By John Davis and Arledia Bennett
Oxford Park Commission

A chance to give back to Oxford and Lafayette County is the focus of the annual Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service. This coming Tuesday, Oxford Mayor George “Pat” Patterson and Lafayette County Board of Supervisors President Jeff Busby will spearhead the event.
Volunteers and staff from the Lafayette County Retired and Seniors Volunteer Program, the Lafayette County Foster Grandparent Program, and members from the North MS VISTA Project from the University of Mississippi and Volunteer Oxford staff will gather at the Oxford Food Pantry for a morning work session to celebrate the day of service.
Each year, Mayor and County Day spotlights the importance of citizen engagement, recognizes the dedication of national service members such as RSVP volunteers, foster grandparent volunteers and AmeriCorps VISTAS. It helps inspire more people to get involved in their community.
“Overall, we want to recognize the positive impact of national service in Oxford and Lafayette County, to thank those who serve and encourage more people to give back to the community,” Patterson said.
“Tuesdays are usually busy days at the pantry with food trucks coming in and shelves needing to be stocked, so we thought helping the Pantry would be a perfect way to celebrate Mayor and County Day and highlight national service volunteers that give back daily through so many volunteer activities” said Arledia Bennett, Director of the Lafayette County RSVP and Foster Grandparent Program. Given the many social needs facing communities, county and city leaders are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet local needs. The day is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties and Cities of Service.
“AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers make our counties better places to live. As President of the Board of Supervisors, we are grateful for the dedication of these citizens, who are helping make our County stronger, safer and healthier,” Busby said.
For more information, contact Arledia Bennett at 662-232-2773 or rasvp@oxfordms.net