The Mid-West Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross hosted their annual Heroes Luncheon on Thursday, May 11 at the Carl Grant Center at Union University in Jackson.

On Sunday, May 28, the Jackson-Madison County NAACP held the 54th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. As event attendees entered the double doors of the Civic Center they were greeted and escorted by the organization’s youth members. They walked through a beautiful archway onto an aisle lined with photos of key members of the NAACP recognized as “NAACP Legends.”

On Friday, May 12, local residents joined together at the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Madison County at the Farmers’ Market to raise funds and awareness in an effort to free the world from the pain and suffering of cancer. Many teams acted as food vendors at the event and provided a delicious variety of items for the other attendees to purchase and enjoy.

After a week of rain people were ready to get out and have some fun. The fifth annual Aeneas Block Party fit the bill for a large group of attendees. Entertainment was provided by Madison and Blair, the Kimberlie Helton Band and Beyond Blame. The Glory Extreme All-Stars performed a steady stream of gymnastic flips and spins to the delight of the crowd. BancorpSouth had its outdoor grill running full steam to keep up with the large hungry crowd. People were interacting with friends they hadn’t seen recently, making it seem like an old-fashioned family reunion. Our thanks to Mitch Carter of Moore Studios, founder of the block party, prior to Jonathan Harlan, CEO of Aeneas Internet & Telephone, picking it up several years ago.

West Tennessee Healthcare’s Senior Services held its third annual Senior Women’s Conference, “Blossoming Into a Better You” at Union University’s Carl Grant Events Center. This fun-filled event was for women age 50 years and older.

Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce held a graduation ceremony for its 2017 Leadership University graduates on Thursday, April 27 at Union University’s Carl Grant Events Center. Leadership University is a youth leadership development program for high school juniors from Jackson/Madison County.

The grand antebellum home of Caroline and Jeb Campbell was the ideal setting for this first Seriously Seersucker fundraiser. Held under the stars amongst the manicured gardens and meandering pathways, 270 of Jackson’s finest gathered to listen to the amazing New St. Luke’s Missionary Baptist Church choir and enjoy great food from the Old Country Store. The Casey Jones Barbershop Quartet and Scott Myatt and friends provided additional music throughout the evening.

Art on the Porch benefiting the Dream Center was held on Tuesday, May 9 at the Providence House at Casey Jones Village. 

Art from local artists, including art and jewelry made by some of the ladies at the Dream Center, was displayed in front of and on the porch of the beautiful historic Providence House for event attendees to view and purchase.

The Wo/Men’s Resource and Rape Assistance Program (WRAP) is an organization whose focused goal is “embracing and empowering victims of domestic and sexual violence.” Nineteen counties surrounding Madison County are part of the service organization’s scope for assistance. A 24-hour hotline, transportation to safe houses, free counseling with continued support groups, court case education, financial assistance and advocate representatives are the fundamentals of their services. If you or someone you know is in one of these situations, then find your closest agency and get the free help that is needed!

Jackson State Foundation Banquet was the host to NFL Hall of Fame Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys. During Emmitt Smith’s 15 years in the NFL, he leads in rushing yards of 18,355 and 164 TDs. During that career he held three Super Bowl rings and was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. After football he won the Dancing with the Stars mirror ball trophy.

On Thursday, March 30 the Regional Inter-Faith Association (RIFA) held its second annual Empty Bowls Donor Appreciation. It was an evening to honor the organization’s major donors by inviting them to visit and take a tour of their offices, warehouse, thrift store and soup kitchen.

The tenth annual March of Dimes Breakfast for Babies, hosted by Commercial Bank and Trust, was held at the Bakers Rack in downtown Jackson on April 7. Celebrity guest servers included local officials and politicians, university and bank presidents, television hosts, photographers and many others — all there to give of their time for the benefit of babies.

The American Heart Association Go Red Dinner was held at the Carl Perkins Civic Center to a standing-room-only crowd. Beverly Absher was the moderator, who guided the audience through the evening. The program highlighted a video from Alicia Williams. She had two young children when she learned a serious heart problem could take her life. The wakeup call came from her doctor who asked if she had her will up to date. Following that conversation she underwent surgery.

The Barn at Snider Farms was full of fun and energy at Boots, Bands & Bingo, an annual fundraiser hosted by the Jackson Service League (JSL). The event, held on March 31, brought out a barn full of party-goers entertained by the always crowd-pleasing Kimberlie Helton Band. Guests enjoyed a fabulous dinner hosted by Coyote Blues.

The 2017 Jackson Chamber’s Annual Celebration was held at the Carl Grant Center at Union University to a sold-out crowd of over 400. The event honored businesses, industries and non-profit organizations and had one of the largest turnouts to date. President Kyle Spurgeon and his staff decided to change the format and feature Jackson’s musical heritage by referencing the change to music by Jackson’s own Carl Perkins and his song “Blue Swade Shoes.” (Swade is the way it was spelled on the original document.)

The 19th Annual Fur Ball supporting the Jackson-Madison County Humane Society was held at the Jackson Country Club to a full house of supporters. Sponsors were Bruce & Dottie Dorris, Antonia’s Paw Spa, City of Jackson & Outback. Upon arrival was Mitch Carter providing photo opportunities and Rhino Limo offering rides home if necessary.

The Exchange Club – Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse held the 23rd Blue Suede “United in Love” Dinner and Auction at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. The silent auction featured a wide variety of items. At the end of dinner there was a live auction, which featured cabin stays, a one-of-a-kind signed guitar, and a destination wedding package.

The Women’s Leadership Council of United Way of West Tennessee hosted their fourth annual First Ladies Luncheon on March 2nd at the Jackson Fairgrounds. Brad and Kristi Montague, owners of Montague Workshop, were the keynote speakers. They had everyone looking through the eyes of children. Brad is the creator of Kid President, and Kristi is a photographer and designer. Caty Davis, Miss Lexington, delighted everyone singing the national anthem and closing song.

After a one-year hiatus, the Crystal Ball came back bigger and better! Under the direction of Brenda Whalley and her committee, the Jackson Symphony League presented a fabulous event that included a Champagne Reception, Silent Auction, Wine Pull, Diamond Martinis, Dinner and Dancing to the sounds of Juliet and the Romeos. Highlighting the evening was the presentation of eleven Senior Ambassadors who have served the Symphony for the past four years.

The inaugural Black Tie and Boxing benefitting JDRF and the fight against Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) took place on Saturday, January 7 at the Carl Perkins Civic Center. The event, featuring amateur Kickboxing and MMA fights in a formal setting, was the vision of Ronnie and Susan Morris who attended a similar event in Fort Worth, Texas.