The Savannah tribune. (Savannah, Ga.) 1973-current, February 17, 2010, Image 11

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The Savannah tribune., February 17, 2010, Image 11

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Newspaper Page TextThe Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - 11 SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY NEWS 2010 Census Ad Campaign Positioned to Save Taxpayers Millions Baptist Minister’s Union to Install New Officers There has been some recent criticism about spend ing taxpayer money on adver tising for the 2010 Census. Experience from the 2000 Census, however, shows that paid advertising can motivate people to respond to the cen sus form by mail, while sav ing taxpayer dollars. The Census Bureau projects for every one per centage point increase in the national mail back participa tion rate for the 2010 Census, the federal government saves $85 million in taxpayer money - it costs substantially more money to send census takers to households that fail to mail back their short 10 question form than it does to receive it by mail. Facing a three-decade decline in the national mail response rates 10 years ago in the 2000 Census, the Census Bureau launched its first ever paid advertising campaign to increase public awareness lev els about the once-a-decade and Constitutionally mandat ed population count. Prior to that, the Census Bureau relied on public serv ice announcements that aired whenever television stations and print media could fit it into their schedules as a pro bono advertisement. The end result was a 2000 Census that turned around the three- decade decline in response rates and exceeded the 1990 Census mail response rate of 65 percent. At the same time the 2000 Census reduced the differential undercount of -^United States Census 2010 minority groups compared to the rest of the nation. Because of the higher response rate the Census Bureau saved at least $305 million and returned that money to Congress following the census. The advertising campaign in the 2000 Census cost about $100 million, a $205 million return on invest ment. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans testified before the Senate in 2001 and praised the Census Bureau for its out reach efforts. "The Bureau successfully implemented paid advertising for the first time in Census 2000, placing over $100 million in media buys designed to educate and motivate the public to respond," Secretary Evans said. Since the 2000 Census, survey participation rates at the Census Bureau have continued to decline. Further, recent surveys have shown that the public tends to be unaware of the basic fea tures of the Census. The Census Bureau's 2010 Census communications campaign is one of the most diverse in U.S. history with question naires in six languages, the first ever bi-lingual English/Spanish form, ques tionnaire assistance guides in 59 languages and advertising in an unprecedented 28 differ ent languages. "Funding an inte grated communications cam paign was a business decision for the Census Bureau driven by the desire to save costs and taxpayer money," Census Bureau director Robert Groves said. "By investing in an awareness and motivation campaign now, we can encourage more people to take 10 minutes to fill out the 10 question form and mail it back when it arrives in March." In addition to advertis ing, the Census Bureau has also launched other initiatives including a national road tour traveling to communities to increase awareness that the census is coming, a partner ship program that now has more than 185,000 partners nationwide, and a Census in Schools program seeking to educate students about the nation's population and how it has changed since the first census in 1790. "I'd like nothing more than to return money once again back to the taxpayers following this census because they mailed back the census forms at a record rate," Groves said. "In the end, the American public's willingness to participate in the 2010 Census will determine its suc cess and how much money we're able to save and return back to Congress." Rev. Dr. Bernita Williams, The Outgoing President of Savannah Baptist Minister's Union announces the installation of the 2010 Officers of the Savannah Baptist Minister's Union (SBMU). The SBMU Installation Services will be held on February 21, 2010 5:30 P.M. at the Connors Temple Baptist Church, where Rev. Dr. Bennie R. Mitchell is Pastor. The SBMU newly appointed Officers are: Rev. Johnnie Shields (President), Rev. Dr. Jeffery James (Vice President), Rev. Dr. Robert Brown (Recording Secretary), Rev. Joseph Hoze (Financial Secretary), Rev. Herman Woods (Treasurer), Rev. Jerry Wright (Chaplin),' Rev. Dr. Samuel Williams (Sunday School Teacher), Rev. Brenda Steadman (Asst. Chaplin), Rev. Johnnie Powers ( Asst. Sunday School Teacher). About our New President, Rev. Johnnie Shields, he is a native of Chicago, Illinois. . He served 271/2 years in the United States Air Force and retired at the rank of Senior Master Sergeant (E8). In May of 1975 he was licensed to preach by Trinity Missionary Baptist Church, Pearl City, Hawaii. In December 1976, Rev. Shields was ordained by the Northern Virginia Baptist Minister's Conference at the Bethlehem Baptist Church, in He attended courses at the Bible Institute of Hawaii, he also studied at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. He took courses in Hermeneutics, and Homiletics, and Christian Counseling. He presently serves as Associate Minister of Tremont Temple Missionary Baptist Church, and has served as Secretary of the Savannah Baptist Minister's Union, and as Vice President of the Savannah. cen& Heritage i 0 ur Guido Presents 2 nd Black Heritage Rim Festival Dinner S A Movie Discussions. Giveaways. & Contests Saturday. February 20,2010 1” Showing 1:15 pm 2“ Showing 3:00 pm Baha'i Unity Center 2416 Waters Ave. Dinner provided by area Businesses For more information contact *512.233.0809 www.sputherriscene.net Sponsored by Bowysr Motors and Joe Addison Motors The Black Perspectives in Film “Color Or The Christ' Rev. Johnnie Shields Alexandria, Virginia. YES' 3y taking just 10 minutes to answer 10 simple questions, you can help improve education, pubtic transportation, and even healthcare in our community. So please, fill out your Census form and mail it back when it arrives in March. Responses are confidential by taw and will not be shared with third parties, including immigration or law enforcement. WE CANT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL YOU MAIL IT BACK Part Jorbytl.S. r m bv