SIKESTON - Sikeston residents' effort to "Make A Difference" earned them recognition from USA Weekend Magazine.
In this weekend's edition of USA Weekend, which will be carried in Sunday's Standard Democrat, the community's Make A Difference Day project was honored.
In October 2002, 59 volunteers representing churches, schools and service groups raked leaves and removed trash at 100 homes of elderly and low-income residents in Sikeston. The effort by the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce was spearheaded by the United Methodist Men from the First United Methodist Church in Sikeston.
"Nationally, the 12th Make A Difference Day, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2002, was a tremendous success," wrote Pamela Brown, Make A Difference Day editor for USA Weekend. "An estimated 3 million people participated in thousands of service projects on that one day."
In accepting the certificate from USA Weekend on behalf of the First United Methodist Church, Larry Braden commented on the turnout that rainy, cold October day.
"I was especially appreciative of the young children and young adults who turned out to make a difference in their town," said Braden.
The certificate was presented to Braden by Missy Marshall, executive director of the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce.
Other area projects noted by USA Weekend from the area as part of Make of Difference Day but not listed in this weekend's magazine was the New Madrid County Human Resource Council's week of projects which included cleaning up local parks in various communities in the county and the New Madrid County R-1 School District's Community Teachers Association which raised money through its "School Ghoul" contest and other projects.