The highlight of Monday’s Pastors Parents Educators Student Association (PPESA) meeting was the donating of a brand new dryer to a local halfway house by the Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC). PPESA is an community-based initiative of McComb Mayor Zach Patterson. This month’s meeting included presentations by some of the principals of the McComb School District, the MYC and from Kelvin Rankin, a partnership specialist for the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau . Mayor Patterson closed the meeting with brief comments.

Rankin spoke to the audience at the McComb Sports Park that also included pastors like Nathan Johnson, the local NAACP with vice president Rev. Frank Lee, and the Salvation Army represented by Captian Rick Boone.

Rankin explained the importance of registering and identifying people or households who avoid or who do not want to be counted in the census: especially African Americans. “Some people will not sign up unless their pastor tells them to,” he said. “We need to form ‘complete count committees’ and our efforts must be coordinated”.

Rankin and McComb School District Superintendent Therese Palmertree confirmed that the school district is already coordinating efforts to get the word out to parents and other community members about the importance of being counted in the upcoming census. Rankin said that an accurate count is needed to gain more benefits from the federal government, especially benefits needed in the Black community. “You get counted where you live at the time of the count. If you are in college, living on campus, then that is considered your residence. But, if you are living at home, that is you residence for the census count,” Rankin said. “The main thing is to get the word out,” he said.

Before Rankin’s presentation, the audience applauded the donation of a brand new clothes dryer by a group of dedicated young high school students. The Mayor’s Youth Council, another initiative by Mayor Patterson, presented The New Hope Center Transitional Housing Representative Rev. Nathan Johnson with a Roper Whirlpool Dryer. The Mayor’s Youth Council held a fundraiser to lend a hand to the New Hope Center.

Mayor Patterson said that he is very passionate about the New Hope Transitional Housing located at 1205 Meadville St. in Summit. The New Hope Transitional Housing provides community housing for individuals/ex-offenders who have completed primary or secondary alcohol and drug treatments. The Transitional Housing Program allows former alcololics, addicts, and ex-offenders to return to the neighborhood where they once lived as abusers. This time they have access to learning resources and personal growth guidance.

Johnson who works with Rev. Carlton Foxworth at the Center said that the Mayor’s Youth Council has been very supportive, giving boxes of food to help feed the residents at the men only facility, just two months ago. “What I am most excited about is that a group of young people-teens are involved in this way, more than many adults. Because of the (negative) perception of so many people of our teens: they do so much good!”

Johnson said. He said that his clients are men who come out of prison and other places such as drug rehabilitation facilities, and have no place to stay. “These men are moving in, to move up,” Johnson said. “These men really appreciate all the help they are getting, especially from the youth council.” Johnson said that they really needed a dryer at the center and now they have one.

Last weekend the Mayor’s Youth Council hosted a diabetes supply drive at The Market on Delaware Ave. in McComb. “The community was very generous in their giving,” Executive Director and advisor Cornelia Gayden said. “As shoppers entered the Market, the youth council members gave them a list of diabetes supplies to donate. The council collected over 300 items and a total of $80 cash.”

Gayden quoted an unknown author to describe the efforts of the youth council members: “You don’t become rich until you understand service”.