Home Depot, volunteers, students spruce up the town park in Plantersville

The project is part of a week of service to honor MLK

PLANTERSVILLE, MISS. (WCBI) – A national home improvement store is using MLK’s birthday week to make a difference in communities nationwide, and close to home.

As one group painted playground equipment, park benches, and raked leaves, another worked on a deck and ramp for the pavilion.

Associates with Home Depot are volunteering their time as part of the Home Depot Foundation’s Week of Service.

Associates take part in community projects across the country, as a way to carry on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jacob Pounds started volunteering with Home Depot on community projects before he became an associate with the home improvement store. He said it’s a blessing to be able to help others in the areas served by his store.

“Being able to give back to the community, and surrounding communities, being able to help with other people, and being someone who can do that,” Pounds said.

The park hasn’t been updated in years and Plantersville Mayor Shelton Shannon said the projects are a great way to carry on the legacy of MLK.

“He said, if I can help somebody, my living will not be in vain. This is a chapter in today’s society, younger people and older people, that we stick together and help each other,” Mayor Shannon said.

Also helping out with improvements at the park was a group of Plantersville Middle School students. Putting into practice what they learn in the classroom.

“One thing Dr. Brett has done at our school is try to instill in children, the desire to keep your area clean, keep the campus clean. We want everyone to notice we take pride in what we do and this is something that really goes above and beyond just our campus, it goes to our community as well,” said Sheila Billingsley who is the librarian at Plantersville Middle School.

Is this more fun than being in school?

“Yes. It’s fun because it feels good knowing some kids may come out here and the park will look good for them. It looks better now,” said Gavin Shannon, a seventh grader at Plantersville Middle School.

Home Depot provided supplies for the project and lunch for volunteers.

Home Depot will also help with a project next month for the Prairie RCDC building.

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