Tracie D. Herring is a native of Vicksburg having graduated from Warren Central High School, Hinds Community College and the University of Mississippi. She then went on to receive her Juris Doctor, with Summa Cum Laude honors, from Mississippi College. She is a partner at the law office of Vollor, Vollor & Herring. She is married to Jeremy Herring, and they have two children, Analeigh and Elijah (Eli), who keep them very busy with numerous school and sporting activities. She is also very active in the local community through the Vicksburg Kiwanis Club having served as a board member since 2019 and currently serving as president. She is also a member of the Junior Auxiliary and for several years she served as the Warren County Bar Association Secretary/Treasurer.

How did you start volunteering?
I have always enjoyed volunteering my time to help others since I was a child. I was involved in the 4H Club and also a member of the Key Club in my younger years. Once I graduated from law school, I wanted to pick up where I had left off with Key Club and joined Kiwanis. I became a member of the Warren County Bar Association (WCBA) and I was later inducted into the Junior Auxiliary.

How long have you been involved in volunteerism?
I have been a part of the Vicksburg Kiwanis Club since 2019, Junior Auxiliary since 2021 and a WCBA member since 2018.

What is your favorite memory while volunteering?
I have so many that it is hard to choose, so I will narrow it down to three (one for each organization).
First, the Flower Project that I organized for the benefit of the Warren County Children’s Shelter with the members of the WCBA and local volunteers. Home Depot was very gracious and donated most of the supplies with the remainder being donated by the WCBA. We were able to replace rotten wood around the children’s playground along with replacing the mulch. We also revamped the flower beds around the facility, as well as created new ones to give the entrance of the shelter a more inviting look for the children that are brought to the facility. It was a gratifying experience to have attorneys and local citizens work together to give back to our community.
Second, the volunteer work with the Junior Auxiliary at Good Shepherd. Once a week a group of our members that are assigned to this project will visit the two 5-year-old classrooms, read a book and complete a craft with the children based on the book that was read. As project chair for JAV Cares this year, I was able to organize a Splash Day at Catfish Row for the children. We had a bubble machine, water squirters and beach balls for the kids to play with. A moment that made my heart melt was when a child told me, “This is the best day ever!” Being able to volunteer and take part in these types of experiences with children is priceless.
Third, the volunteer work with Kiwanis as a part of the One Day Project as President this year. I, with the help of other members, organized the One Day Project to encompass a farm-to-table type concept for this project. The final project took place at Cedars Head Start School where a group of our members built three large planters boxes and alongside the children we planted vegetables and flowers. The objective of this project was to help educate the children that their vegetables do not just come from a grocery store, but rather are planted and grown from the ground. Being able to watch children’s faces light up while they were digging holes in the soil and planting seeds and flowers is a memory that sticks with me.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering?
It will be the best investment of time and resources that you have ever made. Our community is in desperate need of more volunteers, and any amount of time and effort that you are able to provide can make a huge impact. Whether you volunteer by taking time to read to children at the public library or organize your own service project, you will provide a benefit to the citizens of Warren County.

What are some of your tasks while volunteering?
It vastly differs depending on the organization that I am representing. It ranges from reading/crafting to smaller children, handing out candy at the Trunk or Treat, cooking chili, organizing a school supply drive, creating new Key Club chapters, planting flowers or taking part in fundraisers to help out our local youth. I wear a lot of different hats.

What have you learned from volunteering?
I have learned that the children in our community are absolutely amazing. I generally work with children ages 2 to 17 years old, and we (in my opinion) have some of the brightest and most amiable children here in Warren County. I have also learned that volunteering has given me a sense of accomplishment and has provided me with a lot of skills such as leadership, problem-solving (not all projects go smoothly from start to finish) teamwork.

How can someone else who might be interested in volunteering get involved?
Email me at tracie@fvollor.com. I have been fortunate enough to work with organizations that have provided me with contacts that need volunteers. An individual can also reach out and join the many service clubs that we have here in Warren County that are designed for volunteering services to our community.

If there is a volunteer who should be featured, please submit their name and contact information to volunteer@vicksburgpost.com.