Lake and Mendocino County NAACP chapter raises funds for projects in 2022
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — A group of Lake and Mendocino county leaders gathered with the local chapter of the NAACP this week to mark the end of a fundraiser that will help the organization pursue a number of key projects in the coming year.
The little ceremony took place at Clearlake City Hall on Monday afternoon.
NAACP President Rick Mayo was joined by a number of dignitaries who have shown up for the group over the years to show their support.
Mayo said the chapter represents Lake and Mendocino counties and the St. Helena portion of Napa County.
The Lake County NAACP branch was formed in 1982. Mayo has been president of the group for 34 of its nearly 40 years.
The group that gathered on Monday included leadership from the California-Hawaii NAACP State Conference.
Making the trip to Clearlake were North Area Director Capt. David Smith and Vallejo NAACP Branch President Jimmie Jackson. They joined Mayo and his branch leadership Kenneth Bagsby, Bessie Bell, Paul Kolb and Greta Zeit.
Smith said he sees a sense of community that makes him proud every time he comes to Lake County, and so he considers it a pleasure to visit. He said people in Lake County don’t mind getting out and getting their hands dirty.
Jackson said it’s good to see camaraderie and people talking with each other, adding that Mayo is a good NAACP president and he wouldn’t have driven to Lake County in the rainy weather for anyone else.
The group also included Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall and Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin, both of whom serve on the chapter’s executive committee; Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White and Clearlake Police Officers Association President Trevor Franklin; District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier and District 3 Supervisor EJ Crandell; and Clearlake city staffers Tina Viramontes and Mark Roberts.
White thanked everyone for coming. “Rick keeps us all in line.”
Kendall said Martin introduced him to Mayo after he became sheriff of Mendocino County.
“When you don’t have enough to go around, everyone has to help everyone out,” Kendall said, explaining the partnerships forged among local and regional organizations.
He said Mayo has been a voice of support, telling him when he’s had questions that he knows the right thing to do and to do it.
“It’s about all of us supporting each other,” Kendall said.
Sabatier said Mayo makes sure community leaders open their eyes to what is not obvious, and he’s looking forward to his continued leadership.
Bell said COVID-19 has stopped some of the branch’s efforts but they are getting back to work. She noted, she kind of likes “this Zoom thing.”
The point of the gathering was to draw tickets for a raffle that will fund the local NAACP branch’s future activities.
Like Bell, Mayo said COVID-19 has presented a challenge to the group.
So it’s planning activities including educating the community about the virus, advocating for the Voting Rights Act, working on housing and on Americans with Disabilities Act issues in the city and county.
Mayo said 1,000 tickets had been sold, but as of Monday they did not have the total amount of funds raised.
Mayo said the fundraiser was a great community effort.
“It was a great turnout. I’m really happy with it,” said Mayo, noting they’re looking forward to doing it again in the near future.
Kendall himself sold an estimated 200 of the tickets, which won a variety of prizes, from shirts and trophies to a smart television. Businesses that donated to support the raffle included Griffin’s Furniture, Lakeview Market, Big O Tires, Kevin Ness Jewelers and Walmart, among others.
Both Kendall and Martin helped with choosing the tickets, along with the dignitaries in attendance.
Mayo said any winners not in attendance would be contacted with the information on their tickets.
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