Austell, Ga. community activists PLUG IN to issues facing adults and youth

The EpiCenter where the meeting was held is located near Six Flags and a huge industrial park.

To fulfill the dictates of a grant, community members gathered for a South Cobb General Assembly Meeting yesterday at the EpiCenter to discuss needs ranging from mentoring, home ownership, trash pickup, economic development, fair housing, political involvement, justice, and wellness.  

About 25 community members were in attendance.

Smith said kids MUST read!

Barry Smith, Executive Minister of First Christian Church of Mableton, said his organization has had good success mentoring children with "Grandma Time" and "Mommy and Me" programs where kids and adults bond with reading, crafts, and cookie baking activities.  "Our children must be ready for school," he said. "If a kid doesn't know how to read by 3rd grade, we have a problem."

Davis said economic inequities still exist.

Former Banker Ron Davis represented the Austell Community Taskforce which has a vision of a safe, strong, and self-reliant community. Speaking of problems with police, Davis said, "Don't judge an entire force by a few bad individuals." He said people should focus on the Eight Dimensions of Wellness (https://www.acvillage.net/home/resources/8_dimensions_of_wellness.aspx) and get children engaged which will erase boredom in school. 

He mentioned that there are over 1,000 evictions a month in Cobb County, and his organization has partnered with State Farm in an Eviction Aversion Program. He said it's not about getting a home - the problem is sustaining lifestyles.
 

Michael Murphy also represented the Austell Community Taskforce.

Longtime Community Activist Michael Murphy said in order to maintain the economic base, companies contemplating moving into the area must see a well-trained workforce as a resource.  He said having a mortgage is not a problem and that Georgia State Senator Michael Rhett is about to introduce a banking bill that should help home ownership if passed.

Krebs said keeping the community beautiful helps economic development.

Barry Krebs represented the South Cobb Lions Club which is involved with Keeping Cobb Beautiful and the Adopt-A-Mile program. He said that participants pick up trash every quarter. To obtain an application, contact keepcobbbeautiful@cobbcounty.org. He said that if you get youth involved in trash pickup, they are less likely to litter.

Monique Sheffield, a real estate agent and member of the Board of Cobb County Zoning and Appeals, said  a great training vehicle is Commissioner Cupid's HOA Boot Camp which is held each year. Also, she said to go to Mableton.org to learn about an event at the Georgia International Convention Center next weekend. She said the biggest turn off in a community is seeing trash everywhere, and she takes plastic bags in her car and picks up trash herself when she discovers it on the ground.

"On what level do you want to be engaged?" she added.

Minister Marcia Fisher represents Seventh Day Adventists.

Minister Marcia Fischer of Grandview 7th Day Adventist Church said she gets so many calls on her personal cell phone from people who are having "food emergencies," so her church is giving away turkeys this weekend, but they help folks with food and clothing year round. "We have been surviving. Now it's time for us to THRIVE," she said of her long term goals to help abused women and children.

Hutchins is asking for donations.

Tre Hutchins, also of the South Cobb Alliance, said the community depends too much on Commissioner Lisa Cupid to solve all their problems. "We ask her to make miracles happen. She needs our support." Hutchins said that his organization is asking for donations to get UGA to complete a feasibility study and help draft a bill to incorporate another city, and he has also been in conversations with Former Governor Roy Barnes. 

Retired teacher Gerald Jordan who represented the Riverside EpiCenter/Word of Faith Church which has 20,000 members on the rolls, said they will be providing meals for a week to 2,500 families for Thanksgiving. He said kids need to be trained to be in the rising Georgia film industry and sports team's back offices. "Some kids can mentor each other," he said if enough adults are not available.

Jordan said focus should be put on uplifting education in S. Cobb and Pebblebrook clusters.

Maryellen Gomes, a school social worker for the Cobb County School District, said we must do more to prepare kids for future employment. She noted that Google is hiring at a minimum of $15 an hour, and mothers could earn a decent income, but they have to apply. "Our parents are under a lot of stress, and we need mentors," she said. She is involved with a district program that thoroughly screens mentors.  

Google on Riverside Parkway is one of many large companies that should be interested in community development in South Cobb.

To learn more about this organization or to get involved, contact Community Activist Monica DeLancy by calling 770-369-6531 or email monicadelancy@hotmail.com .

Participants were also given an activity to gauge their astuteness on political representation.