Features Editor

Each year, communities all across the nation are encouraged to participate in "National Make a Difference Day."

For two years, the Colley Senior Complex has responded to the challenge. This year, the seniors will join Wal-Mart and Troy State University to "Make a Difference" in their community by providing 150 meals to shut ins on Saturday, Nov. 4.

"Each community has the option of selecting their ‘Make a Difference Day,’" said Cleo Thompson, director of the senior nutrition center. "We chose Nov. 4, and we are asking each member of our community to join us on this day by doing something to ‘make a difference’ in someone’s life."

Thompson said Faye Kidd, community coordinator for Wal-Mart, and Barbara Patterson, director of student involvement at TSU, are working with the Colley Senior Complex and they are supplying much of the manpower needed to make the "Make a Difference Day" possible.

"Faye will bring 21 Wal-Mart volunteers to the center Saturday morning to help prepare the food and deliver it," Thompson said. "Barbara has about 50 student volunteers who will also be there to prepare and deliver the meals. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to take on a project like this."

Thompson said the generosity of several businesses was also essential to the project.

"We want to express our appreciation to

Colonial Bread, Food World, Hudson Industries, Sodex’ho Marriott Food Services, Troy Snacks and Wal-Mart for the food donations for the 150 meals," Thompson said. "The seniors at the Colley Senior Complex will provide homemade sweets for the meals and we can’t thank them enough. They will also be here to help with the food preparation. This has been a true community effort and we want to thank everyone who has contributed to our ‘Make a Difference Day’ project."

The meals will be delivered to the doors of the shut ins between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Thompson said one meal might not make the world of difference in the lives of those who receive them but, hopefully, knowing that others are thinking of them and care about them will make a difference to each of them.

"If each one of us would do something Saturday for someone, just think what a difference it would make in our community," she said. "So, we want to remind everyone that Saturday, Nov. 4, is ‘Make a Difference Day’ in Troy and Pike County. And remember each of us can make a difference – not just on Saturday, but every day of the year."