West Civic Club
At Wednesday's Civic club meeting we had nine members present. It was great seeing everyone again. President Carol Black led the group in the club prayer and Sara McLellan led the group in our Pledge of Allegiance. Hostesses this month were Ms. Billie Aldridge and Ms. Mary Cade. Thank you ladies. The theme of their decorations was centered around Mardi Gras, as well as the fact they made a delicious King Cake even with a baby in the cake found by Carol Black, the lucky one to receive the baby. Mrs. Lori Putman was nominated as a prospective new member for our club by Suzanne Bowie, voted on and accepted as an official member. She and her husband are having a house remodeled here in West and we are looking forward to having them as members of the Town of West. Looking forward to seeing you Ms. Lori.
Ms. Lynn Hathcock read the minutes of our last meeting. They were approved as read. For our new business we were discussing the prices of getting someone to mow our club area, Jean Aldridge is looking into getting some information and will get back with the club later.
We then discussed doing the Easter Baskets, which we will do on April 7, 10:00am at our club room. Mary Ann Stevens is going to keep an eye open and try to get some Easter Buckets like we had last year, Mary Cade volunteered to get the fillings to put into the bags, and Suzanne has offered to order the cellophane bags and ribbons. Members are asked to participate on the day of assembly and distributing to our list of people that are ill or shut in and cannot get out and about. Maryann Stevens then gave us an update on the meeting of people they are working with for our grant application. Nothing has really been decided. Thank you Maryann for doing this. Our Collect was read and we dismissed . Refreshments were then served and meeting adjourned. Thank you to all who have participated in our meeting attending, hosting and all the other various projects to go along with keeping an organization up and running. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that we still have t-shirts from last year available for sale. You may get ahold of Carol Black on this matter at the number listed below. Most sizes are still available.
Our March meeting is hosted by Ms. Lynn Hathcock , Meredith Fancher. and Carol Black. Hope that you are all able to attend. Anyone interested in becoming a member or just wanting to visit please give any of the members a call or you may call Carol Black at 662-967-2062.
21st Century Club
Mrs. Doug King presented a program on Mississippi author Janice Branch Tracy at the February meeting of the Twenty-First Century Club. Mrs. Tracy, who has family from Attala County, was born in the Delta and grew up in the Jackson area. She is the author of Mississippi Moonshine Politics, The Juke Joint King of the Mississippi Hills and Adopted in Texas: The Story of Homestead.
Mrs. King read excerpts from the books, which recorded events Mrs. Tracy grew up hearing about at family gatherings. Upon her retirement in 2004, Mrs. Tracy began researching the life of one of her relatives, Tilman Branch, who was a bootlegger in Central Mississippi. She wrote the book The Juke Joint King of the Mississippi Hills about Branch. She later wrote Mississippi Moonshine Politics about the politics involved in prohibition and the legalization of alcohol in Mississippi. Mrs. Tracy’s book, Adopted in Texas: The Story of Homestead, is the story of Homestead Maternity Home in Ft. Worth, Texas. Mrs. King said this book is probably Mrs. Tracy’s greatest legacy. She explained that through a great deal of genealogical research, Mrs. Tracy helped many people who were adopted in Texas find their birth parents. Mrs. Tracy transitioned her family history research hobby into a blog entitled “Mississippi Memories, which Family Tree Magazine named one of its Top Forty Blogs in 2011 and 2013.
Hostesses for the meeting, which was held at the Mary Ricks Thornton Cultural Center, were Mrs. Mike Ryan and Mrs. Jimmy Wallace.
President Mrs. Edward Bryant called the meeting to order and Parliamentarian Mrs. Jerry Mooney led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Mrs. Frank Bailey led the group in a devotional.
Club members present at the November meeting were Mrs. Frank Bailey, Mrs. Edward Bryant, Mrs. John Bryant, Mrs. Al Chadick, Mrs. Edward Fenwick, Mrs. Lamar Hooker, Mrs. Jerry Mooney, Mrs. Owen Oliver, Mrs. Keith Paton, Jr., Mrs. Billy Proctor, Mrs. John Shaw, Mrs. Gerry Taylor, Mrs. Hugh Potts, Jr., Mrs. Jimmy Wallace, Mrs. Mike Ryan and Mrs. Larry Terrell. Honorary Members Mrs. Fred Allen Bell and Mrs. Billie Wasson were also in attendance.
