Photo: Courtest of Rebekah Fields.
Sept. 26, 1956. Nine-year-old Mack Turner is sneaking through a fence at a local fair in Tupelo with some friends because they cannot afford the fee to enter.
Successfully maneuvering throughout the barbed-wire fence, Turner and his friends run through the fair to see what fun lies beyond. After observing several exciting rides, Turner sees someone who catches his eye: Elvis Presley. Turner strikes up a conversation with Presley, leading them to realize that they both have frequented the same area in Tupelo, a place called Shake Rag. After a few minutes of talking, Presley hands Turner a $20 bill and walks away. Turner, elated, grabs his friends and runs to his mom’s house.
“It took both me and my friends to convince my mom that Elvis Presley really did give me that $20,” Turner said.
He never forgot the generosity Presley showed him.
“Presley knew what it was like to be poor,” Turner said.
This concept is not foreign to Turner either. For the past four years, Turner has been a major advocate for his friends in both Tupelo and Oxford and helps many in Oxford and Tupelo find shelter, clothes and food.
“I will not rest until every one of my friends gets heat and air,” Turner said.
The number of homeless people in Tupelo has dropped from 200 people to 35 people in the past three to four years, according to Turner. He has had a total of 20 interviews with radio and television stations and multiple articles written about his cause, But Turner continues to attribute his success to the help of others, such as local restaurants and businesses in both Tupelo and Oxford.
“All three Subways in Oxford donate food to the homeless,” he said. “Papa John’s, Little Caesars and Domino’s donate pizza as well. Quick Print will allow me to print advertisements for free.”
Several local establishments in Tupelo help the cause as well, such as All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Respect For Life Barber Shop, Kroger and the Tupelo public library.
Turner, however, did not wake up one day and decide to become an advocate for the homeless. He was inspired by his granddaughter, a 6-year-old at the time.
“My granddaughter was hungry, so I gave her $5 to go into Burger King to get some food.”
When they walked outside, his granddaughter saw a woman eating a sandwich out of the trash can. His granddaughter questioned what the woman was doing.
“She just wants some food to eat,” Turner said to her.
As he began to walk away, he saw his granddaughter hand the homeless woman her $5 bill.
“Seeing that homeless woman eat made me and my granddaughter full,” Turner said.
It was at that moment that Turner began his campaign for the homeless.
“Never was my plan to help the homeless, but I just couldn’t turn them down,” he said.
Turner said there is still much more work to be done in decreasing the number of those without a home in Oxford and Tupelo.
“Tupelo is the home of Elvis Presley and the homeless,” Turner said. “We must not forget that.”
Turner hosts fundraising events at Stone Park in Oxford for those interested in helping campaign for the homeless.
— Rebekah Fields
refields@go.olemiss.edu
