NSMC Wins Community Star Award

The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi has named its Community Stars winners, honoring organizations and individuals who have contributed to their communities in the 11-county Northwest Mississippi region served by the nonprofit organization.

This year’s winners will be recognized at the 15th Crystal Ball, the annual fundraiser to benefit the more than 400 nonprofits with whom the Community Foundation works. This year’s Crystal Ball will be held Jan. 17 at the Arena in Southaven.

Tom Pittman, Community Foundation president, said the Community Stars recipients help make Northwest Mississippi “a better place to live.”

“We are pleased to lift them up as stars for us to appreciate and follow,” Pittman said.

In addition to recognizing the winners, the Crystal Ball will honor its annual Star of Hope. This year’s recipient is Marty Stuart, a five-time Grammy winner who conceived and helped create the Country Music Trail throughout Mississippi.

The Community Stars winners include:

Nonprofit of the Year: Optimist Club of Hernando. Chartered in 1987, the organization serves the youth of Hernando. Its activities include sponsorship of a Boy Scout and Cub Scout troop, annual Bike Safety Town and Respect for Law programs, a Youth Appreciation project, scholarship awards, the annual Children’s Cancer Campaign and conducting the annual A’Fair, which is a fundraiser for the Optimist Club.

Margaret Maddox Woman of the Year: Betty Jo Dulaney of Tunica. Dulaney has 20 years of volunteer service. She has helped people learn to read and improve reading skills as leader of the Tunica County Literacy Council. Largely because of her work, Tunica County placed second in the state on the 2014 School Readiness Test.

Dan Maddox Man of the Year: William Pride of Batesville. Born in the small community of Ballentine, Pride started out repairing cars at home and now owns Pride Hyundai in Batesville. He serves on the state board of the Better Business Bureau, and founded the Panola County Foundation Endowment with a goal of $300,000 to assist Panola County nonprofit groups.

“I like to make things happen,” Pride said. “One of the things my father used to tell me was to just keeping taking one step forward and always give 110 percent.”

The Maddox awards are named in honor of Dan and Margaret Maddox, a married couple who established the Maddox Foundation of Hernando, which provided a grant in 2002 to help establish the Community Foundation.

Business of the Year: North Sunflower Medical Center in Ruleville. The medical center has been listed as one of the top 20 critical care hospitals and one of the 40 cleanest hospitals in the U.S. The hospital is the second-largest employer in Sunflower County with more than 500 employees.

Article courtesy of Ron Masey at the Commercial Appeal Newspaper in Memphis.