The Mississippi Legislature has approved Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Foundation for a license tag of its own, and the organization is hoping funds from the tag will help make its proposed Copiah County youth camp a reality.

“We are so excited,” said Mary Kitchens, executive director of the foundation. “Just imagine our logo being carried all around the state (and beyond) on the cars, trucks, and anything else that requires a license tag.

The Mississippi Toughest Kids Foundation was established to build and maintain a fully accessible camp facility for children and adults with serious illnesses and special needs. The state-of-the-art, year-round facility, which is slated to be built in Copiah County, will work in partnership with special needs groups to provide great camping experiences.

“With this specialty tag you’ll be telling everybody that you are helping to build a camp facility where kids with special needs can just be kids, having fun doing “normal” things usually unavailable to them,” Kitchens said.

PHOTO SUBMITTED / Eydi and Emma Love Kitchens plan to get a Mississippi Toughest Kids Foundation specialty tag for their John Deere.

The foundation is collecting reservation applications for the tags at $31 each. The $31 is due when you fill out the form, with the remaining cost for the tag coming when it is picked it up. The foundation must collect 300 applications by October in order to have the tags produced by the state.

Tags will actually be available no later than January, since production will begin when the Mississippi Tax Commission receives the 300 names and the money, Kitchens said.

MTK will notify applicants when they can pick up your tag. Even if someone already has a new tag, he or she can still order an MTK tag, Kitchens said. When the MTK license tags are ready they can simply take the old tag in and the cost of the new MTK one will be prorated, she said.

Of the $31 paid, MTK will get back $24 that tag purchasers can claim as a tax deduction.

To apply, a short form will need to be filled out. These are available from the MTK Board members, Friends of MTK, and in several businesses around Crystal Springs, Hazlehurst, Wesson, Brookhaven, Terry and Byram. Or you can call the MTK office, 601-892-1117, and they will mail one to you.