A large crowd gathered in Pittsboro last Saturday night to “remember the past and celebrate the future” as part of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. banquet.
Sponsored by the Loggins Scholarship Committee, the banquet recognized the 2015 scholarship recipients, Chakel Gates of Calhoun City and Cameron Douglas of Vardaman; reflected on the impact of Dr. King’s teachings; and honored some local citizens for their service to their respective communities.
The honorees were:
Dr. Manda Griffin
Dr. Manda Griffin is a nurse practitioner who has worked int he medical field for over 25 years.
She owns GSV Care medical Clinic in Houlka and has a second location in Sherman. She has also worked with the Lower Crossing Medical Clinic in Sherman, Calhoun Medical Clinic in Calhoun City, and East Union Medical Clinic in Blue Springs.
She’s also worked as an intensive care nurse at Baptist Hospital in Oxford, a respiratory therapist at Le Bonheur, geriatrics nurse at Bruce Community Living Center and held numerous positions at Calhoun Health Services.
She is a strong advocate for the rights of citizens with mental retardation, the developmentally disabled and mental illness. A licensed social worker, she was appointed to the state board of mental health in 2001 by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove.
The Elmwood and Redwood Community Homes in Bruce are named in her honor. She serves on the board for both of those homes. She is married to Rondal Griffin and they have two children – Marcus and Colby – and three grandchildren.
Deborah Holmes
Deborah Holmes is the Lay Ecclesial Minister of St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church in Bruce. She oversees Our Daily Bread Food Pantry in Bruce that serves more than 400 families each month..
Holmes conducts religious education classes for youth and bilingual services. She helps provide transportation for those in need and serves as a local counselor.
Holmes is married to Kenny Holmes and they have a daughter, Mary-Amanda.
E.J. Bobo is a lifelong resident of Calhoun County and a graduate of North Calhoun High School.
He served in the U.S. Army and Mississippi National Guard for a total of 40 years. He worked for the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department under Leslie Pollan during which time he became the first black chief deputy in the county.
He also worked for the Bruce Police Department and became the first black police chief in 1997.
E.J. Bobo
He is married to Bobbie Ree Tedford and they have one daughter, Jennifer Bobo Milliner (Ken) and two granddaughters.
Bobo serves as secretary of the deacon board at Zion Springs MB Church.
M.D. Jennings is a 2006 honor graduate of Calhoun City High School and a 2010 graduate of Arkansas State University.
He played four seasons in the NFL after being drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
Jennings currently lives in Calhoun City with his wife Victoria and daughters Harlym and Malia.
He regularly speaks to young people at local school and church events encouraging them to strive for excellence in everything they do.
M.D. Jennings
His philosophy is “service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
The first responders from the Randolph Volunteer Fire Department were honored for their service in responding to the McBride family car accident and helping to save the life of Kashyra Guyton.