The pandemic has affected us all, but especially brides!  Weddings require planning, dreaming, time, effort and money.  Some brides are choosing to postpone the big celebration.  They are opting for a smaller crowd and then possibly having a reception at a later date.  Big or small we are blessed to have a gorgeous venue in Ridgeland, Mississippi.  The Weddings and Special Events Venue at the Waller Craft Center is ready to help you!  Just picture yourself walking to your future spouse after descending down their glass staircase!  The views of the Natchez Trace are unmatched.  There is plenty of room for social distancing here!  Visit http://mscrafts.org/venue/ to find out more about planning your next event or your big day!

"Being in this pivotal moment of having to redefine what makes a community, and what community means to us, we can reclaim our sense of what matters and reconnect to the things that bring us together, rather than the things that keep us isolated. I see people saying, ‘It may just be my corner of the world, but here are things I can do.’ So we should ask ourselves, ‘Are you sewing things together? Are you part of the fabric making?’ People are realizing we are in this together.” - Jane Alexander, President and CEO, Community Foundation for Mississippi
At the Community Foundation for Mississippi, we imagine a Mississippi where every community is connected to the resources, knowledge, and tools to create meaningful and lasting change – for Mississippi, for good. Forever.
We are engaged in world building, imagining what is possible for public life, education, community development, arts and culture, and other areas of charitable philanthropy in Jackson and Mississippi, with our partners and investors. When we engage in reimagining public life, anything is possible! A spark of imagination is a necessary ingredient for change to happen. Before change can happen, somebody has to imagine what that change looks like.
If you would like to explore a new civic covenant and a shared vision for our Capital City, volunteer or nominate someone to participate in our upcoming Public Innovators Virtual Lab with The Haywood Institute. 
If you are for Mississippi for GOOD - get involved with volunteer opportunities through our statewide partner Volunteer Mississippi. MSHUBNETWORK.COM
If you are interested in creating something that lasts FOREVER, contact us to become part of our Legacy Circle or to discuss a Planned Gift. www.formississippi.org

SHARING FROM BLUE MAGNOLIA FILMS. HEAD OVER THERE TO SEE THE FILM.

 
     Immediately after welcoming their baby girl Lily into the world, Kristen and Brent Lape noticed a lack of awareness in our community. Lily was born with Downs Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects around one out of every 700 babies born in the United States. “After Lily was born, it became very clear to my wife and I that there was an extreme lack of understanding and knowledge about Down syndrome and disabilities in our community,” says Brent. It was this absence of awareness that inspired Kristen and Brent Lape to begin their journey of increasing awareness of Down syndrome, celebrating those who have Down syndrome, and ultimately creating opportunities for individuals affected by Downs syndrome and their families.
     The Lape’s journey began almost eight years ago with the first Run Up for Downs event. Run Up for Downs is an annual fun-filled event held in Madison, Mississippi that is designed to celebrate those who have Downs syndrome and spread awareness of the condition throughout the community. Run Up for Downs consists of a fun run followed by a 5k, live music, local food vendors, and activities for the entire family. For the first few years, all proceeds from the event went to organizations that benefitted families that had children with Down syndrome. Over the years, the Lapes were able to connect with other families who also had children with Down syndrome. These connections lead to strong friendships and conversations about what the future for children with Down syndrome looks like in our community. As a result of these conversations, the Lapes recognized that there was a lack of opportunity for older children with Down syndrome. Once again, the Lapes set out to do something about this problem, the solution- The Lily Pad café.
      The purpose of The Lily Pad is to provide a solution to a specific problem the Down syndrome community faces. “After talking to other parents who had older children with Down syndrome, we noticed a common trend; after high school there were essentially no activities or programs for their children to participate in. All of the skills they had learned over the years began to regress,” says Brent. Thinking about their own child’s future and the future of all of the other children with Down syndrome in the community, the Lapes teamed up with the Elliot Family, whose son Hayden also has Down syndrome, to research a solution.
     While researching a variety of programs and opportunities that exist throughout the country, the families noticed that cafes and coffee shops that employed individuals with disabilities were successful in helping families achieve the same goals that Mississippi families had for their children. This was the spark for the creation of The Lily Pad.
     The vision for The Lily Pad café is a place where individuals with disabilities can learn the skills that will allow them to be employable throughout the community. The naming of the project was deliberate. Brent Lape adds, “The name The Lily Pad is not a namesake for our daughter. In fact, the name is a metaphor for the purpose of the project. Just as a frog hops from one lily pad to the next in order to get to its final destination, The Lily Pad café is a stepping-stone to the next opportunity, not the final destination. The ultimate goal is for The Lily Pad to provide a setting where individuals with disabilities can master skills that are transferable to other businesses in the community through working in the food service industry,” smiles Brent Lape. At the same time, The Lily Pad will continue the Lape family’s original goal of increasing awareness of Down syndrome within the community. “We want our community to reach the point where it is not surprising to see a differently abled individual working at a business. Essentially, we want to change the norm,” says Brent.

     The Lily Pad is quickly morphing from a dream into a reality. The Lape family and the entire community of families with children who have Down syndrome and other disabilities have rallied around bringing this opportunity into existence. “There is such a strong community of families who support each other. We’ve learned so much more from parents who have older children with Down syndrome than we could have learned from any online article. Those friends have quickly become to feel like family, and we all have the same goal for our children,” adds Brent.
     Currently, The Lily Pad café is looking for a permanent home. “It is important that the location of the café be central. We want this opportunity to be accessible for as many people as possible. We’re hoping to locate somewhere between the major metro areas for that reason,” adds Brent. Additionally, The Lily Pad has the goal of being ADA complaint, meaning it would be accessible for individuals with physical disabilities. Once a location is decided on, the capital fundraising campaign will begin to get The Lily Pad open for business!
     To get updates on and to learn more about The Lily Pad please visit the website at www.thelilypadms.com.

     Rehearsal dinners are such a wonderful way for mothers of the groom to be involved in the wedding planning process and get to celebrate the bride and groom before their big day. We are so in love with the details of Sterling and Lizzie's rehearsal dinner. Angel and John Eaves planned such a beautiful and special night for the couple. "The ambiance of the rustic venue Sterling wanted was dressed in the elegance that Lizzie and I wanted," smiles Angel. "My favorite detail was how personal the night was. Sterling and Lizzie are part of a missionary group, so each table was named a different place that they had traveled. TV screens played photos of them together throughout the night silently while loved ones gave their toasts. It was perfect."

EVENT VENUE: Big Truck Theater // PHOTOGRAPHY: Taylor Square Photography // EVENT PLANNER: Kendall Poole Event Planning // CATERING & FLORALS: Fresh Cut Catering & Floral // RENTALS: Magnolia Rental // LIGHTING: Davaine Lighting

Hey friends! Hope you're having a great start to your week! We wanted to let you know about a concert that we're so excited about happening this week! Christina and Natalia Morris of Southern Halo will have a full band concert live streaming from the stunning Cotton House in Cleveland. We can't wait to support and hear this sister duo from the Delta jam out at one of our favorite spots! You can get your $10 tickets at southernhalo.net. We will "see you there"!