Service And Legacy Highlight Reception
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Tommy and Linda White react after being named the 2026 Braswell Hatcher Community Service Award recipients during the Chamber reception Tuesday night.
WATER VALLEY — The annual Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce reception highlighted service, remembrance and community pride as local leaders, businesses and residents gathered Tuesday, April 7.
From honoring a life that left a lasting mark on the community to recognizing decades of service and supporting local students, the evening reflected what matters most in Water Valley.
The most emotional moment of the night came with the presentation of the inaugural Zandra Walker Heart of Water Valley Scholarship, created in the weeks following Walker’s death on March 14.
Determined to honor her legacy without delay, the scholarship committee, the Chamber moved quickly to establish and award the $2,500 scholarship during this year’s reception. Jessie Gurner, Tyler Hill and Tonya Eubanks were appointed to serve on the scholarship committee to make the first selection.
“It has been such an honor to serve on this inaugural scholarship committee,” Hill said. “Thank you to the Chamber for acting so quickly so we could award this scholarship this academic year.”
Hill said the scholarship was designed to reflect the kind of life Walker lived, a life rooted in service rather than recognition.
“This scholarship is not just about academic achievement,” he said. “It is about character. It is about service without recognition, leadership without ego and love without condition.”
Hill noted that as director of the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, Walker became known for her tireless support of local businesses and her belief in the town’s future.
“She believed deeply in Water Valley — its people, its promise and its future,” Hill said. “She was a champion for every storefront, every entrepreneur and every dreamer willing to invest in this community.”
Gurner reflected on Walker’s quiet but constant efforts to make the town more welcoming.
“She loved making things beautiful, but more than that, she loved making people feel welcome,” Gurner said. “She gave Water Valley her time, her talent and her heart, and she left it better than she found it.”
Eubanks, who hired Walker as Chamber director 11 years ago, described her as a steady and compassionate presence.
“She had a way of making people feel seen, valued and cared for,” Eubanks said. “She didn’t seek the spotlight. She just showed up every day with a servant’s heart.”
The committee took a different approach in selecting the recipient, gathering input from the community rather than relying solely on applications.
“We wanted to talk to people — to the school, to businesses — and find someone who truly reflects who Zandra was,” Eubanks said.
That search led them to Water Valley High School senior Drake Mabary.
“When we interviewed him, all three of us cried,” Eubanks said.
Mabary, who operates his own lawn care business, was praised not only for his work ethic but for his character and how he treats others.
“You told us you take time to sit, to listen and to learn from people,” Eubanks said. “That’s the kind of person we wanted to receive this.”
In accepting the scholarship, Mabary spoke about the responsibility that comes with it.
“I never knew Ms. Zandra personally,” he said, “but I aspire to have her dedication and her love for the community — to serve in any way I can.”
Earlier in the evening, Mabary was also recognized as the recipient of the Elliott Scholarship, presented by coach Clint Faust.
The night also turned to honoring a lifetime of service, as Tommy and Linda White were named the 2026 Braswell Hatcher Community Service Award recipients.
Presenting the award, Faust said the honor is reserved for individuals who demonstrate “tireless and exceptional service” to Water Valley.
“It doesn’t take long describing these folks before everybody knows who it is,” Faust said as he revealed the recipients.
Both have long records of involvement in the community. Tommy White has served as a deacon at First Baptist Church, including time as chairman of the deacons, and as a Sunday school teacher. He is also a member of the Water Valley Rotary Club and previously served as a district governor.
Linda White has been equally active, serving as a past president of the Junior Auxiliary, a member of the Southern Living Garden Club, the Red Hat Melon group and Rotary. She has also served in various roles within the Chamber and remains involved in church and community efforts.
“Tommy and Linda are pillars of our community, always willing to volunteer and help in any way to make our town better,” Faust said.
In accepting the award, Tommy White reflected on the recognition and the town they have long called home.
“There is not a better place in the whole wide world than Water Valley, Mississippi,” White said. “This is so undeserved.”
The night concluded with the presentation of the Business of the Year award, also presented by Gurner.
The North Mississippi Herald was recognized for its long-standing role in the community, dating back to 1888, making it one of the oldest businesses on Main Street.
In presenting the award, Gurner noted the paper’s role in preserving the stories, people and moments that define Water Valley.
“If you have lived here any length of time, chances are you have been a part of that, whether you meant to or not,” she said.
The recognition highlighted the Herald’s role in documenting the life of the community through generations.
Jessie Gurner, Tyler Hill and Tonya Eubanks, members of the inaugural Zandra Walker Heart of Water Valley Scholarship committee, presented the award to Drake Mabary during Tuesday night’s Chamber reception.
