
Thursday, June 1, 2009
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Society

City Personals
Mary Clay Brooks

Mary Neely Jones, Peyton Stephenson and Amanda Barnett go to camp

Virginia Sansone was the guest of Wanda Boyd last week. Mrs. Sansone is now residing at Cordova Estates Retirement Home.

It was another successful year of Vacation Bible School for the Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. They have a joint Bible school every summer. This year, the theme was “Discovery Canyon.” Each night, the children learned their Bible memory verse, enjoyed their crafting sessions with Yvonne Simpson and Carolyn Hewlitt, the fun science lab, fabulous sing-a-longs directed by Prentis Boatwright and helper, Penny Lomenick, and hearing story telling. The last night was capped off with a rock climbing wall. Adults and children alike had a wonderful time throughout the week.

Friday was a beautiful day in Holly Springs so when the rains and straight line winds came, it was a surprise. A friend of mine was watering her plants in the county and said she noticed how the sky was black our direction. She thought nothing of it. A few minutes later, she knew why it was dark here! Poor Byhalia was ravaged - trees down, power out and debris flying everywhere. Gene, my husband, was in a warehouse when it was hit by a tornado, ripping off one corner of the roof. We were so fortunate in Holly Springs to have escaped the pounding fury of the night. Please keep the people in Byhalia in your prayers as they regroup and get their houses back in order!

Amanda Barnett, daughter of Anita and Heath Barnett, recently returned from Girl Scout Camp. She attended with her friend, Mabry Freeland, daughter of Elizabeth and Guy Landingham.

Mary Neely Jones, daughter of Nancy and Ki Jones, and Peyton Stephenson, daughter of Kada and Chris Stephenson, just returned from Wee-Bit camp at Camp Hopewell. The girls had a wonderful time!

Monday night, Holly Springs was like a ghost town. Our lights flickered a few times and then went out completely. I attempted calling the utility department, to no avail. The number kept ringing busy and when it did ring, it rang off the hook with no answer. We got in the car and headed to the south side of town. When we turned on Van Dorn and looked east, it was pitch black. The square was still lit, so figured it was just on our side of town. When we headed west on Chulahoma this side of Craft Street, it looked like a black hole! There were no lights - no street lights, no lights on in homes, no stop lights, just darkness. We turned on Craft heading out towards the highway. It, too, was pitch black! It was like our town had fallen off the map! I kept wondering what travellers on Highway 78 thought. You know how when you are going on a trip, you have certain places you stop for a rest? Imagine if Holly Springs was a stop for someone on their trip?! They would have wondered what in the world happened to us! There was nothing - just pitch black darkness. It was really spooky. Crazy thing about it is that we had that little storm earlier in the evening but by the time the power went out, there was nothing - not a rain drop in site! Strange...

(To put your news in City Personals, please e-mail maryclayb@yahoo.com; mail to City Personals, The South Reporter, P.O. Box 278, Holly Springs, MS 38635 or call 662-252-4261. You may also e-mail your City Personal news to south@dixie-net.com).

Miss Katrina Johnson to wed Rickey Raimey-LeSueur Sr. June 20 at Mighty God Ministries

Katrina Johnson and Rickey Raimey-LeSueur Sr.

Clyde Boga and Virgia Johnson of Holly Springs are pleased to announce the engagement and forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Katrina A. Johnson, to minister Rickey V. Raimey-LeSueur Sr., son of the late Rivers Lee LeSueur and Naomi Raimey Freeman of Holly Springs.

The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late Mr. Giles and Mrs. Lucy McClain Johnson of Holly Springs.

Katrina is an honor graduate of Holly Springs High School and a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in management information systems. She is employed with FedEx Express.

The prospective groom is the grandson of the late Matt LeSueur Sr. and Susie Anner Hughes LeSueur and the late Willie Raimey Sr. and Ethel Mae Foote Raimey, all of Holly Springs.

Minister Rickey is a graduate of Holly Springs High School and a graduate of Brewster Theological Clinic and School of Religion, Inc. in Memphis, Tenn., where he received a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies. He is the owner and operator of Rick’s Auto Refresh and Repair.

The couple will exchange vows Saturday, June 20 at 4 p.m. at Mighty God Ministries, in a ceremony officiated by Pastor Marvin Brooks. A reception will immediately follow. Family and friends are cordially invited to attend.

Museuming
Lois Swanee Shipp
Museum Curator

Director gets help from community moving back to museum building

We are in the process of moving at the museum and it is really thrilling - well - most of the time. Two days this past week we were beginning to empty the trailers but still have a lot more. It takes a while to move 40,000 things.

We were using “free” labor from the jail (along with the deputy).

We opened the trailer and one of the helpers picked up the first thing in the trailer, which was an antique meter box from early Holly Springs. The helper said, “Want me to throw this away?”

A lot of the things need to be put together, repaired, mended, glued. But the best thing so far has been the elevator! Wow! It’s so smooth that it glides up and down and yet never goes anywhere. The helpers enjoyed it a lot.

We have been in possession of the museum for nearly three months and we’re moving mighty slow as the rains are against us, even if we are still an inch below normal.

It rains, rains, rains, or promises to rain. The artifacts can’t take the rain and neither can I. So the last time I had help we moved things inside the building and will work internally.

In the morning Tom (Terrific) Phillips is coming to help and bringing four helpers. We are moving many things into place. Tom bought Colonsay Cottage and is restoring that and he bought Linwood’s Store. He’s from Memphis and has a lovely family.

Volunteers from Collierville, Olive Branch and Barlett have offered to help. From Holly Springs we have had three volunteers. Wake up, you all! This is your museum. At the rate I’m going it will be next Pilgrimage before we get moved back in.

Bill Kivelle (the Lion King) was in charge of the restoration and he did a super job. Our county spent a half million dollars renovating this building and did a magnificent job.

However, we urgently need money. Moving is expensive and the expenditures are for one-time things, such as carpeting for the stairs, shades for windows, paint, carpentry work. None of these are free and all are necessary. This is part of the job of making this place live up to its ancestors who created this great spot on earth.

The Square Museum has been wonderful and still is. We’ll get everything in place at the old museum then move this one so we aren’t out of business long. We are interested in any helpful ideas you might have for this job.

Teach your children about our incredible history and please share the museum with them and that it is part of their cultural heritage. Our town and county are just full of culture that we want to share with you.

June is supposed to be made of perfect days (if ever) but right now we are reeling from being soaked day after day, week after week. But when that sun peeks through, the days are fantastically beautiful, The best part is the days are long and we don’t have to wear a coat.

If we didn’t have a museum, who would tell people of our heritage and the fascinating things that took place here? Who would tell them of the great, honorable people who first settled here? Those people had vision and planned (on paper) the whole map of the city and also the county. It was kind of like Europe. Our town sits on a square, like in England where the business hub is in the center. Plantations were outside of town but in many cases they had town houses, too, like the European way. History repeats itself in many ways.

The first two of the school portraits have emerged and it was Byhalia of 1956 and Holly Springs of 1944. We also found Kate Clark’s intriguing sewing machine and it is so beautiful. I wondered if she sewed or she had someone to sew those beautiful dresses that were in her wardrobe.

Being on the square has been a thrilling adventure also and I know that this will be even more exciting. We have been fortunate to have “arty” Ann Jones to be a part of it and she has painted a gorgeous mural in the wildlife room. Jennifer Bone has been my great secretary who keeps things together. Then the government sent us some older citizens who want to work. I call them the “Gray Panthers.” They are Wanda Boyd, Ann Reed and Betty Shelton. We are going to name the volunteers on a permanent list to show our appreciation. I called one teenage friend to see if he could help us move and his reply was, “I’m no Hulk Hogan.” We’re not looking for ‘Hulk Hogans,” we want dedicated volunteers to help us move your museum. Give us a call at 662 252-3669; we need your volunteerism.

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