The Delta town of Glendora, MS was the recipient of a much-needed outreach service project that was provided by Rev. Dr. Lamar Boone and the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Outreach Ministry of Pearl, Mississippi on Saturday, July 9, 2022.
The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Outreach Ministry partnered with the Red Cross in Greenwood, Mississippi to install smoke alarms in the homes of residents in the small Delta town of Glendora. Outreach Ministry member Linda Walker contacted Betty Allison, Disaster Program Specialist of the Red Cross, to request their assistance to support her efforts to get the smoke alarms donated and installed in Glendora.
The town of Glendora has had a longstanding relationship with Walker and the Jackson Advocate. Therefore, it was a no brainer to help the 173 citizens of Glendora. Walker and Johnny Thomas, the mayor of Glendora who also operates the Emmett Till Historic Intrepid Center, welcomed the service project. Walker presented a check to the mayor from Aaron Honeysucker, owner of Honeysucker & Associates, LLC, and a prominent member of the Brooks W. Stewart VFW Post 9832 located at 4610 Sunray Drive in Jackson, MS.
The town of Glendora has a volunteer fire department; however, Mayor Thomas said, “We’ve had equipment failures over recent years and our water tanker has been inoperable for some time. This presented a compelling problem for the citizens. If a fire occurs, the structure will most likely burn up. That’s why our need for smoke alarms was critical to at least allow people a chance to get out of their homes if and when a fire occurs.”
Walker was met at the museum by Felicia Tripp, Regional Program Manager of the Red Cross, along with Betty Allison, Red Cross Disaster Program Specialist, who brought two of their official Red Cross volunteers, Glora Greer and Brian Gunn, along to help install the smoke alarms. Mayor Thomas also assembled a team of Glendora residents that included John Firrow, Michael Firrow, Brandon Firrow, Courtney Jones, and Mario Willis who were paired with the Red Cross volunteers to install the smoke alarms.
The volunteers installed smoke alarms in 42 homes out of 60 homes that initially signed up to receive the units. Tripp and Allison of the Red Cross assured the mayor that they would return at a later date to install the units that they were unable to service. Allison informed the residents, “We are here to install smoke alarms and teach residents about fire safety and how to develop an escape plan in case of a fire in the home. We are about saving lives because material things can be replaced.”
Mayor Johnny Thomas said, “I appreciate the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Outreach Ministry for initiating and partnering with the Red Cross to help out the poorest town in the 2nd Congressional District.”
Please note that the volunteers worked under a heat index of approximately 115-degree heat advisory that was issued by the National Weather Service for the Mississippi Delta on Saturday, July 9, 2022. Frequent hydration breaks were taken as a precaution by all volunteers.
Young Miss Kori Gail Wilson, a 13-year-old from Chicago, Illinois who will be attending the Chicago Academy for the Arts in the Fall, also volunteered with the group during the entire day. She worked to help the residents fill out paperwork which was a requirement of the Red Cross. Wilson is the great, great niece of Linda Walker and a supporter of the Outreach Ministry. The New Hope Missionary Baptist Outreach Ministry also supplied food and water to feed all volunteers and many Glendora residents.
