Radio host J. Anthony Brown (right) shares an on-air laugh with Augusta Mayor Bob Young and Sen. Charles Walker at BL's Restaurant on Laney-Walker Boulevard. MICHAEL HOLAHAN/STAFF

City holds rally to promote census

Federal agency sponsors promotional events to prompt residents to turn in their completed forms

Web posted March 31, 2000

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 Census centers offer assistance
 Census Bureau site

By Clarissa J. Walker
Staff Writer

Dancing girls sparkling in silver and red shimmied to the resounding thumps of the drummers following their lead through the restaurant.

Awestruck breakfast diners rocked and cheered, an anomaly for the usual before-7 a.m. crowd.

Lucy C. Laney High School's marching band, a drama presentation by Augusta Mini Theater, a never-ending buffet and a nationally syndicated disc jockey to direct the morning madness were among tactics used Thursday to encourage residents to turn in their census forms as Saturday's national Census Day approaches.

Help centers Bernie Ward Community Center: (706) 790-0588 Mary C. Utley Neighborhood Center: (706) 790-0722 Blythe Community Center: (706) 592-6730 La Casa Latina: (706) 798-4646 Augusta Tech Institute: (706) 771-4174 Belle Terrace Community Center: (706) 711-2654 Beulah Grove Resource Center: (706) 823-0905 Autumn Care Adult Day Care Center: (706) 863-9888 McDuffie Woods Community Center: (706) 771-2656 Augusta Library: (706) 821-2600 May Park Recreation Facility: (706) 724-0504 Savannah Place Multi Purpose Center: (706) 821-2827 Dyess Park Community Center: (706) 821-2877 Hephzibah Elementary School: (706) 562-4561 McBean Elementary School: (706) 592-3723 Columbia County Head Start: (706) 556-0085

BL's Restaurant on Laney-Walker Boulevard became a makeshift census help center as dozens of Augustans came out to turn in their completed forms. The nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show radio program broadcast from the local restaurant was part of a 46-city tour to promote the census.

The hype is necessary, said J. Anthony Brown, a comedian and disc jockey from the radio show.

``Ten years ago, this much awareness wasn't brought to the Census -- or the year before,'' said Mr. Brown, who has visited eight cities in two weeks. ``I'm 48 years old. I never in the history of the census heard anybody bringing this much attention to it and how important it was.''

The confidential responses on the census form provide the federal government with updated population data, information about resident income levels and demographics that will be used to determine how big a share Augusta will receive from $180 billion earmarked for federal programs. Congress uses census totals to determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.

``If we don't get the right representation, we don't get the street lights we should get, we don't get the garbage collection we should get, we don't get the schools and nursing homes,'' Mr. Brown said. ``It's all so that the government can see where the help is needed.''

The significance of Census Day is this: Facts about individuals on the census form should reflect their status April 1.

It doesn't matter when individuals send in their forms; the day that matters is Census Day. So even if you wait until June to turn in your form and you get married in May, your census form should list you as single -- as you were on April 1.

Residents still may send in their census forms after Saturday.

Despite local and national attention about the count -- which occurs every 10 years -- Census Bureau statistics show most Richmond County residents have not returned their forms.

As of Thursday, only 32 percent of the 87,058 forms that were mailed to Augustans had been returned.

``That means that two-thirds of the forms are still outstanding, and we need to get them back in,'' Augusta Mayor Bob Young said. ``It says to me that sending back the census form is not a priority. But it should be.''

Fourth-grade teacher Melissa Crawford held on to her census form so she could bring it to Thursday's radio broadcast event. Counting children in the area is most important, she said.

``I know firsthand that we (in public schools) have a need for certain things and we just don't have the money for it,'' she said.

Nearly 20 centers were set up early this year in the Augusta area to help residents complete their census forms, but people aren't stopping in, center directors said.

Rayford Kelly, director of Bernie Ward Community Center, said he has offered census form assistance for nearly a month.

``Right now, we don't have anyone coming in,'' he said.

If it seems like this year's count is being pounded into residents, it is, said Mr. Brown.

``If you hear census, census, census, census, sooner or later a little light will click on in your head and you've got to fill out the form and send it in.''

Reach Clarissa J. Walker at (706) 828-385.