E-Letter 02/28/2005

      
From The President

Dear Ackerman School Classmates and Friends,

The time for the 2005 Ackerman School Reunion is fast approaching. It is time to mark the calendar and start making plans to be present for a lot of fun and fellowship. The date is Saturday, April 30th, 2005 and will again be in the Ty A. Cobb Complex. Registration will begin at 12:00 Noon and the program will begin at 2:00 P.M.

The reunion committee has been working hard and we are excited about the planned program and activities that you are sure to enjoy. Registration will be conducted by the class with which you were associated. Teachers and/or coaches will register separate from specific classes. There will be signs designating the table for specific class registration. When you register, please provide us with the most current information regarding addresses, phone number, and e-mail address, in order that we may better communicate with you about upcoming reunion plans. There will be no charge but we ask you to consider a generous contribution for our ongoing operational expenses.

Unanticipated Operational Expenses

The Ackerman Reunion Group has received a letter this month notifying us of the Choctaw County School Board's requirements a deposit of $500.00 for damages that might occur during our gathering and a statement from our Ackerman Reunion Group releasing the school and school district from any liability. The letter indicates that they will return the deposit after inspection for damages. As a result of the release of liability requirement, we have purchased liability insurance for our Reunion event this year at cost of $390.00. This is not a deposit and therefore will not be returned to us. For this reason, we ask you to please be generous with your contributions to our general fund this year.

Outstanding Program Planned For This Year

This year we are going to involve some of the very talented students currently in the outstanding Ackerman school band and choral programs. We will also acknowledge those Mississippi men and women serving so gallantly in military service throughout the world through a moving presentation entitled "Flags over Mississippi" ending with the posting of the national and state colors.

Thanks For Your Generosity!

In case you didn’t hear the good news, the Ackerman High School Reunion Group met August 28, 2004, to celebrate the success of our project to purchase a 6' 7" Yamaha conservatory grand piano for the Ty A. Cobb Auditorium. A concert featuring mostly Ackerman alumni had been planned as a fund raiser to cap our effort to raise the money. But thanks to the generosity of former students, local businesses, a local church, ministerial association and civic club, the full amount of $19,000 had been raised and the event became a wonderful celebration of the successful project. More than 130 contributions poured in to AHS from 19 states to make the purchase price of the piano. Featured entertainment for the program included Jan Irving Bruening and Patrick Perkins; Ackerman Baptist gospel quartet, Sammie Wood and Rene Aurell, Cherry Sims, and AHS Choral Director Ricki Prewitt. The highlight of the evening was a performance by an Ackerman Reunion choir, directed by Madeline Wood, of a hymn medley and a very moving rendition of Andrae Crouch's "My Tribute." The piano was officially presented by AHS Reunion President Kenneth R. Smith and other officers of the Alumni Group to Ackerman High School Principal, Ronda Huffman, and Choctaw County Superintendent of Education Dr. Arlene Amos. The piano was given in honor of Mrs. Webb (Madeline) Wood, AHS Choral Director from 1955-67. Also recognized for outstanding contributions to this project were Rene Aurell, Alton Blanton, and Rev. Jerry Lawson. Go to www.AckermanReunion.com/spectacular.htm for a list of contributors along with pictures and video clips of the evening.

The Ackerman School Reunion on Saturday, April 30th, 2005, will not be complete without you. I know you will be making plans to be there.

I hope you will get in touch with the people that you know that are or have been associated with the Ackerman School and encourage them to be there.

May God bless and keep you.

Kenneth R. Smith (54)
President     

Slain Officer Honored, Remembered
By Joseph McCain The Choctaw Plaindealer 2/9/05

Flags were flying at half-mast and heads were bowed on Monday as the community said goodbye to a local police officer, Anthony Lucas, who died in the line of duty Friday.

Lucas, 32, of Ackerman had served his community as a career law enforcement officer and friends noted his dedication to the law enforcement service. At the time of his death, he was serving as the part-time French Camp Police Chief and as a Parole officer with the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Hundreds of people turned out to mourn the loss of a dedicated officer, father, husband and son.

Lucas is survived by his 5 year old son, Kyle Lucas; his wife, Penny Jenkins Lucas; his mother and father, Brenda and Wendell Lucas; maternal grandmother, Maxine Jones, grandmother Irene Lucas; sister Amy Oakes and her husband Timmy and their children Haley, Trenton and Tristian.

Dozens of fellow officers from various agencies across the state and counties paid their respects during the funeral services Monday.

Services were held at Ackerman Baptist Church with burial at Providence Baptist Cemetery.

Lucas had served as Chief of Police for French Camp for about seven years and served with the Mississippi Department of Corrections for the same amount of time. Lucas had previously served the Choctaw County Sheriff's Department and Ackerman Police Department.

According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Lucas was assisting the Ackerman Police Department after a routine traffic stop resulted in a brief pursuit. After the pursuit, Chief Lucas was attempting to make an arrest when he was shot with a shotgun about 10:15 Friday night at a residence on Rt. 2 of Whites Road in Weir. Christopher Fair, 16, of Weir was arrested shortly after the shooting for capital murder.

Lucas Benefit Fund Established

A benefit fund for Penny Lucas and Kyle Lucas has been sit up at the Merchants & Farmers Bank.

For anyone wishing to make donations to the benefit fund may make deposits at any Merchants & Farmers Branch Bank in the account of Penny J. Lucas Benefit Fund or donations may be mailed to M&F Bank, P.O. Box 500, Ackerman, MS 39735, phone (662) 285-3218. The Merchants & Farmers Bank will be keeping a record of the donations so that Penny and Kyle will know who reached out them during this tragedy.