The red carpet is coming to Brookhaven once again.

     The ‘O’ Foundation’s 7th Annual Ole Brook VIP Awards Dinner will be rolling out the carpet Thursday, Dec. 13, at the black tie affair.

     “We try to make it as close to Hollywood as we can,” said ‘O’ Foundation founder Rose Powell.

     Some VIPs are even announced when entering.

     This year’s honoree is Brookhaven School Board member Dan Brown.

     “I feel that it’s an honor,” said Brown.

     Brown is former principal at Alexander High School. He is former president of ROTAP (Reaching Out To All People) and is currently administrator at St. James M.B. Church.

     “He’s a very upstanding man in the community,” said Powell. “Everybody loves him.”

     Last year’s honoree was Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture Cindy-Hyde Smith. She will be passing the honoree cup to Brown.

     The cup is engraved with the names of each past recipient. Honorees also get their own personal cup.

     The speaker for the event is Isaac Byrd, of Byrd and Associates in Jackson. Byrd was the recipient of the 2002 Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from The Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (TLPJ) Foundation and also the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Award.

     Entertainment for the evening will include saxophone player the Rev. Lamar Barnes, singers Kimberly Moore and Jackie Bates and various gospel singing.

     “We will have some nice gospel music,” said Powell.

     While enjoying the music, attendees will be served a delectable dinner catered by Powell’s Polly’s on Main Street. Several different dishes will be served to cater to everyone’s taste, so no one will leave hungry, she said.

     Serving the food, escorting and helping clean will be Mississippi School of the Arts volunteer students. Also announced at the dinner will be a surprise award: the Volunteer of the Year Award.

     “That’s always kind of exciting to figure out who that’s gonna be,” said Powell.    

     Host and hostess for the evening are Vernell Hooker and Katrina Bridges Hines.

     The ‘O’ Foundation currently supports two programs: the Arlustra “Pap” Henderson/Robert Massengill Mentoring Program and the Lincoln County Obesity Focus Group.

     The mentoring program focuses on fifth-graders, who are mentored by successful men in the community such as Dr. Wade Ditcharo, former mayor Robert Massengill and Sheriff Steve Rushing. Truant officer Jeff Richardson oversees the group.

     The obesity focus group is new this year and targets third-graders.      Proceeds from the night will benefit the two programs, as well as Mississippi Scholars.

     This year’s event will be at the First United Methodist Church. Tickets are $20.

     “It’s going to be a nice dinner,” said Powell.