8/12/2009 6:00:00 PM
JUST AMONG FRIENDS
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By RACHEL EVANS
When Dawn Lea Mars and Jeremy Chalmers met on the ski slopes in Vail in 1990 while college students, Dawn Lea at Ole Miss and Jeremy at Roanoke College in Virginia, "I knew he would take me places to do fun things," Dawn Lea told me. Sure enough, they have been sailing along Quissett Harbor in Cape Cod, Mass. since they married in 1993. Jeremy comes from a family of sailors. His mother Janet won the sail races so often that she was promoted to Race Chairman so as to give other sailors a chance to win.
There are sailing classes to teach one "to work the wind." Hadley and Charlie began taking sailing classes when they were 8 years old. Now 15, Hadley worked as a sailing instructor this summer.
With Janet "chairing the races," and Dawn and Miriam riding with her in the Committee Boat, Charlie raced in the Opti single person races, Hadley in the 420 sail boat races, and Jeremy in the 12 1/2 foot Herreshoff sail boat races. Dawn Lea entered a ladies race.
"I was the skipper, guiding the boat with my hands on the tiller, and Jeremy was my crew. He worked the sails and told me exactly what to do," Dawn Lea laughed.
Others enjoying (brr-rr) swimming in the 68 degree water in Buzzards Bay, and dining on New England clam chowder and other seafoods for which the resort area is famous, plus the fish Jeremy caught in the Bay and Vineyard Sound and grilled, were Mont and Dawn Mars, Miriam Mars, Hadley's perennial and "best friends guests," Sarah Mars, Sadie Shields, and Margaret Jordan and champion resident sailor, Jeremy's dad, Steve.
This inland family rents a house in Quissett Harbor the first three weeks in July each year from the Preservation Trust Association. "We can't wait to go every year," Dawn Lea told me, "and we can't wait to get home for the Fair!"
Betty Dianne Hardin Roberts has fond memories of visiting her grandparents, Asa and Virgie White, on their farm east of town as a child. "I was fascinated that my granddaddy's plumbing shop (located behind Thurman Rice's barber shop) had a red and white stripe pole by the door. My daddy, Bryant White, told me about working at the Ellis Theater in the days of silent movies." It is the memories of "these wonderful people and this indescribable Fair, etched forever in my heart," which bring Betty back to Neshoba County each year as a Fair guest of her 96-year-old Aunt Thelma Hardin Guthans who was celebrating her 34th Fair, her cousin Susan Webb, and her husband Randy Webb, in Cabin 511. "I always pick up on the latest fashion trends when I come to the Fair," Betty laughed, pointing to her wildly colored rubber boots. Not only a fashion statement but a necessity this wet Fair year.
Betty brought greetings from mine and Frankie Harpole's MSCW friends, Guy and Betty Gilmore Brandon, who also live on Pickwick Lake in Savannah, Tenn., and attend church with Betty Roberts and her family at First Baptist in Counce, Tenn. The Fair has a way of bringing us all together.
The Fair has a definite pull to bring us back home. Lucy Hays, who is now living at
Briar Hill in Florence, came for a few days with her daughter, Jean Marshall. They attended a luncheon at Vicky Marshall's Cabin 104 and visited with Rebecca Marshall, Charlene Clark, Stu Yarborough, Beth Yarborough, and Susan Weir Cook. They also enjoyed visiting with Ted and Betty Ann Landers of Jupiter, Fla., Judy and Jerry Barnes, and the many friends Lucy has here.
Morgan Bailey, Caleb Jay and Samuel McKay participated in the Mississippi Baptist All-State Choir and Orchestra tour this summer. Morgan and Samuel are both graduates of Philadelphia High School and Caleb a graduate of Neshoba Central. Morgan represented Salem Baptist Church in the choir, while Caleb and Samuel represented First Baptist. Morgan and Caleb will be freshmen at East Central Community College this fall. Samuel will be a freshman at the University of Mississippi.
The group which began its rehearsal camp at William Carry College on June 8-11 completed its annual summer tour at First Baptist, Jackson on June 16. The choir, which has grown from 45 members to 110 singers since it was founded in 1991, seeks to strengthen Mississippi Baptist high school students spiritually and musically while bringing the message of Christ to the people of Mississippi through their music. Ninth through 12th grade students are eligible to audition for positions in the choir and orchestra each fall. Choir members are selected through vocal auditions, interview and letters of recommendation.
One unique facet of this year's concert tour was their ministry to assist military chaplains serving in Iraq and Afghanistan in an effort to enhance the worship experiences in the field chapels. The choir, divided into 20 family groups, made one banner per group. The choir paused in the middle of a very busy concert tour to complete the banner construction at Clarksdale Church. The banners were cut out and hemmed by members of First Baptist Church, Madison, and Utica Church, Utica. Five chaplains were presented with a set of four banners each: a Christmas banner, an Easter banner, a patriotic or Thanksgiving banner, and a banner featuring a non-seasonal scriptural inspirational theme. The banners were on display at the final concert at First Church, Jackson.
Caleb is a first year member of the choir and is the son of Brian and Angie Jay. He is the grandson of Fonzy and Marcella Comans of Pearl and the late James and Evelyn Jay of Slocomb, Ala.
Morgan is a second year member of the choir and is the daughter of David and Dee Dee Bailey. She is the granddaughter of Rev. Duaine and Lou Morgan of Philadelphia and Bill and Ellen Bailey of Columbus.
Samuel is a third year member of the choir and is the son of Don and Sharon McKay. He is the grandson of Ann and the late Orville Tingle of Philadelphia and the late Glynn and Richard McKay of Preston.
Jean Marshall brought me this report from "the best class ever" 50th reunion held at the Philadelphia Country Club on July 25. The class of 1959's fun began on Friday morning when they met to decorate the clubhouse with 45 records and other 50's memorabilia. Late in the day, Pat Mioton hosted one of the house parties at the Fairgrounds.
After shopping the flea market Saturday morning, William Hamill opened the Philadelphia/Neshoba County Historical Museum uptown for them. "We all enjoyed the Marty Stuart video, and were surprised (but not really) that Marty dedicated his room to Betty Seward. That shows the Neshoba County love and thoughtfulness from our very own," Jean told me. They met the morning golfers for lunch at the clubhouse. Continuing her report on the reunion, which concluded with the class voting to cover a walkway at their alma mater, Jean added, "The big party started at 5:00 with a dinner catered by Mac Burt, as always the food was great. Alan Hardy was our DJ spinning rock and roll music. Each person received a stature of a graduate which had their senior picture attached. We had the honor of having Coach Bobby Posey attend. Several guys in our class played on the winning championship 1958 basketball team."
Those attending from out of town were: Bobbie Jo (Barham) Davis, Petal; Tommy and Carolyn Carter, Lindale, Texas; Pat and Pat Carter, Smyrma, Ga.; Charles Neal and Elaine Crews, Rosharon, Texas; Robert Cumberland and Pepi, Ocean Springs; Betty Carolyn (Durrett) Simpson and Jim; Joe and Mary Beth Graves, Clinton; Pat (Green) and Bobby Bowton, Brookhaven; Sue (Hamilton) Eason, Brandon; Virginia (Hamilton) and Jerry Hawkins, Union Grove, Ala.; Jerry Hand, Anderson, Ind.; Mina Hooper, Garland, Texas; Mary Kathrin (Kennedy) Windle, Columbus; Linda (Lea) Glasgow, Utica; Sue Beth (Moore) and James Smith, Laurel; Richard Rea, Union; Charles "Redtop" and Judy Thomas, Louisville; Martha (Underwood) and Wade West, Vicksburg.
Philadelphians attending; Billy Arledge, Pat (Flint) Mioton and Alan Williamson, Lake; William and Kay Hamill, Charles Johnson, Judy (Joyner) Caverhill and guest, Billy Gene Molpus, Sheila (Kinnard) Tidwell, Jean Marshall and guest Danny Ford, Byram, Mack Partridge, Weegie (Payne) Coker, Charles Pearson, Don Perry, Gaynell (Rae) and John White, Loree Robert and Martha Rogers, Melva Ruth (Smith) Gray, Dorris (Smith) and Carl Vowell, Barbara (Vowell) and Jimmy Pou, David Lee and Nancy Williams, Fred Kirkland and Joyce Hunter.
We lost a friend/reader on Aug. 4 when Bill Carson passed away in Lake Park, Ga. Bill was married to Willie Mae Madison Carson, a sister to Mildred Madison Risher. "They loved reading Friends," Mildred told me. We extend our sympathy to Bill's family.
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