By Staff
REMEMBERING THE PEAVEY HOUSE Sondra Stephens of Meridian looks at a quilt on Monday that was made in honor of the original Peavey House, a shelter for abused and neglected children. The quilt lists the first name and age of every child more than 600 who passed through the home. The quilt was displayed during the dedication at Hope Village for Children of Melia's Cottage, named in memory of Melia Peavey. Photo by Kyle Carter / The Meridian Star
By Georgia E. Frye / staff writer
Aug. 19, 2003
Doris Goodman, mother of the late Melia Peavey, said Monday that her daughter always wanted to make a difference in the lives of children so she opened the Peavey House in 1992.
The Peavey House was a shelter for abused and neglected children that joined with Hope Village for Children in December 2001 in order to help even more children.
About 100 residents, city officials and county officials met Monday to dedicate Melia's Cottage a housing unit at Hope Village on what would have been Melia's 49th birthday. Melia Peavey died in 1998.
Melia Peavey, who also was the late wife of Peavey Electronics founder Hartley Peavey, was known to family and friends as someone who wanted to help children in need.
Hope Village currently houses 34 children, from infants to 18-year-olds. The home for abused and neglected children has five cottages, but only three are occupied.
Tina Dyess, director of program development at Hope Village, said she is excited about the new Hope Village arts and education center, scheduled to open Sept. 1.
She said the center will be in the house of the former executive director.
Dyess said the center will be education-friendly and will focus on reading. She also said plans call for teaching arts and crafts to the residents of Hope Village.
Hope Village is in the process of buying necessary supplies to teach arts and crafts as well as reading. Dyess said her main goal is to make sure the children of Hope Village are one day successful.
Stephen Johnson, Hope Village's executive director, said the center is always in need of volunteers and money.
Hope Village is partially funded by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, the Mississippi Department of Human Services and United Way of East Mississippi.
For more information about Hope Village for Children, call 553-8660.