On Nov. 15, the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council will be in the running to win a car from the Toyota 100 Cars for Good competition. Arts Council Director Wayne Andrews is excited that the Arts Council is one of 250 charities nationwide chosen to participate in a competition he believed would bring all sorts of good to the county.
The Arts Council hopes to win the car in order to support the Art-to-Go Mobile Art program, which takes art programs to rural communities throughout Lafayette County. The program visits areas that may not necessarily have access to arts programs, bringing instructors and supplies, and teaches class in places like fire stations, parks, senior homes and veteran homes. Currently, the artists themselves must use personal vehicles to travel from place to place, but by winning a van, the Arts Council hopes to make traveling a little easier for artists already volunteering their time and talent to the community.
“Not having a car hasn’t stopped us,” Andrews said. “But it sure would make things easier.”
100 Cars for Good, which is already underway, polls five of the 250 selected charities against each other daily, awarding cars to the two charities who receive the most votes. Voting takes place on the Toyota 100 Cars for Good Facebook page. Everyone is encouraged to take a look at the page, vote daily for charities and set a reminder to vote on Nov. 15 for the arts council program, identified as “YAC” on the page.
Andrews believes with the support of the community, the arts council has a perfect shot at winning.
“We are up against much larger cities, like Cincinnati, Ohio, but we have Mississippi pride,” he said. “We hold our own.”
Andrews recalled how recently the Ole Miss football team has taken on much larger places than Oxford and how the community has united with a confident win-or-lose attitude.
The Gulf Coast Women’s Center for Nonviolence in Biloxi and the Autism Center of North Mississippi in Tupelo are also in the running to win cars.
“Everyone can win,” Andrews said. “The voting for charities takes place on different days, so everyone can win. We want everyone to become aware people in Mississippi are doing these great things, these interesting things, and helping each other out.”
The Arts Council hopes to win the car, but Andrews said no matter what the outcome, it will be good for the community.
“I am an optimistic person,” Andrews said. “I recognize the value of what we get no matter what.”
Andrews recognizes that simply participating in the competition will raise awareness for the Arts Council. Supporting the arts benefits both the children and adults of the community, in a variety of ways. Best known for the Powerhouse, the Arts Council raises money to support the arts in the community, awards grants to artists and funds free classes in dance, painting, drawing and photography for the entire county.
