United Way of East MS’s Women’s Leadership Council hosted its annual Power of the Purse (POP) on November 14th at The MSU Riley Center in Meridian. As the Council’s signature fundraiser for the Imagination Library Impact Program in Clarke, Lauderdale, Kemper and Neshoba Counties, POP proceeds assist in providing Dolly Parton Imagination Library books for registered children who are ages 0-5. This year, after all expenses were paid, $25,000.00 has been added into program funding from the event which was attended by an estimated 350 enthusiastic women, and a few brave men. Among those in attendance was Mississippi’s First Lady, Deborah Bryant, who not only spoke on her advocacy for literacy, but also participated in “paddling up!”
In Clarke County, children who reside in the Quitman School District are beneficiaries of POP funds and have been since the event began in January 2013. A few weeks prior to that POP, Clarke Countian Elisa Mayo, who is credited with bringing the Dolly Parton books to our state and more specifically, her community, invited me to an Imagination Library Board Luncheon in order to share the vision of the inaugural purse auction which was to be held at The Temple Theatre on January 31st. Several of the Board members attended that first POP, participated in the lively bidding of the evening and two of those ladies have consistently remained onboard through the seven years of the event. Long-time educators and founding members of the Quitman School District Imagination Library Board, Cheryl Waltman and Lacia Donald are integral POP committee members who attend meetings throughout the year and work tirelessly to solicit sponsorships, donations and market the event. The day of POP, Cheryl and Lacia are busy working in the Silent Auction room and then they silently slip into the Live Auction to join in with the revelry. Angela Payne, former United Way of East MS Board President and POP emcee for the past two years, recently had the opportunity to publicly thank both Cheryl and Lacia for staying the course with this event and assisting in its growth. Both ladies humbly received the accolades. Humility is just their nature.
For me, this year’s POP saw several things come full circle with Cheryl and Lacia. Cheryl got to enjoy her daughter throughout the evening as Jacy represented the Distinguished Young Women program by serving as a POP hostess and model. Also, Cheryl was recognized as having been named one of the seven recipients of the Judith Coursey Crowson Women’s Leadership Award for outstanding contributions and empowering women to impact their communities by raising awareness for education, health and financial stability. Nominated for the award in 2017 by her son, Jess, Cheryl continues to play down this award that was oh so deserving! Coupled with hands-on involvement, WLS, Inc. is a POP sponsor. Truly, POP is a Waltman family endeavor. Lacia, who is a master of tagging and bagging POP purchases, has had my heart since I taught her 10th grade English at Quitman High School back in the late 70s. Now, a career educator herself, Lacia still possesses a love of learning and serving her community. It’s hard for me to believe that she has been teaching for 34 years as she still seems 16 to me. One of the best parts of POP planning each year is Lacia bringing me up to date on my former students. This year, we even recalled some of our favorite weekly vocabulary words that everyone always seemed to dread, but yet might still remember.
The poignancy of holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas finds us reflecting on phases of life which seem to pass us by oh so quickly and things come full circle in our lives must faster. I am ever so glad that through Power of the Purse and The Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program that after four decades, I still have a connection to the Quitman School District. Keep up the good work and let’s continue to POP in 2020 when the event returns to the end of summer, August 27th. For more information about how you can get involved, donate or attend, contact the United Way of East MS office at 601-693-2732.
