EmPower Children's Clinic cuts ribbon in Vicksburg - The Vicksburg Post

EmPower Children’s Clinic cuts ribbon in Vicksburg

Published 3:40 pm Friday, February 2, 2024

By Terri Cowart Frazier

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People in attendance at Friday's ribbon cutting take part in refreshments.

Warren County Board of Supervisors President Kelle Barfield speaks during Friday's ribbon cutting.

The ribbon is cut at EmPower Children's Clinic.

Dr. Timi Adepoju speaks to the crowd prior to the ribbon cutting.

Dr. Sam Pierce of Medical Associates of Vicksburg speaks.

Dr. Timi Adepoju accepts a plaque from Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce's Chris Rials.

Dr. Timi Adepoju prepares to cut the ribbon Friday.

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. speaks at Friday's event.

Dr. Timi Adepoju speaks at Friday's event.

PFor the third time in under a month, community members gathered for a ribbon cutting as a new business joined the ranks of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, this time Friday afternoon at EmPower Children’s Clinic on Frontage Rd.

“We are very excited to welcome this new business to our community,” Chamber of Commerce Corporate Programs Director Chris Rials said.

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said adding the clinic to the city’s roster of businesses is not only a plus economically, but also positively impacts the health of the community.

“We’re so excited to be here today and to see this community grow,” Flaggs said. “You can’t grow a community and not provide healthcare for children. Children are our future and we have to not only provide healthcare for them, but provide an education for them. We have to meet all of those needs. So we want to take this opportunity to thank you, on behalf of the mayor and the board of aldermen, for investing. Because that’s what it is: an investment in our children, and an investment in Vicksburg.”

Warren County Board of Supervisors President Kelle Barfield said EmPower is a fitting name for the clinic, as healthy residents go hand-in-hand with a vibrant community.

“There is nothing more powerless than when the kids are feeling bad and just the help of the pediatrician and the staff, it truly makes a difference,” Barfield said. “And like the mayor said, healthy families are what undergird a healthy community. I know that the clinic here will be wonderful partnering on things like vaccinations and Wellcare, so I really appreciate the wholeness for our children here in the community that they will be able to provide.”

Dr. Timi Adepoju said Vicksburg was high on the list of the clinic’s locations for a new office and expressed his excitement over its future in the community.

“We are grateful to the city and to the chamber of commerce and to Medical Associates of Vicksburg,” Adepoju said. “Our goal is to provide available and easily accessible five-star care here. That is what we hope to do.”

EmPower Children’s Clinic sees patients from birth to age 21. For more information about the new location, visit empowerchildrens.com.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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