NAACP: Healing the community through unity

Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fl), keynote speaker at NAACP 31st Annual Freedom Fund Banquet April 21

AMERICUS - U.S. Rep Kendrick B. Meek (D-FL) will travel to the tornado-ravaged Americus in April for county's 31st annual NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet.

Congressman Meek, who is serving in his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, was first elected to public office at the age of 27.

Meek will stand at a podium at the South Georgia Technical College gymnasium on April 21, in the middle of a city where at least one tornado on March 1, killed two people, crippled it's hospital and caused widespread property damage to residences in the heart of the city's black community.

NAACP officials said they hope the congressman can galvanize a public that needs healing from the tornadoes.

Meek will address the banquet's theme, "Healing the Community through Unity."

 "This is a time for healing and we thought it would be the most appropriate subject to address," said Dr. John Marshall, president of the local NAACP

Organizers expect about 500 audience members to attend.

The Freedom Banquet is the NAACP’s biggest fundraiser and it also provides money for scholarships. Several scholarships are expected to be handed out during the banquet and a number of residents will be awarded for their community activism and support. There also will be dinner and entertainment.

But the keynote speech by Meek, a lifetime NAACP member, is expected to be the highlight of the night. Meek is a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the committee in Congress that has jurisdiction over virtually every aspect of federal government activity, including trade, imports, tariffs and customs, Social Security, Federal Old-Age, Survivors' and Disability Insurance System, and employment taxes. It also has jurisdiction over Medicare and other health care.

Meek has been very active in his political career, sponsoring a bill to establish Haitian Heritage Month, opposing President Bush's call for a war escalation in Iraq, supported an increase in minimum wage, and celebrating of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He also has hailed the passage of a bill to preserve family records of slave descendants.

"We like to invite speakers who represent our philosophical position," Marshall said.

In February, Meek recently introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that expands federal efforts to combat lupus, an often debilitating and life-threatening autoimmune disease that is difficult to diagnose and disproportionately strikes young women of color in their childbearing years.

According to a press release, the Meek bill builds upon the Lupus Research and Care Amendments introduced by Rep. Meek's mother and predecessor in Congress, retired U.S. Rep. Carrie P. Meek. Portions of that bill passed the House and Senate and became Public Law 106-505.

"An estimated 1.5 to 2 million Americans are affected by lupus, many of whom are women of color," said Meek, whose aunt died of the disease. "Lupus occurs two to three times more frequently among African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans; a health disparity that remains unexplained.

This legislation seeks to address gaps in research and heighten awareness of lupus symptoms and health effects among the public and health professionals."

In February, Meek, along with Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, also welcomed the current and future Sergeants Major of the United States Marine Corps to Capitol Hill for a meeting to discuss policy issues affecting the Marine Corps.

For more information on the banquet, individuals wanting to purchase tickets, or church groups, businesses, fraternities and sorrorities, agencies or any groups wanting to buy tables can contact (229) -924-0880.

Dekalb County CEO aides Sumter

A far reaching hand was extended to Americus last week after a convoy of Dekalb Sanitation trucks and crews rolled into the city to help remove massive debris from the destruction left by a tornado that ravaged the city March 1.

Dekalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones, who headed the group, also met with Americus' government officials on March 7 and toured city, where the tornado ripped through more than 50 businesses, 175 homes and Sumter Regional Hospital. They then went to work, helping the city clean up between March 7 to March 9.

Jones said he was moved by the destruction and clean-up efforts.

"Traveling to Americus and seeing the total devastation is really indescribable," said Jones, who watched the initial destruction and recovery efforts on television. "I am glad that Dekalb County has the resources and equipment to help Americus during these trying times."

Jones oversees a $2.6 billion budget in the state's second most populous county. Elected countywide in 2000 and again in 2004, Jones is the youngest person ever elected to the position. He manages nearly 7,000 employees and directs the day-to-day county operations and presides over the twice-monthly meetings of the Board of Commissioners.

A number of public work crews from across the region and state participated in the recovering efforts along with the City of Americus Public Works crews and Sumter County Public Works. However, Jones also served eight years in the Georgia House of Representatives, and personally knew former state Rep. Jimmy Skipper and current state Sen. George Hooks, D-Americus.

"We have a history of helping other jurisdictions when they are going through a crises and this was just and other example," he said.

When Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, he sent crews to Gulfport, Miss., to help with the clean-up efforts. Jones also was instrumental in opening a "rescue center" in DeKalb County for the hurricane refugees who flocked to his area.

And when he heard of the tornado's devastation in  Americus, he sprang into action, and had his office call Americus. A couple days later, Jones was bringing nine DeKalb County Sanitation Department employees, eight dump trucks and three grapplers with him -- the latter that allowed skilled crews to pick up limbs, branches and leaves  and other yard debris by using the mechanical claw .

Jones and his crew were put up for lodging at a motel and bed and breakfast. After he left, he headed to Atlanta where he addressed a church group.

The March 1 tornado hit Americus residents, practically without warning. Dr. John Marshall, president of the local NAACP, said “We are appreciative of Mr. Jones' assistance. We're very happy to have someone come all the way from DeKalb County to help us.”