Charity Gala
The Charity Gala is one of the Community Foundation of West Tennessee’s signature events, celebrating generosity, leadership, and community impact across our region. Each year, we gather donors, nonprofit partners, and community leaders to honor those who make a meaningful difference in West Tennessee while raising support for future philanthropic efforts.
This event reflects the heart of our mission: connecting people who care with causes that matter.
Join us for an evening of celebration, recognition, and community impact!
Save the Date for the 35th Annual Charity Gala.
Join us on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the Carl Perkins Civic Center in downtown Jackson.
Tickets & Reservations
Tickets and table reservations for the Charity Gala are available each year for individuals, organizations, and corporate sponsors.
Availability is limited and typically sells out in advance. Please check back for ticket release dates and reservation information for the next event.
Patrons’ Party
The Patrons’ Party is an exclusive pre-event gathering held before the Charity Gala to honor sponsors, major supporters, and community leaders.
This special evening provides an opportunity to connect with fellow patrons and celebrate the impact of philanthropy in a more intimate setting.
Interested in Sponsoring?
Download the Sponsorship Packet below.
Awards
Tigrett Award
Each year, the Tigrett Award recognizes a Tennessean who has made an impactful contribution to our state. The Tigrett Award was named to honor the memory of a native Jacksonian, John Burton Tigrett.
2026 Tigrett Award Recipient: Dr. Cary Fowler
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Dr. Cary Fowler is a globally recognized leader in food security and agricultural biodiversity whose work has helped safeguard the future of the world’s food supply. A Tennessee native, he has spent decades working across nations and institutions to protect crop diversity, strengthen global food systems, and ensure future generations have access to the resources needed to feed a growing population.
From 2022 to 2025, Dr. Fowler served as the U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy for Global Food Security. In this role, he assisted Ukraine with food production and exports and worked with the African Union and United Nations to launch the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils, an initiative focused on improving crops, soils, and food security in Africa. His efforts helped bring improved seeds and agricultural innovations to millions of farming families struggling to meet their food needs.
Dr. Fowler’s influence on global agriculture began decades earlier. While working with the United Nations in the 1990s, he led the first comprehensive assessment of the world’s plant genetic resources and negotiations for a 150-country plan to conserve and sustainably use these vital resources for food and agriculture. He later served as Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust in Rome, as a professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and as a senior official with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
He is perhaps best known as the “father” of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Located near the North Pole, the facility safeguards samples of approximately 1.4 million unique crop varieties, providing an invaluable resource for protecting the genetic diversity of the world’s food crops.
Dr. Fowler’s contributions have earned international recognition. He holds a Ph.D. from Uppsala University in Sweden and four honorary doctorates. His honors include the Thomas Jefferson Award for Citizen Leadership, and in 2024, he was named a World Food Prize Laureate. He is an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, and the author or coauthor of five books, including Seeds on Ice: Svalbard and the Global Seed Vault. His work has also been featured in The New Yorker, on CBS’s 60 Minutes, and in two feature-length documentary films.
Dr. Fowler has remained connected to his Tennessee roots throughout his distinguished career, including nine years of service on the Rhodes College Board of Trustees, six of those as chairperson. Today, he serves as President of the Food Security Leadership Council and lives on a farm in upstate New York with his wife, Amy Goldman.
May & Dr. A. Barnett Scott Service Award
The May & Dr. A. Barnett Scott Service Award was established to honor long-time board member and past chairman, Dr. A. Barnett Scott, and his wife, May. Each year, the Community Foundation selects a volunteer who has selflessly served our organization, its programs, and the community.
2026 Dr. Scott Award Recipients: The Ryder Lewis Family
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The Ryder Lewis Family has transformed unimaginable loss into a lasting legacy of hope, kindness, and service throughout West Tennessee. Following the death Ryder Brooks Lewis in a tragic boating accident in 2018, Tracey Lewis and Chris Lewis alongside close family friends established the Ryder Lewis Memorial Fund to honor his life by sharing the hope and kindness they found in Jesus and serving others in their community.
Since its founding, the Ryder Lewis Memorial Fund has touched the lives of countless children and families by responding to needs both large and small. The fund has provided Christmas gifts for children served by the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes and assisted families with transportation as they traveled to Memphis for medical care.
The family has also made investing in young people an important part of Ryder’s legacy. The fund provides scholarships to local students with financial need and hosts One4Ryder, a free football camp designed to encourage and develop young athletes both on and off the field.
Most recently, the Ryder Lewis Memorial Fund partnered with Ronald McDonald House to help bring its mission to Jackson, serving families of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital on the campus of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. The “home-away-from-home” provides free hotel-style accommodations for up to 20 families at a time, allowing parents and loved ones to remain close while a child receives medical care.
The work of the Ryder Lewis Memorial Fund is made possible by the continued dedication of Ryder’s family, friends, board members, and supporters. Funds have been raised through Tournament 21 and Hoops for the House basketball tournaments, along with individual, memorial, and honor donations, all helping extend Ryder’s legacy into the lives of others.
Through compassion, generosity, and a steadfast commitment to service, the Ryder Lewis Family has turned heartbreak into hope.
In Memory of Ryder Brooks Lewis
August 11, 2004 – June 28, 2018Parents: Tracey Lewis, Chris and Marcie Lewis
Brothers: Clay, Amelia, Ensley Drew, and Ryder Bennett Lewis; Gunnar Lewis
Fund Board Members: Brian and Kristy Riddle, Bob and Jennifer Seals, Clay and Amelia Lewis, Gunnar Lewis, Tracey Lewis, Chris and Marcie Lewis
Jackson Awards
The Jackson Awards were first presented in 2006 to honor individuals in our community who exemplify the truest qualities of leadership. The awards are named after President Andrew Jackson, our city's namesake, and presented to individuals who have served as leaders in one of the following areas: Arts, Education, Healthcare, Leadership, and Volunteer Service.
We accept applications each summer for the various award categories, and an anonymous selection committee then reviews them to select our winners for the year.
THE ARTS
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Brandon Kelly is a director, choreographer, music director, performer, and arts educator whose passion for storytelling has shaped more than 20 years in the performing arts. Through his work on stage, in the classroom, and throughout the community, Brandon has dedicated his career to helping people discover their talents, build confidence, and experience the transformative power of the arts.
Growing up in a small town in Nebraska, Brandon discovered his love for theatre at an early age. Inspired by his high school theatre teacher, Dan Hayes, he learned that theatre could do more than entertain. It could educate, inspire, and change lives. After high school, Brandon joined Young Americans, an international performing arts education organization, traveling the world as a performer and teaching artist. He helped lead musical theatre workshops for more than 100,000 young people in 21 countries, using the arts to foster creativity and connect people across cultures.
Throughout his career, Brandon has collaborated with acclaimed artists and helped train young performers who have gone on to professional roles on Broadway and in national and international touring productions. For Brandon, however, his most meaningful accomplishments are not measured by titles or accolades, but by seeing people experience live theatre, discover their abilities, and carry their passion for the arts forward.
Two years ago, Brandon and his wife, Lindsay, moved to Jackson, Lindsay’s hometown, where they founded Guild Jr., the youth education program of Jackson Theatre Guild. Today, Brandon serves as a director, choreographer, and music director for Jackson Theatre Guild and as Executive Director of Guild Jr., helping expand arts education and performance opportunities for children and adults throughout West Tennessee.
Central to Brandon’s work is his belief that the arts should be accessible to everyone. One of his proudest contributions is establishing Pay What You Can performances for youth productions, so financial circumstances do not prevent families from supporting a young performer or experiencing live theatre. He has also helped strengthen the partnership between Jackson Theatre Guild and the STAR Center and is a co-founder of the Jackson Children’s Museum initiative, continuing his efforts to create opportunities for children and families throughout the community.
Beyond the stage, Brandon and Lindsay are co-authors of several children’s books and are raising their daughter, Willow, in Jackson. Whether directing a production, mentoring a young performer, or creating new opportunities to experience the arts, Brandon is helping build a community where people of all ages can find their voice, share their gifts, and know they belong.
LEADERSHIP
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Bob Arrington is a respected business and community leader whose career has been defined by service to families, his profession, and the Jackson community he has called home for more than five decades. Through local, state, and national leadership roles, Bob has built a legacy grounded in listening, collaboration, and giving back.
Bob moved with his family from Milan to Jackson in 1970 while attending Jackson Central-Merry High School. His interest in funeral services began much earlier when as a young boy he spent afternoons and weekends at a funeral home in Milan. After moving to Jackson, he continued working in the profession and later attended John A. Gupton School of Mortuary Science, becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He went on to establish Arrington Funeral Directors in Jackson and later co-founded ObituaryShare.com.
Bob’s leadership within the funeral service profession has extended far beyond West Tennessee. He has served as president of the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association, president of the Tennessee State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, and president of the National Funeral Directors Association, the only Tennessean to hold that national position. He has also provided extensive leadership to the Funeral Service Foundation and serves on the board of the National Museum of Funeral History. His contributions have earned him the Funeral Service Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award and induction into the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association Wall of Fame.
That same commitment to leadership and service is evident throughout Jackson. Bob currently serves as Board Chair of the Greater Jackson Chamber and is an active member of the Old Hickory Rotary Club. He also serves as Co-Chair of Friends of Heart, on the Jackson-Madison County School System Ethics Committee, and as chair of the Tennessee Donor Services Advisory Board. Earlier in his community service, he spent a decade as chair of the Wink Martindale Cerebral Palsy Telethon.
Bob and his wife, Judy Leathers Arrington, call Jackson home, along with Gracie, the funeral home’s grief therapy dog. For Bob, leadership has never been about having all the answers. It is about showing up, listening to others, and working together toward a shared vision.
Through decades of professional leadership and community involvement, he has demonstrated the impact that comes from a simple commitment: to serve, get involved, and give back.
HEALTHCARE
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Dr. Jackie L. Taylor has dedicated more than three decades to caring for patients and strengthening healthcare throughout Jackson and West Tennessee. As both a practicing physician and healthcare leader, he has built his career around compassionate service, strong relationships, and a commitment to providing excellent patient care.
Jackson has been home to Dr. Taylor since he was 10 years old. A graduate of Northside High School, he continued his education at the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He returned to Jackson to begin his medical career as an intern with UT Family Medicine and went on to practice Family Medicine at Northside Medical Clinic and Emergency Medicine at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.
Over the course of 35 years in medicine, Dr. Taylor’s impact has grown from caring for individual patients to helping guide healthcare throughout the region. For the past decade, he has served West Tennessee Healthcare as Chief Medical Officer and Chief Physician Executive. Today, as Chief Physician Executive and a member of the organization’s executive team, he works alongside physicians and healthcare leaders to continually improve the quality of care provided across West Tennessee.
One of Dr. Taylor’s most meaningful contributions has been developing and working alongside a group of Chiefs of Service and physician leaders who are actively involved in the operations of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and West Tennessee Healthcare. Through collaboration and shared leadership, the group has remained focused on continuously improving medical care for the people of West Tennessee.
That commitment was tested during the COVID-19 pandemic, which Dr. Taylor describes as the defining challenge of his career. As part of West Tennessee Healthcare’s leadership team, he helped the health system navigate an unprecedented and often frightening period while continuing to serve patients and the community. He credits the strength of the team and the relationships built over many years with helping them meet that challenge.
Dr. Taylor is also a longtime member and elder of Fellowship Bible Church and a member of the Jackson Rotary Club. He and his wife, Piper Swope Taylor, a lifelong Jacksonian, have five children and recently welcomed their first grandson. Through decades of caring for patients and leading alongside fellow healthcare professionals, Dr. Jackie Taylor has helped continue Jackson’s strong tradition of healthcare excellence while demonstrating the lasting impact of building relationships and serving others.
EDUCATION
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Dr. Vivian Cawthon-Williams has devoted her career to creating opportunities for students, supporting educators, and strengthening education throughout Jackson-Madison County. A lifelong resident of the community and graduate of Jackson Central-Merry High School, she has built her career around a simple belief: every child deserves someone who believes in their potential and is willing to help create the conditions for them to succeed.
Dr. Williams earned her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education-History from Lane College, a Master of Education from the University of Memphis, certification in Administration from Freed-Hardeman University, and a doctorate in Curriculum and Supervision from Union University. She also holds graduate certifications in autism spectrum disorders and Applied Behavior Analysis, reflecting a career-long commitment to meeting the needs of all learners.
Her career in education began as director of a federally funded preschool program, where she developed a deep appreciation for the importance of early education. She later served Jackson-Madison County Schools as a teacher and coach, principal, district leader in special education, Chief Academic Officer, and in other senior leadership roles. Today, she serves as Senior Executive Superintendent for Jackson-Madison County Schools, continuing her work to expand opportunities for students and support the educators and leaders who serve them.
Throughout her career, Vivian has helped shape programs designed to meet students where they are and prepare them for future success. Her leadership has included work in special education and academic improvement as well as helping lead the design of Northeast Middle School Academic Academy, JCM Early College High School, and additional academies created during district restructuring. She has also taught future and practicing educators through Union University and the University of Memphis.
Dr. Williams’ service extends beyond the school system. A lifelong member of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, she has served in numerous church leadership roles and currently chairs its Pastoral Search Committee. She is also a life member of the Lane College Alumni Association and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she has held numerous leadership roles. Her contributions have earned recognition including the Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year, Sterling Award, Jackson Rotary Club’s Heroes Among Us recognition, and recognition as one of the City of Jackson’s Influential Women.
Vivian and her husband, Sidney, have two sons and three grandchildren who are students in Jackson-Madison County Schools. From beginning her own education in the district to becoming one of its senior leaders, her life reflects a lasting investment in the community that helped shape her.
VOLUNTEER SERVICE
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Ricky Long has spent a lifetime serving the Jackson-Madison County community he loves. A seventh-generation Madison Countian with family roots here dating to 1830, Ricky has turned his lifelong fascination with local history into a commitment to preserving the people, places, and stories that have shaped his hometown.
Born and raised in Jackson, Ricky attended local public schools and graduated from Jackson Central-Merry High School in 1976. In 1987, he joined the Jackson Fire Department, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather as a third-generation firefighter. He was promoted to captain in 2001 and retired in 2014 after nearly 27 years of service. During his career, he was named Young Firefighter of the Year by the Jackson Jaycees and received a Lifesaving Award from the Jackson City Council.
Retirement gave Ricky an opportunity to devote even more time to another form of community service. In 2022, he was appointed Madison County Historian, a role that allows him to share his passion for the community’s past with people of all ages. He regularly speaks to schools, civic groups, and community organizations and has even brought some of Jackson’s founding figures to life through first-person historical portrayals.
Ricky is also deeply committed to historic preservation. As Vice President of the Hollywood Cemetery Association, he can often be found working alongside the grounds crew, planting trees, repairing and cleaning tombstones, and helping preserve the historic cemetery for future generations. He organized and participated in historic cemetery and neighborhood tours and helped honor local figures whose stories might otherwise be forgotten.
His volunteer service extends throughout the community. Ricky serves as President of the Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society and has volunteered in the Tennessee Room of the Jackson-Madison County Library since 2013, helping catalog archival collections. He also serves with several local historical and preservation organizations and manages a social media page that shares an event from Madison County history each day with more than 3,400 followers.
Ricky and his wife, Brenda, have been married since 1982 and have two children, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Through decades of public service and volunteerism, Ricky has helped preserve the stories that connect generations of Madison Countians.
