[00:00:11]
WELCOME TO, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND WE HAVE A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU TODAY, AND WE GET TO START OFF WITH A WONDERFUL GUEST, DR.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO BE ON YOUR SHOW AND, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN.
AND WE HAVE SO MUCH TO TALK ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET IT ALL IN.
WE HAVE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING THIS MONTH, AND IT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
SO WE WANT YOU TO TELL US ALL ABOUT HOW THAT GOT STARTED, AND, UH, GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ON THAT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, UM, BLACK HISTORY MONTH, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY, UM, AND, AND, AND LIKE FOR ME, I CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVERY DAY.
BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS IN THE, IN THE LIBRARY HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, AND I'M, I, I DO GENEALOGY, I RESEARCH THE HISTORY.
BUT, UM, FOR SOME REASON, THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY IS A MONTH.
THEY DECIDED, HEY, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
AND SO THAT HAVE BEEN CARRYING ON THROUGHOUT, UM, OUR COUNTRY HISTORY WHERE THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY IS THE DESIGNATED MONTH, UM, BY, UM, OUR GOVERNMENT, UM, OUR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS WELL, TO RECOGNIZE BLACK HISTORY MONTH DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT, UM, THE FIRST THURSDAY, WHICH IS FEBRUARY THE SIXTH AT 3:45 PM WE HAVE 80 STUDENTS.
WE HAVE 80 STUDENTS THAT WILL BE ATTENDING.
AND WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT, AND I DON'T WANNA OFFEND ANYONE, UM, WITH IT, BUT IT'S, IT'S CALLED BLACK BINGO.
AND IT JUST MEANS, UM, WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UM, HERITAGE HISTORY, UM, IN THE COUNTRY.
AND ALSO WE'LL BE DOING LOCAL HISTORY, UM, HERE AS FAR AS PLAYING BINGO.
SO CHILDREN WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN PRIZES.
UM, IT'S A DAY OF FUN AND ACTIVITIES, AND ALSO IT'S A DAY OF, UM, EXCITEMENT, UM, FOR THE CHILDREN TO LEARN BLACK HISTORY, BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT IS BEING TAKEN OUT OF THE SCHOOLS.
AND A FUN WAY TO LEARN FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND WHERE WILL THAT BE AND WHEN THAT WILL BE HELD AT THE DOWARD RECREATION CENTER, AND IT WILL BE AT 3:45 PM AND IT'S ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE SIXTH.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE HAVE 80 STUDENTS.
IF YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT'S, UM, HERE IN THE DISTRICT, OUT OF THE DISTRICT, BUT THEY LIVE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, PLEASE BRING THEM BY THE DO WORTH RECREATION CENTER.
WE WILL FEED THEM, THEY WILL HAVE HIGH DOGS, CHIPS, DRINKS, UM, COOKIES, AND WE'RE GONNA ALSO HAVE THEM A GIFT BAG WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY INFORMATION INSIDE OF THOSE BAGS.
I'D LOVE TO DROP BY AND JUST SEE THEM.
NOW WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU GOT GOING ON IN FEBRUARY? UH, AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT I'M REALLY, UM, PROUD TO HAVE HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, UM, YOUR MOTHER, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LATE MOTHER.
UM, UM, THE FORMER MAYOR PRO TEM RUTHIE JACKSON WAS, UM, REALLY GREAT ABOUT GOING INSIDE OF THE HOMES OF MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS, JUST RECORDING THE HISTORY, UM, SAVING THAT INFORMATION.
SO ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE 19TH AT THE GRAND PRAIRIE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING AT 7:00 PM UM, WE HAVE A PROGRAM AND THE THEME IS, OUR BLACK HISTORY IS UNDER ATTACK, HELP US SAVE OUR HISTORY.
AND SOME, SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLE? WELL, IT'S SIMPLE.
THE, THE BLACK HISTORY INFORMATION IS UNDER ATTACK.
UM, AND WE WANNA SAVE THE HISTORY.
AND, AND, AND YOUR MOM, UM, RUTHIE JACKSON DID A GREAT JOB WITH, UM, RECORDING THE HISTORY, GETTING THE HISTORY, BECAUSE THIS, GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
WE HAVE AN ILLUSTRATION BOOK THAT'S TITLED THE HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND IT'S AN ILLUSTRATION BOOK, GOT GREAT PICTURES, GOT INFORMATION, BUT IT DOES NOT COVER THE HISTORY, THE BLACK HISTORY OF, OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
LIKE IF SOMEONE WANTED INFORMATION ABOUT HOW DID THE, THE SCHOOLS FORM FOR BLACK CHILDREN HERE, YOU KNOW, WHO WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN STARTING THE BLACK SCHOOLS FOR EDUCATION FOR BLACK STUDENTS? WHERE WERE THE BLACK FARMERS? DID BLACK PEOPLE OWN ANYTHING? WHAT WAS THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO GRAND PRAIRIE? YOU WON'T FIND THAT IN THE ILLUSTRATION BOOK AND ON THE VIDEOS THAT RUTHIE JACKSON, THE FORMER MAYOR PRO TIM DID IN GRAND PRAIRIE, IT COVERED THAT INFORMATION.
[00:05:01]
NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND WE NEED TO PUT THAT INFORMATION INSIDE OF A BOOK.ALSO, HAVING HER PICTURE IN A BOOK, UM, AS A HISTORIAN THAT WAS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN COVERING THE HISTORY, AND THAT'S WHY FEBRUARY THE 19TH IS IMPORTANT TO ME IS BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT GRAND PRAIRIE, UM, BLACK HISTORY IS NOT REWRITTEN AND IT'S NOT CHANGED AND IT'S NOT FORGOTTEN.
AND THAT WE CAN USE SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOUR MOM, UM, COVERED FOR GRAND PRAIRIE AND THAT WE CAN EDUCATE THE NEWCOMERS THAT'S COMING TO GRAND PRAIRIE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF GRAND PRAIRIE WHEN IT COMES TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND, UH, I'M SO GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE WHEN SHE WAS DOING ALL THOSE VIDEOS THAT HAD HAPPENED IN GRAND PRIX, COVERING THE HISTORY, HOW IMPORTANT THOSE WOULD BE TO US TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT OUR PRODUCER DON JOHNSON, HAS BEEN VERY BUSY GETTING THOSE DIGITIZED AND GETTING THEM ON, UH, VIDEO YES, MA'AM.
AND GETTING IT, UH, WHERE WE CAN WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND LOOK AT MANY OF THE VIDEOS THAT SHE DID THAT'S OUT THERE ON YOUTUBE.
A LOT OF WONDERFUL INFORMATION, AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECORDED.
LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THIS, THIS INTERVIEW RIGHT NOW IN THE GRAND PRAIRIE, THE CHARLES ENGLAND ENGLAND PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.
UM, THE FIRST BLACK POLICE OFFICER FOR GRAND PRAIRIE WAS HENRY BABE REDMOND.
AND THAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE COVERED.
LIKE YOU WON'T FIND IT IN THE ILLUSTRATION BOOK.
AND THAT IS THE REASON THAT WE NEED TO DO PUBLICATION THAT SPEAK ABOUT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE SOME OF IT RECORDED.
AND WE HAVE HISTORY PERSONALLY.
MY MOTHER INTERVIEWED YOUR GRANDMOTHER, ELLA JOHN ELLA REED.
AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE BEEN ON MANY OF HER SHOWS.
BUT, UH, I JUST THINK THAT IS SO REMARKABLE THAT WE HAVE GENERATIONAL HISTORY THERE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, GRAND PRAIRIE GOT INCORPORATED, I THINK AROUND BY 1909, UM, IN THE CITY WHERE IT CAME UP WITH THE NAME OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CENSUS RECORD, MY FAMILY WAS ALREADY IN THE AREA IN THE 18 HUNDREDS ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS RECORDS.
AND THEY OWN THEIR OWN FORMS, UM, HERE, UM, IN THE AREA, WHICH WAS NOT KNOWN AS GRAND PRAIRIE, BUT THIS IS WHERE THEY LIVE.
SO A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHERE DID ANGELA COME FROM? AND I HAVE TO TELL THEM, BABY, I WAS RAISED AND BORN IN GRAND PRAIRIE, GO TO THE CENSUS.
MY FAMILY WAS ALREADY HERE BACK IN THE 18 HUNDREDS.
AND YOUR MOTHER, UM, THE MAYOR, PRO TEM RUTHIE JACKSON, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER YES.
UM, HER FATHER FREDERICK, UM, DOUGLAS REED, HE RAISED HIS CHILDREN HERE, UM, HAVE JUST HAD A LOT OF HISTORY.
AND NOT ONLY ON THE REED SIDE, UM, WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BEAR CREEK AREA, WHEN YOU HEAR NAMES LIKE JIM JONES, UM, THE LAST NAME GREEN, UM, ROGERS, UM, ALFRED ROGERS, A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS NAMES ARE NOT, UM, CURRENT WHAT OUR CURRENT HISTORY, AND YOU WON'T FIND THEM IN THIS ILLUSTRATION BOOK MM-HMM
BUT THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT OWN A LOT OF LAND.
AND THEY ALSO, UM, DONATED LAND TO HAVE A PARK THAT WAS A PARK NOW THAT GRAND PARK HAVE OVER IN THE BEAR CREEK AREA.
AND SO THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN KNOW ABOUT THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE, AND ALSO THEY ARE FAMILY MEMBERS.
SO JUST A LOT OF WONDERFUL, UM, HISTORY OF WHAT MY FAMILY CONTRIBUTE TO GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND SOMETIME I FORGET ABOUT MY MOTHER.
MY MOTHER DIDN'T GROW UP HERE, MY MOTHER BACKGROUND FAMILY AND THEM COMES FROM THE MOORE SIDE.
AND WHEN I DID MY DEA ANCESTRY, I HAD A MATCH.
I HAD A MATCH WITH A POLICE OFFICER THAT HAD RETIRED AS A POLICE OFFICER.
AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE TIME, WHILE HE WAS A POLICE OFFICER, I DID NOT KNOW THAT HE WAS A RELATIVE.
HE RETIRED WHEN WE DID THE DNA MM-HMM
HE MATCHED MY MOM AND HE MATCHED MY DNA, UM, OUR MATCH THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT HISTORY AND NOT BE AFRAID OF TALKING ABOUT HISTORY.
SOMETIME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
UM, UM, WHEN I TAKE A LOOK, UM, GRAND PRAIRIE HAD IT SHARE HAVING INDIVIDUALS THAT WAS ELECTROCUTED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UM, IT'S IN THE ARCHIVES, BUT SOMETIME WE DON'T GO THAT FAR BACK AND WE DON'T DO THAT KIND OF RESEARCH.
[00:10:01]
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY CONSISTENTLY FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS TO BE AT THE LIBRARY RESEARCHING INFORMATION, AND THE INFORMATION IS RICH, IT'S HERITAGE, AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.AND I'M JUST WELCOME THE WHOLE ENTIRE GRAND PRAIRIE TO COME OUT, UM, TO THESE EVENTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED THIS MONTH IN FEBRUARY.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR BLACK HISTORY YES.
I KNOW THE DAVE FAMILY, UH, ALEXANDRIA AND HER SISTER.
UH, THAT HE WAS A BIG LANDOWNER IN GRAND PRAIRIE AS WELL.
MR. DAVE, UM, LEGACY CONTINUES TO LIVE ON THROUGH HIS GRANDDAUGHTERS.
WITH VALERIA AND, UM, AND ALEXANDRIA.
UM, WHEN HER MOTHER, HER MOTHER USED TO TAKE ME AND MY SISTERS ALONG WITH THEM WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE GIRLS, UM, TO THE ROLLER RINK, SKATING RINK, UM, HER DAD SPEEDY.
SO I SPENT MANY DAYS UP THERE ON THAT FARM.
THEY USED TO HAVE WHAT THEY CALL A BLACK RODEO.
THE, THE RODEO NOW IS A POND FULL OF WATER.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT AC COMPANY HAVE HERE.
BUT I REMEMBER GOING TO THE BLACK RODEOS HERE IN GRAND PRAIRIE, RIGHT THERE IN THAT FIELD WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE BLACK COWBOYS, UM, THAT WOULD COME TO GRAND PRAIRIE AND RIDE THEIR HORSES.
SO, I MEAN, JUST GOING BACK AND TAKING THE, JUST TAKING A LOOK AT THE MEMORIES LIKE THAT.
AND LIKE MY MOM GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY.
MY MOM, UM, SHIRLEY GREW UP IN THE COUNTRY, SO I KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, AND I KNOW HOW TO MILK A COW.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
MILKING A COW, OR DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A OUTHOUSE SEALS, BUT MM-HMM
ANGELA HAD THAT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I GREW UP AND VISIT MY RELATIVES THAT STILL LIVED WHAT WE CALL BACK UP IN THE WOODS.
SO I DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
I DON'T TAKE LIFE FOR GRANTED.
AND I'M VERY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATIVE AND, UM, MY, MY GRATITUDE FOR HISTORY, UM, IT'S, IT, IT, IT SAYS A LOT BECAUSE I WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY, UM, NOT ONLY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, BUT ABOUT THE HISTORY, UM, HERE IN OUR COUNTRY AS WELL.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT.
WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT FOR THE REST OF THE SHOW, BUT WE'VE GOT TO WRAP UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
BUT I'M SO EXCITED TO SAY THAT ANGELA, DR.
ANGELA WAS IN WASHINGTON DC RECENT, RECENTLY FOR WHAT, YOU KNOW, I GOT AN INVITATION TO ATTEND THE 60TH INAUGURAL CEREMONIES, UM, TO WATCH MM-HMM
UM, OUR PRESIDENT NOW, DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP, UM, THAT WAS BEING SWORN IN FOR THE SECOND TIME.
AND TODAY ON THE SHOW, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT YOU, UM, WITH AN INVITATION, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WAS DOING GREAT THINGS IN GRAND PRAIRIE, AND YOU JUST COULD NOT MAKE IT VERY, VERY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A, A TREAT FROM YES.
FROM WASHINGTON DC OR WASHINGTON, DC YES.
I'M GONNA BE PASSING THESE OVER.
YOU'RE ALSO GONNA GET ONE OF OUR VICE PRESIDENT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE FISHER PROGRAM.
HOW NICE IS THAT? YOU GET TO GO BACK AND READ ALL THE INFORMATION IN THERE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR INVITATION RIGHT HERE THAT YOU CAN MAKE A PART OF YOUR THANK YOU DEAR.
AND I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THE ENVELOPE RIGHT HERE.
AND THEN I'M GONNA PRESENT YOU WITH ONE TICKET AS IF YOU WERE THERE AT THE INAUGURATION.
THAT WAY YOU HAVE YOU A TICKET AS WELL.
SO NOW YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE PACKET.
THIS IS REALLY A SPECIAL HONOR, AND, AND I WILL SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR WINNING THE, UH, GETTING THE PRESIDENTIAL HONOR THAT YOU GOT AS WELL FROM, UH, PRESIDENT BIDEN.
AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT, AND WE NEED TO WRAP UP, BUT IT'S, THANK YOU.
UM, ON FEBRUARY THE SIXTH, UM, AT THE EVENT AT THE DALWORTH RECREATION CENTER, THE CHILDREN WILL MAKE A COMMITMENT.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE, THE GRAND PARADE NAACP IS ROLLING OUT.
AND IT'S MARTIN LUTHER KING'S JUNIOR SIX PRINCIPALS OF NON NON-VIOLENCE.
AND PRINCIPAL ONE TALKS ABOUT NON-VIOLENCE IS A WAY OF LIFE FOR COURAGEOUS PEOPLE.
PRINCIPLE TWO IS NON-VIOLENCE.
SIX, TO WIN FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING.
PRINCIPLE THREE IS NON-VIOLENCE.
SIX TO DEFEAT INJUSTICE, NOT PEOPLE.
PRINCIPLE FOUR IS NON-VIOLENCE.
HOLD THAT SUFFERING CAN EDUCATE AND TRANSFORM.
PRINCIPLE FIVE IS NON-VIOLENCE, CHOOSES LOVE INSTEAD OF HATE.
AND THEN PRINCIPLE SIX, NON-VIOLENCE BELIEVES THAT THE UNIVERSE IS ON THE SIDE OF JUSTICE.
AND WE CAN ALL SAY AMEN TO THE TO NONVIOLENCE.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING WITH US.
GOD BLESS YOU AND, AND YOUR FAMILY AS WELL.
[00:15:01]
AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.GRAND PRAIRIE, IT'S TIME TO BAG THE BAG AND GRAB THE BIN.
THE CITY IS NO LONGER COLLECTING RECYCLED ITEMS IN PLASTIC BAGS BECAUSE PLASTIC BAGS DAMAGE PROCESSING EQUIPMENT.
INSTEAD, USE YOUR RECYCLING BIN TO HOLD ITEMS FOR PICKUP.
AND REMEMBER, ONLY GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS, METAL CANS AND PAPER PRODUCTS ARE OKAY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT GPTX.ORG/RECYCLE.
WELCOME BACK AND WELCOME TO OUR NEXT TWO GUESTS, TWO OF MY VERY FAVORITES, AND, UH, ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOPICS AS WELL.
WELCOME TO ALINA HARRIS AND SARAH DELIC.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF THE YEAR, ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOWS BECAUSE WE GET TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE BIG EVENTS.
WE'RE HAPPY TO JUST COME BACK TO THE BIG EVENT AGAIN.
AND, UM, THIS IS A CITYWIDE, UH, EVENT OF A COMMUNITY SERVICE WHERE, UM, WE GATHER VOLUNTEERS MM-HMM
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.
WE MATCH VOLUNTEERS WITH, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE QUALIFIED FOR OUR EVENT, AND WE ARE DOING A SPRING CLEANUP FOR, UM, OUR RESIDENTS THAT NEED HELP.
I I LOVE THAT WHAT YOU SAID, NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS, BECAUSE THAT IS, THAT IS, UH, A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH, BOTH NEIGHBORS, THE ONES WHO ARE HELPING AND THE ONES WHO RECEIVE THE HELP, THE VOLUNTEER.
SO THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE MARCH 22ND.
IT'S FROM, UM, 8:00 AM TILL 1:00 PM AND WE HAVE A WONDERFUL AREA WHERE WE JUST GONNA GET TOGETHER FOR A KICKOFF THAT'S GONNA BE AT THE EPIC CENTRAL.
AND, UH, IT'S, IT, WE STARTED LAST YEAR AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.
AND, UH, HOW MANY YEARS HAVE WE BEEN DOING THIS NOW? THIS IS ACTUALLY THE EIGHTH YEAR.
IT BECAME A TRADITION FOR OUR CITY.
AND THANKS TO YOU, YOU BROUGHT THE IDEA FROM, UH, YOUR GRANDSON.
AND NOW IT BECAME OURS AS WELL.
AS BEING GRAND PRAIRIE, BEING THE FIRST CITY THAT BROUGHT BIG EVENT.
AND, UH, IT'S A SIMILAR EVENT AS THE TEXAS A AND M HOSTESS.
AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE IT.
WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE HAVE IT.
AND OVER THE YEARS, IF WE JUST THINK ABOUT, DON'T WE DO ABOUT A HUNDRED JOBS, UH, EACH YEAR? YES, MA'AM.
UM, LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, OVER 1600 VOLUNTEERS AND WE COLLECTED 47 TONS OF, UH, TRASH.
ISN'T THAT AMAZING? THAT IS WONDERFUL.
WE NEED TO KEEP GRAND PRAIRIE BEAUTIFUL.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO IT.
AND, UM, HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? WELL, UM, OUR PORTALS RIGHT NOW ARE OPEN MM-HMM
AND YOU CAN REGISTER AS A VOLUNTEER OR REQUEST A JOB, OR OF COURSE WE ARE GONNA NEED SOME SPONSORSHIP JUST BECAUSE THE EVENT, IT'S BASED ON SPONSORSHIP ONLY.
SO WE NEED, UH, WE NEED SPONSORS AS WELL.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SIGN IN, YOU CAN SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, UM, AT GTX, BIG EVENT.
AND TELL ME SOME OF, UH, EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE JOBS THAT YOU DO AT THE BIG EVENT.
OH, WE HAVE, UM, QUITE A FEW NEIGHBORS THAT NEED EITHER A FLOWER BED REPLACED OR A FENCE PAINTED, OR SOME BUSHES OR SOME TREES CUT, UH, SOME BACKYARD CLEANING.
IT'S ONLY GONNA BE OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY, SO WE DON'T GET IN, UH, ANY RESIDENTS PROPERTY.
UH, BUT WE ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING TO DO.
WE ALL SAY ALSO, UH, TAKE CARE OF PARKS.
OUR PARKS NEED HELP ALL THE TIME.
UH, AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM THIS ARE SOME OF THE ELDERLY OR SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING HEALTH ISSUES THAT JUST CAN'T TAKE CARE OF, UH, SOME OF THE HEAVY YARD WORK THAT THEY NEED DONE.
SO IT IS A REAL BLESSING TO THOSE PEOPLE TO, UH, HAVE THAT DONE.
AND MS. SARAH, I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THE BIG EVENT, BEEN WITH US FROM THE BEGINNING AS WELL.
AND, UH, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND HOW IT'S EVOLVED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR EIGHTH YEAR, AND SO IT'S JUST SO EXCITING TO SEE KIND OF THE IT GROW, UM, AND US BE ABLE TO BE ABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS WE WERE KIND OF MAKING IT
[00:20:01]
UP AS WE WERE GOING.WE, THIS WAS A HUGE, UM, ENDEAVOR FOR OUR CITY TO, IT TAKES LOTS OF CITY DEPARTMENTS ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO, YOU KNOW, COLLECT 47 TONS OF TRASH.
AND, UM, SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO, TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS DOING A HUNDRED JOBS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR IT WORKS OUT.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT THE DEADLINE TO, TO SIGN UP EITHER AS TO SUBMIT A JOB OR A VOLUNTEER GROUP OR TO SPONSOR TO MAKE SURE YOUR NAME AND LOGO AND STUFF GETS ON T-SHIRTS AND ALL OF THE PUBLICATIONS AND, UH, RECOGNITIONS THAT WE DO FOR THAT IS MARCH 1ST.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS TO BE A, A HARD DEADLINE JUST BECAUSE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT PORTAL CLOSES, THERE'S LOTS OF MOVING PARTS ON THE BACK END TO, TO MATCH THOSE THOUSAND PLUS PEOPLE WITH ALL THE JOBS THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THE, THE LOGISTICS, THE MAPS, THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HUGE SUPPORT WITH REPUBLIC SERVICES AND, AND OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS, PARKS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TRAILER LOADS THAT GO AROUND ALL THESE HOUSES AND HELP COLLECT ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAPPENS AFTER THE, THE PORTAL CLOSES ON MARCH 1ST.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WATCHING YOUR SHOW IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN THIS, UM, TO PLEASE SIGN UP AND DO IT EARLY SO THAT WAY, UM, WE KNOW HOW MANY VOLUNTEERS WE'RE GONNA HAVE.
SO WE KNOW HOW MANY JOBS THAT WE CAN DO.
UM, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT HISTORICAL REFERENCE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT YEARS NOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR CITY, UM, THE FIRST COUPLE YEARS WE HAD MORE VOLUNTEERS THAN QUITE HONESTLY, WE, WE HAD JOBS FOR.
SO WE HAD TO SCRAMBLE QUICKLY AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THEM ON SOME TRAILS AND SOME CREEKS AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAD A SUBSTANTIAL JOB TO DO AND, AND REALLY FEEL GOOD AT THE END OF THE DAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AT EBB AND FLOWS, UH, FEBRUARY'S ALWAYS A REALLY IMPORTANT MONTH FOR US TO REALLY HEAVILY, HEAVILY RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS.
SO THERE AGAIN, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOUR VIEWERS IF THEY'RE INTERESTED TO PLEASE SIGN UP.
BECAUSE THAT MARCH 1ST DEADLINE IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY GET, GET SIGNED UP.
AND I KNOW ALINA MENTIONED THE PORTAL.
BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO MAY JUST NEED TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL.
SO YOU CAN GO EITHER TO THE WEBSITE, GPTX.ORG/BIG EVENT, SIGN UP THAT WAY, OR YOU MAY REACH OUT TO, UM, ALINA DIRECTLY.
AND HER TELEPHONE NUMBER IS (972) 237-2014.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO PACKET PICKUP AHEAD OF THE 22ND THAT SATURDAY FOR ALL OF OUR GROUP LEADERS TO COME COLLECT ALL OF THEIR SUPPLIES, T-SHIRTS, TRASH BAGS, GLOVES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SUPPLY EVERYTHING WE CAN, WHICH IS WHY SPONSORS ARE SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS FUNDED PURELY ON SPONSORSHIPS.
SO WE REALLY DO REQUIRE, UM, YOU KNOW, SPONSORS TO HELP.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME VERY GOOD FAITHFUL SPONSORS IN THE PAST.
I KNOW WE CAN'T NAME ALL OF THEM, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME PRETTY BIG SPONSORS, HAVEN'T WE? WE HAVE.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE, LIKE YOU SAID, WE CAN'T NAME ALL OF THEM.
THERE'S ALWAYS, UM, SPONSORSHIPS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS 'CAUSE WE NEED HELP BUYING THE SUPPLIES.
BUT THEN ALSO THERE'S IN KIND SPONSORSHIPS AND PROVIDING FRUIT FOR ALL OF OUR, UH, VOLUNTEERS THE MORNING OF, AT THE KICKOFF AT EPIC CENTRAL OR CASES OF WATER BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY STAYS HYDRATED.
UM, YOU KNOW, LONE STAR PARK HAS ALWAYS BEEN REALLY GREAT AT BREAKFAST GRANOLA BARS, PROVIDING THOSE FOR OUR GROUPS.
AND, UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO GET INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATE IN THE NEGATIVE.
AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE BREAKFAST TACOS THIS YEAR, AREN'T WE? WE ARE.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE HOT COFFEE THAT MORNING, SO YES.
UM, AS A KICKOFF, IT'S ALWAYS A REAL FUN KIND OF PEP RALLY TYPE, UH, ATMOSPHERE.
AND THEN WE SEND EVERYBODY OFF, UH, RIGHT AT NINE O'CLOCK TO GO COMPLETE THEIR JOB THAT MORNING.
I'M SO THRILLED ABOUT THIS YEAR ESPECIALLY BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, MY GRANDSON, BLAKE GARCIA IS THE ONE WHO BROUGHT ME THE IDEA BACK AND WAS ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO THE CITY.
AND HERE WE ARE EIGHT YEARS LATER AND HAVE HELPED SO MANY PEOPLE AND HAVE COLLECTED SO MANY TONS OF TRASH.
I TOLD HIM THAT HE AND HIS WIFE NEED TO COME BACK TO THE KICKOFF BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPECTING OUR FIRST GREAT GRANDCHILD.
OUR FIRST GRANDSON IS HAVING OUR FIRST GREAT GRANDSON.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT FOR MANY REASONS.
BUT YOU LADIES HAVE DONE JUST A FABULOUS JOB WITH THIS AND YOUR TEAM.
WE COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT YOUR TEAM.
I KNOW AMY SPRINKLES HAS BEEN IN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING AS WELL, AND SO MANY, SO THANK YOU.
AND OUR VIEWERS NEED TO REALLY, UH, GET SIGNED UP.
[00:25:01]
IF THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS WONDERFUL EIGHTH BIG EVENT.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON REMINDING YOU AS ALWAYS, IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.