Annual Chamber Awards presented
Three individuals and one entire family received recognition at the Nov. 21 Byhalia Area Chamber Awards Luncheon, held at scenic Hedge Farms.
An estimated 85 people were in attendance to witness Susan Bonds, Charles Crain, Brian Woods and the entire Pennington family receive recognition for service rendered to the community.
The Helping Hands Award, given to Susan Bonds, is an award for volunteerism and humanitarian efforts that have positively impacted the Byhalia and Marshall County area.
Bonds, deeply rooted in Byhalia, has supported numerous causes including the Byhalia Garden Club, the Byhalia Arts Council, the Chamber, the election commission and the new DRIVE Initiative. She is instrumental in working with architects and contractors and the mayor in the Old School Commons Restoration Project.
The Bonafide Byhalia Spirit Award went to Charles Crain, who embodies the spirit of dedication to Byhalia. A pillar of the community, he has dedicated his service to Byhalia as a member of the Lions club, the Chamber, the Keep Mississippi Beautiful, the Industrial Development Authority community Steering Committee, the Mississippi Real Estate Commission and the Northcentral Mississippi Insurance Association. He will always talk about Byhalia, introducing strangers to the town he calls home.
The Business of the Year Award went to Woods Construction for demonstrating a positive social and economic impact in the Marshall County area. Brian Woods accepted the award on behalf of his business, which has impacted the community through donations to Drug Free, to landscaping in Byhalia, donations to the Lions Club, work at the Byhalia High School, providing a dirt pad for Marshall Academy’s baseball field, and donations to the Sheriff’s Department and Christmas Box program through the Baptist Church. In January, Woods Construction helped salt the streets during the freeze.
The White Oak Award was presented to the entire Pennington family, including Russell, Amanda and Rosemary, wife of Rufus (deceased in 2024) and Russell and Amanda’s children James, Silas, Jonah, and Emma.
The White Oak Award recognizes those with deep roots in the community who have demonstrated longstanding leadership, community service and involvement in growth and sustainability.
The late Rufus Pennington provided abundant community services supporting the town by flying flags, repairing light bulbs at the old arena, doing crane work at the Byhalia schools, and lifting the cabooses at the county schools.
They supported The Junior Achievement Program classes for school classes, loaned a dunk tank to the schools for events, and provided crane work on school score boards.
Rosemary served 20 years on the Marshall County School Board and was involved in PTA.
The Penningtons are involved with Feeding Hearts and Hearts and Hands food pantries.
Russell served 13 years and Rufus served 41 on the Byhalia Volunteer Fire Department, both serving as assistant chiefs. They built Station #2 and Byhalia’s first water tanker in their welding shop. Rosemary served in the Ladies Auxiliary to raise funds for the fire department.
Russell is a deacon of 21 years at South Wood Baptist Church.
The “Face of Volunteering,” Russell has served in that capacity for Northcentral Electric Cooperative 20 years.
The wives were always working behind the scenes supporting those on the front lines. The children are walking in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents.