Kay Eppinette was honored for her work as the founder and director of The Dixieland Patriots, a young girls’ singing and performing group. “Growing up in a small town like St. Joseph is very difficult for children, simply because we don’t have access to the arts like bigger cities,” she said. We don’t have music in our schools, which I feel is just sad, very sad. These children have nothing to do.” Eppinette’s program helped build the young performers’ self-esteem. “How wonderful for these children to be able to get up and sing in front of a thousand people or more and not be afraid to open their mouths and sing, but instead use the talent that God gave them naturally.”