Published: November 04, 2007 01:53 am            

Why I feel good about Meridian’s future

For weeks now, I’ve debated whether or not to write about the Young Professionals of Meridian, a newly-formed group I happen to serve as chairman.

I didn’t want to write something that would appear self-serving.

But as the weeks have passed, my excitement has grown. And I simply can’t contain it anymore.

I’m like a little kid who purchases his family’s Christmas presents in November and can’t help himself from blurting out the secret of what’s in the box as soon as it’s wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree.

Honestly, people ask me about the group almost daily. There is a buzz in the air. People are energized.

The people who make up this group — which many of you have likely heard about via this newspaper, television and radio — are making a lot of noise in this area. And we’re doing it by getting our feet wet and getting involved. We aren’t afraid to go to work. At the end of the day, we want to make this a better place.

We’ve done everything from downtown cleanups to political forums— all in less than 4 months. And each time, we have people, many of whom are originally from this area, come together and volunteer their time to help better our community. Our members can be summed up in one word: passionate. Another word: bold.

A few weeks ago, we hosted a political social. We were a little ambitious — we expected most statewide candidates to attend. We worked the phones talking to campaign aides for weeks. Many, including us at times, doubted they’d show. But when that Tuesday came, 12 statewide candidates, including gubernatorial candidates Haley Barbour and John Arthur Eaves, showed up. We sent the candidates a message when 300-plus showed up: East Mississippi cares and we demand their attention now and once they’re elected.

It was a great event that took a lot of work. But just as important is our community service. we had 13 people show up in downtown Meridian at 6 a.m. on a Saturday to pick up trash.

This past week, we had a large group turn out, beginning at 5:30 a.m., to cook beignets to raise money for the United Way. We turned Dumont Plaza into “Cafe Dumont.” We raised about $1,400 for the United Way. And all that was done by a group of people who volunteered hours of their time and energy to plan the event. Then, some of those same people stayed downtown until noon to clean up.

I could give countless examples, but for the sake of space, I’ll limit my praise.

The best part of the group: not one person cares about getting the credit. Our success so far as a group is largely because we have no egos in our group. We work well together. And we have people from all walks of life — teachers, lawyers, hair stylists, doctors, bankers, mechanics. It’s great to see.

When I was in Pensacola, Fla., I watched a similar group of young people form. Young Professionals organizations are sprouting up all over the country, in many places taking over for the Jaycees. I’m excited about the future of this group. I believe in order for East Mississippi to thrive, our age group must become engaged and get involved.

When I see people my age with such a heart for this community, I feel confident this area is in great hands.

The only criteria of our group: be between the ages of 21-39 and want to get involved. If you want to know more about our group, visit www.myspace.com/ypmeridian.

More about our group:

The Mission of YPM: Provide a proactive and collective voice for young professionals through social interaction and community involvement.

YPM Objectives:

• Promote the Meridian area as an attractive destination to work, thrive, and enjoy life.

• Address local issues that affect the quality of life.

• Provide an open platform to discuss ideas focusing on the betterment of our communities.

• Encourage volunteer efforts through participation in community service.



Fredie Carmichael is editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.

        

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