Milton Gardner was someone who spotted many things other people in the community missed.
Chuck Espy expressed those sentiments during his tenure as mayor at a Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioners meeting a couple years ago. Gardner spoke at nearly every meeting for several years about issues that were often ignored.
Espy made the observation that Gardner saw things many other people did not during one of the many meetings Gardner spoke at.
Gardner, who brought a fresh perspective to things as a community advocate, died at age 65 last week. He was polarizing at times, but no matter how you felt about the stances he took on some controversial issues, there were things everyone should have been able to agree on.
Gardner loved Clarksdale and always tried to make his community better. His efforts were, for the most part, voluntary. He did not care about receiving much compensation. He just wanted to make Clarksdale a better place to live.
Three issues Gardner repeatedly brought to light come to mind as I write this column. Helping the homeless, bringing back Crime Stoppers to Clarksdale and Coahoma County, and installing lights in darker areas of the community were some of the things Gardner advocated for.
Gardner spoke at many city meetings about the homeless and Crime Stoppers. He let many homeless people stay with him and always made sure they knew when they could use the Clarksdale Civic Auditorium to avoid the heat or cold weather.
Gardner also worked to put a Crime Stoppers committee together to help lower crime in Clarksdale and Coahoma County.
The City of Clarksdale recognized Gardner’s contributions to the community with a post on its Facebook page Monday morning. The post read, “Milton ‘Boots on the Ground’ Gardner was a steadfast voice for those who went unheard.
The former mayoral candidate and community activist dedicated the latter part of his life to shining a light on the needs of the less fortunate in the Clarksdale community.
With an almost perfect attendance at city board meetings, Milton would fearlessly mount the podium in the city chambers to share his concerns about the vulnerable. Milton was comical at times and unpolished at others, but always genuine. He believed that everyone deserved a voice, and he took on that role without hesitation.
Several months ago, Mr. Gardner publicly disclosed his health diagnosis. Noticeably weak, he promised to keep fighting until he could no more. Milton kept his word. Some might argue that Mr. Gardner did not have a formal title, but we respectfully disagree. Mr. Gardner carried the title of servant.
Mr. Gardner exited this life a few days ago, leaving us to carry on the work of loving and caring for our neighbors. Thank you for caring, Milton. Your legacy is written in the records at City Hall and in the lives of those you touched. #WeRemember 
”
Gardner also spoke at Clarksdale Public Utilities meetings about putting lights under viaducts and other areas where they were needed. His requests were usually honored, making things a little safer for everyone at night.
Gardner is no longer with us, but we can still work to build on the foundation he laid.
There is no reason not to come to the table, find ways to help the homeless, bring Crime Stoppers back and identify areas where lighting is needed.
Oftentimes, people tend to ignore issues that do not impact them directly. It is human nature and every one of us is guilty of it at some point.
What we must remember is the things Gardner advocated for impact all of us, whether or not we see it. The homeless are people like the rest of us. They contribute to the community and have relationships with the people around them. As the lives of the homeless improve, all of our lives improve in some way, shape or form.
When the efforts of those involved with Crime Stoppers lower crime, we’re all safer.
When there are more lights in the community, again, we’re all safer.
We may not feel the immediate impact these issues have on us, but they all affect our lives in different ways. The issues Gardner addressed should be everyone’s concern.
Let’s remember the issues Gardner brought to light and continue fighting for the things he cared about.
Gardner’s presence and insight will be missed, but we can still move forward making his dreams become a reality.
Gardner’s visitation will be at Woolf Funeral Home of Clarksdale at 10 a.m. Thursday with services following at noon.
