In Service to Others

MHV member continues family legacy helping, serving others

Story by Susan Collins-Smith • Photos by Kevin Hudson

Cynthia Slaughter Melton describes herself as a professional volunteer.

“I like to spend my time helping other people and doing things for them,” says Melton, who serves as Ward 4 alderwoman in the City of Forest and is a retired truancy officer and social worker. “It’s in my blood. It’s a part of me and my legacy.”

She does much of her community service work through the Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers Cluster Club in Scott County where she’s been a member for 5 years. The clubs, called MHV clubs for short, are supported by the Mississippi State University Extension Service and offer a variety of educational opportunities and services to their communities.

Melton learned about service growing up in Forest where her parents owned the 6 Cs Grocery Store, named after Melton and her sisters. The fourth of six girls, Melton and her younger siblings spent a lot of time helping their parents at the store.

“When a customer would leave, my dad always asked me if I told them thank you,” Melton fondly remembers. “Most of the time I did, but sometimes I would forget. And, of course, I told him I did, and he’d go out into the parking lot and ask the customer. When I’d forgotten, they never told on me.

“The store is where I learned to be courteous and about life really. I saw my parents help people. They would give people food throughout the year, but especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I still have people acknowledge how good my parents were to them. I try to build on that legacy.”

Following in her father’s footsteps, Melton has served the citizens of Forest since 1997 as the city’s first Black alderwoman. Her father, Willie L. Slaughter, was the first Black alderman elected in the city in the 1970s.

Since joining MHV, Melton has participated in various club projects. She and the club’s eight other members are regular visitors to Head Start where they read to the students. They partner with the Forest Public Library for many of its programs, including back-to-school celebrations and school registrations. Cluster Club members also host a book club at the library where they tutor young readers to help build their skills. They encourage parents and children to use the library.

“I was at Forest Elementary School yesterday reading to first graders. I think they enjoy it, and so do I!” she says with a smile. “I love to get all those hugs.”

As teachers, nurses, and social workers – some retired and others still working – all the club members have a heart for service, especially when it comes to children. Last summer, the group gathered and delivered school supplies to children in more than 10 schools across four counties. They also provide school supplies to Head Start centers.

“We all try to have a student to mentor each year,” Melton explains. “We do projects with them and take them on outings.”

They make regular visits and provide food baskets and personal care supplies to local nursing home residents. Each year, they provide personal care items to patients at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center. They also donate personal care items, toys, blankets, and sheets to Children’s of Mississippi Hospital.

They participate in and support the city-sponsored Wing Dang Doodle Festival and the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Women’s Luncheon.

To raise funds for their projects, the MHV Cluster Club hosts a silent auction and rummage sale each fall. They participate in MHV fashion shows each year and hold club meetings each month.

Club members rotate hosting the club’s monthly meeting and inviting speakers.

“We have a good Cluster Group and a good sisterhood. I like to call it ‘4-H for grownups,’” Melton laughs.

In addition to her service through MHV, she organized Forest’s Relay for Life event for 20 years in honor of her own mother. Melton herself is a cancer survivor and says she appreciates every day that she has to serve her community and the people in it.

“I’m blessed, really blessed. I’ve had so many brushes with death, but I’m still here,” she explains. “I feel like God has so much more for me to do. I want to do the best I can while I can.

“There is so much we can do. We’re not limited to what we can do. If you can help someone, you should. You are making a difference for someone. I try to teach my daughter and my granddaughters that.”

Melton says MHV has been a great fit for her, and she’s glad she came to that first meeting.

“Connie Stewart was one of my best friends, and she is really the reason that I’m here. She invited me to come. She’s gone now, but she was dedicated to being here and doing volunteer work. She was a beautiful soul,” Melton remembers.

The Cluster Club is one of three MHV clubs in Scott County. Other clubs are the Morton Club and Ringgold Club. In total, the three clubs have 41 members.

“Scott County MHV Clubs are made up of men and women who have been a part of this community for most of their lives,” explains Rayne Arnold, MSU Extension agent in Scott County. “They all do important work within their communities. All our members give a majority of their time to volunteering throughout the county. They do not do this because they have to. They do it because they want to, and that is so special to those they help and donate their time to.

“A good example is the time they spend visiting residents at local nursing homes. They often take goody bags, magazines, or cake. Many of the residents do not get visitors, and their only contact with others is the nursing home staff. Our MHV members are the only outside contact some of them have. Having visitors is very special to the residents.”