The morning blog: Hit 'em straight, Margaret!
Posted on: October 02,2015
Cleveland
The morning blog…
Your Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was like a family reunion Thursday evening during a reception to honor Margaret Ferriss White, who is retiring from full-time duties at the MHSoF.
Folks drove in from all over the state to honor Margaret, who began work for the MSHoF before there was a museum. The late Michael Rubenstein phoned Margaret to get some information about her father, the great Boo Ferriss. One thing led to another.
“You need some help down there?” said Margaret, who had recently retired from
Margaret White
the YMCA.
Answered Rubenstein, “As a matter of fact…”
That was on a Friday. She started work on Monday. She retired this week.
And she leaves a huge hole.
Among her many duties at the Hall, Margaret organized and scheduled the force of volunteers who enable the museum to open six days a week, 52 weeks a year. She ran the golf tournament that raises so much money for the museum. She ran the Watermelon Classic each July 4 and helped make it into one of Mississippi’s largest, most successful road races. She played a huge role in all the events (C Spire Player of the Year awards and the annual BancorpSouth Induction Weekend) that fund the museum.
True story: When members of our Board of Directors called me to ascertain my interest in the executive director’s job, I told them I would get back to them. And then I called Margaret and we went to lunch. I picked her brain, but first I asked: Do you want this job? Because if you do, you have earned it. You see, although I hadn’t worked at the museum, I had worked closely with the museum, closely enough to see how vital she was to its success.
Margaret said, no, that she would prefer to stay in the background. And she has, but those who work at the museum — or closely with the museum — know well how much she has meant.
Her daddy is famous for saying, “Work, work, work, that’s the key to success in anything you do…”
Margaret listened. She got the message. And she worked.
And she’s not quite through. Although she left the museum full-time, she promises to be available for the special events she has helped make into Mississippi staples. We may have to call her off the golf course, but we will be calling.
As for now, Margaret, thanks for your tireless service. Hit ’em straight…
