Leon and Margaret Ballard will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at Grace

Fellowship Baptist Church. The event will be hosted by their children: Ricky Ballard and his wife, Beth, and Sherrie Gaddie and her husband, Brian. The

Ballards have four grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. The couple were married on Aug. 24, 1959, at Grandview Baptist Church in Meridian. Friends and family are invited to attend the reception. The couple requests no gifts.