From:
John O. Hodges

The three Ts of any successful nonprofit are TIME, TREASURE, AND TALENT.  Everyone should contribute his or her share of these to ensure that the organization runs smoothly and reaches its goal.  Perhaps nobody has an endless supply of either, especially time.  The passing years bring about an urgency and a realization that maybe I won’t get done all I have laid out for myself.  Of all the various commitments I have, however, none is more important to me than LTF—CUTE.  I promise you that I will give more than my fair share of all three to make certain that this project is successful.  I want to thank you for understanding the importance of the goals of the project even though you may not always agree on the best way to accomplish them.  You have given me good advice on how I should proceed on various aspects of the venture.  You have given me advice on the logo, and you have collaborated with me in setting up a website.  I certainly could not have done this without your assistance.  Holly, Wayne, Teresa, and David, I want you all to know that I appreciate the advice you gave to me in that initial meeting at Calhoun’s in Oak Ridge.  I hope you’re not embarrassed by my acknowledging how important was your good counsel, and how much I value your friendship over the years.  I am forever in your debt.  You have brought me to this place.

Now, I need the assistance that can only come from my classmates and schoolmates who went to school with me at McLaurin, Stone Street, and Broad Street and my younger friends who attended Threadgill. Let me know if you are available to serve on any of the standing committees of Publicity, Research, Development (Financial), or Scholarship.  Even if your schedules will not prevent you from taking a key role on any of these committees, I hope you will help spread the word about this program and encourage your classmates and friends to contribute financially and otherwise to its success.  Of course, we need large donations, but I would stress the number of gifts as opposed to the size.  When we approach corporations for contributions, they tend to be more impressed with the number of gifts rather than the size of a few gifts.  I want everyone to contribute to this project.  As I have said, ours is a shared vision, a shared heritage, and a shared responsibility.  The Reunion Committee thought that it was important to provide scholarship assistance to our young brothers and sisters.  We were aware that the scholarships would provide only a small amount of what they needed to attend college.  But it was our way of assuring them that we believed in them and that we believe in the values on a college education. 

We also need you to provide us with biographical information on our legends. I would love to find information on Ollie B. Simms, who taught me in the first grade in the Buckeye and in the third grade at Avenue F.  Or A. O. Martin who taught our uncles and aunts and parents in the fifth grade.  We should look for articles in the Center Light Newspaper and obituaries for information on our Legendary educators.  We know that we are doing the right thing by honoring the selflessness and dedication of our educators while encouraging our youth. 

To be as accountable and transparent as possible, I plan to give you a report of the activities of the fund quarterly.  This includes the net assets of the endowment, contributors to the fund, educators who have been nominated, and any latest news on the endowment.  All contributors will be listed but not the amount of their gift, which may range from $250.00 upwards to as high as $10,000 or more.  Please indicate if you desire to remain anonymous. 

Make your check payable to the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi and mail it to 315 Losher St., Suite 100; Hernando, MS 38632.  Indicate LTF #438 on the memo line.  For those who wish to donate online, please press control and click https://cfnm.org/donate/. The donation designation is Legends Trust Fund #438.  If you wish you may send your nominations forms to me at johodges44@gmail.com.  Please complete a separate form for each of your nominees. $250 = one nomination; $500-1,000 = two nominations; $5,000 = three nominations.  

(I am aware that that the amount of the donation does not correspond to number of nominations.  I firmly believe in the doctrine of one person one vote.  Yet I recognize there should be someway we should be able to make the correspondence more logical.  Please let me know your thoughts on this issue.)

Here is additional information on the Endowment:

Total net assets LTF as of January 20, 2022: $13, 480.56

(The goal for the end of March 31, 2022, the date of our next newsletter is $20,000.)

We can reach this goal by suggesting to our own classmates that they get their gifts in soon.

The website is currently under construction and should be functional by March of this year.  The website will do feature stories on our legends, show the availability of scholarships, and indicate how to apply for them.  Past newsletters and articles and stories of interest to college students.

The Greenwood Commonwealth will do a feature on the Legends Trust Fund for Black        

History Month on February 1.

John O. Hodges

Broad Street, 1963