Two local youth groups kicked off their Thanksgiving break by giving a noble gesture of their own — their time and service.
Sponsored by the Progressive Art and Civic Club (PACC) Youth Affiliates, the Esquires and Teenettes spent their Monday morning volunteering at Port City Personal Care and Respite Services.
The two groups, Esquires and Teenettes, consist of high school-aged boys and girls respectively.
Their motto? “Lifting As We Climb.”
“They perform community service and participate in activities in different areas of the city,” youth coordinator Valerie Simpson said.
Every month, the club has a different civic project for the two groups to participate in.
As part of their November civic project, the students worked with Port City Personal Care special-needs clients and helped them with projects of their preference — designing Christmas cards or coloring Christmas themed graphics, which many of the patrons enjoy doing.
Esquires and Teenettes members also assisted the clients in making their own decorative necklaces from beads.
Simpson said with the students being out of school for the Thanksgiving break, they wanted to make sure the students started their break off on a positive note by volunteering in activities at Port City Personal Care and Respite Services.
Simpson added the group always participates with the 100 Black Men program held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“They go to the nursing home across from Delta Regional (Medical Center) also and those events are annual, but this is something that they added to their calendar this year,” Simpson said.
PACC women sponsor six youth groups in the Greenville area — Little Boys, Little Girls, Junior Boys, Junior Girls, Esquires and Teenettes.
PACC is a national affiliate of the National Association of Colored Women Clubs Inc.
The National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs Inc. is one of the oldest clubs in the U.S. and has been in existence longer than any of the sororities.
The National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs are women of color dedicated to uplifting women, children, families, the home and the community through service, community education, scholarships assistance and the promotion of racial harmony among all people, so that those they serve are better able to take their proper and rightful place in society as citizens, community leaders, parents and family members.
“Each women’s club has a youth group,” Lynda Hughes, Esquires Sponsor and Teenettes Youth Coordinator said. “In Greenville, we’re fortunate enough to have six and they range from age 6 to high school.”
Hughes said her organization is rooted with the Mississippi State Federation.
According to Hughes, the organization is based locally, regionally, stately and nationally and the Esquires and Teenettes are state representatives from Greenville.
In addition, Hughes shared the students just came out of their state convention where they networked with children all across the state and some of the students hold positions as state officers as well.
“We deem this as a way to give back to the community, teaching them how to lift as they climb because they’re good students, they’re athletes, they’re in the band and they do a lot of good things,” Hughes said as she reflected on their November civic project.
“Community is important and we know that in Greenville we’ve fallen short of some things so we’re trying to build up so that they will be ready to face the community.”
Hughes also said the organization meets monthly and hosts motivational speakers.
“We host our meetings here at Port City Adult Day Care and it’s their way of giving back as well,” she said. Crediting her boss, Bettie Pruitt-Harris, Hughes added, “She wants to give back to the community so this is how she helps the children.”
Their upcoming December project is with Mississippi Extended Care in which they will present an elaborate Christmas program and also go back to Port City Personal Care to assist with their upcoming Christmas party.
If there is a child who is interested in becoming a part of the active organization, Hughes said they can contact her and she will inform him or her of how they can join.
Commending the students on their service, Hughes said, “I think that says a lot about our children — that they were willing to come in and work with them, I mean who wants to get up when school is out?”
For more information on how to participate, Lynda Hughes can be reached at 662-378-6650.
