Water Valley Police Puts The ‘Fun’ In Fundraiser With Ongoing ‘Arrests’
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The city’s oldest drug dealer was “arrested” Tuesday morning, the latest in a string of “suspects” nabbed by the police for the “Arrest The Cure” fundraiser. Chief Jason Mangrum (right) placed the pink cuffs on Binnie Turnage at the pharmacist on Main Street.
WATER VALLEY – The Water Valley Police Department is cleaning up the city in October with dozens of “arrests” planned as part of the Arrest the Cure cancer fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Chief Jason Mangrum launched the fundraiser last week, “arresting” Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch as the first victim. The sheriff joined Mangrum for the next arrest as Water Valley Mayor Donald Gray was placed in pink cuffs.
Mangrum explained that the “suspects” can post bail, a contribution to St. Jude, and select the next victim. His department also takes “tips” from the public that have led to others being placed in custody including the “arrest” of Binnie Turnage Tuesday morning.
“We have been trying to catch you for a week,” Mangrum joked as he placed the cuffs on the longtime pharmacist in front of a crowd at Turnage Drug Store. “We had another victim yesterday who tried to hide in a closet and it seems like every time we show up here, you go out the back door.”
Mangrum reported Turnage’s granddaughter, Karen Turnage, reached out to the police department when she saw the fundraiser on Facebook. She joked that the police could arrest the oldest drug dealer in town, but more importantly she shared her grandparents have a strong connection with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Binnie and Jo Turnage’s second daughter, also named Karen Turnage, was the third patient admitted to St. Jude when the hospital opened in 1962.
“I was in my last semester of pharmacy school,” Binnie said. “I was coming back home to the family business and it wasn’t going to cost me a nickel. The business had been in the family for 50 years. I had the world by the tail on a downhill drag, and then we discovered Karen had cancer.”
Binnie recalled his daughter’s birth on Sept. 2, 1960, when he held his wife’s hand and watched her come into this world.
“That was unusual in those days, we were upstairs in Dr. George’s hospital,” Binnie explained.
Eighteen months later their daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer and Karen Turnage was admitted into St. Jude, the third patient admitted after the new hospital opened. She was a patient at the hospital for four months before losing her battle with cancer. Binnie has never forgotten the loving treatment provided for his daughter at St. Jude.
The longtime pharmacist also shared how his daughter’s death had a lasting impact on his life.
“I thought I would never see her again. Then the thought came to my mind, the story in the Old Testament when King David lost his young son,” Binnie said.
He explained that King David was comforted after his son’s death with the knowledge that he would see him again in heaven.
Binnie said he wasn’t sure that he would be with his daughter in eternity after her death.
“Over the next nine years, I tried to work my way to heaven. Trying to do more good things than bad. Finally I realized that God didn’t want what I could do for him, he just wanted me,” Binnie said. “I surrendered. He came into my heart in October, 1971, and I haven’t got over it yet. God got my attention.”
Binnie has been a regular contributor to St. Jude since 1962, and an ambassador for his Savior since 1971.
He also shared that he and Jo were able to tour St. Jude five decades after their daughter’s death.
“We discovered 50 years later that the hospital had improved immensely, but their heart is still the same,” he said. “When my daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, they had about a 20 percent recovery rate. Now it is up to 80 or 90 percent,” Binnie shared.
Mangrum reported that the fundraiser will continue during the month of October.
“When we were thinking about what to do to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, there is not really a breast cancer facility close to us. We decided to raise funds for St. Jude, this facility is close to a lot of people’s heart here. The late Sheriff Mark Fulco was a big supporter of St. Jude. We want to honor his memory and help combat cancer,” the chief added.
Water Valley Police Chief Jason Mangrum and Chief Deputy Thomas West “arrested” the high sheriff of Yalobusha County as part of the “Arrest the Cure” fundraiser underway in October. Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch posted bail, a donation to St. Jude, and selected Mayor Donald Gray as the next “suspect.”
