House Concurrent Resolution 9

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING DR. BARBARA MAULDIN ON BECOMING THE 35TH WINNER OF MS. SENIOR AMERICA.

WHEREAS, Dr. Barbara Mauldin of Petal, Mississippi, wife of Dick Mauldin and mother of four sons and one daughter, through a rigorous competition where she expressed her vibrant personality and ballroom expertise for talent and excelled in interview, became the new Ms. Senior America 2015, the 35th winner of the coveted crown and the epitome of the "Age of Elegance"; and

WHEREAS, keeping her feet on a strong foundation, Dr. Mauldin will represent the best of Senior America whether it be with the USA Ballroom Dance Organizations or being on the ski slopes with the Far West Ski Association; and

WHEREAS, the embodiment of modern femininity, with more than the inner and outer beauty necessary to accomplish such heights in this pageant, Dr. Mauldin graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, one of four women in her 50 person dental school class and one of the earliest female solo practicing general dentists in 1984, furthermore, she served as the only female Speaker of the House of Mississippi Dental Association; and

WHEREAS, a devoted member of the Petal United Methodist Church, Dr. Mauldin lives out the guidance of Proverbs 31:8-9, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the needy," through profound faith and laborious work: including volunteering with dental mission trips in Peru, Nicaragua and Honduras; serving as a volunteer dentist on Holland America cruise ships around the world; and winning the Rotary's highest award of Citation for Meritorious Service in 2007 for her efforts during Hurricane Katrina; and

WHEREAS, not only has Dr. Mauldin torn down barriers encountered by women in the fields of medicine and ministry, she helped break the glass ceiling of the Rotarians by joining her local Rotary club the year they began to invite women to become members in 1989; she served in various offices in her district before she eventually served as Rotary International District 6840 Governor in 2013-2014, and she presently serves as weekly Rotary 101 chair of her local club; and

WHEREAS, possessing an impressionable kindred spirit of inspired wisdom, Dr. Mauldin has a far-reaching and lasting effect on all whom she encounters, capitalizing on her dental profession, which places her in a path to encounter individuals from various walks of life, to not only brighten teeth, but to brighten lives with rays of hope and encouragement; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize the accomplishments of such outstanding leaders as Dr. Mauldin, who has dedicated her life to God, family and service:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Dr. Barbara Mauldin on being chosen to represent Mississippi and America as Ms. Senior America and extend the heartiest wishes for success in all of her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Dr. Barbara Mauldin, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.