The first of a planned series of community networking sessionswill be held Friday afternoon from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the StateRoom.

The sessions, called the Ole Brook First Friday Meet and Greet,are scheduled to be held on the first Friday of every month at adifferent business in the city.

“It’s for different business owners, city leaders, pastors andfolks that just care about what’s going on in the city and want tohelp make it a really great town to live in on both sides of therailroad track,” said O Foundation President Rose Polly Powell,whose organization is hosting the first meet and greet.

The event’s purpose is to establish a contact network thatconnects different communities together. Powell said the meet andgreet will be a chance for community members to familiarizethemselves with exactly who, in a given community, is responsiblefor certain functions.

“I hear a lot of people say, ‘When are they gonna do this, whenare they gonna do that,'” Powell said. “Who is ‘they’? So manyfolks don’t know who is responsible for what – who might help dosomething in the community. This is a good way for people to meetand find out who everybody is.”

The event goes beyond just introductions. Powell said the realpurpose for bringing community leaders together is to discuss ideasfor improving the communities of Brookhaven.

“A lot of people have different visions of what they want forthe community,” Powell said. “At the meet and greet, you might seesomeone interested in doing what you want to do, so you just go upand introduce yourself.”

While all members of the community are welcome at the event,Powell said she really hopes to see pastors and church leadersattend in large numbers.

“They’re a big networking tool for the community, both black andwhite,” she said. “They see more of the community than the averagebusiness person because they’re right there with the people.”

Powell is also hoping the meet and greet sessions will attractcommunity members with means, as whatever plans for communityimprovement that are concocted will require funding.

After Friday’s initial meet and greet, the organizingresponsibility will be passed to another business or organization.Plans for following sessions will be decided upon Friday.

“Somebody has to set it up and serve as a central location thatfolks can contact,” Powell said. “Right now, it’s in its beginningstages.”

The O Foundation, since it will be hosting the first gathering,will present some its current projects and goals. One of the plansPowell hopes to present at the meet and greet is a summer workprogram for youth.

“The O Foundation is focusing on trying to put together a groupto create some jobs for kids aged 14 to 16 – kids too young to geta public job,” Powell said. “Different people might want to adoptsome kids to do some gardening, or maybe put together an outdoorflea market once a month.”

Admission to the Old Brook First Friday Meet and Greet is free,and refreshments will be served. Those attending can enter theirbusiness cards into a pot, and a drawing will be held forgiveaways. For more information, or to schedule future meet andgreets, contact Powell at (601) 835-2268.