I appreciate this week's guest writer, Mary M. Smith

Congratulations are in order for Dr. Emily Warren of Meridian, formerly of the Kipling community. She has recently received the prestigious honor of being named the 2020 EMCC Alumna of the Year!

Emily is a Clinical Pharmacist specializing in Adult Medicine at Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian. She is the daughter of Dr. Virgil and Joyce Warren, outstanding citizens of the community for many years. Virgil was the Academic Dean at EMCC and also taught Math and Science classes at the college. He invested his life in making a way for many area students to obtain a college degree. He also taught his children to live their lives making an investment in others.

Joyce and Virgil reared five outstanding children:

Emily is mentioned above, Carol is an Elementary School teacher with a Master's degree and working on additional certification in Dyslexia, Meg is employed by the Social Security Administration. She has two undergraduate degrees in General Business and Office Administration (both Carol and Meg are pastor's wives), Beth is a Bio Medical Engineer, and John is Music/Youth minister at St. John's UMC in Greenwood, MS.

All five children continue to serve this community on their visits home. Emily continually checks on her Aunt Sadie Warren as well as others in the community who are "ailing". The Warren children were raised to fear God and serve others. Church attendance was a prerequisite in their family. The importance of Education was emphasized resulting in all five children having college degrees. A large garden was worked by all the family (each child had a row). This, among other chores, instilled a strong work ethic as well as love for the land.

The Warren children's upbringing reminds me of an article I once read:

"Matt Juke lived in New York. He didn't believe in God. He married a woman of like character. He had 1,026 descendants: 300 in prison, 190 prostitutes, 680 alcoholics. This family cost the state millions of dollars.

Jonathan Edwards believed in God and married a woman of like character. He had 929 descendants: 430 preachers, 86 college professors, 13 college presidents, 7 U.S. congressmen, and 1 Vice President of the United States."

The Warren children surely have not cost this state any money! All have grown up to become outstanding community leaders largely due to the fine, loving upbringing they received in their home and in this community.

To Emily, Congratulations! And to all the Warren children, you have made this community proud!