Page 20 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2017

COASTNOTES
Coming together
Bacot-McCarty Foundation,
IP Casino continue partnership
Rich Westfall, foundation chairman along with Todd Trenchard accept a 200k check from Kim Goetz, Marketing Director of IP Casino Resort Spa
Bacot-McCarty Foundation
1502 Jackson Ave., Pascagoula 228.217.5791 www.bacotmccarty.org
The philanthropic partnership continues between the Bacot- McCarty Foundation and IP Casino Resort Spa. The Biloxi casino recently presented a check for $200,000 to the Jackson County non-profit organization.
“The IP contributions to
the foundation have been astounding. More than $1.8 million has been awarded to us and enabled us to fund over 35 non-profit groups and causes each year in South Mississippi. With this $200,000 check, we will continue to try and help meet the needs of youth, education
and the cultural arts all across our region,” Bacot-McCarty Foundaiton Executive Director Todd Trenchard said.
“Our partnering with Bacot- McCarty has afforded us the opportunity to assist them in the deployment of our Community Funds, reaching needs we
would not have had the insights to recognize. They have been especially helpful in targeting educational and cultural opportunities with Coast youth organizations,” IP Casino Resort Spa General Manager Duncan McKenzie said.
story by Lynn Lofton photo by John Stricklin
Eagle Scout fulfills father’s legacy story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photo courtesy of Alston Family
The Boys Scouts of America,
the nation’s most well-known youth organization, is based
on strong values and character building programs. Only five percent of scouts attain Eagle Scout, the group’s highest rank which requires a variety of performance-based achievements.
Brian Alston, a 9th grade student at Gulfport High School, earned his Eagle badge on April 9. “My father was a scout but
was unable to reach the Eagle Scout rank because of other things going on at the time,” said Alston. “He’s always regretted not staying in the program, which inspired me to become an Eagle Scout as a way of carrying out his legacy.”
Alston has been influenced
by some amazing mentors and peers who helped him reach his goal. For his community service project, Alston organized the construction of two enclosures for screech owls housed by Wild at Heart wildlife refuge. Building these permanent homes will
help the organization care for
the disabled birds and provide a platform to educate people about conservation.
“This project wasn’t mine alone,” Alston said. “These projects bring the troop together to achieve a goal. The experience of being a scout is a fulfilling one that allows us to grow together and improve as members of the community.”
20 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • May 2017
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net
Brian Alston celebrating his Eagle Scout achievement.