Governor Tate Reeves has declared the third week in October as Chamber of Commerce Week in Mississippi. Chambers help businesses and entrepreneurs thrive; host events; foster member connections; and strengthen the local economy.
Having been in-volved nearly four years ago in starting the Oakland Area Chamber, I can tell you that chambers are vital to bringing people together to work for a town. In a short time, our chamber has received a planning grant for early childhood education; received a grant for a pickleball court; written a grant for the town for new Christmas lights; worked to bring in a new grocery store; created a process that developed a joint strategic plan for the chamber and town to follow; developed several options for the town to select a consistent logo; hosted numerous listening sessions for people in the area to share their thoughts and ideas about the growth of the town and area; held many festivals and activities, including fundraisers for our volunteer fire department and back-to-school activities for our students, and we’ve been able to hire a part-time executive director in Sue Donohue Smith.
I know I’m forgetting some things, too! We have been busy! We have more big announcements coming in the next few weeks. However, chambers can’t function without members or volunteers, so please become a member of your local chamber and, if you are able, volunteer to help with the many activities!
For the Oakland Area Chamber, contact Sue Donohue Smith at 662-852-1110 or me at oaklandareachamber@gmail.com. You can also check out our website at www.oaklandareachamber.com. We are, as our website says, “Small Town, Big Plans.”
Family and friends of Walt Moore came together on Saturday to comfort and love each other and to remember Walt through the stages of his life. Small towns are at their best during sorrow and celebrations. I certainly believe that Jerilou, Walt’s wife of more than 50 years, felt that love and comfort as two Oakland-area pastor friends of Walt’s conducted the service. Rev. Mike Ramage and Rev. Annette Ford did a wonderful job of the service. Walt had spent his entire 70 years, except for the time away at MSU, on the family land in Oakland.
Former Oakland Mayor James Riley Swearengen and his wife, Rose, have recently returned from a trip to Chicago Heights, Illinois, to see their daughter and her husband’s retirement home which they recently purchased. James Riley and Rose’s grandson was also there as well as their great-granddaughter, Nora. They were so happy to have this family time together. Chicago Heights is a suburb of Chicago south of downtown.
The Magnolia Tribune, a fairly new online Mississippi publication, published an article this past week on Charlie Worsham, who is a Grenada native who is doing really well in Nashville as both a songwriter and musician.
Years ago, when Southern Living magazine asked various musicians about their favorite venues, Charlie chose a church in Oakland to highlight. He thought their gospel choir was the best! I have loved him since. He has started a new podcast called “Mississippi on the Map,” which explores how popular music and culture trace back to Mississippi.
Mississippi Today, another online newspaper in Mississippi, has an article in Sunday’s edition with dateline of Oakland, Mississippi. That’s exciting! It was written by Aallyah Wright of Capital B news and reprinted in MT. The story features Marquitrice Mangham and the Oakland Farmacy Marketplace. The headline is “Black women are driving a food revolution in rural Mississippi.” Marquitrice deserves so much credit for her work and we are so thankful she chose Oakland as a location for one of her grocery marketplaces. Y’all come shop! And, if you are farmer, get your produce and products in her store. Oakland’s own Kini Bradford-Jefferson, the store manager here, is also featured. Look for it at www.mississippitoday.org.
I attended Oakland Baptist Church with my mom Sunday morning. Zack Harbin, son of church members Frank and Sharolyne Harbin, shared about an evangelical trip he had made to India earlier this summer. His experiences there were quite humbling and a stark reminder of all that we have and take for granted. I know that Frank and Sharolyne are very proud of the work he is doing.
It was also good to get caught up with my buddy, Gaylynn Haynes, who is one of the most creative and artistic spirits we have in Oakland. Gaylynn is about to get started on a public arts project for us and I am really excited about it! I am convinced that she can do anything.
Finally, if you’ve ever worked anywhere for a long time, you know how those people become like a family. I was blessed to serve just under 20 years as the executive director of the Mississippi Optometric Association and love the optometrists around the state. Last week, I went to their annual state conference and, of course, ran into Dr. Steve Edwards of the Magnolia Eye Group in Water Valley, Holly Springs, Senatobia, and soon to be in Hernando. I made him do a selfie with me! It is always fun to run into “home folks” when I am out and about the state.
Send your news to Oaklandareachamber@ gmail.com and thanks in advance!
