By starting or renewing their subscriptions, DAILY LEADERreaders can help the Salvation Army and Gulf Coast residents whowere victims of Hurricane Katrina enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner.

The Salvation Army in the Gulfport area will host a coast-wideThanksgiving dinner in several areas from Pascagoula to PassChristian.

During the Thanksgiving season, The DAILY LEADER usually givesaway turkeys as a customer appreciation gift when someone renews orstarts a new subscription, said General Manager John Lowman. Thisyear, instead of turkeys, The DAILY LEADER will donate $7 for eachnew six-month or one-year subscription renewal to help with thecosts of the Salvation Army dinner.

“We saw this as an opportunity to give a helping hand to ourfellow Mississippians on the Gulf Coast. Katrina gave our area someinconvenience, she destroyed lives and livelihoods on the coast,”said DAILY LEADER Publisher Bill Jacobs.

“I have toured the coast,” he continued. “It is just awful.There are still people living in tents, absolutely dependent on theRed Cross to bring them food each day. This program is a way all ofus here is Southwest Mississippi can help those on the Coast whoare really in need.”

Jacobs said the DAILY LEADER kicked off a similar programseveral years ago with the Mississippi Economic Council and thehelp of newspapers across the state. Those funds were used topurchase phone cards for soldiers in Iraqi. Jacobs said over$40,000 was raised statewide in that effort.

“We are attempting now to again take this program statewide withthe help of the Mississippi Press Association. Hopefully newspaperpublishers across the state will latch on to the idea,” Jacobssaid. “Just think of the number of people we can help the SalvationArmy feed if another $40,000 is raised statewide?”

Jacobs said The DAILY LEADER usually spends approximately $3,000on the local turkey promotion. He hopes to send twice that amountto the Salvation Army for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner.

Lowman said the generosity of the people of this area has beenwonderful and he feels this is just another way for subscribers tohelp.

David Culpepper, advertising and marketing director for thepaper, said this was just one way the Lincoln County communitycould help ease the stress and pressure for those who can’t provideThanksgiving dinner.

“It’s us as a whole, giving back to the community,” Culpeppersaid.