Tom Brokaw

Cleveland, Miss. Journalist and author Tom Brokaw is set to kick off the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi’s first Delta Conversation.  This lunch event will focus on the health issues that face the Delta region and Brokaw’s own health struggles with cancer as described in his latest book “A Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope.”

Health has been a priority for the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi for more than a decade. The Delta Conversation will spotlight problems as well as solutions, while tapping expert outside knowledge. Tom Brokaw will be joined by the Chairman of NBC News Andy Lack, whose great-grandfather was mayor of Greenville. They will also comment on current political situations and other issues raised by the audience.

The event is scheduled for 11:45 am, Friday, Sept. 30, 2016 at Cleveland’s GRAMMY ® Museum on the campus of Delta State University.  Tickets are $60 and may be purchased online at www.CFNM.org or with check to Community Foundation, 315 Losher St., Hernando, MS 38632. Deadline for purchase is Sept. 23 or earlier if sold out. Only a limited number of tickets are available.

Lucy Janoush of Cleveland is the event’s chair, and Delta Conversation co-chairs are Scott Coopwood, Josephine Rhymes, Frank Mitchener, Kim Brown, Tom Gresham, and Manuel Killebrew, who represent the foundation’s board of directors in its southern area.

Title Sponsors are Guaranty Bank and Trust, Double Quick/Gresham Petroleum, Baxter Healthcare Corporation, 2nd Chance Foundation, and Maddox Foundation. Presenting Sponsors are Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, Ambassador Mike Retzer Charitable Foundation, Coopwood Communications, Mitchell Distributors, Tallahatchie General Hospital, Atmos Energy, Planters Bank, and Thompson Machinery & Thompson Agriculture. Supporting sponsors are Barnes-Pettey Financial Advisors LLC, Entergy, Bob & Sheryl Bowen, Paul & Lucy Janoush, Viking Range LLC, Cannon Motors, Craig & Kim Brown, Community Bank, Frank and Judith Mitchener, and North Sunflower Medical Center.

The event will benefit 400-plus charitable organizations through the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi, including Teach for America, Delta State University, Emmett Till Memorial Commission, and the B.B. King Museum.

The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi manages 233 donor-established funds and has distributed $18.3 million to support more than 420 charitable organizations and activities recommended by its donors, as well as charitable programs established by the foundation.  Established in 2002 with a generous grant from the Maddox Foundation, the Community Foundation is an independent 501.c.3 charitable organization. The Foundation serves Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica counties.  A board of 19 volunteer civic leaders governs the Community Foundation.  Learn more about the Community Foundation at www.cfnm.org or call 662.449.5002.