Thanks to the Vicksburg-Warren Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s Job Fair Network, the WIN Jobs Center, Hinds Community College, the local chapter of AARP and the Vicksburg Post for helping with the annual job fair.

On Aug. 7, the Vicksburg Area Job Fair provided more than 1,300 people an opportunity to meet and interview with 57 employers. There were 1,479 resumes accepted, 924 interviews conducted and 612 job offers made. As a result it is estimated that another 549 people will become employed with one of these employers within the next year. Altogether, there were 8,479 contacts made that day. This is nothing short of tremendous. To be able to connect in this way can’t be done in any other manner, not even the Internet. We are thankful for our partners and the volunteers that gave hundreds of hours of service to be sure this event would be a success.

Our AARP volunteers were Gloria Naylor, Mary Hill-Brown, Alma I. Smith, John W. Smith, Delores Miller Hemphill, Irma Christian, Joseph Burns, Barbara Burns, Mary Harris, Ospy L. Dorsey, Mabel Peterson, Sharon Antwine and Mary Barnes. Our community volunteers were Nathaniel Williams, Timothy Crudup, Mike Smith, Barney Partridge, Francene Cheeks, Jessica Frierson, Lois Vinson, Christy Kilroy, Lisa Sanders, Sandy Cowart, Joann McPhaul, Rosia Wilson and Michelle Thomas.

This would not have been possible without the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce and its board of directors. Special thanks to Adam Todd, director of the Governor’s Job Fair Network, and his staff for allowing us to partner with them to put on a first-class job fair for our area.

We would like to thank the area hotels and casinos for hosting our planning meetings, and Hinds Community College for conducting the job preparation workshop. Most importantly, thank you to all attendees for showing the employers that our area has individuals prepared and ready to go to work.

Don Brown, chairman

Community Job Fair Committee