A rose to the football teams at Mississippi State and Ole Miss for what they both accomplished this season. And what a ride it was. The teams played for the Egg Bowl trophy on Saturday. Ole Miss won that game, but you would be hard pressed to find a fan of either team disappointed in the season’s outcome. MSU found itself ranked No. 1 for a spell this year and Ole Miss spent time in the top 10 after downing Alabama in Oxford. As a result, the entire country’s gridiron focus turned to the Magnolia State this season. The Rebels and Bulldogs in the fall of 2014 helped make everyone here proud.
A rose to all who made donations for the paint job at Waverley Mansion and to Bob Raymond, who helped organize the fund-raising efforts. Waverley, owned by Robert Snow, was in dire need of a fresh coat of paint and friends rallied to the cause with donations large and small. Snow, who turned 89 last week, said he was particularly touched by the small donations of $10 or $20 from places like Maben or Eupora, made by folks he knows didn’t have a lot of extra cash. The roughly 60 people who contributed through a fund-raising, crowd-sourcing site were invited to join Snow’s birthday celebration at the mansion on Nov. 25.
A rose to all those who served on Thanksgiving, which is probably the best expression of the holiday and its true meaning. From making a donation to pitching in by serving or delivering meals to those who might otherwise have gone without a traditional Thanksgiving meal, our community responded admirably. As we turn out attention to Christmas, we remind everyone there are many opportunities to help the needy during this festive season — and throughout the entire year. Love is the one commodity never diminished by giving it freely. When we demonstrate our love through acts of charity, we enrich both ourselves and those we aid.
A rose to Chuck Younger, our new state senator representing District 17 in Lowndes County. Younger defeated Bobby Patrick in a run-off Tuesday to fill the remaining one-year term of Terry Brown, who died in September. We commend both candidates for their campaigns. We want to thank Younger and Patrick — both newcomers to the political arena — for throwing their hats in the ring and giving voters new choices. We need more of that in our community. Younger should provide fresh perspective in Jackson. We wish him the best as he commits to serving the interests of all his constituents.
A rose of remembrance to Ava Moore, a long-time community volunteer in Starkville who died this month at age 65. Moore was a major part of numerous civic groups, including the Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum, Starkville Area Arts Council and Oktibbeha County Democratic Party. Most recently, she was one of the chief organizers of the city’s Unity Park, a venue dedicated to the memory of Starkville citizens who have played a prominent role in the community. Certainly, her name now belongs among the tributes in the memorial for which she so tirelessly advocated.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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