Senate Concurrent Resolution 551

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MRS. SHIRLEY WHEATLEY OF NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI, THE BLUFF CITY POST"WOMAN OF THE YEAR."

WHEREAS, it is difficult to find a harder worker or more dedicated person than Shirley Wheatley in Natchez, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, this explains her dedication: having come to Natchez for what she thought would be a short stay, she realized she would make Natchez home; and

WHEREAS, she became active in her new church home, Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church (Food PAC Program, Sunday School Substitute Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher and the Annual Fund Drive as Publicity Chairperson and later the 1998 Fund Drive Chairperson and is presently the co-chair of the church library committee); and

WHEREAS, she became a substitute teacher at Cathedral School and Central School; volunteered with the Literary Festival (usher), with the Opera Festival (ticket sales), with the Project Southern Cross/Mostly African Market (greeter and grant writer) and became the part-time Director of the Natchez-Community Stewpot; and

WHEREAS, she has done volunteer work with Thelma White's Missionary School and Carolyn Smith's After All Incorporated programs and is a founding member of the Homochitto Neighborhood Watch program; Institute in Learning in Retirement Co-Lin Community College program; and one of the first members of the Natchez Retired Partnership Group, presently liaison person with this group for the City Office of Tourism Management and Development; and

WHEREAS, she is a member of the National Council of Negro Women (past secretary and presently vice president); the Rotary Club; The Natchez Association for Preservation of Afro-American Culture (past board member and secretary); the Chamber of Commerce Unification Committee (served as co-chair 1999); and is a board member of the Natchez Community Stewpot, also a member of the Natchez Opera Festival and Little Theater; and

WHEREAS, she is a member of the District-Wide Title I Committee for the Natchez-Adams County School District (serving on the Evaluation Committee); volunteers for the Junior Achievement Program at Northside School (now Frazier Elementary) each spring; will complete her term on the Natchez HISTORIC Foundation Board in February 2002 (having served as Education chairperson and secretary); is currently a board member of the Mississippi Heritage Trust, serving on the Advocacy Committee; has volunteered to successfully write grants for several organizations, volunteer with the TANF job placement office giving the individuals who complete their job-training program mock interview experience and is a grant reader for the Mississippi Arts Commission, volunteered with the Natchez Middle School to be a judge during their Science Fair; from 1997-1999, helped coordinate and host the Civil Rights Connection youth group's visits from New York City to Natchez; and

WHEREAS, she is employed with the City of Natchez Office of Tourism Management as Administrative Services Director and a portion of that is as interim Director of the NAPAC Natchez Museum of Afro American History and Culture, mentors high school work program students and coordinates the Job Shadowing project; and

WHEREAS, she is from Springfield, Illinois, a mother of three sons and the grandmother of three grandsons, is a graduate of St. Louis, Missouri, University, St. Louis, Missouri, in Urban Planning/Community Development; and

WHEREAS, Shirley was awarded one of the eleven Volunteers of the Year Award recipients in 1997 for the Mississippi Economic Development Awards from the Mississippi Economic Development Council, received a Golden Volunteer Award from the J/C Penny program and has received many other acknowledgments for her contributions to the community; and

WHEREAS, because of her dedication and hard work to make the Natchez Community a better place to live and work and her work beyond the call of duty to make the NAPAC Museum a living example of what it can and will be; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the civic devotion of Mrs. Shirley Wheatley, who brings honor to her community and to her state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Mrs. Shirley Wheatley of Natchez, Mississippi, the Bluff City Post "Woman of the Year" and wish her continued success in her future civic and charitable endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be presented to Mrs. Shirley Wheatley and her family, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.