MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Southern Pipe Chairman Marty Davidson and his wife, Linda Davidson, presented a $100,000 endowment donation Monday to Hope Village for Children through the Community Foundation, honoring longtime Hope Village supporters William and Angela Jolly.
The presentation took place Monday at 1 p.m. at the Hope Village main office in Meridian.
Davidson praised William Jolly’s decades-long career with Southern Pipe and the couple’s commitment to philanthropy and community service.
“Linda and I are pleased today to present an endowment to Hope Village through the Community Foundation in honor of William and Angela Jolly,” Davidson said. “William came to Southern Pipe, has been with us some 42 years, and he has been a major reason for our success.”
Davidson said he hired Jolly after he graduated from the University of Mississippi more than four decades ago.
“I hired William when he graduated from Ole Miss 42 years ago, a long time ago, and he’s been one of the best hires I’ve ever made,” Davidson said.
He also praised the couple’s leadership and dedication to Hope Village.
“William and Angela both have been on the board for Hope Village, and they have been a role model of giving back to those less fortunate, and for all of those who know them,” Davidson said. “If we had more people in the world like Angela and William, it’d be a better world.”
Davidson also recognized actress and Mississippi native Sela Ward, founder of Hope Village.
“I also want to thank Sela Ward for doing so much for so many and having the vision to create Hope Village to start it off,” Davidson said. “Thank you Sela.”
Ward expressed gratitude for the Davidsons’ continued support of the organization.
“I just want to say that Linda and Marty Davison have been two of the most extraordinary, philanthropic, big-hearted, beautiful souls,” Ward said. “They have supported Hope Village certainly in this instance and many times over, countless times, that have helped us thrive. We’re so grateful. We’re so grateful for today for your generosity and your beautiful heart. Thank you.”
Terri Province, executive director of Hope Village, said the Davidsons have supported the organization for years and described the donation as a major investment in the nonprofit’s future.
“We’re very blessed to have Linda and Marty Davidson, they have been on-going supporters of Hope Village for years,” Province said. “They have donated $100,000 to the Hope Village endowment through the Community Foundation in honor of William and Angela Jolly, who are also long-time supporters of Hope Village for Children.”
Province said approximately 35% of Hope Village’s funding must be raised through donations and fundraising efforts.
“One of our biggest projects, right now we’re working on finding housing for kids as they age out of the foster care system,” Province said. “So this will lead the foundation for that.”
Southern Pipe, a family-owned company founded in 1938 by Davidson’s grandfather, is celebrating its 87th anniversary this year.
Linda Davidson said the community response to the event reflected broad support for Hope Village’s mission.
“I think it’s been wonderful, and I think the turnout is wonderful,” she said. “I think that shows that people care about Hope Village in Meridian, Mississippi.”
Angela Jolly said she and her husband were deeply honored by the recognition.
“We’re speechless, really,” she said. “It’s the biggest honor we’ve ever received. Hope Village has always been so near and dear to our heart, probably for the past 20 years we’ve been involved in some capacity and we continue to be involved. For them to do this in our honor, it just really shows what kind of people they are.”
William Jolly highlighted several ongoing fundraising initiatives benefiting Hope Village, including the Run for Hope and a recent Mahjong tournament.
“I’ve been on the visionary committee for a couple of years now, and I want to plug the Run for Hope, it’s a fundraiser we’ve done well with,” he said. “I want to give another shoutout or plug for the tax credits that go on to help all the residents of Mississippi that go on to contribute, and recently the Mahjong tournament helped raise funds.”
“You know, this money here and all of the fundraising, it’s going to help give the children a better life,” Jolly added. “That’s what it’s all about.”
