The Golden Triangle will continue to honor the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. with several activities Monday.
United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee Counties canceled its plans to host a school supply distribution event for teachers.
Instead, the nonprofit is asking the community to donate to either the school supply drive or its efforts to aid six families — 21 people — displaced by a Jan. 6 fire at Chanticleer Apartments.
United Way Executive Director Renee Sanders said the agency originally planned to host a giveaway of teacher supplies, but with the increase in COVID cases, it decided to go a different route. It now is asking the public to drop off supplies at its office, 233 22nd St. N., Columbus. United Way is accepting donations of pencils, paper, colored paper, highlighters, erasers, colored pencils, dry erase markers, electric pencil sharpeners, Post-It notes, candy for kid prizes, hand sanitizer, paper clips, tissues, disinfectant wipes and $10 gift cards.
“We’ll be collecting supplies from 10 a.m. to noon,” Sanders said. “We’re asking the community to support local teachers by dropping off supplies, especially a ream of paper. That is one of the main things they’re going to look forward to.”
Teachers are among the community’s essential workers, Sanders noted.
“While someone may not have a child in the school system, they either know a teacher or used to have a teacher that impacted their life in some way. This supply drive is a way to show we appreciate them,” Sanders said. “We’re excited to be able to give back to them.”
Teachers who live or work in Lowndes or Noxubee counties can register online to receive supplies, which will be distributed to schools in February. The link, which was sent out to teachers, will be open until the end of the week, Sanders said.
For the fire survivors, Sanders said the United Way asks the community to get the clothing sizes requested by the families. She suggested that donors pick one family to help.
Because of the pandemic, United Way will have a limited amount of volunteers working MLK Day. They also want to make sure the families don’t have to deal with the stress of going through bags of clothes to find something for their family.
“We want to make sure that we’ve done a bit of the work for them,” Sanders said. “We don’t want to put any more stress on them.”
The United Way will not accept any household goods or furniture for the families at this time.
“That may be a project further down the line,” she said. “There are some displaced families that are still staying in hotels or with friends and family. We just don’t have the space to hold it for them.”
Sanders said that if gently used clothes are donated, they must be washed.
United Way will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Monday to receive donations. The Mississippi State softball team will help from 10 a.m. to noon. United Way will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
“If they miss us Monday, people can drop off donations Tuesday,” Sanders said.
Sanders emphasized the importance of serving others during MLK Day.
“Many people just think of it as another day off,” she said. “So many people sacrificed so many things so we could have that day off. It’s really a ‘day on’ for serving our community.
“Remember why you’re off today and sacrifice a bit of your day in service for someone else,” she said.
Sanders said it is important to remember that fires and other incidents can happen to anyone at any time.
“Fire could care less about our race, nationality, economic status …,” she said. “Right now, there is a need. We must do what we can to help. If something like that happens to us, we’d want the same support from the community.”
Columbus’ annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast scheduled Monday at Trotter Convention Center was canceled due to concerns about COVID-19. The planning committee erred on the side of caution, said Tyler Wheat, communications director at the Mississippi University for Women.
Starkville
Meanwhile in Starkville, District 16 State Sen. Angela Turner-Ford will serve as keynote speaker for Mississippi State’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Day virtual celebration and Day of Service on Monday.
In observance of COVID-19 protocols, the program will continue virtually online and broadcast on MSTV. The event will be broadcast at 8 a.m. on MSTV and livestreamed at www.mstv.msstate.edu, in addition to being made available on the MSU website. It will re-air on MSTV throughout the day with additional showings at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The channel is available to MaxxSouth Broadband subscribers in the Golden Triangle and those with C Spire Fiber TV throughout the state on Channel 80.
Turner-Ford is a West Point native, who has served since 2013 representing Mississippi’s 16th District, which includes portions of Oktibbeha, Lowndes, Clay and Noxubee counties.
The celebration also will feature a performance from the MSU Black Voices Gospel Choir and remarks from MSU President Mark E. Keenum. Anthony Neal, associate professor of philosophy, will serve as the emcee.
MSU’s Maroon Volunteer Center will facilitate service opportunities at sites across Starkville throughout Monday.
West Point
In West Point, the annual MLK Day Celebration will not include a march through the town or its traditional program due to the pandemic, according to event coordinator Anna Jones. The celebration is sponsored by Davidson Chapel CME Church.
Instead, a motorcade will be held. It will conclude with a drive-thru food drive. The motorcade will begin at 9 a.m. from Navastar on East Half Mile Street, down MLK drive to the former Mary Holmes College parking lot where the food drive will be held.
Citizens and participants are asked to bring canned and dry foods to be donated to the Project Homestead Food Pantry, which is in the former Mary Holmes College Gymnasium. The drive-thru food drive will last until 2 p.m.
Items requested for displaced families
United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee Counties will accept donations of clothing and gift cards for families displaced by a Jan. 6 fire at Chanticleer Apartments.
Family 1C
■ Mom: size XL shirt; size 16 pants, size 7W shoe, size XL coat
■ Son: size L shirt, size 36×30 pants, size 11 shoe, size L coat
■ High school student’s school supplies
■ Gift cards to Walmart, Kroger, Old Navy, or TJMaxx
Family 2C
■ Wife: size M shirt, size 6 pants, size 8 shoes, size L coat, size 8 dress
■ Husband: size 2X shirt, size 36×32 pants, size 11 shoes, size 2X coat
■ Gift cards to Walmart, Kroger, Old Navy or TJMaxx
Family 3C
■ Grandmother: size 2X shirt, size 20 Pants, size 7 shoes, size 2X coat
■ Son: size M shirt, size 34×34 pants, size 11.5 shoes, size L coat
■ Daughter: size XL shirt, size 12 pants, size 10 shoes, size XL coat
■ Grandson, age 11: size 12/14 shirt, size 18 pants, size 5.5 shoes, size 12/14 coat
■ Gift cards to Walmart, Kroger, Old Navy or TJMaxx
Family 4C
■ Adult male: size XL shirt, size 32×32 pants, size 10 shoes, size XL coat
■ Adult male: size 3X shirt, size 44×34 pants, size13 shoes, size 2X coat
■ Adult male: size XL shirt, size 42×32 pants, size 10 shoes, size 4X coat
■ Adult female: size XL shirt, size 16/18 pants, size9 shoes, size XL coat
■ Adult female: size 2X shirt, size 16/18 pants, size 10 shoes, size 2X coat
■ Gift cards to Walmart, Kroger, Old Navy or TJMaxx
Family 5C
■ Gift cards to Walmart or Kroger
Family 6C
■ Grandmother: size XL (22) shirt, size 16 pants, size 11 shoes, size 2X coat
■ Adult female: size S (7) shirt, size 7 (tall) pants, size 10.5 shoes, size S (7) coat
■ Adult female: size S (9) shirt, size 8 (Petite) pants, size 6 shoes, size M(8/10) coat
■ Adult male: size L shirt, size 32×32 pants, size 9 shoes, size L coat
■ Adult male: size L shirt, size 34×32 pants, size 12.5 shoes, size L coat
■ Grandson, age 8: size adult M shirt, size 36×29 pants, size 7 shoes, size adult M coat
■ Grandson, age 2: size 24 months shirt, size 24 months pants, size 4/4.5 shoes, size 6 Diapers
■ Gift cards to Walmart, Kroger, Old Navy or TJMaxx
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