NATCHEZ &045; Beautification topped the list of needed Natchez projects at a meeting of the new Vision Natchez group Monday night.

The group is looking for a project it can complete in one month’s time, a recommendation from community development expert Vaughn Grisham of the University of Mississippi.

&uot;(The project) must benefit the entire community,&uot; said Rena Jean Schmeig, one of the organizers of the Vision Natchez group.

&uot;We need to do something which brings together a large segment of the community.&uot;

About 70 people attending Monday’s meeting met in groups to discuss possible projects. Most of the groups came up with at least one beautification project.

The project chosen is a community-wide cleanup, likely to involve a competition with volunteer groups from churches, schools and other organizations.

Sally Durkin said it is important to get people to clean up neighborhoods.

&uot;If we don’t get people in Natchez to care about their own backyards, nothing is going to pan out for Natchez as far as I’m concerned,&uot; she said.

Encouraging young people to be involved in the community cleanup will help educate them about litter, Durkin said.

&uot;We can use (the cleanup competition) as an awareness program,&uot; she said.

The Vision Natchez group grew from a conference several Natchez residents attended last year in Tupelo, where Grisham was a speaker.

The group is now under the auspices of the chamber of commerce’s Community Alliance.

Vision Natchez will next meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Natchez Convention Center.