East Mississippi State Hospital parade set for today

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Dec. 5, 2003
East Mississippi State Hospital's annual Christmas parade is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at the Sammie Davidson Complex on College Drive.
The parade has become a tradition enjoyed by hospital staff members according to Betty Moffett, EMSH public information officer.
Charles Stewart, a retired employee who has portrayed Santa Claus for several years at the hospital, is this year's grand marshal.
More than 35 entries are scheduled to be in the parade, including a Meridian fire truck, the Meridian High School band, Meridian High School JROTC, a color guard from the 186th Air Refueling Wing, representatives from the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, and the EMSH Friends Organization. There are also plans for each unit of the hospital to have an entry in the parade.
The hospital is publicly funded and operated by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health for psychiatric and substance abuse treatment for adolescents and adults.
It is licensed for 407 psychiatric beds and 228 nursing home beds.
Over the next few weeks, according to Moffett, offices associated with the hospital's quality assurance department that are housed in the former Mattie Hersee Hospital building on Highway 19 North, are relocating to the EMSH main campus.
Moffett said the offices that will move deal with employee health, infection control and fire and safety issues.