Help Needed
42nd Annual Memorial Service and Conference

Dear Friends:

We are going to have a great gathering at the Longdale Community Center on the weekend of June 17 - 18.

It will be greater than the great gathering of last year.

But for it to be as great as it can and should be, we need more money and more volunteers. We have received some nice monetary contributions so far, but in total they fall far short of what is needed. We have received wonderful volunteer support from a number of people. But we need more of both quickly.

We apologize for the lateness of this appeal.

Here are some of the direct monetary needs we must meet:

• Travel support, especially air fare, for several individuals who deserve to be there and we need them there

• Food and beverage expense for an estimated 200 people for each day. We intend to provide a midday meal each day and beverages throughout both days.

• Portapotties rental

• Gas money for the automobiles that we will use to provide transportation assistance for people in Mississippi who need it

Checks for contributions may be made payable to: ANNUAL MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MARTYRS MEMORIAL SERVICE and sent to:

ANNUAL MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MARTYRS MEMORIAL SERVICE
c/o John Gibson
1028 CR 793
Brookland, AR 72417

The Planning Committee drafted a reluctant John Gibson as the "Treasurer" about a year ago. In the past, the voluntary contributions from folks who are not members of the Planning Committee have covered one third or less of the total expenses. Those contributions were very important and much appreciated. Also in the past, the remaining two-thirds or more of the expenses, which cover essential needs such as the food and beverage purchases, travel assistance for folks who deserve and are needed at the gathering and who could not otherwise come, and portapotties rental, have been covered by several members of the Planning Committee. It has been and is a labor of love, and there has been and are many people who are helping significantly in ways other than monetary contributions.

Here are some of the items that additional volunteer support could help insure they are accomplished and quickly as they need to be

• One or more good folks to take up the task of locating, contacting, and inviting the families of every Mississippi civil rights martyr. We have done that for several, have contact information for several more, and we think much of the missing contact information can be provided by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

• Someone might take on the role of air transportation assistance coordination

Later volunteer support needs for right before, during, and after the gathering

• People with vehicles they have brought or rented in Mississippi provide local transportation on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday between and among places like Meridian, Philadelphia, Longdale, Kemper County, Jackson, Memphis, and perhaps other places.

• Someone(s) to be the local transportation coordinator(s)

We are sure we will think of some more just as soon as this message is sent, but we need to get it out.

Can you help?

Thank you for all the support you have already given.

Sincerely,

Curtis Muhammad muhammadcurtis@bellsouth.net     (504) 236-4703	John Steele johnora32@msn.com (925) 497-9868
Diane Nash sa3456@msn.com (773) 821-5423	John Gibson arrow@inet-direct.com (870) 972-9248
Rev. C.T. Vivian CTV@comcast.net (404) 505-0472

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Last Modified: June 2, 2006.
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