City of Durant and Durant Excel By 5 National Night Out
Durant Mayor Tasha Davis and the City Board along with Durant Excel By 5 welcomed several hundred visitors to South Depot Street for Durant National Night Out and Back To School Party on August 5. The program was opened with an invocation by Rev. Cornelius Landfair.
Mayor Davis introduced a number of speakers who emphasized the event theme of Community Health and Safety along with Early Childhood Learning. Supt. Louise Tate of Durant Public School gave an overview of the coming school year and current topics in local education. State Excel By 5 Director Bob Clay of Madison spoke briefly about the objective of promoting early education for children ages zero to five and community activities to benefit these early learners. Other speakers and supporters of the event included the following: Jean Jacobs of Entergy in Kosciusko along with WalMart, provided grants that funded the purchase of school supplies for this event; Judge Robert Clark, Representative Bryant Clark, Chancery Clerk Henry Luckett, Supervisor James Young, and Supervisor Leonard Hampton. Gifts of school supplies and other materials and prizes came from Durant businesses, including Howell and Heggie Drug Store and Mac’s Grocery Store, Subway, Hunter’s Engineering, Nick Graham of Bulldog Scrap yard, KT Newman of Utilities Contractors, Renasant Insurance, Samac Computers, WalMart of Kosciusko and City of Durant Board of Aldermen. Exhibitors for the Back To School Party provided gifts and prizes. The Mississippi Fire Marshall Office brought their Smoky House Fire Safety Trailer, under the supervision of Tammy Peavy and John Russell. The Durant Police and Fire Departments had booths with safety instructions for children and families. The Mississippi Highway Patrol was represented by Officer Tony Dunn and Holmes County was represented by Sheriff Willie March.
A team from Durant Public School under the leadership of Supt. Tate along with Principal Hammond gave out school information. Principal Amanda Smillie of Williams Sullivan Elementary School provided parents with schedules and other handouts. Other education representatives were Laletrice Fletcher, Miss. State University Nurturing Homes Initiative, Betty Hathcock of Durant Library, Lisa Johnson of Jackson State University, and Leslie Spell of Holmes Community College. Childcare booths included Genesis Day Care, Dora Christian, and Durant Head Start, Ida Studway and Sheta Riley. Health Care was a special emphasis with exhibits by Mallory Health Care Center, along with Dr. Daryl Roby, General Dentistry, Rochelle Culp for Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, Cheryl Smith of Magnolia Health Plan, Phyllis Epps of American Cancer Society special gifts from Mississippi Nurses Foundation, and nutrition information by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Latonya Hardy. Social organizations 662 Magnolias, Hot Tamales, and Southern Dolls had booths that provided school supplies and prizes. Supervisor James Young and Supervisor Leonard Hampton along with volunteers grilled hamburgers and hotdogs for the event. Kelsey Sanders of the 662 Riders, provided the sound and music system and assisted with announcements and drawings for door prizes. A team of volunteers distributed free school supplies with separate tables designated by age groups. The City of Durant furnished a large number of book bags and other parcels of supplies donated by supporters of the event. Durant Excel by 5 gave out back packs for kindergarten students and gift bags for preschoolers under the direction of Chairman Geraldine Sturgis. The Excel By 5 State Office and Director Bob Clay provided a variety of books, bracelets, and growth charts for ages zero to five. Mayor Davis expressed her appreciation to all the city employees and volunteers who helped with preparations for the event. She thanks all supporters, visitors, and friends who were in attendance.