The local Natchez community was provided with a unique and special experience on June 28 when local football standout Stevan Ridley provided insights into his football experience from his high school years through his LSU years to his current life in the NFL.

Stevan, the son of Leon and Carolyn Ridley, graciously offered to be a part of our Hometown Huddle event to help The Guardian Shelter for Battered Families with our fundraising efforts.

This event was developed to help his mother and the Guardian Shelter to raise money to offset the expenses to bring Ballet Magnificat to the Natchez area again this year.

Ms. Ridley has, for the fourth year, begun the initial steps to have this nationally recognized Christian dance company return to the area for a special evening on Nov. 29.

Hometown Huddle was well-received by the local community and football fans who have been actively involved in Stevan’s football career.

Several of Stevan’s extended family members were in town, and those of us in attendance were able to meet the family and be a part of this young man’s interesting career. His willingness to share the real world of football was entertaining and enlightening.

We, at the Guardian Shelter, a program of Catholic Charities Inc., would like to take this opportunity to thank Stevan and the entire Ridley family for sharing their time and energy for this event. We are honored to have Stevan involved in our fundraising efforts and look forward to his season with the New England Patriots.

We wish him the best of luck in what he called his plan “to have a breakout season.”

We will be watching and smiling, because we had the pleasure of having our photos with him and to be in his very genuine and positive company for a few hours in our small hometown of Natchez.

We would also like to say a tremendous thank you to our local sponsors and to Mr. Howard Jones for his interview of Stevan.

A special thank you goes to Carolyn Ridley, and none of the evening would have been possible without her contributions in so many ways.

Her hard work and dedication to our program here at the Guardian Shelter for the past four years has enabled us to provide the services to the women and children of domestic violence they need and deserve.

 

Donna Miller is the program director of The Guardian Shelter.