South. written by Toni Overby

I n n o vat I n g s I n c e 1 8 9 6 our organic H.c. valentine coffee is skillfully roasted in small batches by our artisan roastmaster. the coffee is then steeped in cold water for 20 hours to deliver an extraordinarily smooth finish with none of the bitterness.

Sara Camp Milam keeps her James Beard Award hanging in the kitchen, but it was work in front of her computer, not her oven, that landed her the culinary honor.

Milam is managing editor for the valentine cold Brew SouthernH.c.

Foodways Alliance and its quarterly aztec organic coffee publication and bimonthly podcast, Gravy, Royal cup which was named 2015 Publication of the sweet Brew Year by the James Beard Foundation.Iced TheteaSFA, our sweet brew iced founded in 1999 and the brainchild tea offeatures John our T. famous Royal cup Iced tea and Pure Edge, is part of the University of Mississippi’s cane sugar together in one pouch, for Center for the Study of Southern Culture.

The perfect consistency every time! member-supported organization documents, studies and explores the diverse food cultures of the changing American South. www.royalcupcoffee.com Part of that exploration happens through Gravy. Under Milam’s direction, topics in the print journal range from Vietnamese immigrants in New Orleans to seafood in Calabash, North Carolina, to Southern-style restaurants in Chicago.

“We mix intellectual stories with lighthearted tales that do more than just profile a chef,” Milam said. “We talk about the way the South is changing, making sure to focus on the future instead of the past.

“The goal is about getting to know everyday people and their roles in the community.

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PAGE 32

PEACHES AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN MIDDLE GEORGIA

PAGE 38

I n n o vat I n g s I n c e 1 8 9 6 our organic H.c. valentine coffee is skillfully roasted in small batches by our artisan roastmaster. the coffee $7 • SPRING 2016 • A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FROM THE SOUTHERN FOODWAYS ALLIANCE is then steeped in cold water for 20 hours to deliver an extraordinarily

$7 • SUMMER 2016 • A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION FROM THE SOUTHERN FOODWAYS ALLIANCE

smooth finish with none of the bitterness.

H.c. valentine cold Brew aztec organic coffee Royal cup sweet Brew Iced tea our sweet brew iced tea features our famous Royal cup Iced tea and Pure cane sugar together in one pouch, for perfect consistency every time!

HOPPIN’ JOHN? WHO’S HE? PAGE 16

CATFISH AS CASH CROP

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THE BALLAD OF RICKY PARKER

TATERS AND EMPATHY IN ASHEVILLE www.royalcupcoffee.com

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SOUTHERN, REBORN

Sara Camp Milam (pictured top left) is managing editor for the Southern Foodways Alliance and its quarterly publication and bimonthly podcast, Gravy, which was named 2015 Publication of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.

When you’re talking about food, it’s a great way to begin to talk about harder topics. We try to be a really diverse reflection of the region.”

The publication, which released its 60th issue in the summer of 2016, is constantly evolving. In 2014, Milam helped create a podcast version of Gravy and currently serves

as its script editor. Each 25-minute episode, broadcast every other Thursday, tells stories similar to those found in the magazine.

“We realized there was an opportunity in the world of podcasts to display layered storytelling with many different voices and a deeper dimension. And what makes podcasts so great

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CALEB JOHNSON

is that they are easily accessible,” Milam said.

“The podcast and the stories in the magazine don’t necessarily mirror each other, but they are complementary forms of storytelling.”

The podcast, which is produced and hosted by Tina Antolini, gets around 50,000 downloads each month on iTunes and won the 2016 James Beard Award for Best Podcast.

As director of the SFA and Milam’s boss, Edge is grateful for her hard work and dedication that have helped make Gravy so successful.

“I think Sara Camp has proved a leader in the evolving field of food media and foodfocused storytelling,” he said. “She is a pioneer, already setting the standards for the next generation of writers and editors.”

Milam, who grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, admits that her family heritage isn’t deeply rooted in food.

“I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s. We ate things like turkey burgers and casseroles,” she said, laughing.

But her graduate studies in folklore at the University of North Carolina and two years interning and working for the literary magazine The Oxford American, piqued Milam’s interest in the South and its multifaceted culture.

“I really started to appreciate the complexity food offers culturally. It’s such an interesting way to look into a region, particularly in the South,” she said.

This philosophy matched up with the work Edge was doing with the SFA in Oxford, and in 2010 Milam began volunteering for the SFA while finishing up her master’s program at UNC. Two years later, she was hired full time as the managing editor.

Her first issue of Gravy was No. 37, the fall 2010 issue, and was a black-and-white, 12page print journal that served as a newsletter for members of the SFA. For the past six years, Milam has helped the magazine evolve into the award-winning publication it is today.

Top: Tina Antolini, Gravy podcast producer and host, hits the field with her recording equipment. Bottom: A recent episode of the podcast featured Alabama coal miners and what they brought in their work lunch boxes.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRANDALL ATKINSON

The Southern Foodways Alliance, a member-supported organization that documents, studies and explores the diverse cultures of the American South, will hold its annual Foodways Symposium Oct. 13-16 at various establishments around Oxford. This year the group will explore the concept of “Corn as Symbol, Sustenance and Problem.”

Edge and Milam, along with six other fulltime staff members and multiple contractors, work together to continue the work of the SFA, which currently has around 2,000 members.

“We believe that food narratives offer us a way to understand this region in a deeper and more profound way,” Edge said.

The organization’s 19th annual Foodways

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Symposium will take place Oct. 13-16 at various places around Oxford and will include lectures, meals, documentary film screenings, art exhibits and more. This year’s theme is “Corn as Symbol, Sustenance and Problem.”

“Our goal all along at SFA has been to tell more of a narrative about food and people and less of an interview,” Milam said. “We want to

have high-quality academic research presented in a way that anyone could understand – draw people in and challenge them.”

To become a member of the SFA and receive a subscription to Gravy, visit southern foodways.org. Subscribe to the Gravy podcast on iTunes and pick up the current issue of the magazine at Off Square Books.

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These women are making a difference through their work with the Oxford and Lafayette County community. written by Ginny McCarley photographed by Joe Worthem

Robyn Tannehill Ward II Alderman

Though she holds an elected position as alderman for Ward II and serves as a voice on important policy decisions for Oxford, Robyn Tannehill hesitates to define herself as a politician.

“I consider myself a community activist,” she said. “My heart is in promoting change with the desire to make improvements in our society and specifically in our wonderful town.”

Since arriving in Oxford in 1988 as a freshman at the University of Mississippi, she has seen the city evolve and grow, and she wanted to be involved in the changes. She was elected as alderman in 2013 and is currently serving her first four-year term.

During that term, the board has accomplished a number of projects to improve the quality of life in Oxford. It has provided funding and planning for two major thoroughfares, connecting West Jackson Avenue with College Hill Road, and Sisk Avenue with Highway 7. It has hired a full-time code-enforcement officer to preserve property values in neighborhoods.

And it began the process of cleaning the city dump on Price Street to make way for a new activity center.

“These are big projects, but there are so many decisions and changes that we have made that are comparatively small but have large impacts on people’s quality of life,” Tannehill said. “It is important to me that we listen well, communicate well and consider different opinions as we work to resolve problems.”

Tannehill is considering several different positions within city government when her term as alderman is up in June 2017.

“Many of these projects are ongoing,” she said. “I hope to be given the opportunity to continue to work on these projects and many others as we guide the future of Oxford in years to come.”

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Baretta Mosley

Lafayette County Circuit Clerk Baretta Mosley never imagined holding elected office, but when Circuit Clerk Mary Alice Busby decided to retire, she suggested that Mosley, who had served as deputy circuit clerk for more than 24 years, run for the position.

“It’s a good thing that I didn’t know that much about it,” Mosley said, laughing. The campaign involved knocking on hundreds of doors after work and on weekends, beginning in January 2011 and continuing through the election that November.

“It was overwhelming,” she said. “It was just such a long campaign, but I had great people working with me.”

Elected in 2011 for her first term, Mosley is currently serving her second four-year term as circuit clerk. She ran unopposed in 2015.

Mosley said she enjoys the work most during the court’s four sessions, held in January, April, July and October.

“There are so many aspects to the job – elections, marriages, criminal court and civil court,” she said. “Our cases range from debt collection to capital murder.”

As circuit clerk, Mosley’s responsibilities include maintaining the court files and records, issuing marriage licenses and serving as registrar for county voters. Mosley also scans every court document onto the web-based system, deltacomputersystems.com, for ease of access.

She also currently serves as vice president of the Mississippi Circuit Clerks Association and is slated to be appointed president in July 2017. When she takes office, Mosley will be the first Lafayette County circuit clerk to have ever held the position of president.

And she doesn’t plan to stop there. She says when election time rolls around in 2019, she will run again.

“This is a great job,” she said. “I really enjoy working here with the people in Lafayette County.”

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Pat Lamar

Oxford Mayor 1997-2001 Patricia “Pat” Chadwick Lamar accomplished many firsts in Oxford: She was the first female alderman, serving for eight years, and then she became Oxford’s first female mayor from 1997 to 2001.

During her term, Lamar, along with the board of aldermen, accomplished several things for the community: They opened the Oxford Conference & Readiness Center and Lamar Park. They beautified downtown and encouraged tourism by planting flowers and stringing lights at Christmas. And they worked with the university on a number of projects, including a push to move the electrical wires underground on University Avenue.

Oxford resident Dicki King worked closely with Lamar, writing press releases and speeches for the former mayor. “We worked together very well; we both wanted the very best for Oxford,” King said.

Lamar died in 2012, but her legacy is still felt. Alderman Ulysses “Coach” Howell, who served on the board of aldermen both alongside Lamar and during her term as mayor, said she had a big hand in helping Oxford grow into the beautiful town it is today.

“We get a lot of positive comments from people visiting,” Howell said. “I credit Pat Lamar with a lot of that. She was a very caring person as mayor.”

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Marian Barksdale

Oxford School District Board President Marian Barksdale believes in the power of public education.

“I’ve always been very interested in public education,” she said. “I’m a product of it and came through the public schools in Meridian.”

When Barksdale and her husband moved to Atlanta, she joined the PTA at her children’s school. She reported back to the group about the Atlanta School Board and the issues it was facing within the district.

“I saw that being on the school board could be a good way to contribute,” she said.

Barksdale has served as an appointed member of the Oxford School Board for more than 10 years and is now serving her third nonconsecutive term as president. The board is currently focused on closing the achievement gap and on finding ways to deal with a rapidly growing enrollment. It also works with the One to One Digital Learning Initiative, through which every student in the OSD middle and high schools is issued a laptop.

“We are continuing to work with our staff, students and parents for understanding the best ways to utilize that technology to enhance education,” Barksdale said.

She is also currently serving her third year on the board of the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi. Though the organization focuses on the lives of women, the work they do has the potential to affect the lives of all Mississippians. “[The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi] is all about strengthening the lives of and the opportunities for women so that there’s not the disparity that so often exists,” Barksdale said. “So many of our Mississippi families have a single mom as the head of the household, so if we can strengthen their economic, educational and health opportunities, then we are strengthening communities and families over the whole state.”

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the BOLD and the BEAUTIFUL The colorful prints of the MAWUFEMOR fashion line pay homage to the creator’s homeland of Ghana. written by Melanie Crownover photographed by Joe Worthem

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MAWUFEMOR

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DANIELA MAWUFEMOR ROGERS is a self-professed introvert, but her artistic creations are powerful, bright and daring.

The 27-year-old opens up most when she’s home from her day job in medical administration and inside her Oxford house – the headquarters for a hobby that has now become a second career.

She sings along to the Taylor Swift song playing from her tablet as she works at a humming Singer sewing machine on the craft table her father-in-law built. It is there that her true colors come out as she creates items for her business, Mawufemor.

The product line brims with handmade bags, dresses, blouses and skirts in playful patterns and colors as warm as the African sun she basked in most of her life.

“When I was waiting for my visa to come to the U.S., I went to the seamstress in front of my house in Ghana to learn to make dresses for myself and my mother, and she showed me everything she knows,” Rogers said.

Rogers’ husband, John, is originally from Tupelo, and the couple had decided to return to Mississippi following their engagement in Ghana. It took almost a year for her visa to process, so Rogers worked on her sewing skills and was ready to take her goods to the public shortly after the couple reunited in Oxford and married in December.

At first, Rogers created bags exclusively for family and friends but made her business official in February when she established the Mawufemor shop on Etsy.com. She also set up a booth at the Oxford Maker’s Market that

March. The market gave her a place to come out of her shell as an entrepreneur and be the face of her product.

The eye-catching hues and intricate details of her items make her booth a popular spot for marketgoers.

“The purse and clutch I have always bring lots of attention,” Kate Lechler, a repeat customer, said. “They’re so detailed and solidly made and vibrant. She’s done a great job of appealing to a Western audience by pairing the brights with a little neutral so you still get that pop of color but are able to wear them with multiple outfits.”

Finding the perfect fabrics for her creations is a work of love for Rogers. Although she acquires some of her materials from Premier Fabrics in Sherman, most of them come from

Daniela Mawufemor Rogers uses bright and colorful patterns when creating items for her handbag and clothing line, which she sells online and at the Oxford Maker’s Market held monthly on the Square. Rogers uses a free-form method to create her purses, skirts and blouses with fabrics from Ghana, where she was born and raised.

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MAWUFEMOR

The Mawufemor collection is full of bold prints and eye-catching hues, while the fall and winter line features African prints in darker shades to complement the season change. Rogers honed her sewing skills in Ghana while waiting for her United States visa to process before moving to Oxford with her Mississippi-native husband, John, in 2015.

her homeland. Ghana is renowned for its fabrics and patterns, so Rogers’ seamstress mentor sends a new selection every few months.

“Africans love color. We sometimes have five or six in one piece and patterns busy as we like to be,” Rogers said. “Clothing shows feeling, who we are. We only wear black for funerals or mourning. Besides my husband and his family, working with these fabrics and sharing them has made me feel most at home here.”

Rogers doesn’t use project patterns but creates designs in her notebook and marks the

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fabric for cutting. If a client requests a custom look or has a request for a specific item, she can likely fashion it with a quick drawing and a few snips of her scissors.

Mawufemor’s popularity increased over the summer when customers were looking for vibrant clothes and accessories for the warmer weather. She’s updated her line to keep up with the season change, and her current fall and winter collection includes African prints in non­ traditional, darker shades.

“I’m glad she has this talent to express

herself through something she’s so passionate about,” John said. “The design is getting a little more Americanized, but every stitch is full of her energy and her culture. The more she creates, the more people seek her out and the better she gets – and that’s an amazing thing to watch.”

The Mawufemor fall and winter collection is now available at mawufemor.com and at the Maker’s Market held on the courthouse lawn the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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More and more people today

The Edison is Oxford’s new shared work space, where people from different professions create, counsel and network under the same roof. written by Melanie Crownover photographed by Joe Worthem

don’t have the typical 9-to-5 job that Dolly Parton once sang about. Oxford is full of freelance writers, independent contractors and an array of small-business owners who don’t have company office buildings to go to each day. But working from home and being void of professional communities can sometimes be isolating and stunt creativity.

Lindsey and Phil Baquie found the perfect compromise by creating The Edison.

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Counseling Center and the startup company TheraGuru, said. “The Edison is not just about business; it’s about something far more important: community.

“It’s a creative workspace that stimulates members to dynamically interact with other members, creating a cross-pollination of ideas, networking and opportunity.”

Coworking provides the chance to collaborate in a shared, creative work environment.

At The Edison, people can pop in for the day or for the weekend, or work more long-term in a private work space.

“We are bridging the gap from your corner in the coffee shop to a cubicle in a corporate office,” Lindsay said. “It’s your place to be productive and inspired alongside like-minded individuals. You can mold and grow your business, or just work in a cool, quiet place with a positive vibe.”

The Edison took shape in October 2015, when the Baquies began renovations to a 5,000-square-foot building just off the Square on University Avenue that once housed a print shop. The end result was the coworking space, with 13 reserved offices, three meeting rooms, one conference room and a large open space furnished with individual desks.

The interior of the building is filled with midcentury industrial touches such as exposed ceiling beams, painted cinder block walls, stained concrete floors and furniture featuring wrought iron or pipe as the bones. Other details, including vibrant local artwork on the walls, help give the place a touch of Southern charm.

“We took care to make sure that we stimulated local businesses not only in our clients after the build was done but also in the details with constructing this place,” Phil said. “We used some local companies and contractors to do the construction work, and the inside is furnished with Stash furniture. Even our own coffee blend is ground by a local company.”

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Phil and Lindsey Baquie (pictured top left) opened The Edison to give independent professionals an alternative to working from home. The coworking space is decorated with local art, including a custom sign created by woodworker Ryan Pierce, which hangs near the front desk of The Edison’s operations administrator, Kat Kirkpatrick.

Here, I get that separation between home and work in a place that bolsters a sense of creative community.

-James Kellaway

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Various monthly memberships to The Edison are available, along with a daily drop-in option. Members (such as therapist Allison Layton, pictured above) and guests can work from private offices or in the larger shared work spaces, where they can enjoy high-speed fiber-optic internet and complimentary specialty-blend coffee ground by a local company.

The installed fiber-optic internet signal is 10 times faster than the national average, and piped-in jazz music sets the ambience for a calming and productive work environment.

Sixty percent of the offices were booked before the grand opening last January. Confit Design owner James Kellaway had his web design office reserved in December when the first advertisement for The Edison appeared.

His home office had recently been converted into a baby nursery, and Kellaway needed a new place to set up shop.

“I’d talked to my partner in Atlanta about how Oxford needed something like this. When I saw the sign go up in front of that building [while] it was still under construction, I was in,” he said.

“Everywhere else I’d looked were these old

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wood-paneled places that looked like lawyers had been trapped there for years and you had almost no contact with anyone else in the building. Here, I get that separation between home and work in a place that bolsters a sense of creative community.”

Since The Edison opened its doors at the beginning of this year, 27 small businesses have signed on as members, and a growing number are taking advantage of the drop-in hourly rate.

The option for business owners to use the space on an as-needed basis means that there are always new faces and ideas.

“The nature of community and collaboration happen organically in coworking environments,” Phil said. “It is neat to see the way various businesses here support each other and utilize one another’s expertise.”

The Baquies feel the best thing about the office is that it connects the community’s more seasoned entrepreneurs with those just starting their companies.

“I can’t imagine how a place like this would have affected my business [Epicure Day Spa] when I was just starting out because I am much more productive here than in my home office,” Lindsey said. “There wouldn’t have been as many hiccups or as much learning time.

“We have business lawyers, graphic artists, web designers – just about any help you can think of sitting right here. That’s good for anyone who wants to make their business its best, no matter how experienced they are or where they are in the process.”

For information on rates and availability and to book a tour, go to edisonoxford.com.

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A small family business in Corinth creates historical reproductions not only for local customers but also for major motion pictures and hit Broadway shows. written by Melanie Crownover photographed by Joe Worthem

There are no flashing signs or catchy phrases pointing customers to the inconspicuous building housing C&D Jarnagin Company in downtown Corinth. No awards hang from the walls inside. Here the makers humbly let their work speak for itself, often in the national spotlight.

They made some of the uniforms and accessories worn in Hamilton, the Broadway hit that

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was nominated for a record-breaking 16 Tony Awards and won 11, including those for best musical and best costume design of a musical.

Now the Jarnagin staff is working on British military hats for the upcoming touring show.

Their work with big productions like Hamilton began when the company did 90 percent of the costuming for the 1990 movie Glory, a war film starring Morgan Freeman that

Revolutionary and Civil War-era memorabilia, including uniforms, tinware and leatherware, are handmade by the staff at Corinth’s C&D Jarnagin Company. Carolyn Jarnagin (pictured at right) started the business with her late husband, Dale, in 1974.

spurred a nationwide boom in battle reenactments. More orders were to come for their historical reproductions.

Cold Mountain with Nicole Kidman was next. Then, The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise.

They’ve worked on costumes for HBO’s The Knack; the new Sleepy Hollow series on Fox; the History Channel’s Roots remake; and The Free State of Jones, starring Matthew McConaughey.

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Robin and David Jarnagin (pictured above) carry on the family business started by David’s parents. David specializes in shoemaking and leatherwork, and Robin handles customers ranging from local battle reenactors to Hollywood costume companies.

“We pay attention to those details and authentic tidbits the other guys might miss,” Robin Jarnagin said. “That’s what we’re here for.”

The Jarnagins’ historical reproductions make it to the screen and stage by way of businesses such as Hollywood’s United American Costume Company, which rents items out to television and movie studios for productions. UACC is one of the Jarnagins’ most faithful clients.

“We’ve used them for years and still do all the time,” UACC costumer Gabe Gerber said.

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“Any time we have a Revolutionary War scene, especially, we contact them. They’re high quality, and that’s something we appreciate because our costumes have to hold up.”

Almost every historically accurate military item on the Jarnagins’ inventory floor is handmade on site with American-made materials.

The collection features uniforms and accessories, including shoes, leather cartridge boxes and cap pouches, and pieces of tinware from camp-sized coffeepots and lanterns – all replications of the real things as they appeared from

approximately 1750 to 1860.

“We work to use quality raw materials that are as well researched as our patterns and details,” Robin said. “There are plenty of sutlers out there who’ll go to reenactments to sell goods, and most of it is made with cheap wool and metals that aren’t made to hold up. We had a guy come in the other day to replace pants he bought from us 20 years ago.”

The Jarnagins’ handiwork has been popular among knowledgeable historic reenactors for years, and they fill as many special orders for

individuals as for studio and stage customers.

They’ve also done costuming for the Old Guard for U.S. presidential inaugurations, used by leaders such as George W. Bush. And they have worked on huge contracts with branches of the U.S. military to create headto-toe ceremonial uniforms of one soldier from each war, Revolutionary to Spanish-American, a number of which are currently in museums.

Most of their business comes by word of mouth. The work is so labor-intensive that one handmade coffeepot alone takes tinsmith James Embry more than three hours to fabricate.

The historical accuracy and craftsmanship of the Jarnagin line stems from the shop’s beginnings with Robin’s in-laws, Dale and Carolyn Jarnagin. Crafting such pieces started when the couple was living in Boulder, Colorado, and friends requested their own Civil War soldier costumes to match the ones Carolyn sewed for her young son and husband one Halloween.

After Dale’s health restricted him from working as a museum curator, she taught him to stitch so he could work on historical reproductions while she was at her own job.

The hobby became a business before the pair moved to the Corinth area to be close to the Shiloh battle site, opening C&D Jarnagin Company in 1974.

“This is about as authentic as you get.

Most of the equipment I work on to make our leatherware are even antiques,” son David Jarnagin said. “In the ’60s and ’70s, our family spent a lot of time at shows and out with metal detectors to find original pieces to base our items on. We’ve visited a lot of museums to get permission to handle items to make patterns and have put together a pretty good collection of original items that give us an up-close look at how things were put together.”

Dale died in 1999, but his passion for history still lives on through his family. Carolyn is in charge of the patterns and cutting in the sewing room, David handles all of the shoemaking and other leatherwork, and Robin makes sure the customers are satisfied, whether the products are going next door or as far as Russia or England.

“We took this over together when my husband was still sick, and it’s been a natural thing for us to carry on together as a family,” Carolyn said. “That’s the way it’s always been.”

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY GREG CAMPBELL

PHOTOGRAPHED BY SALLY MALONE

ANNIVERSARY

June–July 2007

YOUR WEDDING

Food, gown, ring make your day

ART FOR HEART Supple family honored

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Event raises money

October 2006

June/July 2007

Invitation

September 2008

In Invitation Oxford, I get to read articles about everyday people in our community doing extraordinary things. Invitation Oxford is like a good friend that you get excited to see and look forward to each time y’all will meet again.

Oxford

The cover of our first bridal issue featured Jane Hyde Sheally, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Allen Smith. The bridal issue comes out every summer during Oxford’s big wedding season.

“HOMETOWN SPIRIT” ARTWORK BY PAMELA LOCKE

Invitation Oxford launched Oct. 1, 2006. The first cover photo was taken by publisher Rachel West’s mother, Sally Malone, from the balcony of City Grocery. The issue was 24 pages.

April 2009

-Jennifer Eastland, reader

Invitation Oxford 1

September 2008

On Sept. 26, 2008, The University of Mississippi hosted the first presidential debate between Senator John McCain and President Barack Obama at the Gertrude C. Ford Center.

2006

2007

First issue of Invitation Oxford hits stands

Set up shop in the Anchorage Building

October

TIMELINE 68

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

March

April 2009

Our first Double Decker Arts Festival issue featured local artist Glennray Tutor’s 2003 poster art and included a round-up of all past poster art from the festival.

2007

2008

Switched from newsprint to glossy paper

First full-time employee hired

December

September

ARTWORK BY GLENNRAY TUTOR

Invitation Oxford turns a decade strong this month. Take a look back at some of our favorite moments from the past 10 years.

Premiere Bridal Edition

August 2010

The cover story From Pasture to Plate featured small local farms such as Woodson Ridge and Poultry in Motion. It celebrated the farm-to-table movement and highlighted local produce, poultry and meat.

ARTWORK BY KENNETH FRANKLIN

FEBRUARY 2012

PHOTOGRAPHED BY MEGAN MARASCALCO

November 2011

Our first Children’s Cover Contest winners were twins Elsie and Tucker James. The annual cover contest continued for two more years, until August 2012, with more than 500 children participating.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Amazing schools, parties, achievements

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DIANNE BOND OF BELLA VIE PHOTOGRAPHY

Children

NOVEMBER 2011

APRIL 2013

We have been advertising with Invitation Oxford since day one, and it’s been a great 10 years together.

We look forward to 10 more years of all the best our region has to offer.

-Chuck Cooper of Van Atkins

Made with Love ICE CREAM, LOCAL ART, CUSTOM CARS AND MORE

February 2012

Oxford residents know the names Faulkner, Manning and Lamar, but the town is full of other notable locals.

This issue explored the history behind Molly Barr, Sarah Isom, William Neilson and others.

April 2013

This cover photo shoot was extra sweet. Clarksdale’s Sweet Magnolia Gelato Co., with ice cream and gelato flavors like salty caramel, peanut butter chip and lemon drop, has become an Oxford favorite.

2009

2010

First football and fashion issue

Redesigned logo and magazine

September

February

2010 Spring

First home and garden special edition

2010 May

First issue of Invitation Tupelo

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ANNIVERSARY

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

NOVEMBER 2013

FEBRUARY 2014

Warm up with

NEW LOCAL LIT

November 2013

February 2014

FOOTBALL AND FASHION 2014

Football & Fashion

Four local authors shared what makes their writing spaces special. The rooms ranged from a home office lined with books to a spot on the Square complete with a bar to a front porch outfitted with camping chairs.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Sgt. Chevonne Crockette was the cover model for this issue, which celebrated women of service. In honor of Veterans Day, four Oxford women told their stories about what the military means to them.

FEBRUARY 2015

CHUCKY MULLINS' LEGACY, AT HOME WITH THE BJORKS AND WEEKEND ROAD TRIPS

September 2014

Brett Thomas posed for the cover of our largest issue to date, at 240 pages. This football edition honored legendary Ole Miss football player Chucky Mullins on the 25th anniversary of his fatal accident.

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

SWING INTO SPRING AT

SWAYZE

February 2015

FIELD

The first-ever baseball issue featured illustrations by Laurie B. Fisher and gave readers an inside guide to Swayze Field. The issue also included a look back at the Rebels’ trip to the College World Series in Omaha.

2012

2013

Reformatted to smaller size and perfect binding

Relocated offices to North Lamar Boulevard

April

ARTWORK BY LAURIE G. FISHER

I love Invitation Oxford because it’s all about our local community. I always know what events are coming up and learn interesting things about people in my own town.

-Diana Cissell , reader

Spring

June/July 2015

MEET BRICK

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

PET ISSUE

The front-porch swing bed of Natalie and Tim Hamm’s custom-built farmhouse in Denmark is a popular spot for the couple and their four children. Their home is full of handcrafted items the Hamms created.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

THE

NOVEMBER 2015

November 2015

This bridal issue cover of Prenya Rajendran and Sameer Tapryal’s wedding celebration in Honolulu, Hawaii, was our most liked and most shared profile picture on social media.

FEBRUARY 2016

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANNY K PHOTOGRAPHY

JUNE/JULY 2015

OCTOBER 2016

“Advertising with Invitation Oxford has been a tremendous experience.

The magazine’s ideas, images and stories are so moving. I really feel that the company cares about the results. Invitation is more than just a magazine; it’s a real part of Oxford.”

-Mark Cleary of RE/MAX

PAGE 12

PETS AT WORK

Local Businesses and Their Four-Legged Assistants

FINDING THEIR FOREVER HOMES A Story of Foster Pets

A TRIBUTE TO MAMACITA

AN OXFORD BUCKET LIST

Cat Queen of the Square

for Rover

February 2016

The cover model for our first pet issue was Brick, Moni and Stuart Simpson’s German shepherd-Chow mix.

Brick was one of the many rescue dogs featured in a story about foster pets finding their forever homes.

2014

February

Launched food blog on website

ANNIVERSARY

October 2016

Ten years after the first edition of Invitation, we returned to the City Grocery balcony to re-create the original cover. This view of the Square never gets old, especially with a Pimm’s Cup in hand.

2014

September

Celebrating 10 years of Invitation Oxford

Largest magazine to date (240 pages)

2015

February

Redesigned invitationoxford.com

2016

October

10-year anniversary

TIMELINE October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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OXFORD ART CRAWL The monthly Oxford Art Crawl was held Aug. 23 at various locations around town. Guests enjoyed exhibits by local artists, a silent art auction and a reception at the Powerhouse. photographed by Joey Brent

Chris and Ashlan Glaze

Andrea Leyva and Lara Davis

Steven Mockler and Ben Strassman

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Catlin Hopper and Caren Watts

Vinny Udeshi, Johauna Lambrecht and Haruka Shigetomi

Brad Windham and Taylor Lowe

David Hill with Precious and Makayla Rocket and Alfred Tyson

Leah and Steve Wooten

Betty and Travis Smith

SAVE THE DATE 5th Annual

Saturday, November 12 at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center during the Ole Miss/Texas A&M game. Doors open 2 hours before kickoff.

SILENT AUCTION . CASH BAR. FOOD FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS

Title Sponsors:

Opportunities available for monetary, food, and silent auction sponsorships.

Contact YPO@OXFORDMS.COM for more info.

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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DANCING LIKE THE STARS The 11th annual Dancing Like the Stars event was held Aug. 20 at the BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo.

The event raised more than $200,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi. Julie Yoste performed on behalf of the Oxford club. photographed by Lisa Roberts

Ernie and Machelle Williams

John Owen, John, Geoffrey and Gigi Yoste

Clifton and Barrie Van Cleave

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Amelia Miller, Beau Wilson, Ashley Wilkinson and Heather Wilson

Chandler Laws, Elizabeth Heiskell, Julie Harper and Jennifer Eastland

Michael and Mike Dennis with Julie Yoste and Jane, Jessica and Amy Dennis

Margaret and Kat King

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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LAFAYETTE VS. HORN LAKE FOOTBALL Lafayette High School hosted Horn Lake Aug. 19 for its first home football game of the 2016 season.

The Commodores lost to the Eagles 17-26. photographed by Joey Brent

Brittany and Destiny Johnson

Brook Savage and La’Keirra Owens

Madison Sharp, Harley Gossett and Canton Foley

Sue and Johnny Brown with Chris Busby

Braxton McCord and Blake Boggan

Ryan and Charlotte Avant

Julianna Michael and Natalie Boone

Emma and Jeremy Chance

Brooklynn McCullar and Laura Kesler

Joshua and Mary McNeese

Kim and Joe Maples

Ron and Lizzy Hays

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Susan Dempsey, Michele Adams and Lori Gardner

Kiersten Ridings, Brittney Jackson, Robin Ware and Erica McCoy

Judy and John Cooper

Sandra and Larry Allen

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FIRST-TO-KNOW CHAMBER BREAKFAST The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce hosted a breakfast Aug. 26 at the Oxford Conference Center. The featured speaker was University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeff Vitter. photographed by Joey Brent

Frances Bryant and Suzanne James

Steve Vassallo and Ryan Miller

Mike Gates, Glen Baggett and Brett Hobson

Mille Smith and Charlotte McCormick

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Betsy and Dave Johnston

Brittany Daves, Ryan Thomas and Shelley Williams

Hope Sneed, Leigh Fox, Peyton Warrington, Kathy Williams and Vicki Sneed

Jake and Carolyne Ott

Christy and Ron Knapp

Kelsie Wright and Bonnie Farris

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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THEATRE OXFORD’S CRIMES OF THE HEART Theatre Oxford presented Crimes of the Heart Aug. 25 at the Powerhouse. The Pulitzer Prizewinning play was written by Beth Henley and directed by Debra Anderson. photographed by Joey Brent

Emmy Parkes and Holly Clay

Gay and Steve Case

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Debra Anderson and Logan Tabasco

Kell Kellum and Kate Cleveland

Mary and Frank Poole with Eloween Lewis

Wendall and Ann Sullivan

Jacob Rafal, Catherine Abadie, Evelina Mineikyte, Sierra Dexter and Nicholas Thornhill

Taylor Metz and Sue Hutchinson

Rene Pullian and Christopher Schager

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SHELTER A LA KING The Shelter on Van Buren hosted a tribute to Elvis Presley on Aug. 16, the anniversary of the musician’s death. Guests performed iconic Elvis songs and enjoyed refreshments. photographed by Joey Brent

Kate Prendergrast and Connor King

Jackie Hunt and Carolyn Pierce

Cody Sanders and Connor Heitzmann

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Lewis and Shelby Smith

Mary Ann Harbin and Ramona Moss

Steve McGregory and Sherry Hollowell

Teri Bowie with Donna and Bob Killen

Zacarah Nelms and Lucy Fyfe

Tina Brock and Alicia Bouldin

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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SMALL HALL CONCERT SERIES Anne Freeman & the Garbage Sons performed Aug. 24 on the balcony of the McDavid Law Firm on the Square. The show was the first performance of the 2016 Small Hall concert series. photographed by Joey Brent

Kala Waltman and Kate Teague

Jessica Hinton with Stephanie and Jason Davis

Anne Freeman and Jeff Dennis

Joe, Emma and Kathryn York

Sims Tullos and K.C. Kellum

Steve and Leah Wooten

Daisey Martinez and Heather Williams

Rick and Nia Carlton

Mimi Zhao and Lauren Weathers

Betsy Webster and Emma Tkachuck

Zoe McDonald and Sylvia Crowder

names names Lisa Chandler names names and Teeny names Costley names names

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Chrissy Wilson, Mackenzie Poole and Brianna Johnson

Tiffany and Will Moore

Amy King and David Woolworth

Hank Haney and Shannon Curtis

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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FOOD TRUCK FIGHT The Food Truck Fight took place Aug. 28 at the Old Armory Pavilion. The event teamed up local food industry businesses and nonprofit organizations, with a portion of proceeds benefiting local charities. photographed by Joey Brent

Alice King and Amy Evans

Meg and Brad Hayder with Kakky Brown

Matthew Kennedy and Caroline Reiner

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Lottie, Whitney and Shannon Crowe

Josh McCoy and Taylor Davidson

Philip Loria and Mary Sexton

Katie and Bradley Goodwiller with Rachel Cason and Brittney Westmon

Betsy and James Person

Kaitlyn Crawford and Ally Hogan

Monique and Heath Horan

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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OPD FAMILY FUN DAY The Oxford Police Department held a family fun day Sept. 3 at the police station. The event included tours, children’s games, prizes and refreshments. photographed by Jessica Richardson

Shawn Parish, Bella Vega and Addison Arnold

Brittany McKinney and Buster Hollowell

Acyn, Jennifer and Nash Harrell

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John and Dawn Cleveland

Lori and Hailey Parker

Nichole and Lily Baker

Kevin and Bernice Rys

Matt and Addison Wright with Todd and Logan Griffith

Quanda Johnson, Rayford Moore and Caden Holmes

Caiden Flynn, Cate Hughes and Carter Flynn

Malley, Pamela and Reece Mooneyham

Josh Ferguson and Stephen Wood

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

INVITATION Oxford Follow Invitation Oxford on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to find out what’s happening around Oxford.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @invitationoxford

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @invoxford Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .eps

Facebook “f ” Logo

CMYK / .eps

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/invitationoxford

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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FIRE UP & CALM DOWN POP-UP WORKOUT RebelWell hosted two pop-up exercise classes Sept. 5 in the Grove: a cardio boot camp workout and a yoga class. photographed by Joey Brent

Tredarious Coleman and Keith Evans

Kamari and Kimesha Jones

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Gwen Knight and Mary Grace Schneider

Marina Phelps and Erin Ridout

Hallie Thomas with Annie and Thaddeus Hooper and Laura Lynn Lester

Amy Wilkes and Amy Scruggs

Stevi Self and Christina Johnson with Deborah and Ellie Jones

Riley and Raina Woolworth

Nicole and Bridget Brouillette

VISIT BATESVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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BRADLEY GORDON ART RECEPTION A reception for artist Bradley Gordon was held on Sept. 6 at Grit restaurant in Taylor. Guests enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and live music

by Jared Spears & The Cakewalkers.

photographed by Joey Brent

Bradley Gordon and Ginny Sosebee

Jean Greenway, Beth Skinner, Mark Bradley and Lauren Lambert

Melissa Swetland and Danny Bullian

Eli and Kate Gross

92

Trey Goode, Wes Perry and Alex Wise

Courtney McAlexander and Kevin Lewellyn

Stephanie and Will Berry

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Obie Clark and Alice Hammell

Brooke Pumphrey, Kaitlyn Foresman and Caitlin Harper

Jennifer Mathus, Nicole Rottler and Chand Harlow

Amanda and Jay Golz

Jodi and Claude Rives

Larkin White and Christy Sundbeck

Courtney Covington and Risa Darby

Sparky Reardon and Donna Dieffenbach

Andy and Macon O’Bryan

Ferriday, Charles and Charly McClatchey

Becky Hiter and Rebecca Hood

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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CROSSTOWN CLASSIC FOOTBALL GAME The annual Crosstown Classic between the Oxford High School Chargers and the Lafayette High School Commodores was held Sept. 9 at Bobby Holcomb Field. LHS won 23-3. photographed by Jessica Richardson

Sydney Smiley and Lindsey Sneed

Jeremiah Brown and Teddy Mullin

Danielle Little and Robyn Lyons

Nicole and Cullen Roberson

Demaria McThume and Kelvin Fonville

Kennedy Shock and Jordan Holman

Harley Thomas and Maggee Hobson

Zharia Metcalf and Kyndal Madlock

John, Brooke, Natalie and Tatum Barry

Jaz Dunn and Kiyah Buford

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Michelle and Jackson Robinson with Shannon Curtis and Riley Woolworth

Hannah Spillers and Emerson Hultman

Kylie Robertson, Abby Clark and Melissa Guerra

John Poole, Hunter Story and Jay Pearson

Gabriel Hodge, Sydney Schroder and Elizabeth Wooten

Ja’Kaira Smith and Destiny Pegues

Chelsea Brock and LaTanya Dixon

Chase Kessinger, Ragan Freeze and Philip Rafferty

1400 University Ave • Oxford, MS 38655 • 662.234.3232 October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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A MIGHTY VOICE The fourth annual A Mighty Voice was held Sept. 7 at the Library Sports Bar to benefit the Thisbe and Noah Scott Foundation, which promotes research, awareness and support for children and families affected by pediatric neuromuscular diseases.

photographed by Joey Brent

Parker Kennedy and Devin Chadwick

Lydia Myers and Rachel Calhoun

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Christy and Corey Knighton

Peyton Self, Neicy Reid, Henry Self and Kathie Wilson

Roberth Grantham, John Green, Robert Paine, Eddie Willis, Brad Feltenstein and George Haymans

Hassell and Taylor Wilkinson

Betsy Scott and Kari Bailey

Peyton Curtis and Jocelyn Cropper

Preston and Meredith McAlexander with Ashley Luke

Kimber and Andy Kennedy

Lea and Nathan McCartney

2016

Sardis Lake Chapter

DU Banquet

NOV. 29 JACKSON CENTER 1111 Jackson Ave. Oxford, MS

For tickets, sponsorship information, or to become a committee member, contact: Joseph Murphy (662) 397-2608 Robbie Swearingen (662) 316-9381 Hunter Pridgen (662) 699-0208

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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S A V E T H E D A T E 5th Annual

Title Sponsors:

COMMUNITY­WIDE WATCH PARTY BENEFITING

FAMILY CRISIS SERVICES OF NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI Saturday, November 12 at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center during the Ole Miss/Texas A&M game. Doors open 2 hours before kickoff.

Opportunities available for monetary, food, and silent auction sponsorships.

Contact YPO@OXFORDMS.COM for more info.

SILENT AUCTION . CASH BAR . FOOD FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS

INVITATION Oxford Check out our

Fridays are tasty at INVITATIONOXFORD.COM! Visit our food blog for delicious recipes contributed by food blogger Kimme Hargrove each week.

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OUT AND ABOUT CONTINUED ON PAGE 100

BOZARTS GALLERY ART OPENING

Melissa Burrell and Lisa Chandler

Mari Foster, Snooky Williams and Elsie Booker

John Davis and Mary Lou Williams

TEACH FOR AMERICA ALUMNI RECEPTION

Alice Ricks and Jo Ann O’Quin

Sean Anthony and Cornelius Arther

Krystal Cormack, Ron Nurnberg and Michael Copperman

TRANSCULTURAL CARE RIBBON CUTTING

Suthern Dickinson, Donna Thomas, Olamide Alabi and Ayo Aderibigbe

Sharon Grace, Justin Ramsey and Chase Buchanan

THACKER MOUNTAIN RADIO SHOW

Coulter, Katie and Cody Morrison

Julia Jimenez and Tricia Joyce

Abby Carter and Dalton Huerkamp

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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OUT AND ABOUT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 99

REGENTS BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENT

RECEPTION FOR JUDGE GLENN ALDERSON’S 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

Renata, Jayden, Avery and Grant Heard

Paul Chiniche, John Gregory and Roy Percy

UM MUSEUM PANEL DISCUSSION

Jean Sparks and Laura Alderson

FOOTBALL FRIDAYS TAILGATING EVENT AT OXFORD FLORAL

Melanie Munns and Molly Paso-Pranger

Marti Funke and Alicia Dixon

Kevin Rodney and Linda Simmons

Renee and Alexa Mitchell

Patty Lewis and Margie Hooker

Kathleen Gordon and Rafe Hudson

ART HUNT LAUNCH PARTY

Patrick and Anna Booth Weems with Lucius Lamar, Kerry Hamilton and Susan Carter Hall

MUGG CAKES OPEN HOUSE

Kesler Smith and Lydia Blair

100

THE SHOW MUST GLOW ON OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER

K. Jefferson Brown and Mary Ruth Womble

INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Chase Caldwell, Presley Wright and Joseph McQueen

October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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TRI-LAKES ASPHALT, LLC

" Paving the Way " Commercial, Industrial and Residential Asphalt Paving Services Parking lots, driveways, streets, pathways, etc.

PROUDLY SERVING LAFAYETTE AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN NORTH MS

(662)234-4129

310 HERITAGE DR. OXFORD, MS

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INVITATION OXFORD | October 2016

Benefiting Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Sponsored by

and Art Smith, CFP

October 24, 2016 6:00-8:00 pm

Premier Bowling Lanes Oxford, Mississippi Form a team of 5, raise a minimum of $500 Contact Laurie at 601-981-3100 to register your team!

All bowlers treated to pizza, soft drinks and sandwiches and are eligible for GREAT door prizes!

Team raising the most for CFF gets a dinner for 10 at Rafters

Prizes for:

•Sportsmanship •Enthusiasm •Best score

Come join the fun!

If you cannot attend, please consider making a donation to CFF by contacting Molly at 662-801-5966 October 2016 | INVITATION OXFORD

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BETH ANN FENNELLY interviewed by Lena Anderson photographed by Mike Stanton

Writer and former director of the University of Mississippi’s MFA program Beth Ann Fennelly was recently named the state’s poet laureate.

Q: What was your reaction when you found out you were named Mississippi’s poet laureate?

A: Amazed, frankly. There are so many astonishing writers here; I’m taking over poet laureate from Natasha Trethewey. What a thrill to know I’m part of this list of Mississippi writers – names I’ve admired for so long.

Q: What does the role entail?

A: There are no strict guidelines, but my goal is to get poetry in front of as many Mississippians as possible.

Q: What is your advice to people who “don’t get” poetry?

A: Read a poem. Read it again and again. You have to learn a new way of reading, to be present, attentive and slow. The power of poetry can change your life. It changed mine.

Q:

As the director of UM’s MFA program from 2009 to 2016, what changes did you see?

A: Our program is now considered one of the top creative writing programs in the nation. We attract amazing students, and many of them are publishing books already. It’s super gratifying.

Q: What can you tell us about your new book, Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs?

A: It’s a collection of brief creative nonfiction essays. Some are recollections from childhood, some are quirky cultural observations, some are scenes or snatches of overheard conversations.

Readers will find a lot of Oxford in this book.

Q: What’s your favorite way to spend a free day about town?

A: A sun-filled afternoon wandering the Holy Temple of Square Books; Avent Park with my [three] kids; and a gin and tonic, extra lime, on the City Grocery balcony with my husband [writer Tom Franklin] and friends.

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