Working Women 2018

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 | C Section

Page 2C Pontotoc

Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Pontotoc Animal Clinic Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

She considers being a veterinarian her life’s work.

Karin Brewer opened her animal clinic 10 years ago with the encouragement of her husband, Nicky.

“I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was a little girl,” she said. “I had a dog and rode horses so I’ve been around animals practically all my life.” What got catapulted her into a clinic here in Pontotoc was a tornado.

“I was working for the folks in Oxford and the tornado that came through ten years ago blew the clinic away and the man I was working for was close to retirement so he decided not to re-build.”

And since her husband got her into the business he does his part to help out. “He does all the paperwork,” she said.

Now she is not an exotic pet type animal doctor.

“Eighty percent of my business is dogs and cats, but we also see horses cows and goats. I’ve doctored on a llama as well, however, I don’t see birds or reptiles.”

Brewer said her business is a family affair. “My children have grown up here,” she said.

And while she admits that owning your own business has a lot of stress attached, “I have the freedom to take part in my children’s social activities.”

Being an animal doctor is unique because animals can’t talk. “The hardest thing about this business is trying to figure out what is wrong with them, and then if they are very sick, having to tell the owner there’s nothing I can do and having to put them to sleep.” In fact, she and her staff have a wall of memory with pictures of the animals they have loved, but couldn’t save.

One of the things that has helped her clinic come a long way is she has her own lab. “We can run tests and get results in 10 to fifteen minutes and diagnose stuff a lot earlier.”

She is a transplant from Illinois, coming to Mississippi for her college years, she met Nicky and they wrote back and forth and eventually got married and settled into the Toccopola community.

Brewer has a full time staff of women helping her which includes Alexis M. Dodson, Cynthia Morris, Katie Kidd, Leigh Ann Wages and Megan Sprayberry. Her parttime girl is Alisha Kidd.

She also has two daughters, Hailey and Nicole and a son George who are instrumental

Photos by Regina Butler

Karin and her husband, Nicky examine a beagle.

Alexis Dodson peers through the microscope to determine what is wrong with her patient.

Cynthia Morris is that friendly face and calming voice you hear when you go to the clinic.

Grace Step picks up her dog Thor from Leigh Ann Wages.

in helping at the clinic, and all of them are there because they love the job.

The first voice you hear on the phone and the first friendly face you see when you walk in the door is that of Cynthia Morris.

“I have to calm people down, because they come in or call all upset, and I have to calm them down and get the information from them.”

She knows that her accurate information is vital to the health of the pet.

“It is definitely rewarding to see them go home healthy.”

You would think that the girl out front wouldn’t have much to do, “but it can get hectic in here,” Brewer noted. “When you have two

exam rooms full and a room full of folks, then an emergency comes in the door, and you have to drop everything and possibly go into surgery.” She smiled broadly.

“I never expected to be this busy.”

This is Alexis Dodson’s first job, “I graduated in May and I love working here. I did my externship here for my grad work and it turned into a full time job.”

She took a sample of the blood work she was running through a test out of the machine and looked into the computer to see what the analysis was, then turned the test results over to Brewer.

She is grateful to work at a small town animal clinic.

“I have tremendous support

here. They remind me that I can do anything I have the will power to do.”

Leigh Ann Wages said she was excited when she saw the animal clinic being built. “I’ve been here for ten years,” she said. “I’ve always loved animals and kept coming and asking for a job while they were building it.”

Her primary job is sanitizing everything. “I keep the place clean and disease out. I do assist with surgery when I’m needed,” she noted.

Katie Kidd said she always said she wanted to work at a vet clinic, “for as long as I can remember.”

Although Brewer has 22 years experience in her field, “I still see something new every day.”

Katie Kidd holds a rescue cat as they both smile for the camera.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Pontotoc Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Page 3C

Delta Daisy | Trend to Pretend-C.K. Walls | True Blue | The Gift Shop | City Mercantile right there in that corner and watch the cash register,” she laughed as the clock chimed the hour.

Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

Main Street Pontotoc has seen the booms and the busts. It has survived the good times, the depressions and the recessions. Today the area has seen a decided revival of sorts. Buildings that once stood empty are housing shops and places to eat; giving Pontotoc that old time, quaint feel that many have come to love and enjoy about our town.

Some have survived the hard times and still thrive; while others are lending that new flair to the town, but all of them work toward helping the other, so that the city can continue to grow and improve.

City Mercantile

Owner and operator Susan Babb pauses outside Delta Daisy.

Trenny Walls is grateful to be able to spend time with her grandson Remington Hodges while still earning a living at C.K. Walls.

Cindy Collums, Karley Warren and Patsy Lusty take shopping to a whole new generational level at True Blue.

Long time business owner Paulette Reese has enjoyed more than 40 years at The Gift Shop on Main Street.

Photos by Regina Butler

Delta Daisy

The newest business in the city of Pontotoc is Delta Daisy. Owner and operator Susan Babb said she bought it with the intention of helping downtown grow, “and it is neat that I can see the growth in the town.”

Now if Babb’s face looks familiar it is because you probably saw her smile at Sydnei’s Kitchen when they were in the old location.

Babb came into her business almost over night, taking full ownership of the business on May 4 of this year. “The girl who owned the building before asked me if I wanted the shop, it was a quick decision, but I’m glad I made it, it’s fun.”

She carries all kinds of clothes and pillows and little things that you can tuck away in your home and enjoy. “I’ve always liked clothes, but I never thought about carrying a line of gifts.

I do carry them and it helps the people who locally make things.” To know what all she carries, you just need to peek into her shop for yourself.

Babb said her goal is to have something for everybody to enjoy or wear. “Everybody is different so you have to think about that, but if I don’t have it, I can send them to another store.”

She said that it is important to have a strong Main Street in the community, “to give people a place to stop and get out and walk down the sidewalk.”

What amazes her the most is the fact that people from all over the South come to Pontotoc to shop. “Just last week there were some ladies from Atlanta in here. I carried them to City Mercantile and other places. They were excited to see and shop in a small town.”

When she was choosing a name that would be uniquely hers she put a lot of meaningful thought into the process.

“I could not come up with a name. I was on the verge of opening up without a name.

I had already settled on the Delta part of it because that is uniquely Mississippi, and then it hit me that I liked daisies,” she smiled broadly. So Delta Daisy was born, and it continues to be a viable presence on Main Street.

Trend to PretendC.K. Walls

When Trenny Walls opened up her consignment store on the corner of Main and Reynolds, hers was one of a total of three retail businesses on Main Street.

“It was the Gift Shop, The General Store and my store and that was it,” she said.

What has kept her in the city is the atmosphere. “It is a cozy town. So many people start up a business and don’t give it a chance to take off. It takes time to get one going.”

She is glad to see town being revitalized with shops.

“Now it is full,” she said.

She is quick to admit that her shop, which is now located off of Main Street in the downtown shopping center in what was the old Sunflower building, would not run if it weren’t for the women who help her. “These ladies who work here help me not only with the shop, but with this baby,” she said as she cooed at her young grandson, Remington Hodges, who was eagerly waiting on the next bite of baby food. Helping her in the store is Robbie Walker, Mallory Miller and Emma Kate Kitchens.

She smiled as she looked around the store that is chok full of consignments of all kinds, from dishes to unique one of a kind items that you can’t find anywhere else.

“This old Sunflower building was made for this store,” she said. “It gave me a chance to sprawl out and showcase everything, and everybody knows where the old Sunflower building is.”

Robbie Wilder, who is one of the ladies who helps Walls nodded, “if the women come in here with their husbands they can sit down in that chair and wait on them to shop.”

And while not every day is perfect, “we have good days and bad days,” but to her every day is a new day.

“I like to walk in that door and think ‘look at all this we have done.’ Staying at it and hard work are what has kept me here this long. And no matter what kind of day we have, we will always have fun doing it.”

True Blue

The three generations of women at True Blue made their splash into the western part of town eight years ago, but soon beat a trail to Main Street, finding their nook in the city some five years ago. The clothing and shoe store carries merchandise for women from all age spectrums. Cindy Collums started the store after being a stay at home mom for many years. Today Collums mama, Patsy Lusty and her daughter, Karley Warren all take part in helping run the clothing store.

“I like the small town atmosphere,” said Karley Warren. “And if I put something new that I’m carrying out on social media they come here and discover the great shopping that there is in the down town area.”

Warren said that since there are several businesses

Starr Brown spends a moment in one of the most unique spots in her City Mercantile.

in the city, “They don’t just get out and go to one place and go home, they get out and stroll down Main Street to check out what else is here. People need to realize how important it is to shop local.”

She enjoys that “face to face interaction with my customers. I like to know where they are from and why they are here. We have quality clothing and when they come they get the experience of shopping that you can’t do online. They can touch the clothing and know with their own eyes what we have.

“We want them to feel better about themselves when they walk out and know the love of Christ through our actions and attitudes.”

Collums said that people enjoy the family atmosphere when they come in the store.

“We cater to all ages and when you try something on you can get confirmation from a peer of yours that the outfit looks good on you.”

Collums said when she opened the store those many years ago she wanted something that “our family could enjoy together.” Warren smiled broadly. “And when I need my sisters to help they are right here.”

“We are a close family,” said Lusty, “and it is neat that we can all work together.”

Warren said she enjoys the personal touch she can give the women who are wanting that just right look. “Women are harder on themselves than they ever were when it comes to appearance,” she noted. “We sell confidence.

They can call up here and say they are going to a ball game or a wedding and we can dress them head to toe

for that. If you can make them feel beautiful when they walk out of here, it is worth every long hour.”

Warren said that through the store she has “met the kindest most loving people that I would have never known and that’s been a real privilege.”

The Gift Shop

If anyone knows about the rise and fall of Pontotoc’s retail district it is Paulette Reese, owner and operator of The Gift Shop. She smiled.

“I’ve been on Main Street 42 years. I saw it get down to three businesses.”

In spite of the slim pickings that Main Street had in years past, Reese said she never thought of leaving where she was. “The trust I have from my customers has kept me here. I’ve built a good customer base here.

I listen to what they have to say and try to carry what they want.”

When her store first opened it was primarily a place to go and pick out fine china or specialty gifts, and through the years, as tastes have changed so has what Reese carries. From Alpaca wraps to specialty scented candles you can find many one of a kind things in her shop.

She held one of the wraps between her fingers, “we are the only place, to my knowledge, in Northeast Mississippi, that carries these,” she said. “I had to get a special import license for them.”

It is the personal touch she has given her customers through the years that makes people come again and again.

“I have ladies that come in here and ask what I have that

looks like them, and we look and choose outfits,” Reese said. “And some men come in and tell me that it is their wife’s anniversary and ask what she has been looking at.” She grinned.

“And then there are those who choose a gift because I wrap it so pretty. I still offer free gift wrapping.”

She looked at her store that has seen a transformation over the years. “Girls aren’t as interested in china any more,” she noted. She laughed. “We’ve gone from elegant to farmhouse. Gone through collectible era as well.”

The church bell chimed as the fall breeze whisked fresh air through the store while the fountain trickled musicly in the corner.

“I am excited about the downtown area,” she said.

“People come in and talk about our town. It truly helps to have eating places here, too.”

Owning your own store means there are long hours and sometimes you just need help. “I have two girls, Karen Johnson and Beverly Wise, that help me whenever I need them.” And then she shared a bit of history. “I bought the shop from Beverly’s mom, Merle Hester, who owned the shop with Bob Cook.” [Cook was the former owner/editor of the Pontotoc Progress.]

The joy of her store never gets old. “I look forward to getting up and coming to work. I love seeing people come in the front door and my husband, Ray, says I follow them to the front door talking.” She laughed.

Besides wrapping gifts she also enjoys putting out the front displays that people see 24 hours a day in her window. “I have women who say they drive through town just to look at my display window.” She smiled thoughtfully. “I like doing the displays and I enjoy going to market in Atlanta. It’s work but it is fun to go.”

Her other hobby that perhaps many don’t know about is the love of paint and brush.

“When it is slow around here I’m at the back painting,” she said. You can find her art work in every nook and cranny of her place. “I just finished a church painting, and sold it already.”

“Somebody asked me one time when I was going to retire and I said I’m going to be like Mrs. Ruth Simon was at Michael’s, I’m going to get up and get dressed and sit

Starr Wood Brown, the owner and operator of City Mercantile said her goal was to have an old timey type store that everyone would feel comfortable in “whether they buy anything or not. I want people just to come in and look around and enjoy it,” said Brown.

Located at the corner of Lafayette and Marion Streets, the store has all the older amenities that you would expect when you would step into a general store of days gone by.

Tucked into one corner of her store is a little tin candy rack with a 10¢ sign above it. In the different bins are candies from days gone by at the price of the day gone by. “I wanted the children to have a memory of my town.

I want the generation behind me to have the same type of memory I had when I was growing up. This is my way of keeping them alive.”

Her store is packed full of unique gifts, from old maps to the A,B,C chart that was used in the elementary school of yesteryear.

Brown comes by the love for the merchandising business honestly. “My granddad was a Kroger manager and when I was in college I checked groceries.”

And when she decided to go into business for herself, “I wanted my place to be unique. I wanted to carry things that no one else carries and that was a challenge because we have some great stores here.”

She chose her name carefully, “I knew I wanted the mercantile part of it because that just had an old time flair and then I began to think of the other iconic places like the city cleaners, so since I’m in the city, the rest just fell into place.”

What she did with the old building, which was once old offices, was to gut it out.

“My husband, Ross Brown, helped with that.” She laughed. “He became known as the tear out man, because he and his friends came and tore the walls down to make the open space we have.”

However, she is quick to note that the real boss in the place is her little granddaughter, “Culley Ann Carnes.” She grinned broadly at the grandmama title.

“She is four-years-old and she is the light of my life.”

Her favorite task in her store is gift wrapping. “I love wrapping presents for someone else to get.”

She has also learned how to tap into the cross section of the population when it comes to employees. “I have an online store. There are a couple of kids who have taken the online part and run with it. We have shipped to North Pole, Alaska; Transylvania, Louisiana and Maine.”

And though she can’t be there every day, “I have folks that can help the days that I can’t be here. They know my vision.”

And her vision in short is to support Mississippi and the South as much as possible. “I have as many Mississippi products as I can.”

And those who have caught her vision include, “my mama, Teresa Wood, she comes and greets people who come into the store; Ali Carnes, Zachary Seales, Maggie Crawford, Brady Kyle, Cindy Farris, Kim Russell, Ashley Tutor and Robin Seale.”

So come on in and sit down and spend a while at the City Mercantile. She’s got the lights on for you.

Page 4C Pontotoc

Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Flowers by Redele Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

Flowers are all she has ever known in public work.

When you walk into Redele Sewell’s flower shop you almost feel like you are at home. The scent of the flowers permeates the air and the different pieces of pottery peeping slyly from the shelves just makes you smile.

“I first started working with flowers when I was 15 years old at Pontotoc floral.

Wadelo Waldrop was my mama’s first cousin. I started there wanting a part time job.

I did prep work. That meant I filled water picks, spray painted the metal flower stands so we could use them again, got the forms ready in case a funeral happened in the community. But I guess I got my love of flowers from my mama, Vara Waldo. I eventually worked into designing flowers and have been doing it ever since.”

She worked for Pontotoc Floral for 15 years, so at that turning point in her life, when she was 30, “My brother Jeffery Waldo came to me and asked why didn’t I open my own shop.”

So she took the plunge and bloomed out on her own so to speak. “I was first in the building where Marsha Reeders insurance is down Coffee street. Then Gene Collums had their building for sale, so I bought it and have been here for 24 years.”

Sewell said she has family of women around her who make her day so much easier when the going gets tough.

You would think that when you handle something as beautiful and soft as flowers that the going wouldn’t be tough. But just let two funerals and Valentines day land in the same week and you will see a tornado of flowers coming together to get out the door.

“At the start my mamas twin sister, Ara Luttrel worked with me for years and years,” Sewell said. But then as the Lord began to call her aunt Home, Sewell realized she would need some more help.

Today rounding out her capable family of staff are Rachel Wiygul, Donna Johnson and Anna Chapman.

Donna and Rachel deal in the arranging of the flowers with Redele while Anna runs the cash register and takes orders and they are all involved in delivery.

Donna has been with Sewell for 19 years, while Rachel has been in and out for the last ten years and Sewell’s niece Anna has been there about a year.

Anna said she really went to school to be a hair dresser.

“But I came back here be-

The designing women, Donna Johnson, Redele Sewell and Rachel Wygul take a break at the round table.

cause I just enjoy being with my family.”

The ladies sat for a round table discussion of their joys and trials in the flower arranging business which is located on Coffee Street.

Rachel glanced at Redele.

“She is gifted, she can walk in with anything else going on in her life and she can touch it and it comes together.”

Redele smiled at her and nodded. “My family has been in a whirlwind. I’m thankful I have these ladies to take over when I walk out.”

“I didn’t know anything about flowers until I started working with Redele,” said Donna. “She taught me everything I know.”

“Memorizing the flowers is the hardest part for me,” said Anna. “I didn’t realize how many kinds of flowers there are.”

The women deal with people at their most joyful time in life and at the saddest time of their lives.

Both of these call for a tender heart, understanding and patience. And then there are those people who want flowers just because they want to make someone smile.

“We have a great group of customers and we work with their budget,” Redele said.

“We ask them what they can afford and we design flowers around that.”

“We all have to play tag with the phone,” put in Anna. “You can be dead, so to speak in the morning, then extremely busy in the afternoon. And even though I run the front, I sometimes have to pull off and make a delivery.”

“My favorite part of this business is seeing the reaction of the people when they come to pick up an arrangement,” Donna said.

Anna said she enjoys delivering the flowers. “Especially when people don’t expect the flowers and they

are sent to brighten their day. It touches my heart to see someone be lifted up because of a bouquet of flowers.”

Donna’s forté in the business is working with silk flowers and putting together headstone arrangements while Rachel works with the folks who are putting on weddings.

“I do the big arrangements for the weddings and Rachel works on the smaller arrangements and the bridal bouquet,” said Redele.

“We work together. I’ll start something and hand it off to her.”

“But none of us have the ability to arrange flowers like Redele does,” said Donna. “She can make two arrangements look exactly alike. I couldn’t do that if I tried.”

And the designing women have had to work, in some uncomfortable situations.

“I remember one wedding where we got everything done and a sudden storm blew through,” said Donna.

“We had to go back and redo everything.”

Redele chuckled. “Whatever it takes to make the bride happy. We have worked in 10 degree and 110 degree weather. It takes a tribe to get this done.”

At the mention of the word Valentine’s day they all wilted a little. You know, that day when a gazillion roses and candy and flowers get sent. In fact, that one day usually accounts for about 25 percent of all holiday flower and plant sales, in terms of dollar volume.

“Everybody in my family comes here and helps deliver that day,” said Redele.

Redele said that computers have revolutionized her business as much as any other on the earth. “A customer can go online and choose something and send us what they want. It is especially popular around the holidays.

Courtesy Photos

Donna Johnson and Redele Sewell look over a funeral arrangement for the final touches.

Anna Chapman gets a beautifully appointed arrangement ready for the customer to pick up.

Folks even go online to order funeral flowers.”

And her business has evolved over the years to include more than flowers and balloons.

“We now have pottery and wall hangings because people want a keepsake gift. We can even send sweets out,” she said.

It is a business that is much like being a doctor.

“We are always on call. We have worked Labor Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. What ever we have to do to minister to others with our flowers,” Redele said.

Rachel said she remembers working until midnight the day before Mother’s Day because her daughter was graduating from college the next day.

Redele chuckled. “Once

you get into the florist industry you die in it. My kids have grown up in this business.”

They have learned that it takes all of them pulling together if the work gets done.

“One day we are going to plant a garden out here if we can get someone to till it up,” Rachel said. She laughed. “I guess that will be us.”

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Pontotoc Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Page 5C

Pure Bliss Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

When Ashley Weaver first started painting little signs to hang on folk’s front doors back in college, she never dreamed that one day that would be an aspect of a business that she owned.

Weaver, who is the owner and operator of Pure Bliss said some days it “is like a three ring circus.”

She started her business with the sign painting, “but quickly realized that wouldn’t carry it so I grew in every direction. I mostly do monograms on items now.”

However, she has kept on doing her first love. “I do painting classes in the back and we still paint the door hangers,” she said with a smile. In fact that is still her favorite part of her business.

“We have kids painting parties. They can have a birthday party here and paint.

They must have at least 10, they bring their cake and we paint. I charge a fee for each piece we paint.”

Her trek into the business world was influenced by her dad, Glen Gillen.

“I went to grad school for speech and language pathology, but when I got out I guess I was burned out on school.

I’ve always seen my dad in the grocery business and I enjoyed crunching numbers.

I knew if I didn’t take the chance then I probably never would.”

So she took that chance and soon learned that her art was in high demand, because people began flocking to her store.

“The first year was crazy. We opened the store and six months later moved into this building. I didn’t think I would be able to fill it up. But

Photos by Regina Butler

London Henry smooths out vinyl for a t-shirt transfer.

Ashley Weaver spends a moment in her favorite corner of the store.

I did.”

The hardest part for the young business entrepreneur is the sheer time it takes to own her own business.

“There is not enough hours in the day. I get here two hours before we open and get orders done and pay bills, then am here to run the store and keep things going smoothly.”

The most important aspect of her business is listening to what the customer wants.

“I like being creative and the customer service side of the business. I like coming in every day and not knowing what someone is going to ask me to do because it’s always something different.”

And sometimes her work tugs at her heart more than others.

“I have monogramed a little gown for a baby that didn’t make it. That was very personal to me because both of my babies were in the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.] Weston was born at 24

Lauren Chapman inventories the spools of thread.

Delaine Rosado, front store manager, peeks through the necklaces.

weeks and Grayson was born at 31 weeks.”

Weaver and her husband, Todd face the challenges of raising two boys that have a lot to learn. “I’m glad I have the degree because it helps with my children.”

She is realistic about her management of the business. “I know I’m not going

than just a business transaction, I’ve made a lot of new friends,” she said.

And like so many of the younger generation, she has utilized the smart phone that is at her fingertips. “Technology had revolutionized my business. People go to Facebook and Instagram every day. That’s how they know

to make everyone happy, but I do my best. I give the best quality work for what I know.”

But it is much more than dollars and cents and making sure the books are balanced.

“Sometimes you think it is a business but what I’ve learned is I’ve gained a whole new family. It’s more

if I have something new or if I’m offering a painting class.”

But in spite of the long hours and having to make sure stock is in the store and the floors are swept and the windows are clean, Weaver is optimistic.

“I’m glad I like to come to work every day. I know everybody can’t say that.”

Page 6C Pontotoc

Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Bank of Pontotoc Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

Women in banking was unheard of some 100 years ago in Pontotoc, but today, they have a decided presence in the profession, and the Bank of Pontotoc is one place you see that crystal clear.

Virginia Crawford has been at the institution since before it opened in 2011.

“I started my training here in December of 2010 as the Financial Service Representative. I open all the new accounts, and I’m the head teller supervisor,” she explained.

She has had to learn to take life differently in this job.

“In the other place of business, I was by myself at the back. Now I meet and greet customers. I make sure I meet them with a smile and try to take care of everyone in the way they need.”

She said the folks that work around her make it easy, “because I enjoy everyone I work with. It is like a family around here.”

She enjoys what she does so much that “the hardest thing for me to manage is thinking I didn’t satisfy someone. If I don’t know, I will try to find it out. I never want someone to go out the door and say I didn’t help them.”

Her favorite segment of the population to work with are the older people. “I have a heart for them. I love to see them smiling and they give me good wisdom. I’m always personal with them and tell them if they need anything to let me know.”

And that goes back to working in a small bank in a

Photo by Angie Quarles

Women in finance at the Bank of Pontotoc are: front row (l-r) Dena Miller Bray, Kayla Herring, Seirra Wilson; at back are Virginia Crawford and Suzanne Harlow.

smaller city.

“I want to make my customers feel welcome and try to get to know them on a first name basis. When you are small like we are, you can do that,” she said.

Dena Miller Bray came to the bank in February of 2012 as the Assistant Vice President Loan Processor.

“I needed a change, so I came here,” she said. “I wear many hats. I can do anything that needs to be done.”

Bray said that the Bank of

Pontotoc is a branch, “our main office is in Oxford [Oxford University Bank], so we can do any type of banking that needs to be done: loans, retirement, savings, checking, mobile or telephone banking we cover it all.”

And it thrills her that they haven’t lost that personal touch. “We want to be what small town banking used to be in earlier years.”

She is married to Wesley Bray and they have a ten year old daughter, Zada. From

the Springville community, she is a member of Thaxton Methodist Church where she plays the piano.

When Kayla Herring took on the challenge of becoming a teller/loan assistant at the Bank of Pontotoc six and a half years ago she was able to blend two things she loved best, dealing with numbers and helping people.

“I like being at the bank here because there is always something new to learn,” she said. “And through the loan

department I can help people get the things they would like to have.”

She is married to Ronny Herring and they have three children, Haley, Bella and Keegan. “I enjoy reading, but don’t get to do it as often as I’d like.”

She said she spends her time going to softball games and cheer practice with her children.

Teller Seirra Wilson has been working at the bank since January of 2015.

“I enjoy talking to the people when they come in,” she said. “They are like family.

I have folks that come in on certain days and some come in several times a week.”

And though she is capable of doing many things, “sometimes it is hard when I can’t fix someone’s problem myself,” she smiled brightly.

“But I can find somebody who can.”

She transferred to the Pontotoc bank from Oxford. “I started working there when I was in college,” she noted. “I am originally from Sulligent, Alabama, but came to Oxford to go to Ole Miss.” And while she was here she met the love of her life, Jared Wilson.

“I like it here in Pontotoc, the people here are friendly folks.”

The new kid on the block so to speak at the bank is Suzanne Harlow. “I came a year ago because I wanted a career change,” said the drive-through teller. “The opportunity came up to work here and I took it. It’s the best change I could have made.”

“I enjoy getting to know entire families and learning about their babies, weddings and sadly, those who have passed away in the family.”

You would think that sitting at a back window and handing out money would be the simplest thing in the world, “but I’m learning something new every day about banking,” she noted.

Suzanne has two married children, Andy McGregor and his wife Annie and Alex who is married to Jacob Stokes. “I’m very fortunate, they are like my other son and daughter.”

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Pontotoc Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Page 7C

Pontotoc County Circuit Court Clerk Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

When you stroll into the Pontotoc County Circuit Clerk’s office it may seem like there is very little going on, but don’t be fooled. This team of four ladies sees more action than an ocean during a hurricane some days.

Circuit Clerk Melinda Nowicki explained, “We register citizens to vote, we file marriage license, and handle all court related paper work from filing felony cases and civil cases, jury summons for the grand and petit jurors.” That means her office keeps up with court related paper work from the time a person’s case is presented to the grand jury until they go off parole if there is a sentence involved. They are responsible for collecting restitution and all fines associated with the court.

“When it comes to voting, we train all the poll workers before we hold an election and get the voting machines ready with the proper information put on each card that is used when a ballot is cast,” Nowicki said. And she uses the supervisors help to put the electronic voting machines at each of the 29 precincts scattered across the county.

But Nowicki is quick to admit she could not do half the work she does without the staff of women that help her every day. “I can walk out and work goes on without me,” Nowicki said.

“They each have certain jobs they do daily, but they are all cross trained and each knows the other’s job.

“They do a good job of looking up and smiling and someone asking if they can help. This is a job that changes every day, and I depend on my staff of women.”

The three women, Melissa Pound, Lisa Flower and Cindy DiDonna each play a critical role in making sure the county government in their care runs smoothly.

Melissa Pounds

Melissa Pound smiled from behind her desk as she glanced up from the computer. She is the new kid on the block, so to speak, with two years in the office. “I like it here because no two days are alike,” Pound said. “I do the majority of the work on the criminal side,” she noted. “I send the sentencing orders into records. There are two different computers I have to use to file the criminal cases.”

Pound said she enjoys meeting the people that darken their doors. “A lot of different personalities come through here,” she said.

“And you have to know how to deal with everybody. I worked at the bank for a little over 13 years and this is totally different from banking. It is very interesting the way the whole system works.”

Her conversation was interrupted with the ringing of the phone. “Let me pull it up,” she said to the person on the other line as her eyes intently scanned the computer screen. She soon found the information and closed the phone call.

Turning her attention back to the interview she thought of her hours spent in those four walls. “We have fun in here,” she said with a michevious grin. “We work well together. I don’t like sitting in a box and not being able to talk to someone all day, so I enjoy it here.”

While she does have two computers at her finger tips, she said that it’s not all computer bytes around there.

“We do have some older stuff that he have to go back

Photo by Regina Butler

Lisa Fowler, Cindy DiDonna, Circuit Clerk Melinda Nowicki and Melissa Pound take care of the circuit clerk’s office.

to the book and make copies of and mail out rather than email. I did not realize the volume of paper work this office handles.”

When she is not between those four walls Pound enjoys going to ball games, “my daughter is in cross country and my son plays baseball and football,” she said. She is married to Travis Pound and their daughter Blakey is 11 and Garrett is 13.

Lisa Fowler

Lisa Fowler has worked for the office for 15 years “I am in charge of the civil side of the court system,” she said. “If you are being sued by a debt collector, I file the judgements. And I have three systems I have to file the work in,” she said as she surveyed her computers.

Fowler said it is her responsibility to “deal with my customers in a professional manner. If I can help people in any way I will when they come through this door.”

The door squeaked open and the customer that stepped inside was greeted with a cheery “good morning. As the customer stepped to another desk to get helped, she turned her eyes on me and smiled broadly. “It is never boring here, there is always paper work to do. I might get caught up for five minutes.” She chuckled. “With so much debt collecting just staying caught up is a challenge as well as keeping up with my responsibilities as a deputy clerk. Our job has a lot to do with the law and I have to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ’t’. If something is wrong it will curtail the whole case.

Fowler is married to Darin Fowler, and their union has been blessed with two children, Sean and Alysha; and four grandchildren, Asilann, Kingston, Remi and Faith.

“My family is my world,” she said.

She moved couple of envelopes aside and smiled.

“You learn a lot about what is going on just by listening. People come and go from all walks of life and it is interesting just getting to know their story. You meet people who have hard circumstances in their life and our job is to help,” she said.

And part of that helping is making sure she keeps up with her training. “I do have training once a year so I can stay up to date with the new laws. I enjoy coming to work and helping my customers.”

But she is quick to admit

she can’t do everything by herself. “This is a little office and it takes us working together as a team to get the job done.”

And what gets her going, “I have spin class.” And in case you think that is an old fashioned hobby of putting cotton or wool into thread, think again, “it is cycling in place at the wellness center,” she explained. “It’s tough but it’s rewarding. I love it.”

When she gets home she enjoys reading a book or cooking.

Cindy DiDonna

Cindy DiDonna is perhaps the most familiar face in the office. She has been there since June of 1994. She has lived to see some drastic changes. “When I first started working here it was me, Tracy and Kay Olsen. A lady came in part time to do the filing for us. After Kay left, I worked by myself for a while.”

When she first went to work it was supposed to be “just for the summer. I had just gotten out of High School in May and started here in June. E911 was just starting and the county went from having routes and box numbers to getting numbered roads and numbered addresses, so I was in charge of changing the addresses.”

All that slowly changed as the work load got more and there was a need for more hands and feet on deck to help, even with the advent of computers helping out in ways they didn’t in the past, the paper work is still mountainous.

“Computers have radically changed how this job is done. When I first came everything was done by had.

We had to write everything on the forms by hand and file them. If I wanted to look up something, I had to physically go to the book, look it up, copy it and fax it. Now I can go to the computer and email it.”

“I’m responsible for getting subpoena’s ready for court. That means I have to find out where people live so the officers can do their job.

The probation officers help me a lot because they keep track where people move to. Computers also help because I can get on the white pages and find out where the last known address is anyway.”

On a day-to-day basis DiDonna is in charge of balancing the check book for the office, “and making sure all the money stays straight.

There are different accounts and the pennies have to go into the right account.”

She is also in charge of getting all the paper work for the show cause day in court once a year. “That means if someone has stopped paying or they have not paid their fines at all they have to show up in court and go before the judge and give a reason for why they are not.”

DiDonna is also in charge of keeping all the voting records straight and “the criminal dockets come to my desk.” She let out a sigh and smiled broadly.

“Her humor keeps us going,” put in Pound.

“And you should really be asking us about Cindy,” Fowler kidded.

And DiDonna has seen a lot of people come and go through the office who have been in trouble. “It is good to see someone change as a result of coming though the court system,” she said. “We may not see a lot of that but it is encouraging when you see the ones that do change.”

She has also lived through different political environments. “You get accustomed to how one person does things and someone else comes in and they do something different.”

But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the love she has for the people in Pontotoc county.

“I know the people that come and go here. Who they

are, their faults, a lot of them are kin to me.” She laughed.

“If we don’t know them when they come in, we will when they leave.”

She smiled as she thought of long time court bailiff Devan Dallas. “He was my buddy. When he left he still called and asked how my day was going. He’d call me his mom-in-law.” She laughed. “He was a one of a kind special friend.”

DiDonna is married to Algoma Police Chief Joe DiDonna and they have a 16-year-old daughter, Josi, who is involved in 4-H. “She keeps us going with that. It is a good organization that is family friendly and brings kids and parents together.

Hopefully she can use it to get some scholarships at Mississippi State because she wants to be a vet.”

Melinda Nowicki

Melinda Nowicki tackled her job as newly elected circuit clerk in 2012. “My favorite part of this job is issuing marriage license,” she said. “I like hearing their stories, such as someone comes in that has lost one of their spouses and they get together with their high school sweetheart.”

The enormity of the job is some days as big as an ocean.

“I have three grand jury terms and three terms of court. I have to get the juries for those and if there is a

civil trial, we have to get the jury for that as well.”

She explained how the jury is chosen, “There is a panel consisting of a county board supervisor, a chancery and a circuit judge. The jury is picked through the State Elections Management System. We get an order form the Senior Circuit judge that tells how many voters need to be put into the jury pool for a year. The computer picks the jury pool for us.”

Nowicki said to serve on the jury a person has to be a resident in the county for one year and has to be 21 years old.

And her favorite place to sit in the courthouse is the court room itself. “Isn’t this beautiful?” She asked as she looked at the blue skies outside the rounded windows and surveyed the judges podium. “People from all over the state talk about how beautiful our courtroom is.

It is quite an honor to be here. My dad worked for the Missisisppi Forestry Commission and that little office back there was his,” she said as she pointed toward the back hall beyond the courtroom.

She looked pensively at the judge’s bench. “This job changes your perspective.

The people that we deal with in this room do make mistakes, but they have family.

Crime is no respect of persons and it affects everybody. I treat them like I’d want my family to be treated.”

And she has seen the success stories. “There is a lady that is coming and paying her fines. She has been transformed before my eyes. She looks better and we have been watching her little boy grow.”

But the hardest part is, “the tragedy of the repeat offenders.” It weighed heavily on her heart. “You think they are okay and then they are back here again.

Her other favorite way to get to know people is by registering them to vote. “I like hearing them tell me how they found Pontotoc.”

Voting has been an important aspect of her life since she was eligible. “My dad served in World War II and every Election Day he made sure we all voted.”

Nowicki was married to the late Ken Nowicki, and she has three daughters.

“Krystin is married to Brian White, Kayla is married to Preston Bagwell and Kensley is a sophomore in high school. I also have a little grandson named Brantley White who will be two in January.”

Page 8C Pontotoc

Progress • pontotoc-progress.com

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Friends of the Library Regina Butler

Pontotoc Progress

The backbone of any public institution with limited funding are the volunteers who make the wheels go around easier. The Pontotoc County Library is no exception. A group of some 15 to 20 volunteers who are mostly women come together once a month to do what they can to help the library. Called Friends of the Library, they have been a part of the library for some 25 to 30 years, but have recently seen an uptick in volunteers.

Regina Graham who is the director of the Dixie Regional Library systems, said the people who volunteer at the library are essential for the success of the institution.

“They advocate for the library,” she said. “They are responsible for summer programs, lunching with books, the fall walk and they man the book sale. They sort through the donations and decide what to keep. They cook soup for folks to enjoy before the Christmas parade and this past summer they had a day of music and melons. They also set up at Senior day at the fair and recruit members.”

Several of the ladies were gathered around a table recently to explain why they enjoy putting in the hours they do at the library, as they attached stickers to 900 pieces of candy that will be handed out to the children who come to the harvest walk.

Clara Jaggers deftly put a sticker on a gummy bag, “I like being a part of this,” she said. “It is a joy. I like doing what I can to help promote the

Photos by Regina Butler

Janet Rackley, Carolyn Mounce and Phyllis High show the seasonal books and magazines.

library.”

Mae Souter has been volunteering for two years. “My favorite part of volunteering was the soup supper we had last December, which we are going to have again on Christmas Parade day,” she noted.

“We had a lot of people to come for that and boy did we ever have the soup. I’ve never heard of some of the soups that were cooked. They were all over the place.”

Margie Harris has been volunteering at the library for three years. Although she lives just over the county line in Lafayette County she decided to come to Pontotoc to volunteer because of how easy it is to get in and out.

“I love books and the traffic is not as hard to get here, so when I decided to volunteer, I came here.”

Carolyn Mounce has been volunteering at the library for a number of years. “I’ve been here since 2004. When I got the opportunity to help

Bobbie Harrelson and Clara Jaggers get the children’s book sale table ready.

Margie Harris puts a sticker on the gummy candy bag that will be handed out at the harvest walk.

I came.” Volunteering in the library was a natural thing for her because that was her full time job. “I worked in the college library at Blue Mountain College for forty something years,” she said. She smiled sweetly, “so this is just an extension of my life’s work.”

However she did admit that volunteering was a bit easier than working in the books all the time. “With this I can do what I want to and don’t have

to be held to a schedule.”

Every volunteer effort needs someone with a green thumb to make the outside of the place look beautiful and filling those shoes is Tracy Kramer. The library is blessed with a space that people can step out into and sit down and quietly reflect, but if it goes unkept, it is more a place of chaos. “I’m a master Gardner in Union County and my special project is the Pontotoc County Library garden.”

What made her take note of the library garden was back in 2012 when Makenzie Heard earned his Eagle Scout pin by making it look beatuiful. “I wanted to continue what he did. I love gardening so it was a no brainer.”

But even with a love of her craft, Kramer said the little garden has its challenges because “it requires regular maintenance, but it is worth it.

When I’m finished l like to sit out there and enjoy it because it is a quiet place.”

Phyllis High comes to the library after years in the education field. She smiled broadly.

“I decided I’d work with some grown kids and have fun,” she said. The ladies at the table chuckled and laughed quietly.

Volunteers are important to High because, “the stronger the volunteers are the stronger the community is. The library is the center and heart of our community.”

Bobbie Harrelson said she is there because “this library is a great asset to this county.

I’m proud of the library we

Mae Souter gets a basket full of free magazines and small books ready for display.

Tracy Kramer has put hours into making the lantana and other flowering plants look beautiful.

have.”

Janet Rackley echoed their sentiments. “It is essential for a community to have a library.

You meet all kinds of people here and the volunteer work is enjoyable.”

Graham said the presence of the volunteers “brings in community participation and brings more aspects of the library to the community than just our little staff can do.

They are vital. They are the extra arms and legs of our li-

brary. Their fund raising adds to the book budget which makes the library better.”

This is just a few of the ladies who volunteer to make your visit to the library the best it can be, and through their efforts, the library continues to thrive. However, there is always room for more, so if you want to join, show up in the genealogy room in the library the second Thursday of any month at 1 p.m. and they will welcome you with open arms.