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“The new facility just sat there for a number of years, and then an anonymous donor gave $400,000.00, and another health group gave another $400,000.00 to finish the clinic. He’s a real nice facility,” Dr. Bolton stated. Dr. Bolton normally starts seeing patients from 8:00 a.m. until just after noon. He said that this past year, between himself and the nurse practitioner, they saw right at 4,000 patient visits. Over the years, he went from three days per week at the clinic to one day, but will soon start working two days per week. “I saw a lot more patients when I was in practice, but I feel like at Manna, I’m able to give more my patients more time,” Dr. Bolton commented. Manna Medical Clinic is the only free clinic in this area. His time and expertise, along with his com- mitment to the patients, has extended his desire and love of practicing medicine, while making monu- mental differences in the lives of those who no mat- ter their circumstances, have nowhere to turn for medical care. In 2014, The Greater Picayune Area Chamber of Commerce recognized Manna with the Volunteer of the Year Award. Dr. Bolton was named Citizen of the Year in 2017. “What happens at Manna is a great thing for Picayune. Very few areas have what we have here. A lot of great people, but I must say, it wouldn’t be a going thing if it weren’t for Jameye. She is so well or- ganized, and is such a great person,” Dr. Bolton stated. Jameye’s admiration and respect for, and trust of Dr. Bolton is immense when she speaks of him. “Dr. Bolton is one of, if not the most, compassionate and caring physicians that I’ve ever worked with,” she stated with a glowing smile. “The patients love him. He listens, he takes his time. He is a good man, and we are so proud he is our Medical Direc- tor.” Jameye added, “Some people think his age may be a negative, but he is current on every new medical practice, every new procedure, and whatever new things are in medical care. He stays current.” Dr. Bolton is the last of that original twelve general practitioners he mentioned earlier, and to his knowl- edge, there are currently only three general practice doctors in Picayune. “Times have changed. There are more specialists now, but I think that is a good thing too. In the next ten years, in my opinion, it will be Family Nurse Prac- titioners (FNP) for office visits, and then referrals to a specialist. Medicine, with the advances in tech- nology and procedures, have brought about this change. And, I will say there are some really good FNPs in our area,” he shared. For many years, Dr. Bolton served as team doctor for Picayune Maroon Tide football under head coaches Bob Parker, Dewey Partridge, and Calvin Triplett. “Everybody liked Dewey. Everyone. And Coach Triplett did some things I’ll never forget. They were both really good men who I was glad I had a chance to work with each of them.” He remembers when a Vicksburg High running back had been running all over the field for big yardage one night in Picayune, and a Picayune player, Dick Smith, came off the sideline to tackle the running back as he was running for a touchdown. Dr. Bolton expected Dewey to explode, but instead he recalls with a smile that Partridge said, “That a boy, Dick!” 22 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Winter 2022