WCBI's Eric Crosswhite talks with Jeanne Marszalek and Chris Taylor from the Oktibbeha County Unity Park Committee.
They are asking citizens of Oktibbeha County to nominate somebody who has made a significant contribution to the county and has been a unifier.
If you'd like to participate, email starkvilleunitypark@yahoo.com.
The deadline is Sunday, November 1st.
Welcome back.
We are talking now this morning with jeanne marszalek and chris taylor from the oktibbeha county unity park committee.
Good morning, guys.
Thank you so much for talking with us.
Chris taylor: good morning.
Jeanne marszalek: good morning.
Eric crosswhite: now, you guys are looking for nominees.
It's that time of the year.
Jeanne tell us what sort of people are you looking for?
What sort of qualities?
Jeanne marszalek: well, first let me give a little background about this park.
We'll let chris give you a little background about this park.
Go ahead, chris.
Chris taylor: okay.
Your question again was?
Eric crosswhite: give us a little bit of background on the park.
.
Chris taylor: the park was established by the oktibbeha county board of supervisors.
Reason it was established because they were putting monuments in front of the courthouse that represented the soldiers, military veterans and all, civil war union soldiers, confederate, the whole works.
And so a concerned citizen went to the board of supervisors and said, "hey, we need something that shows unity in the community.
People contribute to the betterment of our oktibbeha county."
And that's when the park was established.
Eric crosswhite: right.
And so now you look for nominees?
Jeanne marszalek: right.
We have permanent nominees like dr. douglas connor, william winter, martin luther king, and so on, but every year we try to find two new people that we can honor at this park and their names will be established on the wall here permanently.
So every year from september 1st to november 1st, we're asking citizens of oktibbeha county to nominate somebody who has made a significant contribution to our county, and there are four criteria.
The first criteria is they have to have lived in oktibbeha county, they have to have been deceased five years, and they have to have contributed for civil rights and for bringing unity to our community.
We're right in the middle of this process right now and we're hoping that people will think about who they remember being significant citizens of this county who have made great contributions.
Eric crosswhite: and chris, as a member of this board, what does it mean to you to see these names up here and this sort of process?
Chris taylor: it had been a great honor.
I was in the military for 31 years and i've been in all types of communities and nothing that stood out better than showing who contribute here in oktibbeha county.
And i'm from here, and dr. connor was my first doctor and all, so, you know, it's stuff like that.
You can't ask for better.
Eric crosswhite: that's great.
That's great.
Chris taylor: better honor than to be on this board.
Eric crosswhite: that's great.
Jeanne, tell us how people can go about nominating.
Jeanne marszalek: well, they can go about nominating by going to our website, which is starkvilleunitypar k.com.
There is a section that says nominate a unifier, and at the bottom of that little presentation on that website, there is a place where you can get the form to fill out, email it to me, or to the website.
They can email it.
It tells you what to do on the website.
It tells you exactly where to send it.
And if there's a problem they can also call me, my number's on there, i think, so there's plenty of opportunity for people to send it in.
And secondly, most people know who's on the unity park committee.
Our names are on that website and they can contact us.
Eric crosswhite: really easy to do.
And the deadline for it is?
Jeanne marszalek: november 1st.
So it's coming up.
Eric crosswhite: it is.
Jeanne marszalek: right before election day.
Eric crosswhite: right.
Running out of time.
Chris taylor: and also they can drop it off at the circuit clerk's office that's located right here in oktibbeha county.
Jeanne marszalek: yes.
And they could get it to the board of supervisors or they could call us.
Yeah.
Eric crosswhite: a lot of options.
Chris taylor: pick it up.
Eric crosswhite: all right.
Chris taylor: so no excuse.
Eric crosswhite: no excuse not to.
I like that, chris.
Anything else you guys would like to add?
Jeanne marszalek: well, we're just excited.
This is always an exciting time to have this happen because we- eric crosswhite: it's a great honor.
Jeanne marszalek: it is a great honor.
The families of these people that are honored are usually so excited about it and really are thankful to the board of supervisors for doing this and for our committee for recognizing these people.
It's always a very exciting time and this park has made a great contribution to oktibbeha county.
In fact, many, many people are starting to use it for different presentations.
In fact, mississippi state football team came out here to protest the black lives matter era when they were protesting for the black lives matter.
So it's a great place in starkville.
Eric crosswhite: it's a beautiful area, for sure.
Jeanne marszalek: it is beautiful and it's growing every year.
Every year, we add a little something to it.
Eric crosswhite: i love to hear that.
Jeanne marszalek: hopefully in the near future, we're going to have a little library where people can pick up civil rights books.
That's the next thing on our list.
Eric crosswhite: so you got plans.
Jeanne marszalek: yes.
Eric crosswhite: i love that.
Jeanne, chris, thank you guys for talking with