It was a good week for good works in Vicksburg community

Published 9:06 am Monday, May 16, 2016

It was a successful week in Vicksburg. On Friday, an estimated 400 people spent the evening at the Vicksburg High School stadium, walking, setting up tents and offering different foods and games to raise money for the American Cancer Society during the annual Warren County Relay for Life.

Twenty-six teams participated in the local event including the two presenting sponsors, the Central Mississippi Chevrolet dealers and The Vicksburg Post.

Megan McBeth, Relay for Life community manager, said that before the walk, the local organization was just $13,000 shy of obtaining their goal of $61,738 and was confident it would be reached.

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The 24th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive was held on Saturday and Vicksburg mail carriers collected canned goods from city and county residents for the local food pantries and shelters.

The event is sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, Valpak, United Way, AFL-CIO, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and other partners.

Other happenings this week included:

• The American Cruise Lines’ newest paddle wheeler, America arrived at it northernmost stop when it stopped in Vicksburg Tuesday. Hotel director Drew Godfrey said the trip included 171 passengers who experienced what Vicksburg had to offer via the company’s shuttles.

• On Saturday, the 153th anniversary of the Battle of Champion Hill was held in Edwards on the grounds of the Champion Hill M. B. Church. Bertram Hayes-Davis, Jefferson Davis’ great-great-grandson, spoke at the event and tours were offered throughout the day of the Champion Hill battlefield.

• Hinds Community College and former Warren Central star, Carlisle Koestler was selected on Tuesday as the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges Pitcher of the Week for his efforts in the state playoffs over the weekend. Koestler earned the win in a 12-11 victory over Northwest Community College Friday in Game 1 of a best-of-three state tournament playoff series. Koestler pitched 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief. He struck out seven and walked one.