Community Champion: Jill Taylor
JACKSON, Tenn.–It is time to recognize a community champion, an honor given to people making a positive impact in the community.
It is in partnership with Leaders Credit Union.
“We are in control of our litter problems and our blight problems, and we want to help and spread a genuine sense of community pride,” said Jill Taylor, a Community Champion Honoree.
Taylor is a Jackson resident who one day got motivated to help keep her city looking beautiful.
“I was on my way to work and I passed a mattress in the median, and then it brought to my attention that I was seeing more and more blight on the roads around Jackson. I thought, you know what, I think I can probably help a little bit. I know a few people in our city government and our county government, and I thought, well, somebody needs to reach out and connect some people. So, I thought I would step in and do what I could,” Taylor said.
Taylor has helped people get excited about volunteering and keeping the city clean and trash-free.
“Without people like Jill, we wouldn’t exist. We would be chasing our tails. We need people like Jill to care about their neighborhoods,” said Danielle Wade, the Keep Jackson Beautiful Coordinator.
She says there are many ways for residents to take action.
“There are many different ways to take care of your trash. Obviously, we have all the wonderful options from H&S. But when it comes to littering and illegal dumping, you can report on 311. We have the [email protected] email. In addition to that, we’re always looking for volunteers,” Wade said.
Taylor says it starts with caring about the place you live.
“Community pride is important for every community. Sometimes we lose sight of what’s going on around us, and we’re really focused on the day-to-day of our jobs and our lives. Occasionally, you might have an opening in your schedule that allows you to volunteer,” Jill said.
During her time of helping the city in the fight against blight and littering, she has truly seen the impact that can happen when the community bands together. And the first step to getting started is a simple one.
“Grab a bag and go out and pick up your front yard and pick up your neighbor’s yard if they’re not able to do that. Get a little crew together. There are so many people that have supper clubs, playgroups, or retirement communities with a lot of purpose and energy to share. That’s all it takes. It doesn’t cost anything to go out and help clean up our neighborhoods that may need some extra effort,” Taylor said.
“We want to look and feel good to the people who come through Jackson,” Taylor said.
If you know someone doing good in their community, you can nominate them for the Community Champion Award.
