2004

WEEKOF~L~k~~-l~( ------~

October 6. 2~. ECCC 2004 HomecomingSpecial Edition. T ht

He 10ld me that mim..tenng to others is the road he had planned for me. so I decided to lea\e the NBA:· Mann re– called. Although Mann knew he had made the right decision regarding his mission in life. he was still not ready to give up playing basketball. "I de– cided on my own to play bas– ketball again. this timewith the Lacrosse (Wisconsin) Bob– cats of the Continental Bas– ketball Association. But three games into the season, I shat– tered my knee cap, and at that moment I knewwhat my call– ing in life was, and it was no longer basketball. I'm cer– tainly thankful and gracious for the gift. God gave me to pia> basketball. bvt it was time for me to move on to another pt,a,e in my hfe. God still al- 0\\-; me to use basketball as an a enue to reach young penp c becau e they can re– late tOthe sport. So I use bas- etbal a' a \\a} of getti ng lhe rnuenuon. \1) \\hole min– ~~ rn> whole take on l ife is -! ~ to he n all the young proplc- that I po·s1bly can," Mann •tateu So 10 1997.

about 780 inmate-;· ..I am there to be a posit 'e influence m their lives. I ha'e had man) positive influences m m) life. including m) uncle' Jtmm) Mann, Willie Lee t-.1ann. and the Rev. Billy Mann. all of whom ar~ deceased. and m) grandfather, Colon Mann of Carthage. They were all \el) influential in my becoming a man and being a responsible person. Jimmy Mann also taught me how to play bas– ketball. So I want to be a po<:i– tive influence to these young people. This. l believe. is ''here God wants me to be. because I am in a position where I can try to steer them in the right direction. ! let them know how much I love them and how much God loves them. It's amazing to me how God'' orks with these young men. A lot of them gre'' up without'a positive male figure, and I try to fill that role for them," Mann stated. Mann'-, work as chaplain at the faci l– ity has drawn praise from hi:. co-workers. Said Beverl y Patrick. human resource man– ager: "One ofthe fi rst things I teamed about Marcus. was his ability to talk toe\ eryone regardless ofage. race or gen– der. He has a calming person– alit) and a wonderful little smile on his face . You can tmagme the reaction he re– cel\es from the res1dents and ,taff member-. upon learning

thank God for the opportunity to know and\\ ork with him. ·· Patrick said Mann not only provides \'arious religiou'i need-.. grief counseling and mentoring for inmate~. there are al-.o about 220 employees rangmg from correctional of– ficer... to teachers who -;eek hi.;, ;u1dance. \lann -.aid he i~ conunumg h.., -.tudle'> in the mini-.tr> b> enroll1ng in cJa, ...e-; at \\ e:-.le}' Biblical Semmal)' in Jackson. He plan~ to continue \\Orking at the Walnut Gro\ e facility and at– tend night classes at the Semi– nary. Although he maintains a busy schedule with work and school. he still finds as much time as possi ble to spend with his wife. the former Veleka Slocum ofMorton and their three-year-old daught~r. Genesis. For Marcus Mann. life is good. becau'ie he 1-; happy with the career choice he made. and the family he has been blessed to have. ·-rm not a millionaire: I don't have the luxury homes or cars. but I'm happy and content. And that is the best thing that a person can e\er ha\e in life- to be happy with who he is and to enjoy the tl11ngs God ha' blessed him '' 1th. It 1s amaz– ing how God can take a per– son all O\ er the countf}' ar

"MANN" continued from page 4 had the opponumt} to meet several other ~BA star-.. like Or. J. Larr) B1rd. Kevin McHale and I a1ah Thomas. and man) Olhef' I ' a' hke a kid at Chri..tma . I f1nally reached m) ; a oi bemg a player m the XBA AI m} hard work for '0 man~ }eaf' had tina II) p-.1 d ofi.- he ..a.d But on the 'arne da) h..., team– mate-. , ere prepann~ for their fir->t gawe o•the 1'-'96 ,ea.;on. Mann · a' on ht' \\ ) J.ome to Walnut Gro\e He exp a .., the sudden lo - of mterai m the -;port he lo\ ed so rnc;:h ..Ounnh tht- penod a tran-•– tion m m~ lue took pia e M~ de!oire to pia> o.t• etb3 "a' graduall~ lea\'"= A ot of people could not :.mderqa..'ld. and ;.t 1l to tht ... da> d not n– der-;tand the dect...Jon I made But I had tor IIO\\ m) ~r ... and that b nat m~ =ra-.d– mother and mother al\\~}'' taught me. to fo ,n·\ m~ hor. I knO\\ a lot of people 'ere living their dream' thro~o; me: hO\\ e\ er. I had ;Otten t the point in m}' hfe "here 11 ''a" time for me to do \\hat I really wanted to do... I\ fan n s tated. And \\ha t ~t ann wanted to do \\a to share the

You:h Correct 0.'131 Fw:thcy \\ h1ch hou,e... males bcn\een the a_:es of U-:1 "ho h3\t

ministly with young people: comm ned adult en~ but. "Through a lot of pra)er and becau'e oi thetr a~e. canno t meditation.! sawGod 's guid- be hou,ed th adult' Mann ho~ he cho~ mini,tenng to ance with my decision. This explamed h~:o role at the facll· young people m tead of pia)– io; something he led me to do. ity. \\ hlch current!) hou e' tng profe-:'lonal ba,l..etba I

LA~t:. Mt:.~~ENGER _,)""-/ _______ _

CA.~THAG ' 'AN

--------------------

SCOTT COUNTY TfMES

-----------------

NESHOBA DEMOCRAT

- ------

UNION APPEAL -------------------- WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL - - ----- ----~----- IMPACT ______________________ SPIRIT OF MORTON

NEWTON RECORD

--------------- ----------------- --------------

MERIDIAN STAR

CLARION-LEDGER