Page 26 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2015

COASTNOTES
Receives first Friend of Port award
story by Lynn Lofton
photo courtesy of Coast Transit Authority
Coast Transit Authority received the first Friend of the Port award presented by the Port of Gulfport. The award was accepted by Jerry Dodge, chairman of the CTA Board of Commissioners, and Kevin Coggin, CTA executive director.
“CTA has been a valuable partner over the past year and a half in providing transportation for our quarterly port tours, which average 150 to 200 people,” said a spokesperson for the port. “Without CTA’s contribution, our tours would not be as successful as they are.”
Dodge said, “Even though the port works on water and CTA works on land, we are both working together to build economic growth for our community and state.”
The Friend of the Port award is a new program the Port of Gulfport has introduced to recognize the contributions of their community partners and tenants who help further the Port’s mission to provide world class maritime service to customers and to facilitate economic growth and job creation.
PICTURED ABOVE: Jerry Dodge, CTA Board of Commissions - Chair and Kevin Coggin, CTA Executive Director
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Brantley Ellison
For people wanting to celebrate July 4 by getting fitter and honoring those who serve and protect, there’s a Bridge 2 Bridge walk sponsored by B.E. FIT. The 31-mile walk begins at 4:30 a.m. at the Bay St.
Louis bridge. The good news is that participants can join the walk at every city line between the Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs bridges.
“Walkers do not have to pre-register. They can just show up and can come in at different places,” says organizer Brantley Ellison. “This is the first time for the walk and we invite everyone to come. We’ll carry flags honoring all the branches of service and fire and police departments.”
Ellison, 36, operates an eight-week boot camp for individuals wanting to lose weight — something
he knows about first hand. The Gulfport resident weighed 267 pounds two years ago. “I was having trouble with my back and was told I would probably need surgery. So, I went to a doctor who advised
me to try something free before having surgery,” he recalls. “I joined a weight loss competition, got down to 195 pounds and now, no surgery is needed.”
B.E. Fit
Brantley Ellison 228.223.1997 www.brantleyellisonfitness.com
26 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • July 2015
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