The Formation of a Local Community Planning Committee

The Formation of a Local Community Planning Committee

 

It is July 2014 and next month school will be back in session in Avon Park. Parents have to scuffle to put together school clothes and supplies. Meanwhile it seems as if Avon Park kept me busy worrying about other things, such as disarming the many minefields, weeds and traps they placed in a path, to bar be from succeeding in life or at anything I do. I seems like I always have to prove things time and time again, yet doubt never leaves concerning anything about me. Working under these conditions are almost impossible.

 

I had planned to search for school supplies and donation for the kids returning to school in August, from businesses like Office Max, Office Depot and so forth, but I have been sidetracked by a bunch of nonsense. From unethical banking practices to the right to freedom of speech and religious choices.  I will still make the search, but I think we missed this window of opportunity, bickering over bullshit.

 

However, I am writing this letter to reach out to community leaders like Arnold Davis, who I pick a fight with and humbly ask for his forgiveness, that we can fry a bigger fish together. I also call on people like Al Hinson, David Hicks, Deputy Mayor Brenda Giles, Arnold Wilson, I call on the Churches in the community and I call on the small business owners in and around the Delaney Avenue Strip. And I intentional left tout names, because we need a lot of participation and support to carry this out

 

Though we may not have responded quick enough to fully participate in the school supplies donations available this year, we really should at least begin to think ahead about other events.  I am concerned with three Major events that should at least begin to be planned up and in detail.

 

1: The Annual Thanksgiving Event: This year we would like to have a community  Thanksgiving Weekend Event from Thursday 27 Nov. 2014  Thanksgiving Day until Saturday after Black Friday 29 Nov. 2014.  A three day event that could end at the recreation center as a party Saturday 29 November 2014. I am open to ideas.

 

Our organization begun the process by requesting $2,500 in a local grant for food and supplies from Wal-Mart to feed at least 150 over a period of three days. We plan to request money from other Corporate Retail establishments on Highway 27, as well as the many local businesses.

 

1: We would like a three day event, which goal is to reduce the stresses of the Holiday season many poor people experience. Therefore, preventing recidivism and reducing crime, during the height of the shop lifting season. We will reach out to big corporate America in a win-win proposition. We would like a dance event, food, gifts giving or at least a gift list acceptance day for children wishes to be match for Christmas, as well as DJ Music and other community unity events.

 

We will begin to promote this in about one month. This will give everyone time to become a part of this and decide who they want to participate. This will be an excellent opportunity for the business owners on Delaney Avenue to collectively shine and present their business to the City

 

2: Around Christmas, though we know it is a fake holiday, still our community is conditioned to go broke around this time of season. We celebrate this day as the birth of Jesus Christ and due to the nature of its popularity many people get off from worked for extended periods of time and families are allowed to unit and visit each other and travel.  We need to plan something for around this time, relevant to community togetherness and try to start the process of getting African Americans to be more fiscal responsible during this time of the year. And use this opportunities to share our views and this doesn't mean everyone has to agree with us.

 

3: Monday 19 January 2014:  Civil Rights day, which is combined with Dr. King day.  We have been making an issue of celebrating Dr. King Day, however, with all due respect to the many falling civil rights leaders, we should duly recognize Civil Rights Day and go after grants from Foundations instead of spending CRA funds this year.

 

We should set as goal at about at least $20,000 to $30,000 for the event. It could be done if many black non profits and churches sought after different funding sources in a collaborative effort. Each carrying out a different role or purpose.

 

To begin these processes, we need to have an idea as to how such events will assist in our redeveloping our community, by creating a healthier economy and safer streets and we cannot afford to ignore the Medical marijuana Laws, set to be voted on 4 November 2014. It is a potential $40B to $80B nationwide industry that can offer funding to a lot of community needs.  We cannot afford a blackout in it growth, distribution or sales. And our youth needs to know the laws to be able to protect themselves from criminal prosecution for something they should be able to get a license to smoke and possess on their person legally.

 

I am open to suggestions and once I settle certain situations, I will start promoting and advertising these upcoming events and ideas for events, that will require community participation and centralized coordination and management.  We must begin to be proactive and we must start thinking ahead.

 

I want to thank those who signed photo release authorization for us and our volunteer agreement this weekend at the Coupon Class.  This is a beginning.

 

Thank you,

 

Rev. Frank Paul Jones aka Apostle Paul Castellano