Community Concerns with Shannon
Our next question comes from Bethany Mendenhall from South Fulton. Bethany asked, “We just started a new Obion County 4H Homeschool Club. Our group wants to know how we can lend a hand to serve our county and surrounding areas.”
I reached out to a homeschooler in Dresden that is a part of Martin 4H Homeschooling Club and she said that her group participates in the backpack program every week. Dresden First Baptist Church does that every week. She also said that they volunteer at WeCare during the holidays to help them with decorating and anything else they need help with. She also said that her 4H Club has a service project every month where everyone in the club brings a few items. Their group also collects nonperishable food items for local food pantries, pet food for the animal shelters, pop tabs for St. Jude and they collect plastic bags for ladies in Jackson that crochet mats and pillows for homeless people.
Some other suggestions I received from locals were that your group could participate or host local events, fairs and farmer’s markets, help with meals on wheels, read stories to children at the library, send letters and care packages to troops, make treats for the local fire department and police department, help out with community events or volunteer at a nursing home-residents love when students come and play games with them or do hair, nails and makeup!
Try contacting officials in the community and see what suggestions they have also—city and county mayors, police and fire chiefs and other citizens to see how you can become involved in your local and surrounding communities. They would be happy to hear from you!
We hope to be able to answer a question every week from a member of the community. Just send us your questions by Monday every week. Email questions to smerrell1@murraystate.edu. Text questions to 731-819-4497, stop by the office, give us a call at 731-587-3144 and ask for Shannon or message us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. We look forward to serving the community better by answering the concerns you may have surrounding any issue in Weakley County.
