Meridian recruits retirees

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
Feb. 7, 2003
Meridian is being marketed as home for retirees, thanks to a state matching grant.
Rebecca Gentry, coordinator of Meridian's retiree recruitment program, said a $13,826 grant from the state will be matched by the city, allowing for placement of more than $27,000 in national advertising.
With the grant, the second one of its type in recent years, Meridian is touting its appeal to readers of such publications as Newsweek and Reader's Digest.
The ads typically try to market Meridian's friendly atmosphere, low crime rate, music festivals and rich arts history.
Gentry said the ads generally produce a large response when they're placed in larger, national publications.
Most of the inquiries come from Texas, California and Florida. But that's not the areas that Gentry said she usually tries to attract.