News
Make A Difference Day '09 to feature nine efforts
By CHRIS SMITH • The Leaf-Chronicle • October 19, 2009
Every year, Make A Difference Day in Clarksville gets bigger and more
diverse, and this is the biggest year yet.
It includes at least nine efforts, ranging from cleanups and collections
to dances and essays, many of them egged on by Geneva Bell, who has made
Make A Difference Day a priority in her community volunteer efforts.
She said that when she calls people to ask them to take part, she tells
them, "It's not about me, it's not about you, it's about Clarksville —
c'mon now!"
Make A Difference Day, a nationwide day of volunteer work spearheaded by
USA Weekend magazine, will be Saturday. This year's local projects,
according to the USA Weekend Web site, Leaf-Chronicle files and Bell
include:
* Mount Olive Cemetery Cleanup
Mount Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society, with the help of
JROTC, Walmart employees and the local Triple Nickel group, will remove
leaves and limbs from the historic black cemetery on Rollins Road, off
of Cumberland Drive, starting at 8 a.m. Saturday. Learn how to volunteer
for this project by calling Phyllis Smith, 551-4560.
* Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway Cleanup
The Clarksville Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club will
clean up Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway from 8 to 11 a.m. For
information, e-mail james.webb @bsmcofclarksville.com.
* Collection of Donations for Safehouse
Safehouse volunteers will be collecting personal hygiene items for women
and children, any kind of baby items and cleaning supplies from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. in the United Way parking lot at 1300 Madison St. For more
information, e-mail
urbanministriessafehouse@charter.net.
* Brandon Hill Garden Improvements
Boy Scouts, Master Gardeners and neighborhood youth will make
improvements to the Brandon Hill Youth Heritage Garden at the corner of
Glenn and Commerce, starting at 11 a.m.
Bell said the Boy Scouts with Troop 536 will finish the shed and have a
ceremony in which they'll hand over the keys to the youth volunteers.
"We needed that shed really bad in the garden," Bell said.
They'll also start work on a fence. Anyone who wants to help is welcome
to come out on Saturday.
* Military Spouse Recognition Essay Contest
Mount Olive Historical Preservation Society will award prizes to young
people for writing essays honoring military spouses who have made a
difference in their lives.
This will be at the center court of Governor's Square Mall, at 1 p.m.,
and the public is invited.
The guest speaker will be Sylvia Phipps, wife of Brig. Gen. Warren
Phipps, deputy commanding general for support, 101st Airborne Division
and Fort Campbell. For more information, call 387-3715.
* Honoring Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Mount Olive Cemetery Historical Preservation Society will conduct a
program to honor grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.
The program will include a street fair of booths and entertainment,
including Mexican dancing. It will begin at 3 p.m. at Dixon Park on 10th
Street. The public is invited.
* APSU Gathering of Items for the Homeless
Austin Peay State University students are gathering items to donate to
the Room In the Inn program, which provides overnight shelter for the
homeless in Clarksville during the winter, mainly through local
churches, Bell said.
This is being organized by Carmen Reagan, who can be reached at
221-7675.
* Books in Spanish for Local High Schools
Asociacion Latina will deliver books written in Spanish to county high
schools on Friday.
* Deliver Clothes and School Supplies
The St. Bethlehem Civitan Club of Clarksville, TN will deliver school supplies to Eagle Child and Family Development Center (a Christian Appalachian Project) in McCreary County, Ky.