2020_Vicksburg Living - January/February Edition

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Vicksburg women take the time to carefully dye their custom yarn

VIBRANT COLOR HEALTHY CHOICES Bonnie Henry shares her passion for helping others make lifestyle hanges

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WELCOME Vicksburg Living’s Terri Cowart Frazier Publisher Catherine Boone Hadaway Editor Tim Reeves Contributors Ernest Bowker Terri Cowart Frazier John Surratt Photography Courtland Wells Marketing Sheila Mantz Vanessa Hubbard Audience & Accounting Services David Girard Shandale Goodman

Time really does fly

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Welcome to the fifth year of Vicksburg Living

t’s hard to believe we are moving into our fifth year with our Vicksburg Living Magazine.

Unlike the newspaper, the magazine has allowed us to tell more in-depth stories, showcase beautiful homes and highlight historical moments. It has also allowed us to feature retail stores with the shopping pages and events that go on around town with the out-and-about photographs.

Vicksburg is a unique small town with so many interesting people and places to visit.

One of my favorite stories featured in the magazine was the one I did on African hair braiding. It was fascinating watching Fatu Dia braid as well as listen to her talk about her native country.

Another favorite story I had the privilege of writing was on Willie Hoffmann. I loved hearing her talk about her days in Hollywood and her adventures as a performer and dance teacher.

Stories written by my colleagues have also been interesting, and who doesn’t love all the photography.

This past December, in an effort to promote Vicksburg Living, the publisher and 4 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

I set up a booth at the Holly Days Arts and Crafts Show, which is sponsored by the Southern Cultural Heritage Center.

People who stopped by gave positive feedback on the complimentary copies they had received in the mail, and many decided they wanted to sign up for a subscription to make sure they did not miss an issue.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of Vicksburg Living, and to those in the community who have complimented my role, I say, “Thank you,” but make no mistake, the magazine is not a one-woman show.

It takes our whole team from reporters to photographers to advertising representatives to our publisher to produce something our city can celebrate.

To kick-off 2020, our Jan./Feb. issue includes feature stories, one of a historic home and another about how two local women opened their own hand-dyed yarn business.

Also, in our shopping pages, we give a few suggestions on how to take a break.

Happy New Year!

Contact Information Vicksburg Living 1601-E N. Frontage Road Vicksburg, MS 39183 Vicksburg Living is published six times each year by Vicksburg Newsmedia, LLC, 1601E N. Frontage Road, Vicksburg, MS 39183.

Vicksburg Living is a registered trademark.

All contents herein are the sole property of Vicksburg Newsmedia, LLC [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher.

Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests for reprint materials) to Editor, Vicksburg Living, 1601-E N. Frontage Road,Vicksburg, MS 39183.

Vicksburg Living is mailed to select households throughout Warren County, and a limited number of free copies are available at local locations. For information on receiving Vicksburg Living at your home, call (601) 636-4545.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertising@vicksburgpost.com or by calling (601) 636-4545.

Proudly Produced in Vicksburg, Mississippi

Copyright 2020

by Vicksburg Newsmedia, LLC

SHOWCASE JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020

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DYED IN THE WOOL Judy Busby and Emily Wolfe have taken their yarn dyeing to the next, artistic level.

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THE MARY HARWOOD HOUSE Through the decades, the McMillins added their touches to the historic Mary Harwood House on Fort Hill.

HEALTHY PASSION Bonnie Henry cherishes the opportunity to share her commitment to healthy living.

VICKSBURG LIVING • 5

DEPARTMENTS

HERITAGE

36

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT Take a look back when President William McKinley made a 2-hour stop in Vicksburg.

OUT&ABOUT

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WE CAUGHT YOU Our photographers were “Out & About” capturing great events in Vicksburg.

... and so much more inside.

VICKSBURG LIVING

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Vicksburg women take the time to carefully dye their custom yarn

VIBRANT COLOR VOL. 5 NO. 1

HEALTHY CHOICES Bonnie Henry shares her passion for helping others make lifestyle hanges

ON THE COVER The photograph on the cover of this edition of Vicksburg Living was taken by Courtland Wells.

6 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

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www.riverhillsbank.com © 2017 RiverHills Bank. All rights reserved.

VICKSBURG LIVING • 7

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

FEBRUARY 10 LEBANESE DINNER The 57th annual Lebanese Dinner will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10 at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, 2709 South Washington St. The meal consists of cabbage rolls, kibbe, Lebanese green beans and tabooli. A selection of Lebanese pastries will also be for sale and takeouts will be available. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased from the church members or by calling 601-636-2483.

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8 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

FEBRUARY 22 9TH ANNUAL CARNAVAL DE MARDI GRAS AND GUMBO COOK-OFF The 9th annual Carnaval De Mardi Gras and Gumbo Cook-Off will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center, 1302 Adams St. The event, sponsored by the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation, will include the gumbo cook-off, live music and children’s activities. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/vicksburg.mardigras.

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JANUARY 25 CHILI FOR CHILDREN COOK-OFF The 11th annual Chili For Children Cook-Off, sponsored by The Radio People, will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 outside Lady Luck Arena, 1380 Warrenton Road. For those interested in competing in the cook-off the entry fee is $50 per team, which includes four team members. For more information, call 601-636-2340.The event benefits the Warren County Children’s Shelter and Jacob’s Ladder Learning Center.

JANUARY 13 WILLIAMS’ WINTER SOUP WORKSHOP The Southern Cultural Heritage Center will offer William’s Winter Soup Workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13 at 1302 Adams St. The cost is $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. The workshop will be led by William Furlong and will focus on using seasonal ingredients and interesting flavor combinations. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information, call 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

JANUARY 20 31ST ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. SCHOLARSHIP BREAKFAST The 31st annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship

Breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 20 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. Tickets are $20 and are available by calling 601-218-2068 or emailing benbrownjr53@yahoo. com. The event is hosted by the Omicron Rho Lambda Educational Foundation of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. JANUARY 30 RIVER KIDS FREE AFTER SCHOOL ART PROGRAM The River Kids Free After School Art Program, sponsored by the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation, will begin Thursday, Jan. 30 at 1302 Adams St. The program, which is open to any child in 1st through 6th grade, will meet Thursdays from 3:45 to 5 p.m. for thirteen weeks.The River Kids Program is designed to encourage children to discover and develop their creative talents. Experienced and accred-

ited educators plan and teach each class. The program is free, but will require a full semester commitment from the parents. Sixty students will be accepted and spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. To register, call 601631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.

JANUARY 31, FEBRUARY 1,2 6,7,8 AND 9 VICKSBURG THEATRE GUILD PERFORMANCE OF “CHICAGO” The Vicksburg Theatre Guild will offer a performance of “Chicago” beginning at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31, Feb.1, 6, 7 and 8 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 2 and 9 at the Parkside Playhouse Theatre, 101 Iowa Ave. Tickets are $20, $15 for ages 65 and older and $10 for ages 12 and younger and are available the day of the show at the VTG Box Office. Advance tickets are available online at http://www.showclix.com/ events/10243. For more information, visit vicksburgtheatreguild.com.

FEBRUARY 16 37TH ANNUAL VICKSBURG CATHOLIC SCHOOL DRAWDOWN The 37th Annual Vicksburg Catholic School $10,000 drawdown will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16 at the Levee Street Warehouse, 1609 Levee St. The event, which is a fundraiser for the school includes a buffet and a full cash bar. For more information, call 601-636-2256 or 601636-4824.

FEBRUARY 28, 29 AND MARCH 1 AFFAIRS OF THE HEART The 10th annual Affairs of the Heart, which is a fundraiser for the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary and the Good Shepherd Community Center will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 and 29 and at 2 p.m. March 1 at the Parkside Playhouse Theatre, 101 Iowa Ave. For more information, call 601618-5457 or email jbbr.seren.shel@usa.net.

4 JANUARY 11 CHILL IN THE HILLS The 11th annual Chill in the Hills 10K run, 5K walk and 1-mile fun run through downtown Vicksburg is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11. The race starts at Belmont Street next to Martin’s at Midtown and winds through surrounding neighborhoods. The Chill in the Hills race is a fundraiser for the Grace Christian Counseling Center. For more information, or to register for the race, call 601-636-5703 or visit gracechristaincounselingcenter.com.

VICKSBURG LIVING • 9

COURTLAND WELLS | Vicksburg Living

WHERE AM I? A unique spot in Vicksburg 10 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Do you know Vicksburg like the back of your hand?

Let’s put that to the test.

Let us know if you know where this photograph was taken.

Simply email your “guess” to tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com or send us a message through Vicksburg Living’s Facebook page.

We will reveal the location in the March/April edition of Vicksburg Living.

Editor’s note: In the November/December edition, the Where Am I? photo was taken of the sculpture of three boys on the front of The Valley located downtown.

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATTERS: THE 10 KEY SKILLS KIDS NEED TO THRIVE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND BEYOND – AND HOW PARENTS CAN HELP by Phyllis L. Fagell — Leaving elementary and starting middle school is a big transition for kids, and sometimes they struggle to work through parts of it. This guide will help parents work with their kids to overcome their struggles and head toward high school successfully. From grade worries to social anxieties and more, parents will find this book a valuable resource for themselves, and their middle schoolers.

MONSTER SHE WROTE: THE WOMEN WHO PIONEERED HORROR AND SPECULATIVE FICTION by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson — You know Mary Shelley.You know Shirley Jackson and Anne Rice. But do you know the many other women that helped to create and define horror fiction?

This informative book not only tells you their stories, but gives recommendations for further reading by each author.

THE MAN WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE: STIEG LARSSON’S LOST FILES AND THE HUNT FOR AN ASSASSIN by Jan Stocklassa — This true crime book concerns the unsolved assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. Journalist and best-selling author Stieg Larsson (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) was investigating the crime when he died suddenly of a heart attack. His investigation into the case was lost for years and the case went cold.

Now, his files have been recovered, and the hunt for the assassin is back on.

Reading suggestions from the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library to begin your 2020 literary year off right

NEW YEAR, NEW READS THE SWALLOWS by Lisa Lutz — At Stonebridge Academy, there has always been a “boys will be boys” attitude, and now, some of the students and faculty are fed up with it. This is a story of revenge and upsetting the status quo. The school’s secrets are about to come out, and not everyone will survive the truth.

UNDER OCCUPATION by Alan Furst — Novelist Paul Ricard is thrust unwillingly into the underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Paris when he comes in possession of secret German military plans. Navigating the world of military espionage in a hostile countryside, he works to get the plans into the right hands. He thinks he can, but will it be in time?

VICKSBURG LIVING • 11

SHOPPING

BY TERRI COWART FRAZIER

TRADITION 4 ATakeVICKSBURG a break from cooking and enjoy a

Vicksburg tradition. The “Original” Solly’s Hot Tamales, 1921 Washington St. offers dine in or carry out. The restaurant is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. $11 a dozen. Call 601-636-2020.

TAKE A BREAK AFTER A HECTIC HOLIDAY SEASON OF GIFTS AND PARTIES, THE NEW YEAR IS TIME TO SIT BACK AND TAKE A BREATH

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A GOOD GAME Take a break and play a game with the little ones. Chickapig is a strategic board game geared for ages eight and older. First printed in 1986, the original Wizard Card Game is all about how many tricks to bid. For ages 12 and older. Available at Peterson’s, 1400 Washington St. Chickapig, $24.99; Wizard Card Game, $7.99.

12 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

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A FEW GOOD BOOKS Take a break to enjoy a good book. Possibilities include “The Dutch House,” a novel by New York Times bestselling author Ann Patchett, tells the story of a brother and sister over the course of five decades and New York Times bestseller “Where the Crawdads Sing”

by Delia Owens. Available at Lorelei Books, 1103 Washington St. Patchett, $27.99, Owens, $26. Call 601-634-8624.

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STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES Take a break and smell the roses.

And for all you men our there, don’t forget Valentine’s Day is Feb.14. Available at Helen’s Florist, 1103 Mission Park Dr. Prices vary.

Call 601636-6974.

VICKSBURG LIVING • 13

14 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

STORY BY TERRI COWART FRAZIER • PHOTOGRAPHS BY COURTLAND WELLS

WOVEN TREASURES VICKSBURG WOMEN HAVE TURNED DYEING FABRIC INTO WORKS OF ART

VICKSBURG LIVING • 15

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table is set up in the corner of the room and holds several steam pans. Another is adjacent holding plastic containers of fiber reactive dye. /// Although the space is not huge, it is big enough for Judy Busby and Emily Wolfe to make their custom hand-dyed yarn. /// “And we are getting better and better all the time,” Wolfe said.

Busby and Wolfe started dyeing yarn a year ago, and now the women are traveling all over the Southeast selling their custom made fiber.

Busby, who is the owner of Fabs and More and the Whole 9 Yarns, began selling yarn in her craft shop, located on Halls Ferry Road, in 2017.

“After becoming an empty nester, I was looking for something to do, so I took up knitting,” Busby said.

But because there was no place to buy quality yarn in Vicksburg, she said, she decided to add it to her retail shop that specialized in fabrics and chalk paint.

“I thought I was just going to add a little yarn to the shop,” Busby laughed, but since sales have taken off, she now has racks of silk, alpaca and bamboo yarn and custom hand-dyed yarns.

Busby and Wolfe make the process of dyeing yarn look easy, but there are several steps that must be followed to produce their eye-catching colored yarn.

They begin by placing skeins of yarn in the steam pans that are filled with water and citric acid. All the yarn is wool.

To produce what the women call colorways, large syringes are filled with dye. It is then released onto the yarn in an effort to achieve the desired color.

“We use syringes to apply the color to the yarn because if you pour it, too much color goes on, but with the syringe, you can control it,” Busby said.

Early on Busby said it had been trial and error coming up with their colorways, 16 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

VICKSBURG LIVING • 17

but once they hit on something they liked, they would write the “recipe” down. “And I pull my recipe card every time I dye yarn,” Wolfe said.

Once the yarn reaches its desired color, it is rinsed and hung to dry.

The dyeing process is a two-person operation, Busby said, and on dyeing days, the women will typically do three sets, which equates to 70 skeins.

“There is an instant satisfaction when you dye yarn because you think, ‘I want to knit this.’ I mean I think this every time, but we can’t knit all the yarn,” she said.

Currently, Busby and Wolfe have more than 75 colorway recipes, many with names based on Greek Mythology, which include Zeus and Poseidon.

Other colorway names include Tennessee Whisky, which has been popular at fiber shows, especially the one held in Tennessee, Busby said.

Sweet Tea is another popular colorway.

18 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

“We had a woman who wanted to make a sweater for her husband, and she needed six skeins of Sweet Tea,” Busby said.

A skein of hand-dyed yarn costs around $30, Busby said, and each skein measures 463 yards.

The yarn business has become successful for Busby and Wolfe and the pair have been accepted into the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi.

They also have traveled thousands of miles with their cargo trailer attending fiber shows and selling their wares.

“We have been to Atlanta, middle Tennessee, Fort Worth, Asheville and Canton, Texas,” Busby said, adding attending fiber shows is also a good way to connect. “We get followers and they follow us to shows. At a show in Ruston, we had about six to eight people that came for the day.”

The pair also do trunk shows, which is when they take their custom yarn

“

There is an instant satisfaction when you dye yarn because you think, ‘I want to knit this.’ I mean I think this every time, but we can’t knit all the yarn.

— Judy Bishop

VICKSBURG LIVING • 19

and set up in a yarn shop. There they will sell their yarns and take orders.

Busby said they will also do custom orders and eventually hope to start wholesaling to yarn shops. They do have a website where people can place orders.

While dyeing yarn can get messy it is fulfilling, Wolfe said. “I will come home sometimes and have dye all over my arms,” she said.

With the resurgence of knitting, two years ago Busby was encouraged to revive the local fiber show and in 2018 started Fiber Fun in the ‘Sip. Thousands attended and with its success, she held the second annual event in 2019.

There were 42 vendors who participated and 57 juried fiber classes, which included knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, yarn dyeing, felting and Kumihimo, which is the art of Japanese braiding. At the 2019 show, she also incorporated a knitting and spinning contest and a fashion show.

There was also a “mystery knit along” knitters could participate in.

As an added feature to the show, there is always a sit and stitch area, where crafters can enjoy jazz music and sip on the themed cocktail entitled a Tangle Mess.

“When you meet somebody that knits you are instant friends,” Busby said.

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VICKSBURG LIVING • 21

Lady OF THE HOUSE THE LONG, STORIED HISTORY OF THE MARY HARWOOD HOUSE

STORY BY TERRI COWART FRAZIER • PHOTOGRAPHS BY COURTLAND WELLS

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VICKSBURG LIVING • 23

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s the Civil War raged on, John and Mary Harwood picked up and left their home. /// With its proximity to the Mississippi River, it had become an artillery battery for the Confederate soldiers. /// Fortunately, the home survived the disastrous Seige of Vicksburg, and the Harwoods returned, current homeowner Carol McMillin said.

McMillin, who along with her husband, the late Dr. Lamar McMillin, bought the home in 1975.

“Lamar loved Civil War history,” Carol said.

Located on Fort Hill, the home was originally built around 1825 as a simple saltbox house facing the river.

“The back two rooms of the house appear to be of earlier construction than the front two rooms,” Carol said, adding, the house was probably a “frontier-type” structure.

24 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Evidence of this style home was uncovered when the McMillins were renovating the house.

In 1846, the house was sold to John Fontaine, who Carol said enlarged and embellished the structure, modeling it in the Greek revival style.

“The house, as constructed by Mr. Fontaine, had four front square columns probably with stairs coming up to the center of the first-floor gallery,” she said. Two front rooms were also added.

Unlike many of the antebellum homes in Vicksburg,

VICKSBURG LIVING • 25

the home was representative of what a middle-class family lived in.

The ceiling heights are lower in the house, only 10-feet tall. There are no plaster medallions and heart pine flooring was made to look like oak.

“Probably the most unique feature of the house is the oak grained floors,” Carol said.

“At the time of the 1846 renovation it was popular to imitate stone with the use of wood and paint, and in this case, the floors 26 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

are all heart pine but were painted or grained to look like oak.”

A similar practice was used on the wooden mantles in the home to make them look like marble.

Fontaine had been a lumber dealer, and had owned the property from Fort Hill Drive down to the river, which made it easy for steamboats to stop at the landings for his lumber business.

In 1853, Fontaine sold the house to John

and Mary Harwood.

John Harwood had been a circuit clerk, Carol said, and the couple had six children.

The 1860 Census shows the Harwood’s property was valued a $3,000 in real estate and $1,020 in personal property.

Carol said that during the Siege, the grounds of the Harwood’s property had been used as the base camp for Battery No. 5, also known as the Harwood Battery.

A magazine, which resembles a small hill,

was built for ammunition supplies and a 9-inch Dahlgren cannon was positioned on site.

Soldiers had dubbed the cannon The Mary Harwood, Carol said, after the lady of the house.

During the Siege, the family left the house, but it is not known where they fled. Today, the magazine still remains on the property.

Also, after Carol’s husband attended a reenactment, he brought home an exact replica

of the cannon. It sits near the magazine and faces west where the fighting would have taken place.

The cannon had been used as a movie prop in the movie “Glory,” she said.

During the Siege, the home was damaged from the extensive shelling by the Union gunboats, Carol said. Evidence is visible on an interior wall of the house.

After the death of both John and Mary Harwood, their daughter Annie lived in the

home. It was later willed to Annie’s cousin, Louise Maute Gaines and her husband, Charles.

The Gaines remodeled the home in 1928, to include indoor plumbing and electricity.

They also added a two-story Colonial Revival portico on what was the back of the house.

Instead of facing the river, Carol said the couple wanted the house to face the street.

The house continued to remain in the HarVICKSBURG LIVING • 27

wood family until 1973 until it was sold to William Hickman.

“He was a Vicksburg native living in California,” Carol said.

The house was turned into rental property until the McMillins bought the home.

Carol said following the purchase of the house, she and Lamar moved in and began building an addition.

“It was kind of like worse than camping for a year,” she said. “We had gas space heaters and were terrified we could burn the house down. So we only kept them on for a few hours while we were there.”

To stay warm the couple also used an electric blanket, and in the summer, to stay cool, they had access to only one window air conditioning unit. “It was pretty rough,” she said.

The addition was finally completed in 1978.

“I felt like I had arrived,” Carol said. “I had a good kitchen. I had good lights and I had air and heat.”

In 1979, the couple had their first child, Ashley, followed by David, who was born in 1980 and Steven in 1982.

More renovations took place during those years, and just days prior to Steven’s birth, the couple held a big house blessing.

“We had a choir and an orchestra,” Carol said, with more than 700 28 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

people in attendance.

In addition to loving Civil War history, Carol said Lamar had also been a very good “Victorian.” “Too much was never enough,” she said.

From vintage photographs, family heirlooms and architectural pieces from around Vicksburg, the home has a cornucopia of collections Lamar had found interesting and unique.

One of these most cherished pieces, Carol said, is a Bokhara Persian rug.

“This is how I met my husband,” she said.

During his residency at a hospital in Minneapolis, Lamar purchased the rug at an auction. Carol said he wanted to learn more about it so he made a trip to the hospital library.

At the time, Carol was a high school senior working part-time at the library.

Because it was a medical library, Carol said, it had been a long shot to find anything on a Persian rug, but it did have a couple of good encyclopedias. “So I gave them to him,” she said.

“Evidently, I was polite, and he came back a couple more times and then asked if I would like to go to a dinner dance,” she said. “I didn’t even know him. I had to look and read the name off his white coat.”

But after considering the invitation, she decided to go.

The couple married in 1974 and spent their first year of marriage living in Scotland.

Carol said Lamar was very proud of his Scottish heritage, so much so, he had bolts of tartan fabric woven representative of his clan.

In the home, there are also several pictures of him wearing his kilt.

Carol said she grew up in a small town in Minnesota, and her husband in Little Rock.

While not Vicksburg natives, the couple certainly made Vicksburg their home.

Not only were they active in many community organizations, including the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation, Heritage Guild and Lions Club.

Their home, The Mary Harwood has been open during the Vicksburg Pilgrimage for more than 30 years.

“The Confederate soldiers named the Dahlgren cannon The Mary Harwood in honor of the lady who lived in the house,” Carol said, “And for this reason, we decided to name the house The Mary Harwood in honor of those soldiers and Mrs. Harwood, the lady of the house.”

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STORY BY ERNEST BOWKER • PHOTOGRAPHS BY COURTLAND WELLS

LIFESTYLE CHANGES THROUGH HER WORK AND HER EDUCATION, BONNIE HENRY IS SHARING HER LOVE AND THE BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

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Bonnie Henry leads one of her classes at the Junius Ward Johnson YMCA. VICKSBURG LIVING • 31

E

verywhere she looks, Bonnie Henry sees opportunities to learn and grow. /// Whether it’s pursuing a master’s degree in nutrition, in the group exercise classes she teaches, or among family and friends, she can’t help but notice it.

It’s a sensibility she brings to her job as the Vicksburg YMCA’s wellness coordinator, and one she’s trying to share with the world.

Henry is constantly trying to conjure up new and innovative programs and methods to make her community healthier and happier.

“I think people get into a box and it’s our job to get them into a world of possibilities of what they can do,” Henry said. “I always know I’ve done my job if I see somebody doing a modification that I haven’t necessarily taught them, but they figured out their bodies and what works for them.”

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— Bonnie Henry

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Call Today! 601-638-2361 VICKSBURG LIVING • 33

Henry’s role at the YMCA has grown since she started working there in 2017. She started out teaching a few group exercise classes and then became a coordinator for the program. Over time she has had a hand in a number of other projects including the expansion of the Purks YMCA and the organization’s nutrition and wellness programs.

Her job coordinating the YMCA’s group exercise program, she said, has been the most meaningful. Working with people and forming relationships helps her get a better sense of how to reach them on a personal level. That, in turn, helps both of them develop plans to achieve better health and fitness.

“You have an opportunity to form relationships with people and share their ups and downs. Health is a big hurdle for a lot of people,” she said. “It’s being able to meet everyone where they are. What we really try 34 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

to do is for everyone to do the best they can in spirit, mind and body.”

One of the more successful YMCA programs in recent years, Henry said, was the Daniel Plan. It is a faith-based wellness program that started in 2017 that aims to get to the root causes of certain health-related issues. It includes both exercise and nutrition classes to work for and teach a better path moving forward.

“It brought a lot of people to their ‘why’ — why do they want to be healthy?” Henry said. “If you look at things from that element, it makes it a lifelong thing.”

Enthusiasm for healthy living — not just exercise — has been a lifelong thing for Henry, as well. The graduate of Vicksburg High and Ole Miss had an epiphany when she was younger that there isn’t one ideal model for fitness.

Both healthy and unhealthy living can take

many forms, she said, and both can have negative effects on mental and physical health. Obsessing over being too healthy can cause stress that leads to as many problems as poor dietary habits.

“I knew how much fitness and health resonated for me. When you’re that age you want to make sure you look a certain way, and I reached a point where I said, ‘This is not healthy,’” she said. “Being super healthy is sometimes not healthy. You can have skinny people who aren’t healthy and people who aren’t skinny who are in perfect health.

It’s about, are we taking care of our body and doing things to enjoy our lives?”

Henry certainly seems to be enjoying hers.

The 35-year-old has three young children with her husband Justin, a former professional baseball player and her high school sweetheart, and is always striving to better herself. She’s currently working toward sev-

WAYNE PRATT eral professional certifications, as well as her master’s degree in nutrition. At the same time, exercise and healthy living are a big part of their family’s lives.

“Being active has been a big part of my life. That’s always been part of what we do,” she said. “Working out is something we do for fun and something we’re trying to instill in our children.”

Constantly learning, constantly striving to better herself, Henry added, will help her pass along that same knowledge to others and make Vicksburg a healthier and happier place.

“The continued learning is something I’m very passionate about. There’s always something new and different coming out that we wouldn’t have thought about,” Henry said.

“So much of what we’re dealing with is preventable. People don’t really know it’s preventable. They think it’s inevitable.”

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OUR HERITAGE

BY JOHN SURRATT

PRESIDENT McKINLEY’S STOP IN VICKSBURG

2-HOUR VISIT

W

hile on a tour of the United States, President William McKinley made a two-hour stop in Vicksburg on May 1, 1901. /// At the time, McKinley, a Republican, was beginning his second term in office after defeating Democrat William Jennings Bryan in the 1900 presidential election, making him the first president to visit Vicksburg while he was in office.

McKinley’s visit began at 8:18 a.m. when he arrived by train north of Vicksburg near what was then the entrance to the National Cemetery, where a platform had been erected.

He walked out of his car, waved to the crowd and went back to get his wife to escort her to a carriage dec36 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

orated with red, white and blue bunting and pulled by two horses that took them on a tour of the National Cemetery.

After the tour, McKinley was met

by Mayor W. L. Trowbridge and an honor guard of Confederate veterans, who provided his escort to the

Photo courtesy of the Old Court House Museum

An arch constructed of cotton bales greeting to President McKinley to Vicksburg awaits his arrival.

VICKSBURG LIVING • 37

Warren County Court House (now the Old Court House Museum), where he was welcomed by a crowd of 15,000 people and gave a speech from a platform built on the Cherry Street side of the courthouse.

After the speech, he was escorted through town, where he was greeted by children waving flags, music from a military band and a cannon salute from a militia unit. The parade took his carriage under an arch of cotton bales, and as it passed a home flying a confederate flag, McKinley, a Union Civil War veteran, doffed his hat.

McKinley’s escort took him to a waiting eastbound train, where he was greeted by a contingent of officials from Edwards. At 10:08 a.m., the train left Vicksburg.

McKinley’s second term as president was short-lived.

On Sept. 14, 1901, four months after his visit to Vicksburg, he was assassinated while standing in a receiving line at the Buffalo (N.Y.) Pan-American Exposition when a deranged anarchist shot him twice.

The Vicksburg papers at the time reported the president’s death and the local reaction by residents. On the day of his funeral, local churches held services in his honor.

McKinley’s successor, Theodore Roosevelt, later visited Vicksburg in 1907 while campaigning for re-election and spoke at the Court House.

McKinley’s visit to Vicksburg is remembered by a floodwall mural, “President McKinley Visits the ‘Land of Cotton,’” showing the cotton bale arch and accompanied by a marker.

38 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Photo courtesy of the Old Court House Museum

The carriage bearing President and Mrs. William McKinley passes under a memorial arch as it prepares to take them on a tour of the National Cemetery.

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VICKSBURG LIVING • 39

OUT&ABOUT

BY TERRI COWART FRAZIER

CHRISTMAS BRUNCH

The Sampler Antique Club held their annual Christmas brunch at the Duff Green Mansion in December. The club meets once a month during the school year and programs vary from month to month.

Jo Glyn Hunt, Becky Jabour, Emily Averett and Barbara Sartor

Pat Pierce, Faye Wilkinson and Carole Campbell

Mary Reed, Sandra Shingler, Denise Mounger and Jane Flowers

Katie Marcus, Jane Thames and Hazel Milner

Phylis Cowart, Maurice Tadlock and Coralee Decell 40 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

The Sewing Boutique

Heirloom sewing store specializing in fabrics, laces, children’s patterns, smocking plates, books and trim.

Dot Fenwick and Laura Fleming

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Margaret Stallings and Pam Mayfield

Carol Duncan, Kaleb Vessell and Ann Vessell VICKSBURG LIVING • 41

OUT&ABOUT

BY PAUL INGRAM

INAUGURAL REINDEER RUN

More than 100 runners, and even more four-legged friends, participated in the inaugural Reindeer Run in December. The event, which supported Paws Rescue, was organized by the Vicksburg Running Club. The event featured a 5K run and walk and a 1-mile fun run.

42 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

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OUT&ABOUT

BY JOHN SURRATT

Kellisia Walker, Eliyah Walker, Macala Merrill

UGLY SWEATER BALLGAMES

The softball and baseball teams from Vicksburg and Warren Central High Schools, as well as those from Porter’s Chapel Academy and St. Aloysius combined to take part in a number of ugly sweater co-ed softball games in December to raise money and toys for the annual toy drive organized by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

Joey Greer, Bo Broome

Members of the Vicksburg High baseball team show off their game-ready ugly sweaters.

Makyia Adams, Charli VanNorman, Katie Emerson 44 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Kailee Rogers is tagged out at home by Cooper Roman.

Kieran Theriot

Natalie Cantin VICKSBURG LIVING • 45

Anna Kate Tarver, 1, and Clayton Richmond, 6, talk with Santa..

OUT&ABOUT

BY COURTLAND WELLS

PAJAMAS, PANCAKES AND PLANES

The Southern Heritage Air Foundation hosted their annual Pajamas, Pancakes and Planes event. Tickets to the two sessions, which included visits with Santa, crafts, games and more, sold out in just hours.

Above, families gather at tables around the hangar to work on crafts, while, right, families get in line to meet with Santa.

Austin, 8, and Avery Greer, 10, talk with Santa.

46 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Ransom Soverns, 17 months, sits with Santa.

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VICKSBURG LIVING • 47

OUT&ABOUT

BY COURTLAND WELLS

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

The Vicksburg Convention Center played host to the 18th annual Breakfast with Santa event in December. Some of the proceeds from the event went to support the Ronald McDonald House.

Junior Auxiliary members hand out helmets as part of their safety town community service project.

48 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Hayleigh, 12, Cooper, 7, Myles, 3, and Tripp Chamblee, 2 months, pose for a photo with Santa.

Sawyer, 2, and Kylii Russum, 6, pose for a photo with Santa

Aiden Henderson, 2, poses for a photo with Santa

Volunteers help children at one of the many craft stations.

VICKSBURG LIVING • 49

PARTING SHOT

BY COURTLAND WELLS

“

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.

— Edith Lovejoy Pierce

50 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020