PRESTOSNBURG – The U.S. Census Bureau continued its tour across the state with a stop in Prestonsburg Wednesday.

Teams set up in the parking lot of the Eastern Kentucky Science Center just adjacent to the Big Sandy Community and Technical College. The event featured singing talents and a host of local speakers advocating support and education of the 2010 Census.

The great number of those attending the event were grade-school age children, any many of these were from neighboring counties, such as Magoffin, a county whose residents say an accurate census count could make a world of difference to such a small but lively county.

Teachers who brought students from Herald Whitaker Middle School in Magoffin County called out to their students to make an effort to learn the full importance and function of the census, using examples such as the need for Magoffin residents to travel to places such as nearby Paintsville to visit Wal-Mart and other shopping establishments.

These inconveniences could possibly be taken care of with an accurate census, teachers told students Wednesday, through funding for such infrastructure that might not be available without census efforts.

A host of local officials and representatives took part in the event Wednesday, with Floyd County Deputy Judge-Executive Barry Davis speaking, along with Prestonsburg Mayor Jerry Fannin and the city’s director of tourism, Fred James, and Andi Sluss, a partnership specialist with the census bureau who has been working for the past several months with local leaders to inject enthusiasm about taking part and learning about the 2010 Census.

Sluss counted the event Wednesday a success, seeing it as both festive and informative with representatives on hand to talk to visitors, entertainers such as the vocal talents of the Kentucky Jr. Opry’s Ally Davis and others.

“The census is so important,” said visitor Sabrina Montgomery. “It means the difference between getting money for schools, more votes in the Senate, proper population counts so we don’t lose representatives. The benefits are endless.”

The event was also held in hopes of having applicants for census taker jobs turn out in larger numbers. According to bureau recruiting offices for Floyd County alone, there are still some 300 jobs available.