Invitation Tupelo | April 2015

APRIL 2015

Great performances start with great teams.

Recognized in Cardiac Care, Knee & Hip Replacement and Spine Surgery It takes teamwork and skill to be one of the best every day. That’s why North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo is proud to be named a Blue Distinction + Center of Excellence for Spine Surgery, Cardiac Care and Knee & Hip Replacement by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi members now have 24/7 access to our high level of care with out-of-pocket savings compared to other hospitals and health systems in the region. It’s a win-win for you and your health.

For more information on these distinctions, visit nmhs.net/blue_distinctions.php.

To learn more about Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care®, please visit www.bcbsms.com.

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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Jason Warren, Broker/Owner Robin Walton, Broker/Associate Neel Dean, Broker/Associate

14 MLS# 15-252 $146,500

MLS# 15-90 $79,900

MLS# 14-3407 $425,000

MLS# 15-536 $205,000

MLS# 14-3217 $325,000

MLS# 15-650 $210,000

1737 CEDARWOOD DR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

3552 FAIR OAKS DR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

4543 LAKEWOOD LN. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

1687 TREELINE DR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrroms

4539 MEADOW CR. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

616 NORTH MADISON ST. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

36 MLS# 14-3223 $329,000 4526 RIDGEMOOR BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-776 $179,900 1709 VALLEY VIEW DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-520 $259,900

MLS# 14-3324 $410,000

MLS# 15-582 $259,900

MLS# 14-3255 $129,900

MLS# 15-530 $350,000

4434 RIDGEWAY DR. BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

2597 ST. ANDREWS BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

2608 FOX RUN LN. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

134 COLT LN. GUNTOWN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

3772 BIG OAKS BLVD. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-430 $330,000

MLS# 14-3432 $375,000

MLS# 15-584 $139,900

MLS# 15-293 $235,000

MLS# 15-288 $239,900

259 CROSSRIDGE CR. MOOREVILLE 4 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

425 HIGHWAY 6 EAST NETTLETON 3 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

1723 CEDARWOOD CV. BELDEN 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

2342 BARNES CROSSING RD. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

109 BENTGRASS CR. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

9 MLS# 15-745 $410,000

MLS# 14-3017 $299,900

4611 PINE CONE LN. BELDEN 4 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

103 CORI CV. SALTILLO 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-688 $175,000 2002 HUMMINGBIRD LN. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-489 $103,900

MLS# 14-3251 $249,999

MLS# 15-598 $199,900

103 WILLOW CREEK DR. SALTILLO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

145 ACADIAN CR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

36 CLARK BLVD. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

Same Team, New Location 2 INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

307 WEST MAIN STREET TUPELO | MS | 38804

40 MLS# 14-3153 $105,000

MLS# 14-3277 $219,900

MLS# 14-3288 $299,900

MLS# 15-199 $156,900

MLS# 14-3287 $619,500

MLS# 14-3216 $250,000

908 BEECHNUT TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1011 BELLEDEER DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

1952 BORDEAUX LN. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

208 HARVESTERS SQ. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

5362 CHESTERVILLE RD. TUPELO 6 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

107 VALLEY VISTA DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

MLS# 14-3586 $239,900

MLS# 14-3311 $129,900

MLS# 15-787 $125,000

MLS# 15-668 $299,900

MLS# 15-421 $159,900

MLS# 15-338 $1,125,000

1209 CLAYTON AVE. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1701 CLAYTON AVE. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 1.5 Bathrooms

792 COUNTY ROAD 521 SALTILLO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1200 SPRINGDALE DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

1502 VALLEY ROAD TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

972 DEBEAU ST. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-695 $159,900

MLS# 14-3062 $425,000 3173 NORTH HILL DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

2 MLS# 14-3450 $199,900

MLS# 15-186 $118,000

MLS# 14-3457 $200,000

38 CLARK BLVD. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2.5 Bathrooms

800 EAST BAY CR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1272 ELVIS PRESLEY DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

102 VINEWOOD CR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

508 WESSON PARK RD. SALTILLO 3 Bedroom; 2 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-104 $325,000

MLS# 15-146 $299,500

MLS# 14-3136 $450,000

MLS# 15-729 $280,000

MLS# 15-589 $195,000

MLS# 15-462 $219,000

1433 LAKESHIRE DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

4710 LAKEWAY DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

1546 LARKSPUR TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 4 Bathrooms

1004 FAWN ST. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1813 SUMMERLAKE DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

917 LYNN CR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-533 $105,000

25

51 MLS# 14-3427 $195,000

MLS# 15-253 $110,000

MLS# 14-3134 $189,900

MLS# 14-3250 $229,900

720 NORTH MADISON ST. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1515 LEIGHTON DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

518 MAGNOLIA TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

4645 MEADOW BROOK DR. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-485 $534,700

MLS# 14-3585 $989,000

801 OAK GROVE RD. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 5 Bathrooms

3070 ORCHID CR. TUPELO 5 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

MLS# 15-649 $250,000

MLS# 15-523 $139,900

MLS# 14-3214 $550,000

639 NORTH MADISON ST. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

1900 SWALLOW LN. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3 Bathrooms

611 NORTH THOMAS ST. TUPELO 5 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

14 MLS# 14-3376 $525,000

MLS# 14-3207 $150,000

MLS# 15-64 $284,900

1935 NORTH PARC TUPELO 5 Bedrooms; 4.5 Bathrooms

2116 REAGAN DR. TUPELO 3 Bedrooms; 2 Bathrooms

2224 SOUTH CLA-WOOD PL. TUPELO 4 Bedrooms; 3.5 Bathrooms

662.842.2710

JasonWarrenTupelo.com3 April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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IN THIS ISSUE APRIL 2015

APRIL 2015

FEATURES 41 Party Cove There’s always a good time happening at this lakefront Pickwick cabin.

47 Tupelo Spirit Shines COVER ILLUSTRATED

BY KIT STAFFORD

One year since the April 2014 tornado, Tupelo spirit is stronger than ever.

58 Born to Ride These proud lady motorcycle riders are erasing old stereotypes about their beloved hobby.

63 Behind the Lens Tupelo’s film culture is growing, with help from some experienced local filmmakers.

70 Beyond the Alamo Photographer Joe Worthem captured the beauty of four missions during a trip to Texas.

EVENTS 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 76 78 80 82

Jogging for the Jungle 5K Don’t Be Cruel BBQ Duel Craft Beer Festival Tupelo Mustache Bash A Novel Affair Pink Heals Pink Powder 5K St. Paddy’s Day 20K The Aristocats Kids Tupelo Ballet’s Coppelia Run for Your Buns 5K Arts in the Park Rasberry Financial Party

DEPARTMENTS

36 Pickwick Lake

Now is the time to make plans to fill the long, hot summer days with fun day trips and overnight excursions to this popular northeast Mississippi destination.

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

8 12 14 16 85 88

Letter From the Publisher What’s Happening Community Corner In Season: Kale Out and About Tupelo Spirit: Kristi Lake

MEET theARTIST Kit Stafford

is a fixture in the Tupelo art community. With more than 12 years of teaching experience, she is currently a National Board Certified visual arts specialist at Lawndale Elementary. She was director of GumTree Museum and GumTree Festival from 2010-2013, which enabled her to work with artists from all over Mississippi and the Southeast and conduct numerous arts education workshops. In 2010-2011, Kit and her husband, Russell, were responsible for initiating the large community project, Rockin’ Tupelo, where students from each of the 13 Tupelo schools painted 6-foot metal guitars that were placed on Main Street in Tupelo. The Staffords live in downtown Tupelo with their three daughters, Reid, Shelby and Sophie.

Stafford drew on personal experiences to colorfully and creatively illustrate the cover and Pickwick Lake feature story in this issue.

“Pickwick is the one place that pulls our entire family together,” Stafford said. “We have celebrated holidays, birthdays and lazy summer days together there. Rope swings, waterfalls, tubing, and nearly sinking the boat. The memories (and adventures) that we have made at Pickwick with family and friends are priceless and definitely make Pickwick one of our happy places.”

Paul B. Farabaugh, M.D. Jonathan R. Kalish, M.D J. Timothy Posey, M.D.

C. Stephen Farmer II, M.D. Wm. Hughes Milam, M.D. Kristopher W. Whitehead, M.D.

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

New. Now. Next.

Historic Downtown Tupelo 662.842.6453 Mall at Barnes Crossing 662.842.5287 reedsms.com April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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the publisher

LETTER FROM

P

eople who live through natural disasters are never the same. I learned that when I went to work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on the Mississippi Gulf Coast right after Hurricane Katrina.

Many places are also forever changed by such events. Elvis Presley Lake, pictured here, still bears scars from last year’s tornado that took down so many of its trees and resulted in the lake’s closing for most of the year. It has reopened, and local residents are encouraged to visit often to support its continued recovery.

In this issue we celebrate and rejoice in the great strides Tupelo has made since the tornado one year ago, even as we remember how the storm affected each of us. Several of our advertising clients lost their businesses, and so many of our readers generously helped the community.

In Invitation Tupelo last spring, we featured the home of Mary Connor Victoria, including photos of her beautiful historic family house. We learned soon after printing the magazine that her home had sustained significant damage when she shared a heartwrenching photo of the destruction after the storm. Our hearts were heavy for Mary Connor’s family and many others who had lost so much.

In this issue, we are honored to include

PUBLISHER Rachel Malone West EDITOR Phil West DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Cindy Semmes MANAGING EDITOR Emily Welly ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lena Anderson ART DIRECTOR Hallie M. Thomas DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Emily R. Suber STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Lisa Roberts, Joe Worthem STAFF WRITER Melanie Crownover ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson, Sheena Hagemann, Leigh Lowery, Lynn McElreath, Mary Moreton, Moni Simpson DESIGNERS Becca Bailey, Zach Fields, Courtney Sims CONTRIBUTORS Chasity Dees, Kimme Hargrove, Kit Stafford, Andrew Stanford, Sonia Thompson OFFICE MANAGER Hollie Hilliard COPY EDITOR Kate Johnson

new photos of Mary Connor’s lovingly restored home, and I was especially touched to learn that the photos taken for last year’s magazine helped her put her house back the way she remembered it. Her story and the others in the section that starts on page 47 are encouraging because they show that the Tupelo spirit continues to shine.

DISTRIBUTION Donald Courtney ADVERTISING INFORMATION (662) 701-8070 ads@invitationtupelo.com MAIN OFFICE (662) 234-4008 To subscribe to one year (10 issues) of Invitation Tupelo, send payment of $50 to: P.O. Box 3192, Tupelo, MS 38802 or visit invitationtupelo.com to pay online.

To request a photographer at your event, to obtain an event photo or to purchase an announcement, email Hallie at hallielandonmarshall@gmail.com.

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

In the March issue of Invitation Tupelo, both BancorpSouth Arena and Toyota Mississippi should have been listed as crown sponsors of the Feb. 6 Junior Auxiliary of Tupelo Charity Ball. Invitation Tupelo regrets the error.

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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MainTommy St., Tupelo Morgan, Broker/Owner 2092 Old Taylor Rd., Oxford Jessica Harris, ManagingBroker Broker 210 East East Main Main210 St.,East Tupelo Morgan,Tommy Broker/Owner 2092 Old Taylor Rd., Oxford Jessica Harris, Managing 210 St., Tupelo

what’s happening April 15-May 15

A sampling of important, fun and interesting events in our area. For more events, visit invitationtupelo.com.

SPORTS AND FITNESS

PERFORMANCES, FESTIVALS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

April 18

April 17-30

Super Sprint Triathlon

Tupelo Public School District Art Exhibition

This triathlon includes a 300-meter swim,1-mile bike and 2-mile run through Veterans Park. Registration $45.

8 a.m., Tupelo Aquatic Center. tupelosupersprint.racesonline.com

GumTree Museum of Art hosts an exhibit featuring artwork

by Tupelo Public School District students, grades K-12. gumtreemuseum.com

April 27 and May 11

April 23

April 30-May 2 Les Misérables

Tupelo Community Theatre presents the musical Les Misérables. Performances take place at the Lyric Theatre at 7:30 p.m. each evening, plus a matinee at 2 p.m.

May 2. Tickets $22, $10 students. tct.ms, 662-844-1935

Wine Downtown

May 1-3

Downtown businesses host wine tastings from 5 to 8 p.m.; then Park Heights hosts an after party. Tickets $30. tupelomainstreet.com

Blue Suede Cruise Classic car show, drive-in movie, swap meet, live entertainment, 50/50 drawings and more. bluesc.com

April 23-26

May 2

Alice in Wonderland

Dudie Burger Festival at Oren Dunn

Wear plaid for this walk and fun run to benefit the American Brain Tumor Association. $25. 8 a.m., Ballard Park.

662-210-5549 or kiltedforbraintumors.com

Corinth Theatre-Arts presents Alice in Wonderland. Tickets $12, $6 students. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. CT-A Playhouse, 303 Fulton Drive. corinththeatrearts.com

May 4

April 25

Family-friendly festival named for the historic Dudies Diner features food, crafts, music and more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Oren Dunn City Museum. Later that night, the museum hosts a free showing of American Graffiti, 8-10 p.m. And stop in throughout April and May for the Tupelo Tornado Then and Now exhibit. 662-841-6438

Hip Hoppers at Healthworks!

Story and activity time for preschool children and their grown-ups. $5 per person; free for members. 10 a.m. healthworkskidsms.org

May 2 Kilt Walk for Brain Tumor Awareness

Exchange Club Golf Tournament

Noleput

Seventh annual golf tournament will benefit the Family Resource Center. Big Oaks Golf Course.

For more information, email tgarrett@bbconcrete.com.

New Orleans-style street festival features music, food and more. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Silver Moon Club. 662-841-6440

May 5

NMSO Presents Northern Lights

Golf Fore Life Tournament Ninth annual Golf Fore Life Tournament benefits New Beginnings Adoption and Family Services. 11 a.m. lunch, 12:30 p.m. tee time. Big Oaks Golf Course. newbeginningsadoptions.org

May 15 J.T. Neely Scholarship Tournament Tupelo Softball Association hosts a softball tournament for ages 8U-18U. $125 entry fee per team; $100 no show fee required by May 8. Contact Alex Wilcox at Tupelo Parks and Recreation, 662-841-6440 or alex.wilcox@tupeloms.gov. tupeloms.gov/softball

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

April 25 Award-winning Italian pianist Roberto Plano performs with the North Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Tickets $25, $10 students. 7:30 p.m., Link Centre. nmsymphony.com, 662-842-8433

April 28 Joyner Tornado Recovery Celebration Join the residents of one of the neighborhoods most affected by the 2014 tornado to mark the one-year anniversary with live music and guest speakers. Luminaries will be lit at sunset throughout the neighborhood. 6 p.m., Rob Leake City Park. Search “Tornado Recovery Celebration” on Facebook for more information. The Sharon Hills neighborhood will also light luminaries and host a walk and potluck at 5:45 p.m.

May 2 Kentucky Derby Party Annual party benefits Regional Rehab Center. Tickets $40 per person; $300 for table of eight. Takes place at home of host Tom Evans, 419 Robins St. Call 662-842-1891 for tickets.

May 9-10 GumTree Festival The 44th annual downtown festival features art vendors and the 25th annual singer/songwriter competition at 6 p.m. on May 8. A live music contest takes place at Gabriel’s on Gloster features Jimbo Mathus, and is sponsored by Mitchell Distributing. gumtreefestival.com

May 15-16 Tupelo Hog Roast The annual Tupelo Hog Roast raises money for a variety of local charities. 5-11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Saturday. VFW, 1748 Mitchell Road. 662-213-4606

HOME AND GARDEN April 18, 20, and 21

Lee County Master Gardener Plant Sale Shop from a wide variety of plants at the Lee County Master Gardener’s annual plant sale. Proceeds support numerous gardening projects in Lee County. 8 a.m.-noon April 18, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 20-21. Lee County Extension Service grounds, 5338 Cliff Gookin Blvd. leecountymastergardeners.com, 866-920-4678

May 2 New Albany Garden Club Fundraiser Luncheon with special guest Peter Woods of Peter’s Pottery. $25. Proceeds support the Faulkner Garden at Union County Heritage Museum, near William Faulkner’s birthplace. Noon, First United Methodist Church, New Albany. 662-534-3352 or 662-316-2689

May 2 Corinth Green Market The seventh annual season of Corinth’s monthly Green Market continues. The market is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the historic Corinth Depot. corinthgreenmarket.com

May 12 Lee County Master Gardeners Class Learn about annuals and container gardening.

3 and 6 p.m., Lee County Extension Office. Free, but preregistration is required by calling 662-841-9000. leecountymastergardeners.com

May 15 Feast for the Farmers Support the Tupelo Farmers Market and its vendors as the 2015 season gets underway with a fundraiser dinner. The market officially opens May 17 and will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 6 a.m. until vendors sell out, through Oct. 25. 7-10 p.m. 415 South Spring St. tupelomainstreet.com/farmers-market

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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Corner

COMMUNITY Local charity Helping Hands Helping Homeless Inc., which uses a starfish as its symbol and is known by the nickname Quad H, is making a difference.

HOW THEY HELP

Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders Institute, PLLC PLLC Jayant Dey, M.D., M.B.B.S. Nancy Hooks, NP-C Dottie Carnathan FNP-BC

Quad H has helped more than 300 homeless people get and stay off the streets by providing donated items to get them started in new homes. Additionally, Quad H’s subsidiary Stone Soup Ministry is a coalition of volunteers from more than a dozen churches who serve lunch to those in need on Saturdays at the Salvation Army, averaging 150 meals per week.

DONATE Quad H is a 501(c)(3) organization and a registered charity in Mississippi, so all donations are tax deductible.

Donate gently used furniture, appliances, household items and clothing at the Quad H warehouse, 511 South Green St., during open hours, typically 1-5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information on warehouse donations, call Melissa Pound at 662-871-2312.

Make a monetary donation by mailing a check to P.O. Box 2914, Tupelo, MS 38803, or donate online at gofundme.com/kzx22o. Or chose Quad H as your charity of choice when shopping online at smile.amazon.com, and it will receive a portion of your purchase amount.

LEARN MORE

910 Mary Vance Drive, Tupelo, Mississippi 38801 Phone: 662.377.6275 • Fax: 662.377.6299 • endocrinetupelo.com

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Join the Helping Hands Helping Homeless Inc. Facebook group to learn more about getting involved with the organization. For more information on Quad H, contact founder Max Munn at 662-891-6732.

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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IN SEASON Kale

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

K

ale may be the trendiest green on the market today, but it’s been a regular crop in Charles and Edith Fikes’ half-acre Tupelo garden for years.

“I put it out in the fall, and if the ground is wet, it comes up within a week. It’s so easy to grow,” Charles said. “That lasts us all through the winter into the early spring.”

He plows long rows into his garden in September and fortifies the soil with a mix of 8-8-8 fertilizer, pelletized lime and slag. The seeds are sown closely and lightly covered with dirt. Unless a crop needs to be treated for pests such as aphids, there’s little maintenance after planting until it’s time to harvest.

“The plants come in thick, but they do better if you don’t thin them out. I pick mine about halfway down to help keep them growing, and we don’t have to cut the stems in the kitchen that way,” Charles said. “The leaves are smaller when it’s cold, but kale tastes best after your first frost.”

Edith suggests washing the leaves immediately after picking and storing them in a resealable plastic bag. Fresh kale will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

“We use our kale to put with lettuce in a salad or add it to coleslaw for an extra crunch,” she said. “Our favorite way to eat it is cooked up in a pot like collard greens or mixed in a stir-fry.”

Kale Stir-Fry (pictured left and above)

Collard-Style Kale

2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped Fresh kale, washed and chopped Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste

Fresh kale 2 strips bacon or 2-3 beef bouillon cubes ¼ teaspoon hot pepper jelly Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion, and sauté until translucent. Add kale until the pan is full, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15-20 minutes over medium heat.

Serve with grilled chicken, stir-fried vegetables and rice, and try soy sauce or teriyaki sauce on the side.

Wash kale, and chop into medium-sized pieces. Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water, and put on the stove on high heat. Add kale. Bring to a boil. Add bacon or beef bouillon cubes, hot pepper jelly, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook for 30-40 minutes.

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Jogging for the Jungle 5K View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

The Saltillo Junior Women’s Club held its sixth annual fundraiser run March 28 to benefit the playground at Saltillo City Park. The Easter Bunny was there to cheer on participants in this year’s event, which also included a 10K and a pancake breakfast after the race.

Jenny Erickson and Olivia Jennings

Hope McCoy, Sonya Burnett, Katrina Hooper and Heather Tate

Jessica Eaton, Shannon Fryery, Ellen Harrison and Melissa Mark and Tyler Smith with Jay Miller Cockrell

Geoffrey and Keri Phillips

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Samantha Wooten and Amber Hendrix

Sarah Beth McCarter and Teletha Newell

Jan Patterson, Rex Smith and Lindsey Hines

Jacob Dunaway and Kim Bucci

Joseph Jackson and Jacob Timmons

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Don’t Be Cruel BBQ Duel View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

One hundred barbecue teams competed in the fifth annual Don’t Be Cruel BBQ Duel, held March 13-14 at Fairpark. Attendees were treated to barbecue samples and food from other vendors, live music, children’s activities and more. The event benefits the Link Centre.

Shane Craig and Brad Huddleston

Rick Bagwell, Brian Rigby, Bill Roberts, Phillip Mathis, Rob Lesley, Al Wallace, Chuck Huffstatler, Barry Replogle and Rhettford Puckett

Bob Wiygul and Eric Lee

Jeremy and Jeff Alexander

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Mike, Jeremiah and Tina Burris

Kyle Ferguson, Tom Velek, Kirk Sudduth and David Perry

Kiersten Pate; Atonya, David and Mike Smith; and Chaz and Amy Kirby

Vince Johnson,Ken and Casey Clemons, and Bobby Hall

Rob and Edward Kiste, Jason Sullivan, Bradford Ridgway and Tobias Reeves

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Joel Driskell, Denny Waite, Les Ellis, Reed Robison, Ben Logan and Ben Logan Jr.

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events Tupelo Craft Beer Festival View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

Attendees to the third annual Tupelo Craft Beer Festival, held March 21 in Fairpark, sampled a variety of craft beers, tasted local foods and enjoyed live music. A portion of the proceeds benefited Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association.

Amanda Beck, Amanda Erben, Meredith King, Irina Wuebold, Catherine Williams and Katie Zampini

Toni Gough and Buddy Keechel

Ariana Weare and Paul Steffan

Craig Raynor and Kevin Doyle

Neely Turner and Tammy Brewer

Phillp Scrimpshire with Chelsea and Justin Baulch

Julianne Goodwin, Marsha Tapscott and Mason Meeks

Kelly Jordan, Allen Jackson, Becky Gentry and Robin Jackson

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

photographed by Lisa Roberts

Joli Nichols, Kristina Sawicki and Andy O’Bryan

Deana and Gary Windham

Mark Turba, Chris Johnson and Michelle Turba

Marcie Walker, Philip Douglas and Nick Moger

Josh Patterson, Debbie Clark, Tammie Holiman and Travis Waters

Matthew and Janaya Peters with Bo Tanner, Chris Purtee and Chris Morgan

Alyssa Vail, Sam Loden, Neal Buse and Dalton Healy

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April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Tupelo Mustache Bash View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

The fourth annual Tupelo Mustache Bash, this year with a carnival-theme, was held March 21 at the J.J. Rogers building. The event benefited the Autism Center of North Mississippi and Tupelo Community Theatre. For more on the event, visit tupelostachebash.com.

Carol and Michael Upton

Jackson Roye, Elena Denton, Brent and Meredith Martin, C. Todd Sherman, Kit and Russell Stafford, Amanda and Jason Hayden

Reid White and Josh Martin

Matt Davison and Jennifer Hendrick

Ashley Brock and Copey Grantham

Rebecca Goysich and Liz Krason

Mayor Jason Shelton with Allie and Chad West

April and J.B. Clark

Leah Hardy and Lyonel Gilmore

Ashley and Mark Prince with Marty Brown and Teresa Senter

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Heather Sepulveda, Andi White, Frances Johnson and Scottie Presley

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events A Novel Affair View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

Friends of the Lee County Library hosted A Novel Affair fundraiser March 20 at BancorpSouth Conference Center. The event featured chef Robert St. John and artist Wyatt Waters. St. John provided the meal, and Waters painted a watercolor of the event as it happened.

Mayor Jason Shelton and Wyatt Waters

Ruby Trice, Becky Hendrix, Wilma Trice, Jimmie Nell Pierce, Ida Brand, Dorothy Buchanan and LeSonia Townsend

Henry and Martha Dodge

Hugh and Bea Luckett with Rose Trigg and Susan Mitchell

Elizabeth and Sadie Buchanan with Vontice Hembree and Linda and Leigh Buchanan

Dan and Frances Brasfield with Charlotte and Frank Wilburn

Patti Hammack and Terri Lynn London

Glenda Segars and Amy Price

Rob Lesley and Robert St. John

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

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April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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events Pink Heals Pink Powder 5K View more event photos @ facebook.com/invitationtupelo.

The Pontotoc-North Mississippi chapter of Pink Heals Inc. held its Pink Powder 5K fundraiser event March 21. The group raises money and awareness to support local women and their families. For more information on the national organization, visit pinkfiretrucks.org.

Kinsley and Keira Maxey

Dawn Graham and Brandie Thomas

Corley Hogue, Hannah Durham, Kala King and Carla Durham

Adrian Stafford, Carrie Stringer and Elizabeth Lunn

Jordyn Thornton and Lisa Riggs

Courtney and Jeremy Maxey

Abby Tidwell, Ana-Grace Warren and Carson Brantley

Mark Baldwin and Jimmy Farris

Leah Simmons and Mallory Wilson

Brad Owen and Sonya Strevel

Annette Betts, Michelle Stevens and Beth Charles

Emily and Anna Guntharp

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

photographed by Chasity Dees

When the time comes, we have the perfect place for your loved one

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events St. Paddy’s Day 20K View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

Tupelo Running Club sponsored a St. Paddy’s Day 20K race March 21 to benefit Regional Rehab. The club is a nonprofit organization that meets regularly and sponsors several local races. To learn more about Tupelo Running Club, visit tupelorunningclub.net.

Zell Long and Robby Parman

Teena Simpson and Ruth Ann Tillner

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Anna Claire Jefcoat and Emily Vandiver

Alisha Singley, Beth Mobley and Erin Walker

Annie and Jim Goodwin

Mylie Beane, Kay Mathews and Natalie Pegues

Brittney Williams, John Tyler Yant and Paige Hamblin

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April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Courtney Sims

events The Aristocats Kids View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

Pied Piper Players presented Disney’s The Aristocats Kids March 27-29 at Milam Auditorium. The children’s theater company puts on shows throughout the year and holds a summer theater camp in June. Visit facebook.com/piedpipertupelo to learn more.

Joanne Posey and Victoria Fox

Michaela Hardy with Madison, Amanda, Jordan and Jake Martin

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

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SPRING VISIT DAY: Thursday, April 16

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Student Support Center at ICC-Tupelo 4 to 6 p.m., Advanced Education Center Lobby Learn more about programs, admissions requirements, scholarships, and financial aid. No registration required.

(662) 844-5622 • tupelo@olemiss.edu • olemiss.edu/tupelo

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Now is the time to make plans to fill the long, hot summer days with fun day trips and overnight excursions to Pickwick Lake.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | ILLUSTRATED BY Kit Stafford | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Lisa Roberts

Pickwick Lake is a staple of the northeast Mississippi summer landscape. About an hour’s drive from Tupelo, the lake, maintained by the Tennessee Valley Authority, offers visitors more than 50 miles of water to splash in, with banks touching Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama. This summer, head for its shores and see what it has to offer.

spots for tent camping, with bathhouses on-site. Sites have tables and grills, and a picnic pavilion is available for parties and reunions. Patrons can play miniature golf at the park or a regulation round at one of the nearby golf courses. Historic Shiloh National Military Park’s battlefields and the swinging bridge at Tishomingo State Park are nearby attractions.

Lake Lodging

Water Sports and More

There are plenty of options for lodging at Pickwick.

For a more refined lake getaway try the four-star Grand Harbor Marina resort nestled into the bay at Iuka, Miss.

Grand Harbor offers waterfront condo, vacation home and villa rentals. The resort provides amenities such as a lake-view pool with water slide, tennis courts, a children’s playground area and an on-site spa. An 8-foot breaker and 325 boat slips offer safe docking, and the nearby Aqua Yacht Harbor offers in-water drive-up services for refueling and maintenance.

Lake-goers seeking a more back-to-nature Pickwick experience should look no further than nearby areas such as Goat Island Recreation Area, Pickwick Landing State Park or J.P. Coleman State Park.

Perched on a bluff overlooking the lake, the water at J.P. Coleman touches Mississippi shores only. In addition to a lakeside motel, the park has 69 RV campsites with hookups, 20 vacation cabins and primitive lakeside

Water-skiing. Kayaking. Fishing. If it’s waterrelated, it can probably be done at Pickwick.

Hunters can also track in-season game on the Wildlife Management Association-approved grounds at J.P. Coleman, and guides stand by ready to lead anglers to prime spots on the water.

“Pickwick is one of the most beautiful places in the South, period, but there are world-record-class smalland largemouth bass here,” fishing guide Roger Stegall said. “People come from everywhere for it because there’s something to fish for year-round.”

Head to Aqua Yacht Harbor to find boat rentals for fun on the water. Pickwick Boat Rentals Inc. at the harbor rents three types of pontoon boats, including some large enough to ski behind. Locals recommend that visitors make reservations, especially on weekends, when the docks can be crowded.

Boaters tend to congregate in the coves around the

WAKEBOARDING AND WATER-SKIING are common Pickwick Lake activities. For a smoother ride on the water, opt for a sailboat. Thrill seekers take turns on a rope swing in an adjoining creek. J.P. Coleman State Park offers motel lodging, camping, picnic pavilions and more.

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

“There’s nothing like Pickwick when the weather is warm and the water is right. It’s got everything you need for a good summer.” —Alex Homer, Pickwick resident lake if they’re not out angling for crappie or catfish. Dry Creek and Panther Creek are popular hangouts, and Yellow Creek Cove is a big draw for the nearby waterfall and rope swing. Jumping off the falls or swinging into the lake are summer rites of passage for many Pickwick regulars, and they welcome visitors to take on the daunting feat if they dare.

More adventurous lake lovers may also want to try a ride with Southern Flyboard. Flyboarding is a water sport where riders strap their feet into stationary boots mounted on a board. A hose between the board and a Jet Ski manned by a qualified flyboard operator shoots water through jets on the board bottom, propelling the rider as high as 35 feet into the air.

“It looks like you’re levitating. A lot of people look at it and are scared to try, but I can have you up and flying within five minutes. People pick it up that fast,” owner Marcus Harris said. “We’ve had [customers] from age 9 to 67, so far, and a lot of those are trying backflips or dolphin dives before they get off.”

Almost 500 vacationers tried Southern Flyboard last year in its first season. The crew meets customers anywhere on the lake for 20-minute single rides or fullday group events. Learn more at southernflyboard.com.

On July 4, Pickwick Landing State Park puts on a fireworks show near the dam that draws around 20,000 visitors every year. Arrive early for a good spot on the water or the beach, as the party starts early that day and lasts until well after the 9 p.m. fireworks show is over.

The Grub After a day on the lake, visitors who have worked up appetites can count on finding relief at three main-

stays on Pickwick: Fillin Station Grille, Freddy T’s Restaurant and Beach Club, and Rib Cage.

From Thursday through Sunday, boaters can pull right up to Fillin Station Grille at Aqua Yacht Harbor for American comfort food in a retro 1940s gas station setting. Walk through the rolled-up garage doors to the patio for the best waterfront views to go with the “Southern Mexican” shrimp tacos, Memphis Blues Wrap or Mudbug Bayou Burger adorned with Cajun crawfish. Live bands often play in the evening. The restaurant also does takeout, and breakfast is served Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Visitors to Freddy T’s describe it as the union of a kid-friendly Chuck E. Cheese’s and adult arcade Dave & Busters, with better food and live music. Catfish has its own section on the menu, and they also serve steak, sandwiches and other seafood specialties. Children can play video games in the restaurant area, where there is an arcade with basketball hoops and wall-mounted TVs. The rooftop is family friendly until about 10 p.m., when it turns into an outdoor area with live music until 3 a.m. Patrons ages 21 and over have two more options at Freddy T’s: a beachside dance club known as the Beach Club and Club 50, a more relaxed bar with live music, pool tables and big-screen TVs. Visitors looking for barbecue will find Rib Cage, with its award-winning spread that’s served the area for 26 years. The ribs and Key lime pie are local favorites, as is the view from the deck of the stilted structure.

“There’s nothing like Pickwick when the weather is warm and the water is right,” Rib Cage owner and longtime resident Alex Homer said. “It’s got everything you need for a good summer. You’ve got to get up here.”

PICKWICK’S WATERS ARE SOUGHT AFTER by fishers looking for record-winning catches. The Fillin Station Grille at Aqua Yacht Harbor is accessible by boat. Lake lovers congregate on the water on summer weekends. Kayaks are also welcome on Pickwick Lake.

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

There’s always a good time happening at this lakefront Pickwick cabin.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover PHOTOGRAPHED BY Lisa Roberts When the weekend rolls around, retired Fulton, Miss., business owner Frankie Wallace can’t wait to get to his Pickwick cabin. But he’s not looking for quiet time.

“I need to get out there to the water where me and my friends can talk loud, laugh hard and play big without anyone raising an eyebrow,” he said.

At Wallace’s modern eight-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bathroom lake house, there are minimal restrictions on guest capacity or volume levels.

Wallace originally planned to buy a prefabricated house to place on his lakefront plot of land, but when foundation problems made that plan impossible he hired Pickwick architect Richard Rome of Design Management Construction to create a cabin customized for him, his guests and his love of music.

“It’s an unusual design, but that’s kind of my specialty,” Rome said. “I’ve built probably 40 cabins on the lake between Mississippi and Alabama, but this one stands alone.”

It took two years to build the three-level, circular home that was constructed with steel I beams in the walls and ceilings to support it against the 30-degree slope of the land. The FRANKIE WALLACE’S RETREAT is unlike any other on Pickwick Lake’s shores, with windows that allow plenty of light and offer 180-degree views of the water.

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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“I need to get out there to the water where me and my friends can talk loud, laugh hard and play big without anyone raising an eyebrow.”

-Frankie Wallace

end result was a one-of-a-kind, 5,000-squarefoot construction that boasts the luxuries of lake life and a music theme.

Custom 10-foot windows encircle the living room, giving guests a 180-degree view of the water and shedding plenty of light on Wallace’s wall-mounted guitar collection, which includes an autographed six-string from country star Randy Owen and a signed 1934 Songster from songwriter Peanut Montgomery.

The 22-foot living room ceiling houses Soundsoak acoustic panels with wireless microphones that Wallace controls from his iPad to amplify the music played on his grand piano.

“I’ve played since my early 20s, but I never wanted to do it full time because then it becomes a job instead of fun,” Wallace said. “But when my friends out of Memphis that used to record at Sun Studios come out a few times a year, you’ll catch me on it.”

Sleek curves, ample windows, black granite and bamboo flooring run through the house, and all of the ceilings are angled. The master bedroom has a glass-enclosed hot tub for year-round use, and each bedroom has its own private deck with a view of the water. The lower level houses an 800-square-foot area outfitted with big-screen TVs and all the amenities for a kid-friendly video game night.

Even the dining room table is built for a crowd. Wallace had a template of the house radius sent to China, where carpenters carved out an 11-foot-long black granite tabletop in its likeness. It took eight men to place the 800-pound surface on its wooden base.

Wallace also incorporated practical elements. Tankless water heaters serve all six showers so even when used at the same time the hot water doesn’t run out. The four heating and cooling systems on the property are efficient enough to keep the electric bills low and guests comfortable, even in extreme weather.

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

A TRAM SYSTEM RUNS FROM THE HOUSE TO THE DOCK at the Wallace cabin (opposite page). Clockwise from top left: A sound system built into the walls above the cabin’s many windows maximizes the tunes played on Wallace’s piano and guitars. Decor and memorabilia, such as this collection of Jerry Lee Lewis books and pictures, fit the music theme.

Frankie Wallace takes a turn on the piano. A balcony overlooking the lake has plenty of seating for the many guests that frequent Wallace’s cabin.

A tram system runs from the main deck to the bridge where Wallace shelters the pontoon and bass boats under the pier on a remote control lift that keeps them out of the water until needed. Mister systems in the deck can decrease the temperature by 15° in the

summer heat, and a gazebo shelters the pier and provides a spot for bands to play during special events.

“Last Memorial Day we cooked 400 pounds of crawfish out there and had the band playing all day. We ended up with probably

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

TUPELO SPIRIT

SHINES

It’s been one year since the April 2014 tornado, and in many ways Tupelo spirit is stronger than ever.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem and Shea Summers

PAGE 48

Home Again PAGE 50

Out of the Woods PAGE 52

Strength in Numbers PAGE 54

Symbols of Hope

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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HOME AGAIN

Mary Connor Victoria uncovered some unexpected reminders of the past when she rebuilt her historic family home.

Editor’s Note: We first met Mary Connor Victoria (formerly Mary Connor Adcock) when we were compiling story ideas for our May 2014 Home & Garden issue and heard about her charming 100-year-old home and the meaning it held for her and her son, who, like his grandfather, spent some of his childhood there. We featured the home in that issue, which went to press just days before the April 28, 2014, tornado. The home suffered extensive damage from the storm, but a year later, it has been rebuilt, and in several ways it has reclaimed its historic roots.

Mary Connor Victoria was at work at McCullough Steel’s warehouse, huddled in a showroom bathtub, one year ago when the tornado roared through Tupelo. Once she realized there was no damage to the business except lack of power, her thoughts turned immediately to home.

Victoria checked in with her family and discovered her brother had already headed out to find a way into her police-blockaded neighborhood near the hard-hit St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

The house was built by her greatgrandfather in the late 1800s. The family sold the house on Lawhon Drive in 1935, but Victoria, familiar with its history, bought it back in 2002 to renovate and call her own.

“I texted [my brother] and asked, ‘Is it bad?’ to no response,” she said. “He came in crying later and just said it was gone. Then he drove me out and parked in Parkway Baptist’s parking lot and carried me on his back over the debris and live wires back there. I couldn’t even see my house anymore for all the downed trees.”

The house looked untouched from the back door. The kitchen, den, breakfast room and dining room were all intact, but a huge oak tree had demolished the roof in Victoria’s bedroom and took up the whole living room.

The bed Victoria slept in had splintered into

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

pieces under the weight of the tree.

She moved her things into her backyard guesthouse as soon as the power came back on and began sifting through the wreckage.

Contractors quickly began rebuilding.

“I was the only person in the neighborhood for a while after the lights came back on, so it was kind of weird around here,” she said. “I actually called the cops on one of my contractors when he showed up early one morning at the beginning of the build. Luckily they didn’t hold it against me.”

The renovation was extensive. Essentially the entire front of the house was replaced, a new roof was installed, and the interior walls had to be dismantled down to the studs due to water damage.

Despite the level of damage to the home, as rebuilding began, Victoria took hope in several unexpected finds and a few items she was fortunate enough to save.

The wrought iron corner lamp in her bedroom helped hold the fallen tree up just enough for her grandmother’s chaise lounge to survive with only upholstery damage.

Although her Christmas decorations were in the attic, the stocking her grandmother made for her as a baby was unharmed. Victoria’s 50-year-old piano was damaged, but it was retuned and rebuilt quickly. Even some family memorabilia withstood the storm.

“I found the Bible my daddy gave me when I went to college, water-worn but still intact, and a volunteer found a black-and-white framed photo of Daddy and his best friend out in the brush. I even found some more of the marbles he had as a boy in the spot of an uprooted tree where he used to play,” she said, referring to her father’s boyhood habit of burying marbles in the yard when he lived there.

The build also gave the family a look into the house’s history as reconstruction continued.

The stripping of Sheetrock from the interior

revealed original beadboard walls in several spots, and Victoria left much of it exposed in the finished product. An old family legend was finally verified when a hole across the front of the exterior uncovered the bodock tree that was in fact part of the foundation of the house.

Except for the color scheme, the floor plan and décor went back to Victoria’s original renovated style.

By the end of August, Victoria was moving her things back into the house where they belonged, and just one month later, she and her boyfriend of seven years got married and added his possessions to the lot.

“It made us realize what’s really important and not to hold on so tightly to your possessions,” Victoria said. “The tornado showed us how temporary things can be in life and made us think, ‘What are we waiting for?’ Coming back from this was emotional and hard, but I know me, my home and my family are all stronger for it.”

Despite extensive damage to her home and furnishings, Mary Connor Victoria was able to restore many valuable items, including her grandmother’s chaise lounge and her piano.

Much of the house now looks like it did before, thanks in part to a little help from pictures shot by Invitation Tupelo photographer Joe Worthem just weeks before the storm.

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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OUT OF THE WOODS

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOSH HOWELL

Elvis Presley Lake is open for business, but its once wooded landscape bears scars that will take decades to heal.

BEFORE 4/28/14 The destruction caused by the April 2014 tornado is still visible at Elvis Presley Lake and Campground.

The 322-acre lake and 400 acres of wooded land surrounding it in east Tupelo were hit hard by the storm. It took community volunteers four hours to cut their way into the campsites that day. No visitors were hurt because they had crowded into a bathhouse to take shelter during the storm, but one RV was demolished.

Three fishing piers sustained major damage. Another was destroyed. Four buildings, the concrete handicap-accessible walkway and four electric campground pedestals were also damaged. Thousands of trees were uprooted.

“There was a huge outpouring of support from the community after,” State Lake Super­

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

visor Josh Howell said. “We actually had to turn away about 70 volunteers because people from the neighborhoods around the lake were coming up on foot to offer their help. They were even bringing us food while we were working. It was amazing.”

The Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District brought in heavy equipment to clear the roadways, and a private timber company removed and purchased the damaged wood. The Federal Emergency Management Agency matched the money raised from the timber sales to help with facility repairs.

The lake officially reopened in January.

The 16 camping pads with water and electricity are up and running, and the piers and buildings are all rebuilt. But the walkway and the woods are still in disrepair.

“We’re getting close to being back to 100 percent,” Howell said, “but landscape-wise it’s going to be a long time. It could take 30 to 40 years for the trees we plant now to get the wooded areas back to where they were. It’ll get there; we just have to be patient.”

Howell and his crew plan to begin planting replacement trees later this year.

HOW TO HELP

Howell says landscaping donations are always welcome, but the best way to help the King’s namesake lake is to come out this season and enjoy the facilities. Support the local lake by boating, skiing, fishing, camping out or picnicking whenever the weather permits.

For more information on the lake and campground, call 662-620-6314.

AFTER 4/28/14

“It could take 30 to 40 years for the trees we plant now to get the wooded areas back to where they were. It’ll get there; we just have to be patient.” -Josh Howell

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STRENGTH IN NUMBERS A volunteer organized a community concert fundraiser. A business owner reopened his demolished auto shop. A youth minister served those in need while his church rebuilt. These inspiring citizens were ready, willing and able to help Tupelo bounce back.

RANDY GROOVER HAVOLINE XPRESS LUBE Havoline Xpress Lube owner Randy Groover watched the tornado pass over McCullough Boulevard in his car last April. When he reached his North Gloster Street store moments later, seven of his employees were carefully exiting the shop’s underground pit.

The front of the store was practically nonexistent. Employee cars that had been parked for safety in the front shop were covered in concrete blocks that had made up the walls.

And the back mechanic bay was missing all its windows, doors and the roof.

“We were all in shock,” Groover said.

“Then we noticed the people from shops nearby wandering around looking lost. I remember seeing my employees pulling extra T-shirts and shoes they had from their cars and pulling people under the remainder of the roof in front to get out of the rain to calm down. That’s what sticks out about that day for me.”

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

The North Gloster store, one of four Havoline Xpress Lube locations in the area, was the original Groover opened in 1994. He had no doubts about reopening the site.

“I knew I had employees who needed that work, and this area needed us to rebuild quickly to be a cornerstone for recovery and give some signs of hope that we could recover,” he said.

During the rebuild Groover sent his staff to his other locations to continue working.

Thanks to his loyal customers, the shops didn’t lose much business. On Oct. 3, 2014, the site reopened with celebratory promotional offers that had some customers willing to wait in line as long as four hours for service.

“The first couple of weeks the response was overwhelming. Even today, we’re almost back to our pretornado numbers,” Groover said. “Out of total loss we got a rebirth for this store, but I could never have done it without this staff or the community – and I say that with tears in my eyes. I’m a very lucky man.”

JASON MARTIN ST. LUKE’S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH The past year has been one of recovery for the congregation of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

The church, which lost its sanctuary and bell tower and suffered structural damage when the tornado came through the Joyner neighborhood, was instrumental in helping others in the area get back on their feet.

“I walked out of an interior closet after the tornado hit and couldn’t believe the damage,” food pantry coordinator and youth minister Jason Martin said. “We spent about an hour after it was over getting ourselves together here, and then our efforts turned to the community. To see that happen was amazing. Even with so much gone here, we wanted to use whatever we had left to provide assistance for our neighbors.”

The church served as a staging point for help in the aftermath. In the first two weeks,

“We wanted people to forget about the tornado, the loss, the work ahead, for one night to enjoy themselves and heal together as a community.”

-Meredith Martin

St. Luke’s helped serve almost 20,000 meals, offered hot showers to tornado victims without water and provided meeting space for volunteer and neighborhood organizations.

Meanwhile, the church recuperated. The food pantry served its regular 1,200 families that month, the youth mission trip to Ecuador continued as planned, and worship services went on as usual the Sunday following the storm in the patched-up congregational gym.

“That’s where we still are,” Martin said.

“Services changed from two every Sunday to one that mixes the traditional and nontraditional, so we have the choir and praise band going at the same time now. That’s how the storm was a blessing in disguise for us, though.

It brought us all together.”

Plans are officially approved for reconstruction on the church, potentially putting the congregation back in the sanctuary by the end of 2015.

MEREDITH MARTIN BAND TOGETHER CONCERT As Midnite Pottery manager Meredith Martin (no relation to Jason Martin) assessed the damage after the storm, one thing became clear. The inventory and front window might have been be smashed, the floor and roof may have been crushed, but there were people nearby hurting more.

“I know music,” she said. “It’s the one thing I thought I could do to help. I just never thought it would turn out like it did.”

Martin has scheduled bands for events since college, and more recently employed those skills booking music for The Blue Canoe, for The Birthplace Sessions at the Elvis Presley Birthplace and with the Down on Main Committee. This time she helped create Band Together, a benefit concert for the city, in just two weeks.

Band Together joined the forces of several local organizations and stages that were already

set for the Tupelo Elvis Festival to bring together a variety of north Mississippi bands to play for a cause.

The festival’s “Blue Crew” workers put in overtime June 5, 2014, with around 80 other volunteers to make it all happen.

“The intent was to raise money, but it was more than that. We wanted people to forget about the tornado, the loss, the work ahead, for one night to enjoy themselves and heal together as a community,” she said.

Tupelo native Paul Thorn headlined that night, shooting a new music video with a drone camera while he played on stage. The footage documented the record crowd that raised more than $45,000 for tornado recovery.

“I know there’s still lots to do, but I was proud of this place that night,” Martin said.

“To see that come together and everyone come out to support their neighbors just shows you why I love Tupelo. The response says volumes about the hearts of the people who live here.”

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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SYMBOLS OF HOPE Several items salvaged from the tornado’s wreckage were creatively remade into lasting works of art.

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1. Painter Leslie Davis Ridgeway felt compelled to help the people of Tupelo following the tornado last year. After losing her father in a 2013 tornado in nearby Okolona, Miss., she began painting as a form of grief therapy. Last spring, she donated money raised through sales of her art to benefit tornado victims in the Tupelo area.

2. Chainsaw sculptor Dayton Scoggins visited Tupelo to carve benches that are now displayed at Joyner Elementary School and GumTree Museum of Art, serving as lasting reminders of the support Tupelo received after the storm.

3. Colorful shards of glass from a broken stained glass window from St. Luke’s United Methodist Church were used to make unique necklaces. The jewelry, created by Wynelle Benson, has raised $40,000 to support members of the congregation directly affected by the storm.

4. Crosses carved from fallen trees became common sights as reconstruction took over Tupelo in the weeks after the storm. At St. James Catholic Church, parishioners carved 14 crosses to represent each of the Stations of the Cross, and now the monument is a place for meditative prayer.

5. Although Vanelli’s Greek and Italian Restaurant was destroyed in the tornado, its outdoor patio pavilion remained intact. It was donated to the city and will now live on as a gathering place in Veterans Park for use during community and sporting events.

Visit invitationtupelo.com for more details on each of these special items and the people who created them.

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A bike, a helmet and a little leather are necessities if one wants to own the road from the back of an iron horse. But these local riders show that having a woman in the driver’s seat is the ultimate upgrade.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem Local financial professional Gail Austin grew up in Jackson, Miss., in a motorcycleriding family.

“My mom rode two-up behind my father most of her life,” she said, describing how her mother shared the seat on her father’s bike.

“She had her own bike for a while, but she preferred to ride behind him. She did for 50 years, until the day he died.”

Austin, 54, followed in her mother’s tracks, faithfully riding behind her significant other until she bought a bike from another

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female rider a year ago. When she called her boyfriend to help her haul the purchase home, she didn’t get the response she’d expected.

“He told me not to even bring it home,” she said. “Lots of the old-school guys don’t want their wife or girlfriend to have her own, but the more forward-thinking guys know better. That’s why I traded him in for the bike.”

Fortunately, not all of the men in The Tribe, an offshoot of the larger Tupelo Bikers recreational riding group Austin participates in, felt the same as Austin’s ex-boyfriend. In

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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More and more female motorcycle riders are opting to ride solo on their own bikes, enjoying the open road and often raising money and awareness for causes important to them.

From left, Sonya Persbacker, Becky Smith, Gail Austin and Mary Morrison ride to support causes such as suicide prevention and domestic violence awareness.

addition to taking a Harley dealership riding class to help get a motorcycle endorsement on her license, Austin and two other women went riding with the group every weekend for practice. Some of the male riders coached them on basic skills such as riding in formation and leaning into turns correctly to avoid wrecking.

“If there’s one thing everyone should know, it’s that the motorcycle community is a family. We look out for each other like that,” Austin said. “We just don’t fit the old mold everyone wants to put us in anymore. Most of us are business owners or professionals during the week, and I think we spend half our riding year out raising money for the people and charitable organizations who need it.”

Two more women in the group have learned to ride since, and the ladies of The Tribe have collectively become known as Throttle and Lace. Austin said the new group is

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now working to educate the public about how to help victims of domestic violence through their rides. Another friend rides for suicide prevention awareness.

Austin supports her cause from the back of her glittery red 2014 Harley-Davidson Sporty T Low Rider, which she affectionately calls “Little Red Devil.” At 650 pounds loaded, the motorcycle is faster and heavier than her first two bikes. It’s dynamically designed to remain upright under Austin’s 5-foot-2 frame, thanks to adjustments in the handlebar reach, height and seat width. Austin said such customization is common among dealerships looking to accommodate steadily growing female clientele.

“Some girls feel really good when they have on high heels and a little black dress,” she said. “That’s how I feel in my leather and bandanna riding down the highway. It feels so good to be in control with the rubber to the

road and your knees in the breeze.”

Stylist and fellow biker Amber Moyer knows that feeling, too. But she said when customers at her salon hear her talking about riding her Harley, some of them are shocked.

“I guess I don’t look like that big, burly image of a biker that they have in their minds,” she said, laughing. “I’m that conservatively dressed girly girl with her hair and makeup always done even when she’s taxiing her kids around. They’re always like, ‘I can’t believe you ride a motorcycle.’”

Moyer started riding behind her husband, Sgt. Brett Moyer, with The Defenders, a law enforcement-based motorcycle club. When Moyer showed interest in riding solo six years ago, her husband was supportive as long as she didn’t try to learn to drive on his bike.

She bought a 2002 Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide and took a four-day riding

"Most of us are business owners or professionals during the week, and I think we spend half our riding year out raising money for the people and charitable organizations who need it."

GAIL AUSTIN

Amber Moyer has been riding solo for over 10 years with support from her husband and motorcycle club.

course to learn the basics of riding alone. Brett took her to an empty local parking lot to hone her skills.

Moyer is now on her third bike, a sparkly yellow 2013 Harley-Davidson Street Glide with lots of added bling and handling and suspension perfect to guide her around switchback curves. Now three women in the group ride their own bikes.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to ride behind sometimes and take pictures of the scenery, but riding on my own is me-time to de-stress. It clears my head better than anything to focus on that road,” Moyer said. “And now my husband and I can ride side by side and get excited talking about customizing our bikes on the weekend. How many other girls can say that?”

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

Tupelo’s film culture is growing, with help from some experienced local filmmakers who are encouraging the craft in their hometown.

WRITTEN BY Melanie Crownover

TUPELO FILMMAKERS have become a tight-knit community since the Tupelo Film Festival first opened 12 years ago. With the festival expanding into the Malco Cinema 10 complex this year for its April 16-18 event, local indie artists like these will have an even larger audience to entertain.

FESTIVAL REGULAR Director Glenn Payne of Blue Springs, Miss., has made more than 20 films since he shot his first short piece for a film history class at Mississippi State University.

Payne got his first taste of festival success with his film Room 327 in 2009 when it won Best Homegrown Film at the Magnolia Independent Film Festival in Starkville, Miss. Now he’s encouraging other independent filmmakers like himself with a specialized film festival.

“There aren’t many horror film festivals around Mississippi, especially on Halloween, so I brought one here. Everyone comes dressed up, and the film community comes together to present a whole different genre of regional At left, scenes from Glenn Payne’s award-winning sci-fi thriller Earthrise, which stars actors Meaghin Burke, Casey Dillard and Greg Earnest.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF GLENN PAYNE

April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF GLENN PAYNE

glenn PAYNE

Clockwise from top left: Glenn Payne; Casey Dillard and Rachel Adkins in Payne’s 2014 short film As Long As You’re Here; Casey Dillard, Kenny Cook, Todd Barnett and Casey Heflin in Payne’s A Horror Movie, which won the top award at the 2014 Tupelo Halloween Horror Film Festival and will be shown at the Tupelo Film Festival this month.

talent,” he said. “It’s a unique chance to network.”

The Tupelo Halloween Horror Film Festival, which will be in its fourth year this fall, brings around a dozen area films to the big screen. Last year, the festival attracted a crowd of 200 when Payne’s film A Horror Movie earned the top award and moved on through the regional film festival circuit.

“Sharing is why you do this [filmmaking].

The wonderful thing about festivals like this is it gives local filmmakers of all experience levels an outlet,” Payne said. “We get to see the reaction

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to our work firsthand to see what we got right, and we get to learn from watching each other’s work as we grow. The newer filmmakers even get advice if they want it. We have a rare ‘pay it forward’ kind of community like that.”

Payne, who acts, edits and does postproduction on his films, also helps encourage the film community through quarterly Actor’s Bash workshops at the Link Centre. And he’s currently casting for a comedy pilot to be filmed in Tupelo this spring.

In addition to A Horror Movie, Payne has

two other films at the Tupelo festival this year.

He acts in Ozland, and Earthrise, Payne’s science fiction movie that just won the top Magnolia Film Festival award, will also be shown.

Learn more about Payne’s upcoming films at facebook.com/stagrassle and facebook.com/ earthrisethemovie.

THE BIG BREAK Fame and fortune weren’t on his mind when Houlka, Miss., native Todd Barnett, 37, attended his first audition in college.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF TODD BARNETT

todd BARNETT

Todd Barnett, top right, also acts on stage with Tupelo Community Theatre and starred in The SantaLand Diaries. Top left, Jordan Sudduth and Barnett on the set of Another Civil War Story. Bottom left, director Marc Abraham, Todd Barnett, Richard Jackson, Elizabeth Olsen and Tom Hiddleston on the set of I Saw the Light, set to debut in theaters this spring.

“I saw a long line of people with a lot of pretty girls in it right outside the theater and decided to wait with them,” he said. “That’s how I got my first role. I didn’t speak, but I found out I loved the stage and made some great friends I still act with to this day.”

Barnett heard about Tupelo Community Theater while on the job at Daybrite years later.

It took a couple of auditions, but he finally landed a part.

Barnett’s performance in the one-man show The SantaLand Diaries was awarded first

place and best actor by the Mississippi Theatre Association in 2014. The play also came out on top at the subsequent 2014 Southeastern Regional Theater Conference, where Barnett also won Outstanding Achievement in Acting.

His film credits weren’t far behind.

“When some of the people I’d met through the theater asked me about auditioning for film, I jumped at the chance,” he said. “The acting is exactly the opposite of what I was used to. You act with your entire body to project to the back row on stage; in film, you have to be

subtle because the camera never blinks.”

Barnett acted in several short films, earning awards for best actor in 2013 and third place for best actor in 2014 at the Halloween Horror Film Festival. He signed on with Jackson, Miss., talent agent Angie Moncrief and started sending out audition tapes for parts alongside noted actors such as Forrest Whitaker, Jennifer Lawrence and James Franco.

Since then Barnett has earned roles in I Saw the Light, a biopic about the life of Hank Williams written and directed by Mark April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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Abrahams and due to release this spring, and Race to Redemption, an upcoming TV release from Leverage Entertainment currently in post-production.

“I think this is a wonderful place to start in the industry because there are so many talented people here to learn from, and they all work together to put out the kind of high-quality product that makes people who think film in Tupelo is just a hobby take a second and third look,” he said. “You have to give the best performance you can because you never know who’s watching or where it could go next.”

Audience members can see Barnett in A Horror Movie at the Tupelo Film Festival.

Tupelo native Rex Harsin took his interest in film to the one place he knew he could get a solid education: Hollywood. A graduate of the Los Angeles Film School, Harsin came home after graduation for what California couldn’t give him.

“You can’t just go out and shoot in L.A. if you have a great story idea,” he said. “You need money and permits to even take your camera out. With indie film here, you have more freedom. There’s not as much community support or financial backing, but you have more opportunity to try different things to get better.”

Harsin, 30, has been from Memphis to Jackson to Oxford and seemingly everywhere in between with his Canon 70D camera since his return, working in genres from reality TV to animation. He has written, produced, directed, animated and acted in his own films.

His black-and-white silent comedies and work on cartoons such as the Pizza Man series for Vanelli’s restaurant have earned him recognition and several local film festival comedy and audience choice awards, but Harsin works full time student teaching 11th grade English at Tupelo High School as he completes his degree in English education.

“Work is still hard to find here because people want to outsource to Memphis and Nashville,” Harsin said. “So I incorporate film into the classroom.”

Harsin has done promotional video work for the school archery team, shot a collaborative poetry out-loud project and is currently working on a piece for the DECA club. He even

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY MAGGIE PHIPPS

HOLLYWOOD AT HOME

Rex Harsin plays Purdie in one of a series of short films titled Haphazard Happenings with Purdie & Friends, described as a collection of 21st-century silent comedies. Learn more about Harsin’s silent films at haphazardhappenings.com.

worked a film with subtitles into a recent lesson on The Crucible by Arthur Miller to better engage his students.

“They were up screaming at the screen and talking to the characters. That response from the audience is what makes us keep filming and creating,” he said. “It is the new art, the new

literature that we all connect to.”

Harsin has one music video and a few cartoons in this year’s film festival, and he plans to take his work in a new direction this summer with a feature-length Christian documentary on youth ministry. To see his Pizza Man cartoons, visit vanellis.com.

TUPELO AUTHOR

Merle Temple has seen much success since the launch of his first book, A Ghostly Shade of Pale, in 2013. Now the crime novel’s lead character, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Captain Michael Parker, may be headed for the silver screen as Temple is working with a Hollywood screenwriter to turn the novel into a movie.

“It’s in the early stages now, but it’ll be interesting to see what they do to adapt it for the screen since many of these characters are based on real people who are important to me,” Temple said.

The book is part of a trilogy tracing the history of Temple’s time with the narcotics bureau in the 1970s, his involvement with state and national politics in the 1980s, and his later career as a corporate businessman.

Temple released the second book in the series, A Rented World, in December 2014. He began writing the final book in February.

A Ghostly Shade of Pale has sold more than 1,500 copies since Christmas. It is the all-time best-selling book by a local author at the Tupelo Barnes & Noble, and Itawamba Community College picked up the text as its contemporary novel for spring English courses.

“There is some talk about producing the movie here,” Temple said. He plans to first offer production of the movie to Revelations Entertainment, the production company of Mississippi native and Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, one of many celebrities Temple has met on his ongoing book tour since the book was released.

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

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Schedule Your Well Child Check Today For our information, visit us online at drskiskids.com

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ON A RECENT TRIP TO SAN ANTONIO, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER JOE WORTHEM WAS CAPTIVATED BY THE CITY’S HISTORIC MISSIONS. INTERVIEWED BY Sonia Thompson | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem WHEN INVITATION TUPELO PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Worthem visited San Antonio, Texas, last fall on a family vacation, he made sure to pack his camera. After touring the Alamo on a previous trip, he was intent on learning more about the city’s other mission churches. “I took art history in college and we studied cathedrals,” Worthem said. “I’ve always found them beautiful. To be able to walk among history is an amazing thing to me.” He spent a day exploring the four southernmost Spanish colonial missions – Concepción, San José, San Juan Capistrano and Espada – all part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Opposite page, mission San Juan Capistrano; below, the grounds of mission San José.

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“IT’S TRANQUIL ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MISSIONS. THE QUIET HELPED ME APPRECIATE AND REFLECT ON THE ARCHITECTURE. I WAS STRUCK BY THE BEAUTY OF THE SPANISH STYLES DOTTING THE TEXAS LANDSCAPE.” -JOE WORTHEM

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SPANISH PRIESTS ESTABLISHED five Catholic missions along the San Antonio River in the 1700s, primarily to extend Spain’s dominion north from Mexico and to convert and educate the local American Indians.

Today, those five missions (the Alamo, San José, Concepción, San Juan Capistrano and Espada) represent the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America. Top left, mission San José, known as the Queen of the Missions, is the largest in San Antonio and was built in 1720. Bottom left, a rustic cross peeks out from the cacti at mission San Juan Capistrano, which was established in 1731.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SAN ANTONIO’S MISSIONS, GO TO VISITSANANTONIO.COM. “IN TEXAS, YOU HAVE A LOT OF BIG SUNSHINE AND BIG SKY,” Worthem said. “I was drawn to that as a photographer.” Both pages, the way the light hits the Texas limestone and brightly colored stucco of mission San José captivated Worthem. The flying buttresses, carvings and quatrefoil patterns are good examples of Spanish colonial ornamentation. At its height, the mission provided a social and cultural community for more than 300 American Indians, and it was surrounded by acres of fields and livestock herds.

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events Tupelo Ballet’s Coppelia View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

Tupelo Ballet held a doll tea for children on March 21 at Tupelo Middle School before its performance of Coppelia. Children got to interact with the Coppelia cast while enjoying tasty treats with their favorite dolls.

Alice Fagan and Kalyn Lake

Celia and Rebecca Johnston, Andrea Brohawn, Amber Claire Huddleston and Amy Haadsma

Cara Elizabeth Smart and Laylaih Campbell

Ellen McGregor and Ella Middleton

Sadie Roper and Emily Anderson

Briley Gaines and Mary Payne Dillard

Charlea Crayton and Caroline Burleson

Isabella Williams, Anna Belle Vanlandingham and Lydia Asters

Emma Counce, Caiti Ellis and Brooke McAuley

Jesse Lesley, Chloe Buchanan, Mia Katherine Todd

Catherine Wise and Rachel Talton

Carrie Rakestraw, Katlyn Thompson and Massie Eckard

Rachel Hicks, Ginny Parker and McKenzie Denton

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

photographed by Lisa Roberts

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Madi Wagner, Charlotte Wise and Lily Oxner

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Sims and Logan Peters with Anna Kirk Presley

Rebecca Talton and Mollie Clark Hudson

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Dylan by True Grit April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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photographed by Chasity Dees

events Run For Your Buns View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

The Run for Your Buns colon cancer awareness 5K race took place March 28 in Fairpark. After the race there was live music by the Partlow Drummers, Mink Brothers and others. The event benefited the North Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Patient Fund.

Selina Crayton, Kelli Graham, Patricia Finney, Gabriel Harrelson, Cindy McDaniel and Scott Edwards Caleb Duffie and Anna Clayton Claire Harrelson, Glenda Burdine, Sheree Walden, Ashley Vaughn and Tina Kollmeyer

Lacy Dillard, Abby Taylor and Damian Yates

Ellora and Deepika Dey

Carol Bishop, Patricia Hamblin and Annette Poole

Annette Poole and Carol Bishop

Paige Merrell and Michelle Maxcy

Natalie Poland, Stephanie Clayton and Melanie Williams

Hanna and Jacob McCollough

Natosha Burrow and Sydney Maka

Providing professional, comprehensive eye care to the people of Northeast Mississippi 78

INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

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photographed by Chasity Dees

events Arts in the Park View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

The first Arts in the Park festival was held March 28 in Frisco Park in Amory, Miss. A variety of artists, dancers and musicians took part in the event, which was a fundraiser for the Amory Arts Council. Funds will go toward future civic art beautification projects in the city.

Jima Sparks and Jack Campbell

Chassity and Petra Houston with Beth Meyers

Maclaine Griffith and Emma Reid

Ana Grace and Lana McGonagill

Wayne Knox and Caitlin Tidwell

Kathy Parker and Karmen Dallas

Ginny Miller and Tammy Vinzant

Mary Kate Vinzant and Catherine Barkley

Rachel Williams, Maggie Phillips and Hannah Baggett

Belle Naugher and Meredith Erickson

Gracie Wright and Emiley Tomey

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

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The Amory Regional Museum is dedicated to preserve, curate and archive historical significant regional history, genealogical interest, and provide innovative, educational programming that celebrates the culture and community of Amory, Mississippi and the surrounding area.

HOURS: Tuesday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday 1 p.m.–5 p.m.

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Rasberry Financial Party View more event photos @ invitationtupelo.com.

Rasberry Financial Services hosted a party to celebrate the recent opening of its new Tupelo office March 20 at the home of Wayne and Yvette Slocum. Several bands, including members of Jimmy Buffet’s Coral Reefer Band, performed at the event.

Tina Gullickson from Coral Reefer Band and Scott Black

Nicole Witt, Andrea Young, Lisa Torres and Elizabeth Elkins from band Farewell Angelina Brent and Jimma Smith

Danny and Jim Rasberry

Kay and Tracy Davis

Charlotte Bass and Amber Hayes

Holly and Chris Rogers with Melissa and Morris Miley and Wayne and Yvette Slocum

Annette and Scott Reed

Kaitlyn Mize and John Burnett

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Jane and Allen Stanford

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Prentiss Street Baldwyn, MS 662.365.9876

As the area’s premier events magazine, we get invited to all the best parties, fundraisers, sporting events and general good times. When you follow Invitation Tupelo on Facebook and Twitter, you’ll get updates on all the latest events and stay in the know.

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Click “Like” at facebook.com/invitationtupelo Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/invtupelo Hair and Makeup by N Town Cuts

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out and about

CONTINUED ON PAGE 86

UNITED WAY UNITE TO END HUNGER FOOD DONATION

Logan Luke, Miandra Maiers, Josh Miller, An Huynh, Jason Ulrich, Jacob Fabrizius and Patton Henley DOWNTOWN TUPELO SPRING OPEN HOUSE

Bailey Martin and John Thomas Matthews

Amanda and Liza Graham Sullivan with Rachael Potts and Leslie Davis Ridgeway

Adah McCord, Lou Patterson, Ashley Swain, Samelia Hardin, Christy Arnold and Sara Tucker MALL AT BARNES CROSSING 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Henry Crockrell and Janet Arthur

Nikki Fauver and Jeff Snyder

Scott McCay and Elliot Long

Jordan Marley, Dee Dee Mitchell, Kristen Adams and Victoria Boatman

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN’S EQUALITY IS OUR BUSINESS EVENT

Harry Hawkins and Casey Thompson

Dana Hale, Brandi McCraw and April Sims

TUPELO CONCERT ASSOCIATION’S BRIAN ROMAN CONCERT RECEPTION

Janiece Yerby, Charlene Senter and Doris Gann

Martha Bonds and Laura Phillips

Charles Johnston, Mark Ross, Chauncey Godwin and Lou Spoltore April 2015 | INVITATION TUPELO

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out and about

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 85

NORTH EAST ORTHOPAEDICS RIBBON CUTTING

Mary Werner, June Wigginton and Donna Brooks

Fred Pitts and Toby Hedges

LEE COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS 2015 EDUCATIONAL SERIES CLASS

Carl Oglesby and Carl Neaves

Mary Langford and Lindsey Alade

William Pillow and Bryan Fagan LEE COUNTY MEDICAL ALLIANCE CELEBRATES NATIONAL DOCTORS DAY

Trish McCluney and Ginger Harbour

David Talton and Shane Spees

LEE COUNTY MEDICAL ALLIANCE CELEBRATES NATIONAL DOCTORS DAY

Mona Warlick, Amanda Perry and Amy Fagan

Susan Rish and Merrell Rogers

Edward and Jean Hill with Jason Warren and Robin Walton

Jim Diffee, Bob Sims and Mickey Elliott

Sally Elliott, Nancy Diffee, Joan Ball, Salley Agnew and Susan Sims

TUPELO COUNTRY CLUB WINE AND DINE

Sam Agnew and Bob Black

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INVITATION TUPELO | April 2015

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TUPELO SPIRIT Kristi Lake

INTERVIEWED BY Melanie Crownover | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Andrew Stanford Kristi Lake has been an active volunteer in the Tupelo arts community for 23 years.

Q: When did you start volunteering?

A: I worked a little with the Symphony League doing fundraising when we first came here, but I didn’t really get into it until after I had my second child and stopped working outside the home. It kind of became my outlet for adult conversations for a while after that.

Then I branched out and got involved with the Women’s Club and Junior Auxiliary.

Q: Did those experiences lead to serving on the board for Tupelo Ballet?

A: Actually, my daughter started dancing when she was 4. When she joined the company in the seventh grade, I figured if I’m going to be volunteering as a mother anyway I should go in all the way. It was a natural fit. It really takes a village to get these things funded and running, and I’ll volunteer for anything they need to support those productions.

Q: Why did you become president of the GumTree Museum of Art Guild of Volunteers?

A: I was in the guild before I became president. I just loved the fact that we have an everchanging exhibit here in this small town and wanted to do what I could to help it stay. It was kind of the same with the others. It’s amazing to have a nationally known symphony and a recognized ballet company here in Tupelo to enjoy, too. I would never want to see us lose that.

Q: Do you ever go to a performance or exhibit just for fun?

A: (laughing) I don’t think my husband would know what to do if we went to something and I didn’t have to bring something or stay after to help clean up. Some people might think of that as work, but I don’t see it that way. When I get to help plan a gala or luncheon or prepare for a performance, that is fun to me.

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