MCC shows its generosity to community

    Groups of people wearing bright green t-shirts could be seen all over Meridian and Lauderdale county Tuesday, volunteering their services as part of “My College Cares Day.”

    Meridian Community College, the host of the event, partnered with the United Way of East Mississippi with students, faculty, and staff volunteering at different locations in the community.

    Some of the sites included the American Red Cross, Boy and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Free Clinic of Meridian, Lauderdale County Agricultural Center, Northeast Elementary School, West Lauderdale High School, Meridian High, Oakland Heights, Meridian Museum of Art, St. Patrick School, Meridian Senior Activity Center, and the Soule’ Steam Feed Works.

    Marie Roberts, director of campus recruiting at MCC, said the purpose of the day was to instill the importance of giving back to the community by volunteering.

    “This year we added more locations, and more volunteers,” Roberts said. “Before the rain set in we had over a hundred locations with 1,800 volunteers.”

    Elizabeth Wiggins, marketing director for Anderson Regional Medical Center spent Tuesday morning volunteering at Habitat for Humanity with other Anderson employees.

     “As a Pacesetter organization for United Way we feel like it is important to get out and serve the community,” Wiggins said. “We want to set an example for other businesses to give their time, and volunteer with other organizations in our area that need help.”

    Habitat for Humanity Director Fonda Rush said volunteers are a very important part of their organization.

    “Volunteers are very important to us, they come and are willing to work, they don’t ask questions, they just jump in there and do it,” Rush said. “It shows just how much they care about our community.”