Every year, the Board Members of the Forest Area Chamber of Commerce nominate and cast their votes for the Citizens of the Year. The Chamber has announced that the 2018 Forest Citizens of the Year are: Randy and Pat Dilley.
After the Chamber chose the Dilleys, Mayor Nancy Chambers made a telephone call to Randy and requested a meeting but never let-on what the meeting was about. “The mayor called and said she wanted to set up a meeting with us,” said Pat. “She never mentioned what the meeting was about so Randy thought it had something to do with one of our buildings, but when they told us about being named citizens of the year we were blown away.”
“We were as surprised as we are honored,” said Pat. “It was such a surprise and we are honored to be part of the wonderful group that have been named citizens of the year before us.”
As part of the honor of being named Citizens of the Year the Dilleys will lead the holiday festivities next week as Grand Marshals of the Forest Christmas Parade.
A reception is planned to honor them from 3:30 until 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 29, in the City Gallery at Colbert Commons in downtown Forest. The Dilleys will then lead the parade which starts at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 30.
“We are really looking forward to the parade and our grandchildren have been asking everyday if they can ride in the car with us during the parade,” Pat said.
“This was such a surprise but it is an honor to represent the city that will always be home to me,” Randy said “I have lived here since I was 7 years old and I would not want to live anywhere else.”
Allyce Lott, executive director of the Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Dilleys are a great choice to be honored.
“They have given our community so much through the years and we are proud to have the opportunity to honor them in this special way,” Lott said. “We hope everyone will come out Thursday to the reception and help show our appreciation.”
Mayor Nancy Chambers said the Dilleys are well deserving of the honor.
“It is my great pleasure on behalf of the City of Forest to join with the Forest Area Chamber of Commerce in recognizing both Randy and Patricia Dilley as the 2018 Citizens of the Year,” Chambers said. “They Dilleys are well known, admired and appreciated in our city.”
“There is no doubt that their character and work ethic proves them to be strong in their Christian faith and their love and devotion to their community,” added Chambers.
Randy moved to Forest with his parents when he was 7 years old and has only lived away from his hometown during the time period he was attending college. He graduated from Forest High School and moved on to East Central Community College which would be an important time in his life. It was during his time at EC that Randy would cross paths, and finally meet, the woman he has called his wife for 42 years. Randy and Pat first met at a high school football game in Newton where Patricia was still in high school. “I remember the first time I saw her, I knew right then I had to meet her,” Randy said.
The two students did meet, and after Pat graduated from Newton High School and they were both at ECCC the two started dating and have never looked back. Together, they would move on to Mississippi State University to earn their degrees and get married, before moving back to Forest in 1977. “We moved back to Forest in 1977 and Randy went to work for the school district and I took a job in Newton with the Department of Human Services as a social worker,” Pat said. “We lived in Forest but I had to commute each day to Newton for work, but we knew then that we would always call Forest home.”
The Dilleys have done just that, and have called Forest their home for 41 years. During this time the Dilleys have raised three boys, Daniel, Jim and Jess, and now happily have their hands full with 5 grandchildren. “We have been fortunate for our kids to be in Forest and work in the family business,” said Pat. “That means that our grandchildren are here and we can be part of their daily lives which is a true blessing.”
Randy and his business partner, Billy Bishop, founded Vista Food Exchange located on Main Street in Forest in 1992 and have enjoyed success that has kept them in business for 26 years. “I have a great business partner and we have been blessed and enjoyed success over the years,” Randy said. “Having my boys here and part of the business is a true blessing.”
The Dilleys are very active members of Forest United Methodist Church and this is where Pat spends a lot of time where she enjoys church activities. In addition to church activities she enjoys yard work, taking part in her grandchildren’s activities and volunteering in the local community. “Having the chance to be part of my grandchildren’s daily lives has been wonderful, and I love volunteering every chance I get,” Pat said. “There are plenty of needs and opportunities to help and serve other people right here in our local community and I love being there to help.”
As for Randy, give him a rifle, pole or golf club and he will be a happy man in his down time. He loves hunting, fishing and playing golf and said Forest is a great place to do all three. “I love living here because you can get out and enjoy your hobbies without being right on top of someone else.” Randy said. “Forest has a truly laid back atmosphere and that is one of the things I love about our town.”
Pat said that this whole process has been humbling and exciting at the same time. “We are just so honored to be named Citizens of the Year by our home town which we love so much,” she said. “It has been exciting and a lot of people have been calling to congratulate us and it has truly been a great experience.”
“Forest has always been home to Randy and I, and we could never even imagine living somewhere else.” Pat added. “We are so proud of our town and the wonderful leadership we have here in Forest and there is no where else we could ever call home.”
