Stephen Bryan: Unity wins with heart

Stephen Bryan: Unity wins with heart

THEY STEPPED onto the court believing, not in an easy win or in being the favored team; they believed in each other, in what they’d built, and in what they’d become. When the Unity boys basketball team clinched the TMSAA Class A-Section 3 Tournament title, the roar...
Deb Schroeder: Still answering the call

Deb Schroeder: Still answering the call

THE PHONE rang, but Deb Schroeder barely glanced up. Another call. Another message to take. She sat behind the reception desk at the University of Michigan, watching the clock and wondering if this was all life had to offer. “Lord,” she thought, “this can’t be it.”...
Dan Holt: Small-town grocer, big-time impact

Dan Holt: Small-town grocer, big-time impact

HOLT’S IGA may bear Dan Holt’s name, but this hometown grocer’s greatest success is carried on the shoulders of his team. Holt never set out to own a grocery store. In October 2016, he bought a Fayetteville shopping center, expecting rent checks from Piggly Wiggly....
Peggy Eddins Wright: 60 years of teaching joy

Peggy Eddins Wright: 60 years of teaching joy

IN A Highland Rim School classroom, Peggy Eddins Wright moves with purpose, her eyes as bright and enthusiastic as the young students she guides. She is sounding out letters in a reading lesson. After nearly 60 years of teaching, Wright’s passion for education remains...
Jeanie Dodds: Steadfast in Service

Jeanie Dodds: Steadfast in Service

THE FAMILY gathers near the mahogany casket adorned with fresh roses and lilies. Despite their grief and exhaustion, they remain steadfast, receiving the hugs and condolences of those who come to pay their respects. It’s a scene revisited countless times in our...