NATCHEZ &045; Participants in the Vision Natchez project will meet at 5:30 p.m. today at the Natchez Convention Center for the last get-together before Saturday’s clean-up and beautification.

Rena Jean Schmieg, Vision Natchez founder, said the last meeting will focus on details to be sure team captains and individuals are prepared for the Saturday activities.

&uot;Arella Bacon has about 500 people signed up to help in the county,&uot; Schmieg said. Bacon is a longtime volunteer for Keep Natchez Adams County Beautiful.

In the city, many hundreds of others have signed on, pledging to pick up litter and even plant flowers, where appropriate, in designated areas of the community.

&uot;The response has been huge,&uot; Schmieg said. &uot;This is the first time I can remember anything like this when people from all areas of the community have come together for a common cause.&uot;

The idea behind Vision Natchez is exactly that, she said. The clean-up and beautification project is the first step &045; a project chosen by the group that could be accomplished in one month.

Under the tutelage of community development expert Dr. Vaughan Grisham of the University of Mississippi, a core group of Natchez volunteers and education and government representatives met several times to come up with ideas about promoting a better quality of life in Natchez, the first step toward making the city as attractive as possible for new businesses, industries, residents and visitors.

Team captains will receive supplies such as trash bags at the bluff between 7 and 9 a.m. Saturday. Groups will work to improve areas they have chosen from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At the end of the clean-up project, participants will bring filled trash bags to the bluff to be picked up by Waste Management.

Then everyone will gather for a picnic lunch and entertainment on the bluff, Schmieg said. &uot;Each person is asked to bring a picnic lunch and join in the celebration,&uot; she said. &uot;We’ve lined up some wonderful music, and we’ll have T-shirts for sale.&uot;