THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 20, 1996 TAG: 9610200052
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HERTFORD LENGTH: 131 lines
Josiah McClenney found the checkbook under the stadium bleachers during a football game and handed it over to schoolmate Shelma Miller.
Both Perquimans County High School students were what educators call ``at-risk youth'' because of conditions that could lead them to make poor decisions.
But this time the checkbook landed in the right hands. Miller was among 100 students at the high school who had signed a ``team agreement'' promising to do his best during September.
In this case, Miller knew that meant turning in the checkbook, not trying to cash in on the find.
``These young men did it, not because they thought their name would be in the newspaper, not because they wanted a pat on the back, but because they wanted to do the right thing,'' said Tammy Miller-White, the student and family services assistant at the high school.
Gestures like this one are catching on in Perquimans County.
Residents hope that soon this rural county of 11,000 will be known as the most courteous and socially sensitive in North Carolina because of a program that gives new meaning to ``public relations.''
Perquimans is the only locality in the state to adopt a relatively new national program called All of Us Inc., which helps develop healthier communities by marketing goodwill.
In a way, it makes kindness cool.
``There's an attitude of indifference in the community, of apathy. We have a status quo of apathy,'' said Tom Guard, a small-business center director who represents the business community on a steering committee.
``This is one way to begin to make some in-roads into that status quo. We need more respect for each other, more respect for people,'' Guard said. ``And I think this is a good starting point. You're not focusing on any one segment of the population, but on all cultures.''
All of Us does that by using basic advertising principles to promote positive character traits through the mass media, much like national campaigns that promote recycling or discourage illegal drug use.
Each month one of ``12 Habits for a Healthy Community'' is promoted through media such as school newsletters, church bulletins, store billboards, restaurant placemats and newspaper, radio and television spots.
This month it's ``Value Others - Have Patience & Listen.'' In November, ``Show A Positive Attitude'' will be heavily promoted, followed by December's ``Celebrate Community, Family & Friends.''
The same themes recur during the same months each year. Eventually, it should become second nature to Perquimans people to Lend a Hand'' in January, ``Know That You Count'' in February and ``Resolve Conflicts'' in March.
April would remind residents to ``Value Your Environment.'' In May, ``Be Appreciative.'' During the summer, folks would work on improving themselves, getting involved and ``asking yourself what you stand for.''
``It's getting back to the basics - what our culture should be and what it once was,'' said Sandra Smith, executive director of the Hertford Chamber of Commerce.
Smith is among more than a dozen community leaders who formed a ``compass group'' seven months ago. The steering committee meets for breakfast the first Thursday of each month at Capt. Bob's restaurant.
Members discuss how to repeat and reinforce monthly messages in the workplace, churches, schools, local government, health and social services, neighborhoods, law enforcement offices and civic clubs.
``Our hope is this will be a unifying factor for churches. It will give us some new common ground to meet upon,'' said the Rev. Jon Strother of the Hertford United Methodist Church.
The program also has been formally endorsed by the Perquimans County boards of commissioners and education, and by the town councils in Winfall and Hertford.
``A smile, friendly word or 'helping hand' when passed along will inspire a friendly chain reaction,'' reads part of a joint proclamation.
Furthermore, the proclamation encourages ``All of Us to help bring the spirit of 'people to people' relationships, kindness and goodwill to new heights in our community.''
The community's quick embrace of the social program is especially gratifying to Elaine Parke , who started All of Us as a volunteer eight years ago.
``I feel Perquimans County really has captured the heart of what the work is about,'' Parke said this week while conducting a workshop at the Newbold-White House Visitor's Center in Hertford.
``It's been easy here. There's that enthusiasm, that easy understanding of the simplicity of the work,'' said Parke, who lives in both Pittsburgh and Rock Hill, S.C.
``I've found in other communities that this simplicity is almost seen as a rejection.''
Folks here have faced similar reactions.
``I think a lot of people will say `That's kind of hokey.' We've experienced that to a degree when we've talked to people about it,'' said Jake Boyce, the assistant superintendent of Perquimans County Public Schools.
But Boyce believes in the program, in part because it's pragmatic and involves all segments of society, and not just schools.
``We reinforce it. We're living it, rather than having it isolated in a character-building class,'' he said.
It was Boyce's boss, Superintendent Randall Henion, who first learned of the program, now being used in places like Williamsburg, Va., and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
``We have the components in place to do something significant, for our schools, for our community and for ourselves,'' Henion said at a recent compass group meeting.
Brenda Lassiter, the community schools director, has played a major role in organizing the program locally, including developing a logo, which will be unveiled soon.
Parke developed All of Us while working as director of marketing for Hidden Valley Community and Conference Center in southwestern Pennsylvania. She left that job in 1991 to work full time on All of Us.
Concerned about the world her two sons would inherit, she became an activist in the early 1980s and, years later, developed a comprehensive marketing plan to promote good in the world.
The strategies were much like those she'd used during her 30 years as an advertising executive.
Results have been positive in communities that have adopted the All of Us approach to social health.
``All of Us intrigues me because it takes tried-and-true business and uses them to address social issues,'' said Russ Gramlich, vice president of Metropolitan Life in Johnstown, Pa.
``If communities throughout this nation, and indeed throughout the world, adopt the love and compassion and fellowship that All of Us promotes, then we would indeed have a planet we would all be blessed to live on,'' said Trist McConnell, mayor of Williamsburg.
Local businesses may benefit from adopting more customer-friendly attitudes.
``I think if we could create a healthier climate, there would be less stress, and people could get along better,'' said Michael Hare of Centura Bank in Hertford.
Added Jewel Winslow, a Perquimans County extension agent: ``I think it promotes happiness and community and community well-being. And happiness is high on my priority list.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot
Elaine Parke, right, listens to comments from Jon Strother of
Hertford at a recent ``All of Us'' seminar. by CNB