Hello readers,

I first want to congratulate all the graduates of 2015. Last Sunday The Daily Leader published pages and pages of graduates. One graduate who is extra special to me and a lot of folks at First United Methodist Church is my granddaughter, Candace Brianna Rose Washington, was not published. The story begins.

Candace is the second daughter of my daughter Theresa. She was Miss West Lincoln in 2012. Won a couple of beauty pageants and graduated with honors. She began her studies at Hinds Junior College and during her freshman year she gave birth to a beautiful little girl named Casey. Like most parents, we panicked. How will she finish school? What path will she take? Welfare?

Candace never gave up. She worked at the church with me every Wednesday after school. The beginning of the next semester she was back in school, her mother quit work to care for Casey, and now Candace and Casey are both graduates of Hinds Community College. I am so proud of her, and I wanted to share with all young folk to never give up! She still has two more years of X-ray school to attend, and we want her to know the family is cheering her and Casey on.

Race for Fitness is off to a good start. The program is part of the O Foundation’s way to fight obesity in our state. The first 5k is scheduled for June 27. We have 12 teams at the time of this writing. Some of the teams I want to mention are wonderful: One team captain, Ms. Wonder Blue; Walgreens team captain, Janell Smith; The Dow Family team captain, Dr. Marlyn Dow-Harris. The program focuses on keeping our kids healthy, active and busy. The long-term plan is to compete with other counties on walking time. A website will be up soon and all counties will have a place to post their progress and check who has the best 5k timing. There will be prizes to give away, and we will be raffling off a very nice bicycle after the 5k. All teams are asked to post before pictures on the Facebook page, Race to Fitness, videos too!

We are asking all team captains to be present at a meeting this Tuesday at 4:30 or send a representative. Kids teams begin at ages that ride in strollers. Adults and big kids will walk the full 5k, but small kids will only walk one mile. Snowballs are going to be served free after the walk, compliments of Polly’s Restaurant.

The Doll House has those tickets on sell to win that new car parked in their yard on north Hwy 51. The group does fantastic work helping women get back on their feet after going through some difficult times. Summer months I enjoy buying their fresh vegetables for my restaurant. Stop in and make a donation and be sure to ask for a tour. Young children would love seeing the chickens.

Wishing a happy birthday to Monroe Smith and Rev. Phillip Sterling.

I have been feeling elated lately! A number of you have asked for another insert from my book. Well here goes:

“The manservant took her to the upper cabins of the slave hands. Those cabins were closer to the house. Each had a sitting area, with a stool and table, bed and large fireplace for cooking. Great in winter, terrible in summer! Her home in Africa was made of granite stone to keep cool, and Seder wood to keep insects out! The walls were covered with silk and cotton, weaved by her mother, great-grandmother and other relatives. There was always plenty to eat, ox, foul, goat, lamb, cattle for hides and milk! The floors were covered with skins from zebras, lions, all sorts of soft fur to touch the feet! Soft linen dresses were worn to the University of Timbucktu. Here in America she was not allowed to even read!

“She has seen more filth than she knew existed in the so called ‘New World!’ In Africa there were streams that ran along the back of the house that was used to bring water inside for washing purposes. through water was aqua ducked thru the house in different rooms. Everyone on the island and here in the Americas used a little house with a hole in the ground that smelled terrible. She hated to go in there! She was shown a bucket on the floor to use.

“The counter held a bucket with clean water and a pan with a rough, dry cloth lay next to it. She thought of the smooth cotton linen she used to dry her skin in Africa. The rose oils that were pressed from real flowers and used to keep the skin smooth. She looked at her hands and saw the worn calluses inside from the field work on the island. Her body was already showing wear that looked like her grandma! She remembered her beautiful grandmama! Wearing beautiful cloths on her head with colorful diamonds and emeralds sewn in them by herself and other women in the countryside! She missed the afternoon boat rides she would take to visit friends and enjoy evening activities of eating and dancing! Then it came back again her, and she remembered the man servant still standing in the door!”

This story is about my great-grandmother x6, my ancestor in 1835.

Happy Memorial Day y’all!

If you have any Brookhaven area news to report, contact Rosemary Jenkins at 601-833-0922.