Whitehurst earns coveted Junior Auxiliary award

Published Saturday, March 1
"Modest and unassuming" is what one of Betsy Whitehurst's friends had to say about her leadership style as she receives this year's Junior Auxiliary of Corinth's Citizen of the Year Award
Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Liddon Whitehurst, a native Corinthian, is the second daughter of Bob and Margaret Liddon.
After graduation from Corinth High School, she attended Delta State
University, where she married Jimmy Whitehurst (divorced, deceased). The couple had two daughters, Beth Whitehurst, of Corinth, and Judy Whitehurst Riddell of Oxford. Betsy Whitehurst is the proud grandmother of three grandchildren, Elizabeth Whitehurst, Liddon Riddell and Mack Riddell.
She was an honor graduate of Corinth High School, received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Education from Delta State
University. She worked as a Math teacher for Hardin County Schools from 1969-1972.
After living out of the area for a few years, she returned to Corinth in 1972 and soon became entrenched in helping and improving her community.
In 1975, she took on the position of executive director of the United Way of Corinth and Alcorn County -- a position she still holds. When Whitehurst began her job, she had a borrowed desk in a downtown bank during the annual fund-raising campaign; most of the work was done from her home office.
Currently, United Way occupies six rooms on the second floor of a local
bank, a space that Whitehurst arranged to be donated at no cost to the
organization. Under Whitehurst's leadership, fund-raising has gone from
$84,000 to more than $380,000, and the number of agencies has doubled.
Not one to rest on her laurels, Whitehurst also worked as executive director of the Jacinto Foundation, Inc., from 1976-2003. In that position, she organized a July Fourth Festival, which is now in its 28th year. The
festival is a large local draw, complete with food, crafts, Native American
cultural events, courthouse tours. and the second largest political speaking in the State of Mississippi.
Whitehurst served as executive director for the Henry Cemetery, Inc., from 1992-1996. Whitehurst initiated the first cemetery tour in 1998, a tradition that has been continued by the Crossroads Museum with its Halloween Cemetery Historical Tours in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
A member of First United Methodist church, Whitehurst's faith is important to her. She proves this consistently in the depth of her involvement. She has held several offices including chair - Administrative Council; secretary - Administrative Board; rotating board member; Staff Parish Committee -- serving as both a chair and as a member; chair - Council on Ministries; Committee of Nominations; Fellowship Leader; Handbell Choir; Liturgist (February, 2006); and substitute Sunday School teacher/fellowship leader as needed.
Over the years, Whitehurst has stepped up with many civic groups to help better serve the community. At some point during her years in the area, she has served, or is serving in many capacities including: Junior Auxiliary of Corinth; Girl Scout Leader; Dorothy Garrett Camp Committee; Mississippi Methodist Senior Services Board; Downtown Corinth, Board of Directors; YMCA/MRHC Fall Fitness Fest Committee; 5K Run Committee; Corinth-Alcorn Chapter of Habitat for Humanity; Corinth Kidney Classic Golf Tournament; American Red Cross CPR and/or Multi-Media First Aid Instructor; South Corinth Neighborhood Project Steering Committee; Magnolia Regional Health Center Development Foundation; Henry Cemetery, Inc. - Board of Directors;
Project Homestead/CAN; Corinth-Alcorn Network; and Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi/Coalition.
Whitehurst¹s involvement in the community -- and with the underprivileged -- over the years has had a great and long reaching effect. This is a fact, to which friends Janet Davis Gray and Herman Gray, will attest. They wrote: "Every organization she [Whitehurst] has touched has benefited by her efforts, from the United Way, to her church, to Girl Scouts, to the Kidney Classic, to Habitat for Humanity, to Magnolia Regional Health Center, to South Corinth Neighborhood ... Like George Bailey in the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life," she has made
a difference in Alcorn County that would be most noticeable had she not
chosen a lifetime of service, both professionally and individually."
With all her work in the community, Whitehurst's eyes have always been colorblind. She has worked extensively with minorities in many capacities.
She never hesitated to attend meetings or events in the South Corinth
neighborhood.
Regarding Whitehurst, last year's Citizen of the Year, James Boyd, said: "Betsy demonstrates a range of care and concern that is priceless. Some people in community service will draw some lines as to who will be included in their experiences, but Betsy just moves to deal with needs and maintains a range and pace that give 100 percent in her opportunities."
Although aggressively civic-minded, Whitehurst avoids the spotlight. This is one trait mentioned by more than one of her many friends.
"Modest and unassuming, she exemplifies the best and most generous qualities of greatness in her steadfast service to the people of our community," said Barbara Bennett, director, South Corinth Neighborhood Project. Bennett went on to later add, "Betsy Whitehurst is an outstanding leader in our community, quietly encouraging and energizing businesses, industries, and individuals to respond to the challenges and needs of our community."
Janet Davis Gray and Herman Gray said, "She [Whitehurst] often makes
suggestions or facilitates solutions for which others are credited, but that accomplish the desired goal; thus, she avoids the spotlight and one more organization moves on to serve the under-privileged."
All the aforementioned credits and praise only scratch the surface of what Whitehurst has been credited for accomplishing. When all the facts and testimonies were weighed in, the Junior Auxiliary of Corinth chose Betsy Whitehurst as the 2008 Citizen of the Year.

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