JANS – St. Mark Church of Clinton, MS was selected as the recipient of the Vivian Shivers Award. Formerly the Helping Hands Award, this award was established in 2006 and renamed in 2009 to honor Vivian Shivers. Shivers began her career as a Registered Nurse at MSH in 1976 in one of the original tuberculosis wards, and later served in Jaquith Nursing Home. After her retirement in 1987, she remained an active volunteer and advocate for MSH until her death in 2009. She served as both President and Vice President of the Friends organization and was active on numerous committees. She routinely attended and volunteered at special patient/resident events and activities. Shivers was selected as the MSH Volunteer of the Year for the Mississippi Hospital Association in 2001. In addition to her service at MSH, she was a loved and respected member of her community and church in Magee, MS.

Mississippi State Hospital Director James G. “Bo” Chastain said, “This award was established to honor an individual or group who represents the volunteer spirit and sets the standard for future generations. St. Mark Church has been active in volunteering at Mississippi State Hospital for more than 30 years. During that time, they have hosted Christmas parties and activities for hundreds of nursing home residents, most recently in Building 78, which currently has 45 beds, all males with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. It would be a challenge for any organization but not for St. Mark. They were never more important to our residents than during COVID when direct contact from the outside world, even their families, was restricted or not allowed at all. Through it all, St. Mark continued their Christmas mission by providing for those residents regardless of the pandemic. As soon as volunteers were allowed to come back in 2022, they were one of the first groups to call.

“One of the more well-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community, help people feel less isolated, and make the world a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks can make a real difference to the lives of people and organizations. St. Mark truly makes a difference for Jaquith Nursing Home and Mississippi State Hospital. We are so grateful for their continued support.”

Chastain presented this special award to Ophelia Kelly, Emma L. Taylor, and Pastor Willis Washington Jr. Kelly, who was one of the original members of the group that began visiting MSH over 30 years ago, shared, “St. Mark looked at the community and decided we wanted to have a ministry that focused on a population that the rest of the world might overlook. That is when we decided on (Jaquith Nursing Home at) Mississippi State Hospital. We wanted to share God’s love by communicating His love to these residents.”