Recently the board for Poplarville’s Blueberry Jubilee awarded $3,500 worth of grants to local organizations and agencies as a way to give back to the community.
Board Secretary Marcelle Tims said the money for the donations comes from booth rentals, proceeds from the 5K race, beauty pageant fees, T-shirt sales and the sale of some crafts.
After all of the event’s expenses are covered, and some is set aside to pay for the next year’s event, the reaminder is donated to local organizations and agencies.
“This helps us all grow, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Tims said.
In years past, the board was able to provide $10,000 worth of grants to the community, but ever since Hurricane Katrina Tims said less money has been raised. She and the other members of the board hope to be able to bring the amount back up.
This year $300 each was donated to the Poplarville Fire Department and Poplarville Police Department to purchase laptops, $300 was donated to the city for use in a beautification project, and $500 was donated to the Pearl River Community Jazz Cats so they can attend competitions.
Additionally $150 was donated to the Poplarville Storytellers Guild, $200 was donated to Brother’s Keeper Ministries and $200 was donated to the Excel By Five program, which was recently established in Poplarville.
Another $150 was donated to Teen Challenge and $150 was donated to the Poplarville Library to help them put on programs during the summer.
To help the Pearl River County SPCA with operating expenses the board donated $100 to the organization.
As a way to thank those who oversee some of the events or otherwise help with the jubilee, $100 was donated to Pearl River Central Middle school teacher for use in the classroom, $200 was donated to a Poplarville Elementary teacher for use in her classroom, $200 was donated to the local 4-H Club, and $150 was donated to the PRCC Alumni Foundation for use as a grant to a student of the community college to use toward tuition or the purchase of books.
This year’s event is set for June 11. Anyone interested in registering for the event can do so by visiting http://www.blueberryjubilee.org/.
Established in 1985, this will be the event’s 33rd year, Tims said.