By Staff
May 25, 2001
The Meridian Center of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi reached its goal of 100 mentors for the first year and volunteers have been honored at a 2001 Special Recognition Awards Luncheon.
Attorney General Mike Moore was the guest speaker at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi Mentoring Program luncheon held at Dennery's Restaurant in Jackson and sponsored by BellSouth and BellSouth Pioneers.
Moore and John M. McCullouch, president of BellSouth, presented awards to volunteers from each of the sites across the state. Those receiving recognition from the Meridian area were: Superintendent of Education Dr. Janet McLin; Principal of the Year, Fred Brashier; Counselors of the Year, Sue Ann Holmes and Ellen Compton; Adult Volunteer of the Year, the Rev. Jerry Johnson; and Business of the Year, Warden Aaron Jagers of East Mississippi Correctional Facility.
Also receiving awards were Rosemary Harris, program manager of the Meridian site, and Stacey Hancock, Americorps Promise Fellow and Big Sister.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mississippi was established by the Mississippi Attorney General's office, Mississippi Department of Education and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. There are currently eight regional centers for the statewide school-based mentoring program: Biloxi-Gulfport, Brookhaven, Cleveland, Jackson, Merid-ian, Pascagoula, Petal and Tupelo.
The statewide program, which started six months ago, is serving 495 children across the state with one-to-one mentoring. Meridian is currently serving 102 students.
Local residents interested in becoming a mentor or who would like more information should contact Rosemary Harris at 484-3619.
Special to The Star