Looking for a fun activity for kids and parents? Looking for a way that you, your company, club, church ministry, civic group or organization can show its support of activities for the youth of the community? If you are please attend our next Greater Natchez Soap Box Derby meeting.

It will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Soul Heaven Restaurant, 12 Fourth St. For more information please give me a call at 601-446-8626 or contact me by e-mail: soulheaven8626@bellsouth.net.

We are in the planning stages of bringing this classic American event to Natchez. The Soap Box Derby has long been a tradition in the United States. We hope this will come to be a tradition for the Natchez and surrounding community.

It’s been called “The Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World.” “The Gravity Grand Prix,” and many other expansive euphemisms — but to most of the more than a million youngsters who’ve participated, it’s just the “Soap Box Derby.” The “Soap Box Derby” was christened back in 1933, when a Dayton (Ohio) Daily News Photographer encountered three boys racing homemade, engine-less cars down an inclined brick street. Myron E. (“Scottie”) Scott was known at the News for his creative thinking as much as for his photographic ability, and one of the best ideas of his life hit him at that moment: Why not hold a coasting race and award a prize to the winner?

He told the boys to come back to the same hill with their friends a week later, and they could participate in a racing with a “loving cup” — as it was called in Depression America — as a prize.

We are looking for volunteers, sponsors and those who want to participate as contestants. This meeting is being to get information out to the public on what we hope will become the prime mid-summer event in Natchez. So please come and join with members of your community as we strive to better serve the youth of our community.

The Soap Box Derby is for all the citizens. This will be with the help of the community a family event as no other in our community.

Glenn A. Jolla

Natchez resident