Hello all! My name is Iris Whalen. I live in Ocean Springs, Mississippi along the beautiful Gulf Coast. I have five children (Lili, Micheala, Zack, Nick, and Jacy) and three grandchildren (Julie, Jacob, and Zander).
My husband and I often wonder how we got so lucky to have so many blessings to count. I love music, art, walking, learning, and spending as much time on the beach as possible!
I feel that we all have an unlimited source of giving and I enjoy trying to exhaust that source....I haven't found an end to it yet! I am currently the Events Coordinator/ Public Liaison for Hands On Mississippi, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire, equip, and mobilize people to assess and address the needs of the Mississippi community through volunteerism. I love my job! I also attend Kaplan University full time working towards a degree in Psychology: Applied Behavioral Analysis. My education goal is to attain a PhD in Neuropsychology.
In the past, I worked in the art industry and also owned an entertainment company. In the art industry I was an art conservator and custom framer. The entertainment company was born out of pure necessity. My husband, JB Whalen, is a singer/songwriter/guitarist and he needed help with bookings and other business tasks. Friends would ask if I would help them, too, so, eventually, I made the business official. My husband now takes care of the entertainment company and has even renamed it Ars Nova Entertainment. He owns a recording studio (Tone Art Studio), as well, along with his partner and friend, Aaron Mohler.
Read more about JB.
My good friend, John Whitehouse, first told me about Guitars Not Guns a few years ago. His exuberance was infectious! We lost John in January of 2008, but his spirit and light will remain with us forever. I feel that he is with me still, urging me to care for this program he loved so much. Music has always been an important part of my life and I am very excited about my involvement with Guitars Not Guns. I will do my best, knowing I have some very big shoes to fill. With the help of some very beautiful people, I expect that we'll have a lot of fun and our lives will be enriched in a beautiful way.
On behalf of the Guitars not Guns Music Program I would like to welcome Iris into the GnG family. I know John would be proud. - Ray Nelson President & CEO
TV News - WLOX
In Memory of John Whitehead
My Space Guitars Not Guns Mississippi
John must be happy to see that he wasn't forgotten.
His dream of helping kids and teens through music lives on.
Volunteer to keep John's dream going.
Ray Nelson, President & CEO, Guitars Not Guns
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Guitars Not Guns * 112 Presidio Park * Peachtree City, GA 30269 * 770-861-2443