Children aren’t just a big part of Sissy Dickey’s business — she is co-owner of Natchez portrait studio M&S Studios – but have also become an important part of her off time as well.

Despite Christmas being such a busy time for her business, Dickey chairs the committee that oversees Junior Auxiliary’s Angel Tree program. She also volunteers with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Sunshine Shelter.

&uot;I feel it’s my responsibility as a person in the community to give back to that community by volunteering,&uot;&160;she said.

Dickey has volunteered with the Angel Tree program ever since she joined JA four years ago, and — for the second year in a row — is chairing the Angel Tree committee.

With Angel Tree, the organization covers a Christmas tree in the lobby of Deposit Guaranty on Franklin Street with paper angel ornaments. This year, the tree will be put up Nov. 29 and will bear 200 &uot;angels.&uot; Each ornament bears the name of a needy child, his clothing size and a toy he would like to get for Christmas. JA gets the names from the Department of Human Services, CASA and Catholic Charities.

People pick names from the tree, buy those children gifts and bring the gifts back to the tree, and a JA volunteer is there to receive them. Once the gifts are brought back, JA delivers them to the agencies.

But the Natchez native has been volunteering in her community longer than just those four years. For the last six years, she has served on CASA’s board of directors and has been a volunteer. &uot;As a CASA volunteer, you’re appointed by the court to speak in court on behalf of children who are too small to speak for themselves,&uot; she said.

For the last three months, Dickey has volunteered at the Sunshine Shelter, helping children with homework, helping feed them supper and rocking babies to sleep.

If you have an Everyday Hero suggestion, call Nita McCann at 446-5172, ext. 250, or e-mail her at nita.mccann@natchezdemocrat.com.