.1
I . ··.A oup of activist from
B rrien, ss and Van Bur couri-
have joined tog her to form- a
n tri-county communi y organi-
�. zation,
I United Tri-county Communi-
ty Organization (UTCO) will be .
ad quartered at 89 W. ain Street.
Benton I Harbor. according to
Charles Kelly. a Benton Harbo
busin ssm n and founder 0 the
group.
According 'to I Kelly, UTCO
will serve he interests of the disad
v nta d - black or white - in
the South estern ichigan area.
mbers of the organizing
committee include Octavia Ha kins
of Co ert, Armantha Jackson of
Do agic, 0 nny Sims of La rence,
• d Ch rles Kelly.
r f II ·d
. ,
The group will fill a void said
K lIy' "There is no organized
voic r presenting the minorities
nd th di�antaged of the entire
Sputh t n Michigan area .
"The poor, the unemp'loyed, t
the- c;tisadvantaged ar without a
okesma • an organized group,
a plan of action," Kelly dded.
e hope to bring people
th basis of limina-
,I , \.
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•
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Serving the Citizens of Southwestern Michig,an
(
ting racism," Mrs: Hawkins noted.
"There are too many single purpose
operations within . the tri-county
community:' she -continue , "We
need coordination for total commu-
, nity growth."
Se s unity �s pow r I .
• I
Mrs. Jackson a 20 year pol iti
cal veteran in the Oowagic area,
sees UTCO as a source of power
for the people. "When we unite
the people, then they have po er
. over their lives."
. Accordinq to the groq,p, •
UTCO witt have several divisions,
each he ded by community people,
each addressing a special need.
The divisions will focus on:
Housi g, Schools, Economic Oevel- I
opment, Health, C su sand
r
Politics.
I
A Businessmen's Association
will also be incorporated into the
organization.
Kelly stated that block clubs.
CIVIC gro p churches, and social
organizations would be invited -to
join forces with UTCO as weU as
indivi als. "Together. can shar
our experience d expertise to
obtain funding. d elop dimple
ment plans for community 9 owth
and development." .
:, I SIDE
a,y down upon-the S anee
iver . . . or planta ion
po i i cs as us u a I p '. 2
rg men s forand aqains
. .
e ball oposals. p·
o go e
town
,I
A Chicago businessman, Dan
Sims donated $3,()()() to urco
to it started. .
"Though my business is in
Chicago, I have in ested in a home
in the area and am confound
by the problems' I see facin the
minorities here." Sims explained.
He is in tbe import business. '
Octavia H kins has served
I as a member of the T ri-county
Health Planning Board and Iso its
Executiv Board. She was Personn
Chairman of the Tri-county Com
munity Action Program an
serving on t e Michiga
of Human Services, both
��utiye Board and Co
She as a mem
.Welfare Task Force appointed by
. ,
kson is th
I
Human
ices
til
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This
paper.
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about q