Mississippi Power kicks off MLK volunteering efforts

Keila Crenshaw admits she’s had nightmares about the library storage room at Parkview Elementary School.

“When I started as the school’s librarian, I inherited the room,” Crenshaw said. “It had so much stuff in it I couldn’t even open the door.”

That’s where volunteers from Mississippi Power’s Community Connection team enter the picture. The crew from the company’s Meridian division showed up Jan. 15 to help Crenshaw clean and organize the storage room as part of the company’s annual Martin Luther King Day volunteer activities.

“We feel like the best way to invest in Meridian is to invest in its youth,” said Verdell Hawkins, manager of Mississippi Power’s Meridian district. “These volunteer efforts carry on the legacy of Dr. King. It’s a perfect example of the company’s civic minded thought process.”

The volunteer effort in Meridian is just one of several the Mississippi Power employees will be involved in in recognition of Dr. King. Activities are also slated in Biloxi, Hattiesburg, and Wiggins on Monday, Jan. 19 the federal holiday to honor Dr. King.

“On a day off, it’s really a day on,” Hawkins added. “We honor the holiday with our service.”

Keila Crenshaw agrees.

“We wanted this to be a functional library for the kids and a resource center for our instructors,” Crenshaw added. “I’m delighted to have the help from Mississippi Power. It proves the community does care, and our children will ultimately benefit.”

Community Connection, Mississippi Power’s employee service organization, is now in its eleventh year, with more than 800 members donating time and talent across the service territory.