For some, participation in the 2010 census by filling out a form may seem like a trivial exercise meant to satisfy bureaucratical numbers taking and little more. But according to Ann Kurtzman, clerk to the county board of commissioners and liaison to the U.S. Census Bureau regional office in Charlotte, nothing could be further from the truth.

"There are two extremely important reasons the citizens of Scotland County should participate in the 2010 census," Kurtzman said. "One is monetary, and the other is political."

Kurtzman said that recording accurate numbers translates into potential money for the county.

"There are $400 billion dollars at stake nationwide," she said. "I have read that from a census point of view, every individual is worth about $3,000. That means that for us, the more who participate, the more money will potentially come to Scotland County."

Kurtzman explained that while Scotland County can't compete with urban areas in terms of the dollar amounts it takes in, it is very much in competition with like-sized areas.

"Scotland County wants as large a portion as it can get from federal and state funding, and from grant monies," she said. "By participating in the census, everyone benefits. The money we receive by recording our best numbers better services the citizens of our county. And we're in this competition to win."

The second reason to participate has a political basis.

"You often hear about district lines being redrawn, where people sometimes lose their voices in government. We don't want that to happen here due to low counts. Someone who fills out the questionnaire is doing their part; they are saying that they are interested enough in their community to help bring money into it."

Mark Gretch, executive director of the Scotland County Literacy Council, said participation translates into a better understanding of county demographics. This is turn can lead to more money for literacy programs and other initiatives that assist county citizens.

"In a poor county such as ours, it's very important that we count everyone in order to better assist everyone," Gretch said. "Non-profits like the literacy council are hanging on, sometimes dependent on federal funding to survive. A good count in the census gives us a greater amount of federal support."

Persons with questions about the process are invited to attend a presentation on Feb. 3 by Jan Coley, a census partnership specialist who will answer questions about the upcoming census from 1 until 3 p.m. at Scotland Memorial Library in Laurinburg.

"She will answer any questions you have on the questionnaires everyone will be asked to fill out, on reaching out to communities, on the part-time employment positions now being offered with the census bureau, and anything else census-related you would like to know," Kurtzman said.

For more information about the 2010 census, visit http://2010.census.gov/2010census.