The Junior Auxiliary of Columbus is pleased to announce the 2026 Charity Ball King and Queen: Clyde Peeler Hollis Jr. and Taylor Rivers Wheeler.

Serving as Page to the Queen is Charles Marshall “Charlie” Young, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Stephen Young and grandson of the late former King James Charles Galloway Jr.

Queen Taylor Wheeler

Queen Taylor Rivers Wheeler, a native of Columbus, is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Jason Dunn and Mr. and Mrs. Jason Patrick Wheeler. She is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Rivers Dickerson, Mr. James Douglas Wheeler, and the late Mrs. Patricia Honnoll Wheeler. Her mother, Ashli Dunn, is a Life Member and Past President of Junior Auxiliary of Columbus, and her stepmother, Emily Wheeler, is also a Life Member.

A 2022 graduate of Heritage Academy, Wheeler was inducted into the Heritage Academy Hall of Fame. She was a member of the National Honor Society, serving as Secretary, as well as the National Beta Club, MAIS Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Quill and Scroll, and the Academic Honor Roll. Voted by her classmates as “Most Likely to Be Remembered,” “Most Athletic,” “Most Talented,” and “Class Favorite,” she distinguished herself both academically and athletically.

Wheeler was a dedicated member of the Heritage Academy basketball team for six years and served as captain her senior year. She earned UCA All-American Cheerleader honors, was selected to the All MAIS Second Volleyball Team, and participated in softball and track. In addition, she served as yearbook editor and President of the MCA Social Club. Her honors include Miss Teen Columbus 2019, Heritage Academy Homecoming Maid (junior year), Homecoming Queen (2021), and Miss Heritor 2022.
She is an active member of Church of the Highlands in Tuscaloosa.

Currently a senior at the University of Alabama, Wheeler maintains a 4.0 GPA while pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a minor in Management Communication. She is a recipient of the UA Culverhouse School of Business Academic Scholarship, the Barbara and Robert Wilbur Academic Scholarship, and the inaugural Leslie Hollis Memorial Scholarship. She has been named to the President’s List and Dean’s List each semester and is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. In the summer of 2025, she studied Intensive Italian in Florence, Italy.

Wheeler is an active member of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, where she has helped raise more than $200,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through her service on the Philanthropy Committee. As Director of First Year Experience, she mentored more than 150 new members while planning Bid Day and leadership workshops. She later served as Recruitment Rotations Chair, coordinating logistics for more than 2,000 potential new members during one of the nation’s largest recruitment efforts.

She is also a member of Professional Women in Communication and Business and a member of the University of Alabama Delta Delta Delta intramural basketball and flag football championship teams in 2025.

Wheeler has led fundraising efforts for Operation Smile, tutors underserved children through Al’s Pals, volunteers with Loaves and Fishes, supports the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, and has contributed to the Junior Auxiliary of Tupelo clothing closet.

A member of the 2022 Charity Ball Court, Wheeler is honored to represent Junior Auxiliary as the 2026 Charity Ball Queen.

King Clyde Hollis

Clyde Hollis was born in Greenville, Mississippi, and moved to Columbus at a young age, where he built a life rooted in family, faith, and community. He attended Franklin Academy and graduated from Stephen D. Lee High School in 1965. During these early years, he developed a lifelong love of baseball, which he carried forward through playing, coaching his children, and sharing the game with his grandchildren.

He continued his education at Mississippi State University, graduating in 1969 with a degree in accounting. While there, he participated in Army ROTC and was a member of the Scabbard and Blade Military Honor Society. During college, he worked alongside Jimmy Graham in the early days of Graham Roofing Company, demonstrating the work ethic that would define his career.

In 1969, Hollis married Janice Graham Hollis, beginning a partnership that has spanned 57 years. Together, they have raised three children and are the proud grandparents of eleven grandchildren. Mrs. Hollis, a devoted member of the Junior Auxiliary of Columbus, dedicated much of her time to Camp Rising Sun. During one summer, when a tornado struck the camp, volunteers from Graham Roofing responded quickly to clear roads and restore access—an enduring reflection of the family’s spirit of service.

Following graduation, Hollis began his career with Peat, Marwick, and Mitchell before entering the United States Army in 1970. He served with the U.S. Army Security Agency, holding a top-secret crypto clearance. After completing his service, he returned to Columbus and became a partner in Graham Roofing Company alongside Jimmy Graham and Bobby Hooks. For nearly four decades, they built a business grounded in integrity, quality, and professionalism. He also mentored many young men who went on to build successful careers.

After retiring in 2005, Hollis became the sole owner of Rent-A-Space, LLC, where he continues to support local families and small businesses.

His life has been marked by a deep commitment to service. Through his work with the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library Board, he contributed to beautification efforts and the preservation of local history. Among his most cherished memories is serving as the assistant to Mother Goose, bringing each of his grandchildren to story hour every Thursday for 21 years. He has also worked alongside his grandchildren on community projects such as repainting sections of the Riverwalk.

A steadfast supporter of education, Hollis served on the Heritage Academy School Board and helped develop its baseball facilities. A devoted member of Woodlawn Church of Christ, he has served as a deacon, elder, and teacher, and continues to teach Sunday school.

Today, Hollis remains active in his business and enjoys managing land in Ethelsville, Alabama, where family and friends gather. He is known for his servant’s heart and his enduring commitment to others.

The Junior Auxiliary of Columbus was proud to celebrate the 76th Annual Charity Ball and honor this year’s King and Queen, whose lives reflect a legacy of service and community.

The organization continues its mission of serving the children of Lowndes County, powered by a village committed to making a lasting difference. For more information about current projects or ways to support Junior Auxiliary of Columbus, visit www.jacolumbus.org.