Pottstown NAACP hosting event to boost membership
POTTSTOWN » The Pottstown Branch 2288 of the NAACP is inviting the Pottstown area community to an outdoor gathering at The Alley on High Street, 228 E. High St., at 4:30 p.m., on Thursday, June 3 (weather permitting).
Branch members will welcome residents and share information about the local NAACP’s various endeavors.
Paula Corson, chairperson of the membership committee, noted the branch is working to enroll more members. The Alley event is not a fundraiser, but rather an opportunity for people to enjoy neighborly fellowship, learn more, and consider becoming personally involved in the NAACP’s good works in greater Pottstown.
A common misconception about the NAACP is that members must be Black, indigenous, or other people of color, said Emanuel Wilkerson, secretary, a member since 2013 when he joined Branch President Johnny Corson in revitalizing the local group.
The NAACP — and certainly Branch 2288 — is multiracial as well as nonpartisan, he noted in a press release.
Not only does the branch investigate and seek solutions in cases of possible discrimination or civil rights violations, but “the NAACP has a rich history of uplifting the entire community in Pottstown,” Wilkerson said.
The branch has made a difference in the borough by assisting with a program at the Ricketts Center that provides showers and laundry services for homeless individuals; conducting various food and clothing collections for families in need; conducting a voter registration drive and Pottstown resource information forum: participating in grassroots efforts urging fair funding of public schools in Pennsylvania; and forging positive relationships with local police.
Bobby Watson, a member of the executive committee, said recent high-impact branch activities have included awarding scholarships to students who participated in an art contest for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and providing volunteers at COVID vaccination sites at the Pottstown Middle School, Pottstown Carousel, and the Ricketts Center.
“The NAACP is a historical organization that is open to all people interested in helping others and promoting equality throughout society,” Watson said.
Three-year member Kurt Holloway echoed Watson. “I joined to work with others in our community to advance the principles of the NAACP,” he said.
Currently, the branch has 167 active members. Its officers hope to increase its ranks — and its power to make a positive impact in Pottstown and the region — to more than 200 members by the end of 2021.
The membership fee is $30, or $15 for youths; lifetime memberships also are available. All funds directly support programming, as all officers are volunteers.
To obtain a membership form, email Pottstownnaacp.2288@gmail.com, or call or text Paula Corson at 610-547-2452.