Rex Jones with Cougar Oil announced a campaign to help groups in Selma continue to improve the community.

Cents for Selma was an idea that stemmed from Jones’ efforts to raise money for the Selma Police Department and Selma Fire Department last year with a Cemetery 5K run in October.

The Cents for Selma campaign has the five Cougar Oil locations in Selma donating 5 percent of their profits in gas sales to a group that is “making a difference in Selma.”

The first group that Jones is donating to is the Cemetery Preservation Group (CPG) that has been working on the upkeep of cemeteries around the city.

Jones said that just like the Cemetery 5K last year, it all started with seeing the need around town.

“There is a real need for Selma to come together,” Jones said adding that the state of the city cemeteries is a big topic now. “Once I saw what the group was doing, it clicked that I could raise funds and that the group would know what to do with the money.”

Jones said the continuation of this campaign depends on the response of the community but added he has already given money to the CPG upfront to show the seriousness of donating the funds to the group.

In a Facebook video, Jones announced the campaign’s background as well.

“We (Cougar Oil) were founded in Selma in 1971,” said Jones in the video. “We realize Selma has had her share of problems lately but we feel she is worth fighting for. We will start giving 5 percent of profits of our gas sales at our five locations in Selma to groups that we feel are making a difference around Selma starting with the Cemetery Preservation Group.”

The five Cougar Oil locations are Vassers at 1900 West Dallas Avenue, Cougar 5 at2633 Alabama Highway 41, Cougar 11 at 2800 Citizens Parkway and Cougar 14 at 2301 Broad St.