HGTV stars Erin and Ben Napier, both University of Mississippi alumni and hosts of “Home Town” and “Home Town Takeover,” will be honored with the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthopy’s Legacy Award on March 27, at a ticketed event at The Jefferson in Oxford.
The annual award recognizes individuals whose lives reflect the council’s core values: philanthropy, scholarship, leadership and mentorship. mTrade is the presenting sponsor, and additional sponsorships are available.
Known for revitalizing small towns — in particular Laurel, Mississippi — and promoting American craftsmanship, the Napiers have built an international following while investing in communities. “We are grateful that we get to work together every day and feel honored that someone thinks that work deserves to be celebrated,” they said.
Event co-chair Mary Susan Clinton of Naples, Florida, praised the couple’s impact: “Erin and Ben Napier remind us that communities are vibrant forces waiting to be championed. Their leadership delivers a powerful lesson: Transformation begins when vision meets commitment.”
Beyond television, Erin Napier is an artist, designer, entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author of “Heirloom Rooms” and “The Lantern House.” Ben Napier is a woodworker, author and entrepreneur. They are co-owners of Laurel Mercantile Co., Scent Library, Scotsman General Store & Woodshop and other ventures. They also founded Osprey, a nonprofit encouraging families to delay social media use in childhood.
Scotsman Co. co-founders Josh Nowell, Jim Rasberry and Napier crafted keepsake serving boards from the discarded floor of an Ole Miss gymnasium, with the proceeds funding scholarships for students in the Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence.
“Our lives were changed as the recipients of college scholarships, and for many students, it’s the only way higher education is possible,” the Napiers said.
Scotsman Co. also created, donated and installed a one-of-a-kind custom bar top in McCormick’s Grill inside The Inn at Ole Miss.
“The Napiers embody what it means to invest boldly in people and places,” Clinton said. “Their example challenges our scholars and all of us to think expansively, act with purpose and recognize that courageous stewardship can elevate entire communities.”
Past Legacy Award honorees include Donna and Jim Barksdale, Jennifer Gillom and Peggie Gillom-Granderson, the late Ruth and Dr. Arthur C. Guyton, Dr. Gerald M. “Doc” Hollingsworth, Chancellor Emeritus Robert C. Khayat, Olivia Manning, Charles Overby, Ambassador John N. Palmer, Dolly Parton, Leigh Anne Touhy, the late Elise and Gov. William Winter, Tommy Duff and Jim Duff, and Lydia and Dr. Daniel Jones.
Available sponsorships include Platinum, $20,000 with 16 event tickets; Gold, $15,000 with 10 event tickets; Silver, $10,000 with eight event tickets; and Bronze $5,000 with eight event tickets. Corporate logos of sponsors (Silver and above) will be featured prominently on all printed marketing materials, including invitations, posters and programs. Corporate logos of all sponsors will be highlighted in digital marketing.
Cooper Communities is a Platinum Sponsor, and Kimberley Fritts and Marion Turner are Silver Sponsors. Bronze Sponsors include Mary and Sam Haskell; Mary Susan and J.D. Clinton; Karen and Bruce Moore; Margaret and John Barker; Mary Sharp Rayner, Roane Grantham, and Liza Frugẻ; UM’s Center for Manufacturing Excellence; Donna and Mike Glenn; and Diane and J.L. Holloway.
Proceeds from the evening will support student programming.
Since its launch in 2000, the OMWC has built an endowment over $22 million and is recognized as one of the most innovative scholarship programs in the nation. Currently, 41 scholars benefit from the $40,000 scholarships ($10,000 per year for four years).
Over 205 students have received these awards, which are among the largest on campus. The scholarships provide a full-time scholar support staff, career and life mentoring, leadership development, guidance for a philanthropic approach to life and opportunities to travel, study abroad and attend cultural events.
For more information about the Legacy Award and sponsorship opportunities available for the Legacy Award ceremony or to purchase individual tickets, contact Suzanne Helveston, OMWC program director, at shelveston@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2956.
By Tina H. Hahn/UM Development