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HATTIESBURG � For the second consecutive year, Wesley Medical Center honored women throughout south Mississippi for their strengths at the Celebration of Strong Women held April 26 at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.
�Through this celebration, we take a very important moment to thank these women for what they have done to improve the lives of others, to better their communities and to put others before themselves,� said Lisa Slay, Wesley director of marketing.

Wesley�s partnership with Lifetime Television for Women, Comcast Cable Spotlight and local sponsors Women�s Pavilion of South Mississippi and Lights Jewelers and Gemologists in 2006 created the Strong Women Awards and the Celebration of Strong Women.

�We wanted to do something really special to celebrate women who show extraordinary strength in the way they live their lives,� said Slay. �We�ve certainly succeeded in that endeavor.�

The Strong Women award categories represent leadership, perseverance, mentor, defender and promise.
� Leadership: one who inspires others to take action for a common good.
� Perseverance: one who has overcome personal adversity.
� Mentor: one who invests herself in helping another as a counselor, role model, helper or encourager.
� Defender: one who champions the cause of a disadvantaged person or group.
� Promise: a young woman aged 14 to 18 who demonstrates a commitment to high personal standards.

Of the nominees in the Leadership category � Miranda Beard, Ann Blackwell, Carol A. Bustin, Helen Crosby, Donna Davis, Johnnette Dees, Rita Downs, Krista Gaude, Dawn Gillis, Mary Hardy, Gwen James, Patricia Joachim, Sharon Schamber-Jones, Sandra Kinnan, Hillaire Bliss Long, Connie McGinnis, Debi Myrick, Tennille Posy, Nancy Rawls, Elaine Shaw, Becky Swan, Stacy Thompson, Arlyn Trussell, Sheila Varnado, Carolyn Williams, Iola Williams, and Martha Williams � Varnado was selected as the honoree.

�After serving her country for 27 years on active duty, Sheila continues to give selflessly to those around her, serving our community in numerous leadership roles,� said her husband, Fred Varnado. �She took a lead role in establishing a Long Term Recovery Program after Hurricane Katrina, serves as executive director of the Hattiesburg chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and as president of the African American Military History Museum Committee. Colonel Varnado is a leader of leaders.�

Of the nominees in the Mentor category � Valene Allen, Michelle Anderson, Elizabeth Bridges, Iris Burkhalter, Dorothy Byers, Melonie Cade, Florine Collins, Karen Crutcher, Girdelle Smith Dent, Dawn Dobson, Susan Hodge, Leah Jones, Pam Knight, Dorothy Lucas, Slyvia McDaniel, Dodie Miller, Cora Mix, Daphne Lauryn Nelson, Peggy Peddicord, Vondia Ponder, Stacy Reeves, Glenda Rich, Ann Sullivan, Tania Taylor, Rosemarie Thompson, Jewel Tucker and Asline Turner � Peddicord was selected the winner.

�Mrs. Peddicord offered to share her talent and gift of crochet with the babies who are in the Intensive Care at Wesley,� said Consuelo Oster, a nurse who nominated Peddicord. �Her �works of art,� which are blankets and caps, are enjoyed by the tiny babies they keep warm, and are even more appreciated by the babies� parents. She now teaches others to do the same by holding crochet classes at the hospital. Because of her efforts and the efforts of those she has inspired, we have caps and blankets for many more NICU babies yet to be born.�

Of the nominees in the Perseverance category � Kimberly Aust, Marian Barnes, Kerrie Rochelle Barron, Frances E. Bounds, Jerry Brewer, Alicia Clark, Clara Lee Conerly, Beverly Daniels, Emily Lorene Deen, Lori Dueitt, Glenda Eashmond, Diane Eaves, Leah Freeman, Kathy Gamble, Velra Hillard, Deanna Holifield, Chinika Hughes-Hood, Regertha Jordan, Kim Kay, Ramona Ann Kendrick, Peggy Keyes, Inez Cook Love, Svetlana Lucas, Tara Nettles, Ushonda Nickelson, Leshia Rich, Meloni Rich, Erin Sessions, Betty Sugg, Jewel Tucker, Jennifer Upton, Janice Welborn and Amy Young � Clark was chosen to receive the award.

�From the moment Alicia found out about the breast cancer I never heard her a defeatist word from her,� said her mother, Sandra Gunn.

One of Clark�s close friends, Becky Hurston, said, �Though Alicia is shy about getting in front of people to speak, she realized God was asking her to share her story with others. She knew her story offered hope and encouragement to others and she wanted to be obedient to God. She stepped out in faith and praised God for holding her in the palm of His hand. She shares from her heart and she touches lives. God is using her in a mighty way.�

Of the nominees in the Defender category � Amanda Dawn Clement, Renee Dickerson, Pamela Dixon, Dr. Sylvia Forster, Vanessa Jones, Yvonne Owen and Shirley Thames � Owen received the honor.

�Transporting children and seniors to church, catering regular and special-event church meals, recruiting children to participate in urban emphasis scouting, hosting cooking lessons in her home for children and preparing and delivering meals five days a week for 40 to 60 homebound seniors or people recovering from illness or surgery has been Yvonne�s way of reaching out to others,� said Susan Steen, who nominated her. �She has an extraordinary gift for discerning need in others and for finding ways to meet that need.�

Of the nominees in the Promise category � Emily Bustin, Suzanna Ellzey, Dorothy Horton, Abigail Manning and Julia Webb � Bustin was the winner.

�She�s using her time and talents productively�not only for herself, but also for others through her work with Civitan and her volunteer work with Salvation Army and with victims of Hurricane Katrina,� said her mother, Carol. �She has been able to focus on the talents she has in the areas of drama and communications and she has been able to do this without letting her drive for a superior education lag behind. She is destined to do something special with her life.�

Amy Head, co-owner of Amy Head Studio and Amy Head Cosmetics from Ridgeland, was the event�s keynote speaker. The luncheon was capped off by the awarding of a trip for two to Vondia Ponder, a Strong Women nominee who was selected at random from those present at the luncheon. Amy Head also awarded a $150 gift certificate to Patricia Joachim, a Leadership category nominee.


June 2007

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