A rose to Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen and wife, Megan, who donated $25,000 through the couple’s Mullen 36 Foundation, to the Boys and Girls Club. Nadia Dale, the director for the club, was presented with the check Saturday in West Point. The money will be used to kick-start fundraising efforts for a pair of major projects. The Boys and Girls Club plans to open a club in West Point, which is badly in need of after-school programs. The club also plans to expand its Starkville program by finding a new location. Dale said there are currently 20 kids on a waiting list in Starkville, a clear indicator that the club has outgrown its present facility. The club’s board will be announcing plans for its fundraising campaign in the coming weeks. We thank the Mullens for getting the campaign off to a good start.
A rose to West Point in recognition of the city’s big weekend. Each year, thousands of music and arts fans are drawn to town for the 22nd annual Black Prairie Blues Festival on Friday, followed by the 39th Prairie Arts Festival on Saturday. This year’s blues festival was highlighted by Big George Brock and his band. Brock is one of the last musicians living to have played with the legendary Howlin’ Wolf, so it’s appropriate that Brock returned to West Point — where Wolf was born in 1910. Saturday’s Prairie Arts Festival featured more than 300 exhibitors and vendors and continues to be a huge draw. In fact, the festival has been chosen as one of the South’s Top Ten Events since 1979. Thanks to all the organizers, volunteers and patrons who made this weekend in West Point a rousing success.
A rose to the 160-million plus Americans for whom this holiday weekend is named. Labor Day was established as a federal holiday by an act of Congress in 1894 to be celebrated on the first Monday of September each year. It is a time to acknowledge the workers of America, who have created the greatest economy in history. So if you’re among those millions, take a bow. You deserve it.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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