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University Physicians at Grants Ferry provides exceptional care close to home. With more than 20 specialties and the latest technology all in one location, you can rely on University Physicians for treating your entire family. From family medicine and cardiac care to sports medicine and neurology, our specialists can treat your medical concerns.

University Physicians at Grants Ferry is committed to outstanding care and is backed by University of Mississippi Health Care – the state’s only Academic Medical Center. So no matter what your health care needs may be, you can always rely on the expertise of University Physicians.

Shouldn’t your doctor be a University physician?

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 888.815.2005. To request an appointment online, visit umhc.com/grantsferry. Grants Ferry

Each one a specialist. Each one a neighbor. All at Grants Ferry.

Each one a specialist. Each one a specialist. Each one a neighbor. Each one a neighbor. All at Grants Ferry.

University Physicians at Grants Ferry provides exceptional care close to home. With more than 20 specialties and

7175-1_GF_AD_RankinLiving.indd 1 4/25/11 8:21 AM

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Honoring a Hero...On April 16, 2011 thousands of Rankin County citizens lined HWY 471 from Pinelake

Church into downtown Brandon all the way to New Brandon Cemetery on Star Road

to honor and show their respects for fallen Marine Staff Sgt. Jason Rogers. It was an

amazing scene as hundreds of Patriot Guard Riders, local law enforcement and family

and friends escorted Rogers on motorcycles to the cemetery. One thing is for sure, the

people of Rankin County support their own. We really are one big family. (Inset photo

top left - The Brandon Fire Department showed their respects by hanging this giant

American flag across the procession route in downtown Brandon to honor Rogers.) -

PHOTO BY GREG PEVEY, Pevey Publishing,

LLC

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Hot & spicy...Crawfish are now in season and nothing hits the spot on these beautiful spring after-

noons than hanging out with friends and family and enjoying this cajun cuisine. Crawfish

farming has developed into the largest freshwater crustacean aquaculture industry in

the United States. Louisiana leads the nation, producing more than 90% of the domes-

tic crop. More than 1,600 farmers produce crawfish in some 111,000 acres of ponds.

More than 800 commercial fisherman harvest crawfish from natural wetlands, primarily

the Atchafalaya Basin. The combined annual yield ranges from 75 million to 105 million

pounds. The total economic impact on the Louisiana economy exceeds $120 million an-

nually, and more than 7,000 people depend directly or indirectly on the crawfish

industry. - PHOTO BY GREG PEVEY, Pevey Publishing, LLC

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BeD oF roses...These Lady Banks Yellow Roses at the home of Brenda Horn in Pearl, stretch

an amazing 17 feet along the back-side of her home and extending close to 6

feet into the yard. What started as two plants has grown into a massive wall of

roses with hundreds and hundreds of blooms each Spring. - PHOTO BY GREG

PEVEY, Pevey Publishing, LLC

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Volume 1, Issue 4May/June 2011

Published by

Pevey Publishing, LLC

Publishers

Greg & Mendy Pevey

Guest Columnist

Gunter Pevey

Contributing Writers

Edward Early, Greg Pevey, Natalie Winningham

Contributing Photographers

Greg Pevey, Inky the Clown, Blue Haven Pools &

Spas, Natalie Winningham, University Physicians

Advertising Sales

Greg Pevey - 601-503-7205

Mendy Pevey - 601-941-1323

Tyra Murphy - 601-454-1021

Rankin Living Magazine™ is published bi-monthly by Pevey Publishing, LLC to promote Rankin County, it’s residents and businesses in an informative and positive manner. We welcome contributions of articles and photos; however, they will be subject to editing and availability of space and subject matter. Photographs, comments, questions, subscription requests and ad placement inquiries are invited! Return envelopes and postage must accompany all labeled materials submitted if a return is requested. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Rankin Living Magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement. Pevey Publishing, LLC is not affiliated with any community organization. Subscriptions are $24 (1 year, 6 issues). Make checks payable to Pevey Publishing, LLC and mail to: 405 Knights Cove West, Brandon, MS 39047 or subscribe online at www.rankinliving.com.

Pevey Publishing, llCRankin Living Magazine

405 Knights Cove West • Brandon, MS 39047Phone: 601-503-7205 • Fax: 601-992-2885

email: publisher@rankinliving.comwww.rankinliving.com

To Contact Rankin Living > LETTERS, STORY IDEAS AND PHOTO SUBMISSIONS • Email Rankin Living at publisher@rankinliving.com or mail to Rankin Living Magazine, 405 Knights Cove West, Brandon, Mississippi 39047. Letters should include writer’s full name, address and home phone number and may be edited for clarity and space.

Your ad will be seen in Rankin Living Magazine. Call today to reserve your space in the July/August issue at 601-503-7205 or email us at publisher@rankinliving.com.

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Visit our Website atwww.rankinliving.com

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On the Cover: It’s Springtime in Rankin County. Get out and enjoy! - Photo by Greg Pevey

Features

Departments10 Scenery of the SeasonA look at Springtime around Rankin County

16 New to the Area?Important area phone listings for those who are new in the county

40 On My Mind...Guest commentary by Gunter Pevey

10 14 28Contents14 Making us Crazy for Crawfish

32 The Clown Next Door

36 Rankin Health

18 Pearl’s Crown Jewel

22 Backyard Oasis

28 Debbie Thornton

The new Berry’s Bugs in Pearl is the areas hottest spot for fresh crawfish and other gulf specialties

A Q&A with Mississippi’s favorite joker Inky the Clown

University Physicians: Providing specialized care in Rankin County

Family owned Crown Jewelers in Pearl has been a staple in the community for almost 25 years with no plans of slowing down

Blue Haven Pools & Spas in Flowood can transform your backyard into your personal vacation retreat

Blonde moments and divine revelations

SHOPRANKINFIRST

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scenery ofthe season

It’s time to get out in the yard and dig up all those weeds as warmer weather is here to stay. At Old Fannin Road Farmer’s Market, between Lakeland Drive and Spillway Road, you can get just what you need to change your yard from ‘drab’ to ‘fab’!

Beautiful flowers and plants abound as you can get everything you need to spruce things up around your home. Also available is fresh produce from gardens and farmers across the county. You can also find Mississippi made products from molasses, pepper sauce, candy and more. Make sure to stop by as you prepare your home for a get-together with friends or a Mother’s Day or cook-out in the backyard. Nothing is more welcoming and relaxing than spending these warm sunny afternoons in the backyard surrounded with beautiful plants and flowers from Old Fannin Farmer’s Market open Monday - Sat-urday 8:am - 6:00 pm and 12:00 to 6:00 on Sunday.

Old Fannin Road Farmer’s Marketoffers a wide variety of beautiful flowers, plants, fruit and produce perfect for the spring season

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scenery of the season

Springtime is one of the most beautiful times of year here in

Rankin County. We hope you enjoy some of the colorful scen-

ery from around the area. We just couldn’t pass these up as we

drove around the county. Go out and take a drive and absorb

this amazing place we call home!

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local flavor

Pearl’s new Berry’s Bugs is the place to be for fresh crawfish, shrimp and other Cajun treats

Suck the head and pinch the tails! Ber-ry’s Bugs in Pearl is the place to be this Spring and Summer for the most deli-

cious crawfish, shrimp and more in the Rankin County area. Opening just a few weeks ago, Berry’s Bugs has brought a missing element to Pearl and Rankin County and it couldn’t have come any sooner. You just wish it would have. Located on the corner of Service Drive and Barnett Drive (across from Walgreens on Hwy. 80) Berry and Lori Link decided it was time to fulfill their dream of opening up a quaint little eatery serving delicious Cajun specialties.

STORY and phOTOS bY gReg peveY

Whether you want to buy a bag and cook them yourself or sit down and relax and en-joy the perfectly seasoned critters, Berry’s will quench your craving for crawfish and fun. Berry drives down to south Mississippi to pick up hundreds of pounds of live crawfish and shrimp for you to enjoy every weekend. “There has never really been a sit-down type restaurant in our area that people could go to on a regular basis to enjoy what we have to of-fer here,” says Berry. “We wanted to give people an alternative to just stopping somewhere and buying live crawfish out of the back of a truck. You never know how fresh they are and they are generally much more expensive.” “I have my own style of cooking crawfish. There is really an art to it. We offer a really spicy flavor for some and a more mild version for oth-ers. But we guarantee they will have flavor. They won’t be bland like some places offer. Flavor is what you’re really looking for.” We were able to experience Berry’s Bugs first hand a few weeks ago and I’ll admit, it was great to hang out with a few friends and enjoy some really good cajun-style food in a casual atmo-sphere. Berry’s plans are to open on a daily basis very soon. But for now you can stop by and try it for yourself Thursday through Saturday, Noon - 8p.m. and Sunday from Noon until they sell out. The menu is simple really, crawfish, shrimp hush puppies, corn on the cob, sausage, etouffee as well as snow cones. But that’s what you are coming for anyway. They don’t spend time on other things to take away from their specialty. They serve what they do best. You can even buy a few hand-made decorations for your home at Berry’s as well. Decorated with a Mardi Gras feel, Berry’s is sure to become a new hangout for locals across the area. Located directly behind Cool Fuel Market, you can always find your favorite bev-erage to enjoy with your meal. So this weekend if your feeling the urge to get out and enjoy the weather. Stop by and visit Berry’s Bugs and bring a few friends. It’s rea-sonably priced, easy to get to, hot and delicious for the whole family. - RLM

Crazy forCrawfish

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Here are some important phone numbers and information you need to know to help you get settled in.

UTILITY HOOK UPAnyone establishing residency in Rankin County must contact E911 at 601-825-1499 prior to get-ting any utilities connected. Once this procedure is completed and your address is certified, you will be given a form and then you contact utility companies for service.

CABLE TELEVISIONComcast Cable ............................. 800-266-2278

ELECTRICCentral Electric ............................... 601-829-1201Entergy ..........................................800-368-3749Southern Pine Electric ................... 601-824-7070

GASAtmos Energy Services ...................601-961-6900CenterPoint Energy ....................... 601-936-0222Willmut Gas & Oil Co ..................... 601-939-3275

TELEPHONEAT&T .............................................888-757-6500Windstream Mississippi ............... 866-445-3402

GARBAGE COLLECTIONIf you establish residence within a municipality, you will need to contact city hall for garbage col-lection dates. If you are located outside a munici-pality call: Rankin County Waste Management ....601-825-9213

DRIVER’S LICENSEMotorists must obtain a Mississippi driver’s license within 60 days of moving to the state. You will be required to surrender your out-ofstatelicense in order to obtain your new MS license. If you have an unexpired out-of-state license, only the written and eye test are required and may be taken at the following Rankin County locations:

Pearl - Troop C Building3158 Hwy 468Pearl, Mississippi .......................... 601-420-6342

Richland Examining Station442 Highway 49 SouthRichland, Mississippi .....................601-939-4217

For additional information, contact:Mississippi Department of Public Safety601-987-1212 or www.dps.state.ms.us

AUTO, TAG & STICKERSNew residents must purchase Mississippi auto tags within 30 days of establishing residency. Rankin County Tax Collector OfficeRankin County Court House Annex

Brandon, Mississippi ......................601-825-1467A tag must be purchased for a new car within five (5) WORKING DAYS of purchase. These tags must be renewed each year on the anniversary date. If you move to Rankin County from within the state, keep your old tag until it expires.

AUTOMOBILE INSPECTION STICKERSAn inspection sticker is required on all automo-biles. There are many inspection stations (garag-es and service stations)throughout the county. The yearly cost for this inspection is $5.00.

VOTING QUALIFICATIONSA person must be registered 30 DAYS prior to an election in order to vote in Mississippi or Rankin County and must:• be a citizen of the United States• be 18 years of age on or before election• be a resident of the election precinct for 30 days

VOTER REGISTRATIONA person can either register within the city of his residence or at the following location:Rankin County CourthouseCircuit Clerk’s OfficeBrandon, MississippiPhone: 601-825-1466www.rankincounty.org

Registration at either location will ensure dual registration for municipal and countywide elec-tion.

MAIL-IN VOTER REGISTRATIONApplications may be obtained from the Missis-sippi Secretary of State’s Office,601-359-6357, local post offices or local libraries. Following completion of the application, it must be mailed to:Rankin County Circuit ClerkP.O. Box 1599Brandon, Mississippi 39043

MARRIAGE LICENSELicense issued after a 3 DAY waiting period for receipt of blood test results from an approved Mississippi lab. Proof of birth date and results of blood test must be made within 30 days of application. No license issued for party under 21 years of age except with parental consent. For more information, contact:Rankin County CourthouseCircuit Clerk’s OfficeBrandon, Mississippi 39042Phone: 601-825-1466www.rankincounty.org

SOCIAL SECURITYSocial Security AdministrationMcCoy Federal Building100 West Capitol StreetJackson, Mississippi1-800-772-1213General information call: ...............601-965-5731

RANKIN COUNTY HOSPITALSCrossgates Rivers Oaks Hospital ......................................... 601-825-2811River Oaks Hospital ........................601-932-1030Woman’s Hospital at River Oaks ......................................601-932-1000

RANKIN COUNTY LIBRARIESBrandon Public Library .................. 601-825-2672Florence Public Library .................. 601-845-6032G. Chastain Flynt Memorial Library. ............................ 601-919-1911Pearl Public Library ....................... 601-932-2562Pelahatchie Public Library ............. 601-845-6032Puckett Public Library ....................601-825-6801Reservoir Public Library ................ 601-992-2539Richland Public Library ...................601-932-1846Sandhill Public Library ...................601-829-1653

CITY HALLSBrandon City Hall ...........................601-825-5021Florence City Hall .......................... 601-845-2462Flowood City Hall .......................... 601-939-4243Pearl City Hall ............................... .601-932-3500Pelahatchie City Hall ..................... 601-854-5224Puckett City Hall ............................ 601-825-8074Richland City Hall .......................... 601-932-3000

EMERGNCYIn case of emergency... ..................... ...... Dial 911

LAW ENFORCEMENTBrandon Police .............................. 601-825-7225Florence Police. ............................. 601-845-7508Flowood Police .............................. 601-932-5400Pearl Police ................................... 601-939-7000Puckett Police ............................... 601-825-8074Rankin County Sheriff.....................601-825-1480Richland Police ...............................601-932-3100

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCERankin County ............................... 601-825-2268www.rankinchamber.comFlowood ........................................ 601-932-8007www.flowoodchamber.comPearl .............................................. 601-939-5883www.pearlms.org

new to the area?

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local biz

Pearl’s Crown JewelFamily owned Crown Jewelers in Pearl has been a staple in the community for almost 25 years with no plans of slowing down

Every community has businesses that people just know are always there for them and are willing to help them with their needs. The City of Pearl is no different. Crown Jewelers, owned by Jim

Eutzman, is one of those places. Located on Highway 80, near the Pearl/Brandon line, Crown Jewelers is a landmark in the area serving not only Brandon and Pearl but the en-tire county. From fine diamonds and watches to major and minor repairs, Crown will take care of you with a smile and make you feel at home in the process. The funny thing is, Jim was not even looking to get into the jewelry business until a chance meeting at church swayed him to get involved. “In 1975 we were living in Mo-bile and after church one day a gentleman walked up to me

and tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘the Lord told me we were going to go into business together,’ and I said who are you and what business are you talking about?” Eutzman says with a laugh. The gentleman was Joel Clark who was just getting into the jewelry business himself and was about to move to Jackson and open Clark Jewelers as we know it today. At the time Jim told him he felt the jewelry business was not his calling right now. “Joel kept calling me once or twice a year asking me if I was ready to get on board with him. He took me to several jewelry shows and finally 10 years later I called and told him ‘I’m ready if you are.’” Jim was currently working for Sears and began to feel it was time for him to move in another direction.

STORY AND PHOTOS BYEDwARD EARlY

Aarron, Jay and Jim Eutzell are always available to help you with your jewelry needs.

RANKIN LIVING - 19

Jim worked with Joel for two years and felt that if he could work with Joel for two years and learn the business that he would open a business of his own. Well, that’s just what Jim did. In 1987 he opened up Crown Jewelers. “We had half of this store when we opened and in 2005 we doubled the size of this location into what we have today.” “It wasn’t easy at first and we had to advertise a lot to let people know we were here and now we have over 10,000 people on our mailing list. We try to keep up with the times. We’ve invested in some state-of-the-art equipment as well as the new CounterSketch which is a fantastic jewelry design machine that the customers can actu-ally come in and design a one-of-a-kind ring for someone they love.” There are always ups and downs in the retail business, but God has blessed Jim and somehow they managed to pull through these difficult times. On staff they have four jewelers and they are working as hard as they can to keep up with the increased flow of business. One thing that is different about Crown Jew-elers is their motto “you have to pay for it, we have to make you happy”. That’s very important to Jim to offer quality customer service to his pa-trons. Jim’s wife daughter and two sons also work here and they are very important to the success of the business. “I owe all of our success to the Lord. We put a little sign in the window saying that we take prayer requests. I bet we have gotten 3,000 to 4,000 prayers requests over the past few years. People come in and say they left a request a year ago and God answered their prayers. Some people come here and not their church to put re-quests in. It’s special to us that we can do that for people.” Crown Jewelers is so much more than just a jewelry store. Jim has made efforts to be a part of this community in so many different ways. Caring for the customer has made the location a valuable asset to Rankin County and seeing a family business succeed for so long shows the quality of their merchandise and service they of-fer makes everyone feel special. - RLM

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FIND FAITH. FIND FAMILY. FIND YOUR FUTURE.

Find OPPORTUNITY.

Register May 26th for MC Accelerated Degrees!

Ready to advance your career and enrich your life, but need evening

class hours and convenient locations? With the Mississippi College

Accelerated Degree Program, you’ll fi nd that and more. Call 601-

925-3979 or visit mc.edu/accelerated to learn more about our in-

depth and in-demand programs:

- Accounting

- Marketing

- Public Relations

- Sociology

REGISTRATION: MAY 26th, 2011

Clinton Campus – Self Hall, on the Mississippi College campus in Clinton

Flowood Center – Across from Lowe’son Lakeland Drive

Classes begin June 2nd.

- Business Administration

BE A FAn Rankin Living Magazine

is on Facebook®. Get the latest news & notes, photos, and commentaries about what’s going on in

Rankin County.

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A sneak peek at the July/August issue

SPORTS,FITNESS & Back to school

Special stories on area sports figures,

High School athletes...

AND MORE!

High School football is just around

the corner!

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rankin home

Blue Haven Pools & Spas in Flowood can transform your backyard into your personal vacation retreat

Spending time in the backyard with fam-ily and friends is a tradition everyone enjoys, especially in the South. You get

a chance to unwind and relax from the stress of the day-to-day hustle and bustle. There is a trend however, that most people are taking advantage of these days and that is making their backyard not just a place to hang out but a place to go on vacation. With gas almost $4.00 a gallon in Rankin County, making a trip to the beach or other distant places is becoming more and more of a challenge for families to partake in. So what is the next best thing? Building a pool for the family and making it such a beautiful setting, that you would rather stay home anyway. Randy Cavanaugh at Blue Haven Pools and

Spas in Flowood took the time to talk with us and tell us that pools are a great alternative for the family as opposed to dealing with the head-aches of planning a vacation and breaking your budget in the process. “People now days have so much going on in their lives that even finding the time to go on a vacation is stressful enough.” says Cavanaugh. “We can build you a pool in a timely manner and give your family a place they can go to relax, spend time together and even make some great family memories.” “Looking for something to invest in for your home can be stressful. You have heaps of op-tions to consider. But for some, the first thing that comes into their head is building a pool. This can be a great choice because of the long

BackyardOASISbY gReg peveY

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term benefits that you can get out of it,” Randy says. “What we can do here at Blue Haven is walk with you through the whole process of build-ing the right pool for your home. Blue Haven can build for you, a pool that fits your specifica-tions and we will put our heart in soul into the project. I never want to build a pool for a cus-tomer that I would not want to have in my own backyard. There are companies out there who drive around in a truck and don’t even have an office in our area. You really need to stay away from those types of builders. We have an office here in town and we always have a person here, even myself, who will take the time to talk with you and make sure you are getting what you are paying for.”

Pictured in this story are just a few samples of some of the beautiful pools built across the Jackson/Metro area by

Randy and his crew at Blue Haven Pools & Spas.

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Building a pool at home is a sure investment that can boost the property’s market value. Even if you have to spend a little extra money, you are guaranteed to reap the rewards later on. In fact, benefits can be enjoyed for a lifetime. If you just follow proper pool maintenance and safety precautionary measures, your pool will definitely last for ages. Even your grandchildren will be able to enjoy the pool in the future. Pools are not just an additional attraction at home anymore. They allow the homeowner, as well as his loved ones, to stay fit and healthy.

You are encouraged to observe a healthy life-style these days. Therefore, thinking about building a swimming pool is a good choice for smart homeowners. When you decide, give Randy a call. He will gladly help you plan your new favorite summer destination. - RLM

You can contact Randy Cavanaugh at Blue Hav-en Pools and Spas at 601-664-0199 or visit them online at www.bluehavenms.com.

Aside from the money that you need to consider at first, you also have to take note of its maintenance. It is like knowing the worth of your project as time goes by. Through your strict observance of proper pool maintenance, you can preserve the quality of your investment through time. It is like taking good care of your investment. “Taking care of a pool is not the hassle it used to be 10-15 years ago.” Randy emphasizes. “It has really become quite simple. You used to have to buy pounds and pounds of chlorine and special tablets to control the levels of your pool. Now you can go to just about any home and garden store and buy the proper chemicals for practically nothing.” If you are going to ask about its benefits, there are too many to mention. One of these is the idea that you can save a lot from not go-ing out on a vacation or renting a place if you want to swim or hold a pool party. You can be a host and use the private pool instead. People who love to hold special get-togethers can use their pool as an added attraction for the party or event that is about to be held. Not only that, if you have a lot of kids, es-pecially younger ones, having a swim on the weekend is a great form of bonding with them. You don’t have to call a resort or drive to the nearest community swimming pool just to get a swim. Just walk out into the backyard and dive in!

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Advertise your BusinessthroughoutRankin County

405 KNIGHTS COVE WESTBRANDON, MS 39047

(Phone) 601-503-7205 • (Fax) 601-992-2885email: publisher@rankinliving.com

www.rankinliving.com

LIVINGRankin County’s Lifestyle Magazine

Affordable rates for ANY size

business. We alsooffer reasonable payment plans.

Call us Today to reserve your ad space for the May/June Issue at 601-503-7205!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Risa White • rwhite@dreaminc.org

Wendy Kendall • wkendall@dreaminc.org

601.933.9199

Working to keep Rankin

County Youth Alcohol-FREE!

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Funded in part or in whole by:

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rankin people

Debbie Thornton: Blonde Moments and Divine Revelations

Growing up in Vicksburg, Debbie Thornton says she never felt smart, never finished anything and never thought she was capable of anything special. Prone to what she de-scribes as anger, bitterness and controlling behavior, she remembers her early years as restless and unfulfilling.

After being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) fifteen years ago, the attractive blonde sees her younger self with kinder, more forgiving eyes. Today, the former caterer is a smart, capable deal-closer. Her business, Another Blonde Moment has been featured nationally. Her cookbooks have been in 2000 stores in 48 states and parts of Canada. But that is just the beginning.

Thornton’s first book is Any Blonde Can Cook: Two Hundred 69 Ways to a Man’s Heart. Its “blonde, A.D.D.-friendly” format is meant to keep the highly-distracted cook on task, in focus and in control. The recipes include a short list of ingredients. Each step begins with an action in bold letters. And the book is published in large print, “in case you have blonde moments and lose your glasses all the time like I do!” she quips.

Any Blonde Can Cook was actually inspired by Thornton’s “blonde mo-ments” and fondness for cooking. “I had so many blonde moments that my husband told me I needed to be writing them down,” she recalls. “For example, back when hair extensions first became popular, I decided I wanted some. Right after I had them put in, I accidentally melted the plastic part of the extensions into my hair while sitting in front of a fire-place!

“And I’ve done other things,” she freely admits, “like the times I backed out of the garage with the garage door still down, ran into a sliding glass door, fell through the ceiling, broke my nose with a candle and caught myself on fire while cooking. TWICE! It was a part of my everyday life. I knew I couldn’t be the only one!”

After taking on several jobs, including caterer, cheerleading coach and candy bar salesperson, Thornton never finished college but developed several practical skills, including determination, flexibility, creativity and an eye for opportunity. These allowed her to capitalize on her ideas, re-cruit a few partners and start a business in 2003.

“Another Blonde Moment started with me looking for a place for peo-ple to write down their blonde moments. I was wanted to see if anyone else had the same kinds of things happening in their lives,” she says. “I loved to cook so I decided when my son went off to the University of Alabama that I would do him up a cookbook of all of my recipes. But then I started thinking that other people like me could benefit from this, too. And maybe they would buy it. So, I put the recipes in A.D.D. form

Story by Natalie Winningham Photos by Greg Pevey

(step by step by step). Then I thought about all those blonde, brunette and redhead jokes that people had been emailing me, and we decided to add a little humor while people were cooking.”

The results were unexpectedly positive with a second printing ordered less than a year after Any Blonde Can Cook debuted. More cookbooks followed. Any Blondette Can Do It: Cooking from A to Z with A.D.D was printed in 2005. How to “Meat” a Blonde, Brunette or Redhead: A Dating and Cooking Guide followed in 2007. And Anybody Can Cook in a Crock-pot: Slow Cooking Your Way to Heaven was released in 2009.

New product ideas quickly followed, because consumers wanted more than just cookbooks and vendors wanted more items to create larger dis-plays of Thornton’s merchandise. She met their demands with blonde themed aprons and t-shirts as well as novelty items like Melted Ice Cubes (bottled water), Liquid Brain Brew (coffee) and gourmet seasoning mixes

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with names like Bleached Blonde Chili. Orders poured in from vendors and from

the website at www.anotherblondemoment.com. The demand became so high that Thorn-ton, who mostly worked by herself, finally out-sourced the shipping and handling of cook-books to Quail Ridge Press in Brandon.

“You would think I would be happy with that success,” says Thornton, “but I just couldn’t find peace. When I started Another Blonde Moment, it was all about surviving financially. Then I started to see financial rewards where I could help provide and put my children, Da-kota and Chelsea, through college. I was finally able to buy STUFF that I had never been able to buy that I thought would make me happy, BUT I was never happy. I had so much pain and drama, which I caused with my tongue, my pride, my selfishness, my jealousy and my ma-nipulation. I don’t think I ever had peace.

“For 47 years, I thought being a Christian meant believing in Jesus, going to church, giv-ing money, and being kind to others. But I was not a true Christian,” Thornton reveals. “I was manipulative, controlling, angry, bitter and even verbally abusive to my children. When people would talk about ‘knowing God,’ I didn’t know what that meant.”

During this time, Thornton experienced tre-mendous frustration which she describes as a self-perpetuating cycle of negative emotion. When she finally sought peace, she discovered

that she could not find the solution on her own.“After I had my last Incredible Blonde Hulk

moment, I said, ‘OK, GOD. I can’t do this by myself.’ I wanted something different,” she continues. “I believe God heard that prayer and put people in my life to help me find my way.

“I can remember when we were building our house at Lineage Lake in Flowood and I found out—while standing on the dirt where our front porch would be—that the only houses around us belonged to Baptist preachers. We were Episcopal. So, I called my husband Terry and said, ‘We are not living here! We are mov-ing I am NOT living across the street from two Baptist preachers!’”

One of those preachers was Chip Henderson of Pinelake Church in Brandon. And, though she initially wished them away, Thornton could not have foreseen the impact that he and his family would have on her and her business. She now credits them and her neighbors with start-ing her on a path to life-changing transforma-tion.

“Moving across from the Hendersons, I saw that they walked a different kind of Christian walk and really lived what they believed. Chip’s wife Christy loved me unconditionally when I was not loveable, and I saw that a Christian CAN have a sense of humor. They made me re-alize that I was free: the price had been paid. I always knew that in my head but I didn’t know that in my heart.

“You see God absolutely put us in this neighborhood. My other neighbor, Anne Ma-rie Tipton, loved on my children. She prayed for them and loved them while I was trying to experience this newfound life. I would depend on her as my prayer warrior. I can remember

RANKIN LIVING - 31

the times she would say, ‘Could you be more specific on what I need to pray about?’ I was thinking, ‘Just pray.’ Little did I know.

“Then Anne Marie and I did a Kay Arthur bible study that another neighbor, Melissa Bai-ley had begun and that is where I met Amy Murray who is my everyday mentor. I throw blonde things at her at what I am reading and she sharpens me. Sometimes I think she really is blonde because she understands me so well.

“My daughter Chelsea is also one of my mentors. That may sound weird, because the child is supposed to look up to the parent. But I look up to her and have learned so much from her. She has a peaceful and calming nature. She had peace when, for a long time, I didn’t.

“All I knew was that I wanted the peace

Christy, my neighbors and Chelsea had, but I didn’t know how to get it. I remember Chip saying, ‘Just be obedient and read His word.’ But I just knew I was NEVER gonna be able to understand the Bible because I had NEVER read an entire book. And even if I read it, I was NOT going to understand the Bible. So…for one year I journaled everything I read. I would write out questions about what I had read and work it through in my spirit.”

This part of Thornton’s spiritual awakening resulted in a two-year hiatus from Another Blonde Moment. During this time, she im-mersed herself in Bible study and worked hard to understand and apply what she learned. Soon, she realized that her personal transfor-mation would also lead her business in a new

direction: one of ministry and service.“I would get sooo excited when I knew God

had allowed me the understanding in my heart. It was a Blonde Aha moment. That is when I knew my next cookbook had to have scripture in it: because if I could understand and get people to pick up the Bible and read, then God could give it to anybody. So I prayed, ‘God, however You want me to do this I will.’

“I had no idea where I was gonna start be-cause I didn’t know God’s Word, but He was teaching me. So for every Scripture I read, I would write my blonde A.D.D. interpretation in a short poem. My brain remembers rhymes. Blonde… YES…. but that is when I was able to understand what praise Him meant because I knew it didn’t come from me. Now, I love read-ing His word and I love love love it when God gives me acronomns when I read His word!” Thornton enthuses. “I LOVE acronyms, be-cause that is the way my blonde A.D.D. brain understands.”

Inspired by her newfound understanding, Thornton incorporated Scripture and devo-tionals with recipes in Anybody Can Cook in a Crockpot: Slow Cooking Your Way to Heaven. It was published in 2009, and Thornton has start-ed working on a new book.

“The new cookbook is Any Blonde Can D.I.E.T. Cooking and Weighting for Him,” she explains. “D is Direction which is His Word. I is the Ingredient which is Christ. E is the Ex-perience and the T is the Transformation.”

With a renewed spirit and sense of mission, Thornton views her business in a totally differ-ent light.

“Another Blonde Moment is my personal and business life and my spiritual life. It really is a lifestyle. Do I get it right everyday?” she reflects. “No. But nearly every day, I have peace. It took me a long time to find it, but now I have peace.

“This isn’t just a job to me anymore,” she continues. “It’s really NOT work. I have taken the pressure off of myself. It’s not about the money. It is about helping women who have struggles, because I have experienced just about all kinds of pain. I now don’t have to do it by myself. God is with me and I love waiting to see how He shows up. As a matter of fact I have had more patience when I ask Him, ‘God, what do you want me to do with this company? I want to know when You don’t want me to do this anymore.

“I used to think that success was about how much stuff I had or how much money I could make. Now, success to me is experienc-ing GOD—when I can really listen to what He tells me through His word and receive the fruit of His Spirit. I love when he blesses me with His fruit because for 47 years I tried to have something, but I never knew what that something was,” she concludes, “until I began a relationship with Him.” - RLM

Debbie with mentor and daughter Chelsea

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off the beaten path

The Clown next Door

Story by Natalie Winningham Photos courtesy Inky the Clown

A Q&A with Mississippi’s favorite joker Inky the Clown

Somewhere, in a peaceful community on the Ross Barnett Reservoir, lives an ordinary citizen of Rankin County with over thirty years of experience

in the entertainment industry and a penchant for juggling flaming torches in the front yard (“Hey, clowns have to practice, too,” he says.).

Rankin Living Magazine recently had the opportunity to sit down with Inky the Clown and talk with him about his unique line of work. The results were humorous and insightful.

Rankin Living Magazine: Tell us a little about yourself, Inky. Where are you from and when did you become a clown?

Inky the Clown: I grew up in Ashland, Massachusetts. As far back as I can remember, I’ve always liked being funny. In 1980, me and two friends started a street performing comedy group called PLAYgerism. The first week, I worked clowning on the side of a highway wav-ing at cars, my dad hired me to perform at a 4th of July Parade, and I got my picture on the front page of the local paper! It was a great start!

RLM: How did you get the name Inky?Inky: When I was but a little clown, my dad

owned a printing company in Massachusetts. His father owned it before him, so I came from a family of printers. But I wanted to join the circus or at least make people laugh, so in hom-age to a great family business, I named myself INKY! I did get a fantastic deal on my busi-ness cards.

RLM: Did you go to clown school? Inky: I did not go to clown school…al-

though school is where I learned to be a clown.

RANKIN LIVING - 33

RLM: Since you didn’t have formal train-ing, how did your clown character develop? Who or what were your main influences?

Inky: The old Inkster’s persona keeps devel-oping year after year. I look at myself as a silly, wise-cracking clown, like a Stand-Up Clown Comedian for children.

The list of inspiration is endless: Tim Con-way, Jonathan Winters, the Marx Brothers, Slap Happy (a street performing group from Boston), Grover from Sesame Street, Topo Gi-gio from the Ed Sullivan Show, etc.

Some clown influences include Lou Jacobs, Emmet Kelley, Freddie the Freeloader(Clown by Red Skelton), Bozo, Charlie Chaplin, etc. It also helps that I come from a very funny, sar-castic family.

RLM: You mentioned other clowns. What types of clowns are there and which kind are you?

Inky: There are basically three types of clowns. The White Face is an elegant, artistic clown—sort of the aristocrat of clowns—with white makeup covering all exposed skin. Then there is the Auguste Clown. “Auguste” is Ger-man for “foolish.” This is the most comical of

all clowns with big actions that thrive on slap-stick and highly colorful makeup.

And last but not least, ME—the Tramp/Hobo/Character Clown—usually the brunt of the joke, the one that receives the pie to the face from the White Face or Auguste. The makeup is a sooty vagabond look with a painted beard, exaggerated mouth and eyebrows. The costume is baggy and worn out.

The Tramp/Hobo Clown is considered the only true American clown. The other two orig-inated in Europe. I like to think of Inky as a Tramp clown with an Auguste mood.

RLM: Very interesting. How long does it take you to dress like a tramp?

Inky: Hey now, there’s no need for insults! Oh, you mean the clown…

From start to finish, it takes about an hour to transform from Mild Mannered Rankin Resident to Super Clown! It takes about three hours if I try to get dressed in a phone booth.

RLM: And how long does it take for you to put on all that makeup?

Inky: It’s a tattoo. Actually, I was about to ask you the same question. Um…what?? Hey, you started it.

RLM: Tell me about your costume. Inky: My whole outfit, including the tie, is

custom tailored and designed by Kalvin Klown. It’s very exclusive.

RLM: And your mismatched striped socks?Inky: Yeah, those too. And they are

matched…by smell!   RLM: What might a person expect to see

during one of your performances? Inky: I’ve created my own little One Clown

Circus! I call it Inky The Clown’s Half Ring Circus! There’s juggling, magic, comedy and clowning with lots of audience interaction with volunteers and patter back and forth. A true little circus experience!

RLM: What are some memorable gigs you have done in the past?

Inky: I was doing some hospital visitations on the Children’s Floor with a couple of other clowns here in Mississippi. We had visited a few rooms, you know, having a fun time. The next room we went into, there was a little boy lying in a bed hooked up to tubes everywhere—tear-filled eyes, gazing straight ahead.

I introduced myself and proceeded to per-form for him, juggling balls and then scarves. No reaction. Then I did several silly magic tricks and dusted his head with a bright orange feath-er duster I keep in the brim of my hat. Still no reaction. So, I juggled some more and then gave him a magic wand coloring sheet, which I handed to his mom.

Well, we were pretty limited in how much stuff we could bring into a hospital room. Soon, I ran out of things to do, so I told him good-bye. When I got to the door, I heard a little strained voice behind me say, “…Thanks, Inky.” It doesn’t get any better than that.

On a lighter note, I was performing at the Dixie National Rodeo for their Children’s Day. I was juggling bowling balls at the end of my show. As I roll around on stage trying to pick

34 - RANKIN LIVING

up three bowling balls, I do the classic clown gag of my pants falling down. The pants-fall-ing-down gag is probably as old as clowning itself. At no time do you see any skin. Stripe clown socks up over my knees and big clown panties hanging over that.

Right when I got to the point where my pants fall down, I look into the audience and see a little girl in the front row slap her forehead and say, “Inky, we’re only children.” I don’t usu-ally lose my composure in front of an audience, but I had to sit there and laugh for a moment. Needless to say, I gave up doing the pants-fall-ing-down clown classic.

RLM: How do you keep your act fresh?Inky: I’m constantly learning new juggling

tricks, adding new magic tricks, learning new balloon sculptures and tweaking old gags to make them new again! Some gags and tricks I’ve been doing for over 20 years! If it works, it stays. No one would want Santa to shave his beard! I also build most of my props which keeps it different and fresh. I really enjoy de-signing and building props.

RLM: What is your most dangerous trick? And do you have a favorite?

Inky: During my show I juggle axes, knives, torches and bowling balls! All of which are in the dangerous category. I also juggle clubs on a Rola Bola. The Rola Bola is a board that you balance on a big tube. And then you jump up on it and balance yourself and juggle!

My favorite trick is what I call “Birdie Bag.” I try to make a live bird appear out of an ordi-nary brown paper lunch bag! It doesn’t always come out the way I’ve planned. The Birdie Bag trick has been in my show since the beginning.

RLM: Have you ever injured yourself dur-ing a show?

Inky: Yes, I was doing a show in Canton at an elementary school. While juggling axes, I caught the wrong end and cut my hand. Look-ing down, I realized the clown was bleeding! Luckily it was the end of the show so I waved goodbye with my other hand and walked off stage. I don’t think any kids noticed, although the first three rows did faint simultaneously…

RLM: How do you handle a tough crowd?Inky: First, I try to incorporate them into

the show. Let them realize we’re all here to have some fun. If that doesn’t work…I release the KRAKEN!

RLM: What do you like most about being a clown?

Inky: The Laughter!! I love making people laugh. It’s great to look out into a crowd and see a diverse group of people all laughing at the same time! Young old, etc. Much like in the movie Monsters, Inc., laughter has a lot of energy!

RLM: What skills make a clown success-ful?

Inky: Humor, humor and humor! That’s what clowns are here for. You can add all sorts of things: juggling, music, magic, mime, bal-

loons. But the main goal is to make ‘em laugh!RLM: Are there any local or statewide

clown organizations, and if so, are there any local branches?

Inky: There are a few national and inter-national clown organizations. The old Inkster belongs to Clowns of America International and The International Jugglers Association. The Clowns of America’s local chapters are called Clown Alleys.

When I first moved here in 1982, Missis-sippi had a great little Clown Alley which I became a member of and later the president. In 1984, the Mississippi Clown Alley performed at the Mississippi pavilion at the New Orleans World’s Fair and Expo! It was a great time and the first time I had been to New Orleans.

RLM: Where and when was your first booking in Rankin County?

Inky: One of the first shows I ever per-formed in Mississippi was at Pearl Day 1982. It was a fun gig! And I got my picture in the pa-per too: Focus Rankin County. I did perform at Pearl Day about 10 years after that but have not done it recently!?  Hello Pearl - give me a call!

RLM: What do you like about living in this

community? Is it clown friendly?Inky: I love living in Rankin County! I live

in the Reservoir area. Very quiet and peaceful but just minutes away from everything a clown needs!

You can see Inky clowning around all over Rankin County! Every year I take my little Half Ring Circus to many of the Rankin Li-braries for their Summer Reading Programs. Sometimes you can catch me out at Miskelly’s making balloons.  And I just entertained at the grand opening of Java Ink over in Pearl! A clown’s work is never done!

RLM: Do you ever plan to retire? Inky: Retire!? I am retired! This is the best

“job” I have ever had! I am truly blessed that I get to “clown around”

for a living. I get to go out and make people laugh on a weekly basis. And the best part is I get to write “CLOWN” under “occupation” on my tax returns!

RLM: Thank you for a delightful interview, Inky. This has been very informative. I have one last question for you: How many clowns will actually fit in a car?

Inky: All of them. - RLM

RANKIN LIVING - 35

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rankin health

University Physicians:Providing specialized care in Rankin County

University Physicians is the state’s largest medical group. This network of physicians in-cludes 450 doctors representing over 125 spe-cialties and seeing approximately 600,000 pa-tients at various locations.

University Physicians at Grant’s Ferry is the only facility in Rankin County providing a broad spectrum of care in primary specialty ar-eas of medicine to the general public under one roof. Similarly, University Physicians Women’s Specialty Clinic at Mirror Lake offers access to medical and surgical specialties for women in

Story by Natalie West Winningham

a unique setting exclusive to Rankin County. As affiliates of University of Mississippi Health Care, patients at both facilities have access to new advances in research, technology and pa-tient care and even have an opportunity to par-ticipate locally in research through the state’s only academic medical center.

Dana Habers, Chief Operations Officer of University Physicians, explains, “University Physicians at Grants Ferry is what is called a multi-specialty ambulatory clinic with 24 dif-ferent areas of specialized medicine represented

For years, residents living near the Ross Barnett Reservoir have had to travel outside of Rankin County for specialized medical care. With the addition of University Physicians at Grants Ferry

and University Physicians Women’s Specialty Clinic, ac-cess to comprehensive care has become even more readily available.

RANKIN LIVING - 37

by our physicians.“At The Women’s Specialty Clinic at Mirror

Lake, many of the doctors who see patients in their primary specialty fields at Grants Ferry travel to the Mirror Lake facility to provide care to patients in areas of subspecialty,” Habers continues. “Having all of this under one roof is so much more convenient for our patients.”

The 5000+square foot facility features open waiting areas, a large welcome center for pa-tient sign in and information, spacious exam rooms outfitted with a central data sharing sys-tem and security features designed to protect patient’s privacy.

“Demographic research indicated that Rankin County was the best place to build these two clinics. We recognized the need to build these facilities in Rankin County, because the area has grown so much and because many of our patients were traveling from this area to University Medical Center in Jackson for care,” Haber explains.

“Grants Ferry is the biggest investment we’ve made in a new facility. The purpose of this clinic is to make the expertise of University Medical Center more readily available and to serve the needs of the community where patients live. The response from the community has far ex-ceeded our expectations,” says Haber. “We are genuinely glad to be here.”

“University Hospitals and Health System will provide additional medical support ser-vices,” she adds. “Rankin County residents can expect rapid, convenient service at the Grants Ferry clinic with the added confidence of knowing that they have access to the Medical Center campus for health issues that require more complex care.”

The $14 million, 50,575 square foot clinic opened in July 7, 2010, and includes an onsite lab, imaging department and a 1,797-square-foot physical therapy gym. A full range of outpatient physical therapy and occupational therapy services is also provided.

University Physicians-Grants Ferry is lo-cated at the corner of Lakeland Place and Plaza Drive in Flowood and houses primary care and other specialty services, including allergy, ophthalmology, cardiology, and obstetrics and gynecology.

UP’s Women’s Health Clinic, which provides general obstetrics and gynecology care, moved to University Physicians at Grants Ferry when it opened in July. Women who require more complex care can be referred to University Physicians Women’s Specialty Clinic at Mirror Lake. The two locations are just six miles apart.

Habers also said the Mirror Lake location enables physicians to reach more patients and to improve the level of service University of Mississippi Health Care provides. “Having this dedicated space for the women in our com-munity encourages their continuity of care and their sense of security and stability in a health-care system that can go from basic annual ex-

Christopher F. Lee, MD is an Otolaryngologist specializing Head and Neck Surgery.

38 - RANKIN LIVING

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ams to complicated pregnancy and postpartum services,” she said.

On June 14, 2010, University Physicians Women’s Specialty Clinic opened its doors and began seeing patients. Haber notes, “Women’s Specialty Clinic is as much an asset to UMC as it is to the surrounding area, because it offers us an opportunity to truly get out in the com-munity that we serve and provide the full range of services traditionally found in the hospital setting.”

Dr. Michelle Owens, assistant professor of obstetrics-gynecology, said that moving the services previously based at the Medical Cen-ter unites women’s specialty care under one roof and puts them closer to the referring physicians in the community to build collaboration and communication.

“We have fantastic subspecialists here who have essentially been sequestered in the hospi-tal,” Owens said. “I think as the Medical Center is changing and we are reaching out to partner more with the community, this falls right in line with that mission.”

Owens, who is also Interim Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecol-ogy, is very proud of the level of care provided by Women’s Specialty Clinic. “We have the state’s only doctor specializing in adolescent gynecology, Dr. Harriette Hampton, right here in Rankin County,” she says. “And there is im-portant work being done here by Dr. Sheila Bouldin on menopause and Dr. Jermaine Gray, a specialist in vulvar disease, and Dr. Bill Cle-land, a specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.”

In addition to the highly specialized services provided by the physicians at Women’s Spe-cialty Clinic, patients have the opportunity to take part in research and clinical trials associ-ated with University Medical Center. Cur-rently, Women’s Specialty Clinic is helping to recruit local participants for a National Chil-dren’s Study.

“The focus is on Hind’s County and a few other metro area zip codes,” explains Owens. “This is a 21-year comprehensive study regard-ing children’s health. There is no primary disease focus.” Instead the study, will measure genetics and environmental factors on the overall health of a child over the span of 21 years, providing a wealth of information that will be used in the future to develop new treatments for issues common to this specific geographical area.

“The partnership between the clinics at Grants Ferry and Mirror Lake as well as their association with University Medical Center allows us to treat the whole patient,” Habers emphasizes. “Sometimes, we have what we call Grand Slam Days in which an entire family comes into see us and have all of their appoint-ments together on one day. Providing that level of convenience and care is exactly why we are here.” - RLM

Dr. Michelle Owens specializes in Maternal-Fetal medicine at the Mirror Lake Plaza location

Dana Habers, Chief Operations Officer of University Physicians and Bob Brown, Associate Director of Ambulatory Operations at the UP Grants Ferry

RANKIN LIVING - 39

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40 - RANKIN LIVING

{on My MinD...} GUNTER PEVEY

Guest Columnist

It’s almost summertime again, and the living is not quite so easy. With everyone stressing about college and last minute class assignments, no one has really been able to take in the full effect of the coming events in our lives. Soon, we seniors will graduate

and go on to live out the rest of our lives. Some of us may be going to college or maybe jump right into the workforce, but one thing is sure: life as we know it is about to change in a way that is utterly unimaginable. We will no longer have that protective (albeit overbearing at times) coating on our lives which we refer to as “paren-tal supervision” and we will be forced to start taking com-plete responsibility for our own actions. While the increased amount of independence is certainly a breath of fresh air, it is still a little frightening to think “Wow, if I mess up, I won’t have someone to fix it. I am on my own.” Sure we won’t be completely on our own because our par-ents won’t leave us high-and-dry like that, but it is still going to take a lot for them to intervene. Now along with their absence comes the absence of their greatest asset: the “limit-less” pocketbook. We will now have to earn our own money and save up for the things we want. The biggest source of excitement, though, is just the thrill of going somewhere different and experiencing new things. For those of us going off to college, we are extremely anxious about what adventures and experiences we will have in a new town surrounded by new people. Who will we meet? What will we do? Where will we go? All of these questions and more fill our heads whenever our thoughts start to drift away from our monotonous classwork. Even those of us who are not going to college and just aching to get out of town are faced with similar questions. A close friend of mine is excited simply because he knows he doesn’t have to write any more papers or deal with the same schedule anymore. He may be setting himself up for future disappointment in that aspect, but whatever makes him happy, right? Actually, isn’t that why we are trying so hard to make something of our lives in the first place? It’s just another attempt for us to find that oh-so-difficult thing to obtain we know as happiness. We think that doing something different, going somewhere new, meeting new people, etc. will somehow make us more content with our lives than we previously were. It certainly is a lovely thought, and it may last for a while, but; in my opinion; true happiness does not last. In order for something to be considered the peak of

Grad Night Revelations

PUBLISHERS NOTE:B.K. Sanchez has taken a leave of absence this issue as he is off in medita-tion on a sandbar somewhere along the Pearl River to fill his mind with new wisdom. We look forward to his return in the July/August issue.

anything, it must take a downturn, as with everything in life. This is not to discourage or upset anyone, but merely to advise those that find themselves in truly happy moments to take advantage of their fortune and revel in it while they can. That is why the time shortly after high school is so impor-tant. It is one of the few times in our lives where we can truly appreciate the happiness that comes with newfound free-dom. We are allowed this precious time to enjoy ourselves and do what WE want for a change, and this experience gives us a great sense of euphoria that is unmatched in many ways. Everyone has their own way of celebrating this feeling. Some people take this time to relax and soak it all in, some take it to the extreme and try things they have never done before to see if they have what it takes to experience some-thing different, and some (like me) take this opportunity to think on the situation and relay my thoughts on the mat-ter through the use of my generous dad’s magazine column. Hopefully I am not the only one who enjoys my journalistic entries in here. All-in-all the times we seniors are about to face will be the most important times of our lives. The experiences we will have will be the ones that shape us into the people that we are going to become in the “real world” and we are all hoping that they are predominantly good ones. One thing is for sure, though: we will laugh, we will love, and we will live. - RLM

Gunter Pevey is a Senior at Northwest Rankin High School and will be graduating in May with honors. He will be attending the University of Mississippi in the Fall majoring in Journalism and minoring in Psychology.

RANKIN LIVING - 41

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