Chancellor Debra Giles will help unveil an Adopt-a-Highway sign at noon on Friday, Jan. 17, on southbound U.S. Highway 49 at Caile as youth and specialty courts of the 9th Chancery Court kick off a new community service effort.
Participants in Youth Court, Juvenile Drug Intervention Court and Family Treatment Court in Sunflower and Humphreys counties may begin work on the beautification project in February, depending on the weather, Judge Giles said. Groups of youths and parents will undertake the cleanup efforts on Saturdays four times a year. They will be responsible for about a mile alongside U.S. 49 from Caile in Sunflower County to near the north Humphreys County line.
Sunflower and Humphreys County Sheriff’s Offices are expected to provide traffic patrolling to safeguard the youths and parents. “We have great support from Sheriff’s Offices in Sunflower and Humphreys counties,” Judge Giles said. Children will be provided with safety gear and helmets, which also will serve to maintain Youth Court’s requirement that the young people not be identified.
The beautification project, suggested by a new court intake officer, will provide another option for community service. “One of the struggles we have in the Delta is finding individuals and organizations to help us with community service,” Judge Giles said. Other options include helping with local food pantries and at Delta Mission.
Judge Giles said she expects to pick up litter too. “Keeping our community clean and beautiful is something that’s important to me. I’m going to be out there. I can’t expect for my kids to experience what keeping our community clean means unless I’m out there. I’m vested in the kids that I serve and I’m vested in the community.”
