Pickle receives MOA’s Beverly Roberts Paraoptometric Award
Special to The Clinton Courier
Kim Pickle
Kim Pickle, Certified Paraoptometric Assistant (CPOA), of Southern Eye Care in Clinton has been named the Mississippi Optometric Association’s (MOA) 2025 Beverly Roberts Paraoptometric Award recipient.
The award, presented annually by the MOA, recognizes individuals for significant contributions to the profession of optometry and to public service. Pickle was honored during the association’s annual fall conference.
“Kim Pickle stands out as a committed leader in the field of optometry,” said Dr. Kelby Flemons. “Her passion for promoting eye health transcends her professional responsibilities, as she actively volunteers in various community initiatives, raising awareness about vision screening and eye health in local preschools.”
Pickle has long been active in professional organizations. She is a former president of the Mississippi Paraoptometric Association and previously served on the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) Paraoptometric Resource Center (PRC) Online Subcommittee. She currently serves on the AOA’s Commission on Paraoptometric Certification (CPC) Continuing Education Review Committee and the Para Resource Committee. She also helped promote eye health during Mississippi College’s Back to the Bricks event. In 2024, she received MOA’s Paraoptometric Community Service Award.
Her volunteerism extends well beyond her profession. Pickle is known for donning an eyeball costume in the Clinton Christmas Parade, volunteering at the CARA Animal Shelter, and organizing a charity garage sale that raised nearly $1,400 for a family facing cancer-related medical hardships. She also serves in leadership roles at Parkway Baptist Church and in the community, including three years as president of the Lakeside Community Club.
Pickle is married to Steven Pickle and is the mother of two daughters, Shawna Hover and Trinity Burge. She is also a grandmother to four grandchildren and a great-grandmother to one great-grandson.
