Rolling for Heroes

On Saturday, September 7, 2013, bikers came out to support Healing 4 Heroes in their 3rd annual "Rollin' for Heroes" Remembrance Ride in Newnan, GA. 

We happened along at the end for the fun side of the event.  Listening to the great band and participating in the raffle for the prizes was a treat for all the participants and their families.

Mike Quinn, a local Newnan Vietnam Vet, urges others to get involved with Healing 4 Heroes as the veterans with PTSD need our help and support.

Shanon Clay of Williamson, GA, commented she is proud to support Healing 4 Heroes in their mission to help wounded veterans through training and supplying of service dogs for all their individual needs.  In addition, she encourages others to support our troops, support their families as our heroes are important to us.

Healing 4 Heroes is a nonprofit group based in Peachtree City whose mission is to train and place psychiatric service dogs to veterans with PTSD.  What makes this group so special is they train shelter dogs to become companions to the vets.  The dogs are trained to assist the veterans with up to seven tasks.

 What can we say?  Saving two lives just touches our heart.

To learn more how you can help, follow Healing 4 Heroes on Facebook or send an email to healing4heroes@aol.com .  Or better yet, pick up the phone.  Call 678-364-9993 and ask Piper how you can become involved.

Christian City Celebrating 47 Years of Ministry On Valentine’s Day

Happy anniversary Christian City! Valentine’s Day marks the 47th anniversary of the day Christian City opened the first cottage to eight little boys who were without a home.

Founders thought that Valentine’s Day, which is a day set aside to celebrate love, would be the perfect time to launch their vision of providing love and a safe, warm home to children without a place to live.

Christian City has come a long way since then, having cared for hundreds of kids over the years, and thousands of seniors as well.

On Valentine’s Day, they will celebrate that they have been “loving people… loving people” for 47 years now.

For more information about The Children’s Village and Christian City, please call 770-703-2636 or visit www.christiancity.org.

Top photo: Vintage photo of eight little boys who lived in the first cottage in 1965.

Bottom photo: President/CEO Bob Crutchfield (back, center) and employees celebrate 47 years of ministering to children and seniors.

High Museum of Art Hosts Canned Food Drive Benefitting Atlanta Community Food Bank

Inspired by Andy Warhol’s paintings of 32 cans of Campbell’s Soup featured in the current Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters exhibition, the High Museum of Art has partnered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Campbell Soup Company to host a canned food drive.

From Friday, January 27, through Sunday, January 29, visitors to the Museum are encouraged to bring canned food donations. For every one food item donated, visitors will receive $1 off of Museum admission, up to $10 off. The discount may also be applied to Museum membership.

In support of the initiative, Campbell Soup Company has donated 3,024 cans of soup, and staff members from the Atlanta Community Food Bank will be at the Museum to accept donations.

In addition, Aaron Albrecht, designer at The Beck Group, will create a sculpture using the donated Campbell’s Soup cans. The sculpture will be on display in the Museum’s Margaretta Taylor Lobby.

For more information on the food drive, visit www.high.org.

2012 Fayette Charity Classic 5K/10K Goes Beyond Uniting Charitable Organizations

Providing Opportunities For All To Get Involved, Make A Difference
Faced with the familiar challenges associated with today’s economic environment, one local charity is thinking outside the box and revamping their annual run/walk fundraiser. What would have been Fayette Senior Services (FSS) 4th annual March For Meals 5K/1mike run/walk, has now been appropriately re-named the “Fayette Charity Classic”. Participation benefits have also extended to other Fayette County 501.c.3 charities to create one unique collaborative fundraising effort.

An exciting new 10K course has been added to the 5K and 2K run/walk. The 10K and 5K courses are USA Track & Field (USATF) certified and qualifiers for the Peachtree Road Race. The Fayette Charity Classic will be held on March 17, 2012 at 8 a.m. at the Fayette County Justice Center complex, 3 Center Drive, Fayetteville, Georgia. Participants can register at www.Active.com or download registration forms and other event information at www.FayetteCharityClassic.org.

Currently there are eight participating charities – Fayette Senior Services, AVPride, Fayette Youth Protection Home, CASA, Real Life Center, Fayette FACTOR, Healing Bridge, and Promise Place. Opportunities are still open to more local charities. Each participating charity must be a Fayette-based 501.c.3, complete a registration form, and provide a minimum of 2 volunteers to assist with the event. In return, $20 of every $30 registration fee goes to the participating charity. Additionally, each will receive 20% of sponsor dollars brought in by the registered charity. Free exhibitor's space at the race day Expo will also be provided to the participating charities.

“Opening up to county-wide charity participation is a unique way to emphasize the UNITY within our CommUNITY,” says Fayette Senior Services CEO, Debbie Britt. She adds “By taking a synergistic approach to a traditional fundraising event we can economize community support, leverage our resources, capitalize on volunteer engagement, and maximize the event's outcome to everyone’s benefit.”

Sponsors play a vital role in the success of the event and for business who want to enhance company awareness, expand market reach, and create good will there are plenty of sponsor opportunities. Presenting sponsors of the 2012 Fayette Charity Classic are C&C Fence, Foundation Sports, Senior Helpers, and The Nutrition Shoppe. Other sponsors include Joe Dion State Farm Insurance, Once Source General Contracting, and Acti-Kare.

The 2012 Fayette Charity Classic will benefit nearly every age group or demographic via the participating charities, and provide means for every individual within our community to participate. For more information about the event including how to become a participating charity, sponsor, or volunteer visit www.fayettecharityclassic.org or call 770-461-0813.

The tagline for the event ‘RUN. WALK. RAISE...’ is a challenge to residents and those affiliated with our community to participate in one capacity or another – if not in the race, then to raise their hand and volunteer to help with the event, make a donation, or leverage their social networks to raise funds and awareness. For that reason, race organizers and participating charities have created a presence for the Fayette Charity Classic on Facebook and Crowdrise, an innovative web-based fundraising platform (www.crowdrise.com/2012FayetteCharityClassic).

Christian City Asks the Community for Help

The Children’s Village at Christian City is in need of the following items and would appreciate any help the community can provide:

Sponsor A Child: Choose a boy or a girl to sponsor and receive a photo, profile and regular updates. $30 a month helps to pay for basic needs such as food, clothing and education

· Donations to Graceland Thrift Shop. Proceeds help to pay for the education of the children who live in the cottages. Volunteers are needed to work in the Thrift Shop to accept donations, sort, and help with customers

· Gift cards to Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, or Publix

· Paper towels, napkins, and toilet tissue
Canned fruits, vegetables, and pasta
Peanut butter and jelly
Individually wrapped snacks and drinks
Personal and dental hygiene products

· Kid friendly cereals
· Batteries
· Cleaning supplies
· Ziploc bags of all sizes

Please contact Heidi Becker at 770-703-2636 for drop off details or for more information about the Children’s Village and how you can Sponsor A Child. Christian City has been caring for abandoned and abused children in a family centered residential setting since 1965. Children live in cottages with full time house parents. Over 1,000 children have called Christian City “home.” For more information, please visit our website at www.christiancity.org.

Soles4Souls, the Shoe Charity, Announces Partnership with H&R Block for Charitable Tax Season

The country’s most popular tax service is encouraging customers to donate portion of tax fee to a good cause

Soles4Souls®, the international shoe charity, announced a new partnership with H&R Block to offer Americans a unique opportunity to transition the holiday spirit into the tax season. A referral coupon for Soles4Souls is available for clients receiving tax services from H&R Block from January 1st until April 18th, with $25 going to support their mission of providing shoes to people in need. With franchise locations in every major metro in North America, Soles4Souls is hoping to garner lots of support for the campaign.

“The dreaded tax season is being given a silver lining this year,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “Our relationship with H&R Block is an easy opportunity for individuals to print off a referral coupon and $25 from their fees will be donated to help people in need.”

For more information on the partnership visit www.giveshoes.org, or to print the referral form visit this H&;R Block link.


About Soles4Souls®
Soles4Souls collects new shoes to give relief to the victims of abject suffering and collects used shoes to support micro-enterprise efforts to eradicate poverty. Soles4Souls’ other two divisions, Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, provide the same relief and support through clothing and other necessities. Donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org, www.clothes4souls.org, or www.hope4souls.org for more information.

ReelAbilities ATL Atlanta's First-Ever Disabilities Film Festival Premiering in October 2011

Georgia Community Support and Solutions announces its first annual film festival October 1-6, 2011 at venues across metro Atlanta. This film festival will promote the appreciation and understanding of individuals living with different disabilities. Lynne M. and Howard I. Halpern will host and co-present the film festival, which will include ten films featuring or made by people with disabilities.

The ReelAbilities Film Festival was founded in New York and was designed to change the public's attitude toward people who have diverse disabilities. ReelAbilities ATL is continuing the success, by using the power of film to focus on people living with disabilities from across the globe. To meet the goal of building community through film, ReelAbilities ATL has already established partnerships with 23 Atlanta community organizations. After each screening, there will be discussions with actors, experts, and filmmakers exploring the awareness of disabilities.

The complete festival schedule will be available in late August. Tickets will go on sale by September 1st. For more information please contact Judy Marx at (404) 634-4222, ext 267 or by email at judycmarx@gmail.com or reelabilitiesatl@gacommunity.org 

The Children’s Village at Christian City Asks For Help With Needs List

Two boys who live at The Children’s Village with
donations from a recent Milk and Cereal drive organized
by Mrs. Mary Ruth Kimsey, a resident of Christian City.

The Children’s Village at Christian City is in need of the following items and would appreciate any help the community can provide:

Sponsor A Child: Choose a boy or a girl to sponsor and receive a photo, profile and regular updates. $30 a month helps to pay for basic needs such as food, clothing and education

· Donations to Graceland Thrift Shop. Proceeds help to pay for the education of the children who live in the cottages. Volunteers are needed to work in the Thrift Shop to accept donations, sort, and help with customers

· Gift cards to Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, or Publix

· Cleaning supplies

· Zip-lock bags

· Canned fruits and vegetables

· Peanut butter

· Individually wrapped snacks and drinks

· Dental hygiene products

· Personal hygiene products

· Kid friendly cereals

Please contact Heidi Becker at 770-703-2636 for drop off details or for more information about the Children’s Village and how you can Sponsor A Child. Christian City has been caring for abandoned and abused children in a family centered residential setting since 1965. Children live in cottages with full time houseparents. Over 1,000 children have called Christian City “home.” For more information, please visit our website at www.christiancity.org.

Fayette Senior Services Adds 10K to Annual Run/Walk and Establishes New “Fayette Charity Classic” to Benefit Fayette County Non-profits

Fayette Senior Services (FSS) annual March For Meals 5K/1 Mile Run Walk will have a new look and expanded purpose when the 4th annual event is held next year on March 17, 2012. Thanks to help from the City of Fayetteville and the Fayetteville Police Department, FSS will be adding a challenging new 10K route to its existing 5K and 1 mile run/walk. In addition, FSS has renamed the event The Fayette Charity Classic with proceeds to not only benefit non-profit Fayette Senior Services, but other Fayette County charities as well. The Fayette Charity Classic 10K as well as the 5K will both be USA Track and Field (USATF) certified and qualifiers for the Peachtree Road Race.

Dawn Davis, FSS Health, Wellness, and Program Manager is the event’s race director. Davis worked closely with Capt. Lynn Crawshaw of the Fayetteville Police Department to develop the route that begins at Fayette Senior Services Life Enrichment Center located at 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville (across from the Fayette County Justice Center). Says Davis, “By expanding the event to include a 10K we are able to leverage the success of our former March For Meals Run/Walk. Our goal was to attract a larger audience to a fitness activity and in turn increase awareness–and financial support–for the programs and services that we provide to our community’s seniors.” Davis adds, “We then took our expanded event one step further and designed it to help other Fayette County charities, many of which continue to face challenges as a result of the current economy. It’s a win-win for Fayette Senior Services, the charities who wish to participate, and the community as a whole.”

Event details and registration packets are still being finalized and are expected to be available soon. Anyone interested in receiving more information should send their name, address, and phone number to FCClassic@fayss.org.About Fayette Senior Services, Inc. For more than 30 years, Fayette Senior Services, Inc. (FSS), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, has been making a meaningful difference in the emotional, social, and physical well-being of older adults; preserving their independence, improving their quality of life, and connecting them to the community. FSS offers supportive services such as Meals On Wheels, Transportation, In-Home Personal Care/Homemaker Services, Information Assistance, Care Management, and more. For active older adults age 50 and better, Fayette Senior Services Life Enrichment Center offers a wide variety of social, leisure, fitness and recreational activities and the award-winning Ultimate Café. For more information visit www.FayetteLifeEnrichment.org or call 770-461-0813.

The Children’s Village Asks For Community Support

The Children’s Village at Christian City is in need of the following items and would appreciate any help the community can provide:

• Child Sponsorships for only $30 a month to help to pay for their basic needs
• Donations to Graceland Thrift Shop. Proceeds help to pay for the education of the children who live in the cottages. Volunteers are needed to work in the Thrift Shop to accept donations, sort, and help with customers
• Gift cards to Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, or Publix
• Dental hygiene products
• Personal hygiene items
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Boxed macaroni and cheese
• Peanut butter
• Individually wrapped snacks and drinks

Please contact Heidi Becker at 770-703-2636 for drop off details or for more information on the Children’s Village and how you can become a child sponsor. Christian City has been caring for abandoned and abused children in a family centered residential setting since 1965. Over 1,000 children have called Christian City “home.” For more information, please visit our website at www.christiancity.org.

Honoring Educational Achievements of Georgia’s Foster Care Youth

19th Annual Celebration of Excellence

More than 260 foster care youth will be honored and recognized for their educational achievements at the 19th Annual Celebration of Excellence. The Celebration of Excellence is a statewide graduation event and scholarship program for youth in Georgia’s foster care system who are graduating from high school, GED programs, vocational school or college. The event will be held on Wednesday, June 8, 2011, at 6 p.m. at Georgia State University’s Rialto Center for the Arts.

“Foster care youth encounter countless obstacles during and after foster care which make them less likely to attend and graduate from high school or college,” said Commissioner Clyde L. Reese, Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS). “This year’s graduates were able to overcome the odds and accomplish academic success. Their determination and will to succeed is to be commended and celebrated.”

Eric Anderson, a former foster care youth, will deliver the keynote address. He will share lessons learned during and after life in foster care. As a professional speaker and magician, Anderson has shared the stage with Talk Show Host Sean Hannity, Former First Lady Laura Bush, Home Run King Hank Aaron, and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient and former President of the United States Jimmy Carter.

The event is sponsored by DHS’ Division of Family and Children Services, Independent Living Program, Juvenile Law Committee of The Young Lawyers Division of The State Bar of Georgia, and numerous private businesses and organizations.

The Celebration of Excellence is the high point of a three-day Atlanta visit for teens transitioning out of the foster care system. These teens will also attend the Higher Education Institute, a two-day information and resource forum designed to teach the importance of professional etiquette, money management and understanding legal rights.

Celebration of Excellence is open to the public and is attended by foster parents, child welfare workers, business leaders, child and legal advocates, and legislators throughout the state.

For more information, please visit www.celebrationsofexcellence.org

Liberty Tire Recycling to Clean Up Illegal Tire Dump at Site of Atlanta-Area Arts Center

/PRNewswire/ -- Pittsburgh-based Liberty Tire Recycling, the premier provider of tire recycling services in North America, is donating its tire collection and reclamation services to help an Atlanta-area community center facing a dilemma. Crews from the company's plant in Atlanta will collect and recycle as many as 1,000 scrap tires that were illegally dumped on the property of The Arts Exchange (750 Kalb Street, SE, Atlanta, GA). The reclamation will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 .

"The warmer months are upon us, and abandoned tire piles can be a haven for vermin and insects. They can also cause a fire hazard. The Arts Exchange certainly doesn't want to face such a situation when they host outdoor activities for children," said Dewey Grantham, regional sales manager for Liberty Tire Recycling. "When the center contacted us to tell us what they were facing, we were happy to offer our assistance at no charge."

Employees at The Arts Center have been working to resolve the situation since they discovered the tire piles last fall. When they began making inquiries into how to remove the tires, they learned that the center may be charged as much as $2 per tire to have the scrap tires removed. This would have resulted in thousands of dollars in costs.

"We are a nonprofit arts center that aims to provide affordable work space for visual and performing artists. Our tenants include African dance companies, an online digital arts magazine, and a youth steel band," said Lisa Tuttle, member of the board of directors for The Arts Exchange and a studio artist. "As you might imagine, we have limited resources. We are pleased that Liberty Tire is willing to perform this service to us and to the community at no cost."

Once the tires are collected, Liberty Tire Recycling will grind the tires into crumb rubber, which is a component in a host of eco-friendly products on the market today. Those products include rubber mulch for landscaping and playgrounds; infill for synthetic athletic fields; and rubberized asphalt, which is used by municipalities across the country to make roads more durable and safer.

"Liberty Tire Recycling has a well-deserved reputation for remediating illegal tire dumps across the country. Since the company's founding, we have cleaned up more than 150 dump sites littered with nearly 40 million scrap tires," said Jeff Kendall, CEO of Liberty Tire Recycling. "We are hoping that a few hours of work at The Arts Exchange will go a long way toward creating a safer environment for the people who rely on the center."

For more information on Liberty Tire Recycling, visit www.libertytire.com.

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