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The Troy Nutrition Center participants celebrated Valentine’s Day 2022 happily together.

Jessica Cox, center office manager, said the center’s participants had looked forward to Valentine’s Day and the fun and excitement of the holiday.

“Today is a special day for all of us and will be a most memorable day for our Valentine King and Queen 2022,” Cox said. “Our participants vote on who they want to reign over the Troy Nutrition Center during the year, so being Valentine King and Queen is a real honor.”

The nutrition center participants welcomed Troy Mayor Jason A. Reeves to the center as the master of the crowning ceremony.

“I am so honored to be here today and so proud that Troy’s senior citizens have a free place to come and enjoy each other in such a special place,” Reeves said.

Reeves said he entered city government in 1996 so he has been “fooling around with this stuff almost half of my life.”

Reeves said he has seen the city’s nutrition program grow from a small facility in the Dunbar Housing Project area to the basement of the senior complex building to the outstanding facility that it is today.

He expressed appreciation to Cox and the staff of the nutrition center for their commitment to providing outstanding programs and services for the participants they serve.

“Serving all of you has been a wonderful honor of my life,” Reeves said. “I am honored to be here today to crown the Troy Nutrition Center King and Queen 2022.”

The nutrition center participants vote for their Royal Valentine couple so being the center’s Valentine King and Queen is a high honor.

Cox announced Mary Daniels as the 2022 Valentine Queen and Jimmy Dixon as King.

Daniels has been a Valentine queen before and she enjoyed the experience so much that she “campaigned for it this time.”

“And, I campaigned for Jimmy, too,” she said, with a smile. “He’s such a nice person and I wanted him to be the king and I’m so glad he is.”

Dixon said he has never been a king before but he likes the idea.

King Jimmy and Queen Mary have declared health and happiness for all their subjects during their reign. “And for all of us love each other, too.”