Monday, January 16, 2012
At Brooklyn Cemetery, it's really a day on.
En route to Brooklyn Cemetery Monday morning, Monica Graham and Sophia Oakley came up with a funny: "Drink milk," they said, "just leave out the i!" Accompanied by Sophia's parents Angela and Brian Oakley, and her 4-year-old brother Willson, the two little girls were part of a large group of volunteers who went to Brooklyn Cemetery on Monday for the 10th Annual Athens MLK Jr. Day of Service. The event is sponsored by Hands on Northeast Georgia, a progam of Community Connection of Northeast Georgia. This year's day drew more than 700 volunteers to 36 sites scattered primarily in Athens. Coordinator Dawn Aiello said many people "just showed up," like the members of the AKA sorority who went to Brooklyn Cemetery.. People planted flowers at …
Monday, January 9, 2012
It's not too late to sign up for the MLK Day of Service.
From cleaning up Brooklyn Cemetery to building a park at the Athens Community Council on Aging to constructing a ropes course at Clarke Middle School—there are a myriad of projects for this year’s MLK Day of Service. You can pick the particular project that interests you and sign up on-line, but be quick about it: people need to plan how many tools and pairs of gloves need to be on hand for the volunteers. Sponsored by Hands On Northeast Georgia, the Jan. 16th Day of Service links hundreds of volunteers with projects in public schools and non-profits around the area. There are lots of projects, two in Oconee and one in Jackson County, with the remainder in Athens, said Dawn Aiello. She's the community outreach director for Community …
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Volunteers are needed to paint two historic dwellings for low-income Athens homeowners
In an effort to expand its reach and be more responsive to community needs, Hands On Athens (HOA) will undertake painting and minor repair work at two homes in the historic Hancock Corridor the weekend of October 8th and 9th. HOA is a volunteer-based program of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation. Since 2000, it has annually worked on up to 16 houses during a three-day effort each April. To-date, the program has assisted nearly 100 low-income homeowners and carried out improvements valued at close to $1 million. Volunteers are needed to pitch in during the October 8th & 9th work weekend. No special qualifications or prior experience are needed, just a willingness to work for several hours and help someone in need. Work shifts are planned…
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Volunteers roll up sleeves to repair historic home.
Looking out along West Hancock Avenue from her front porch is a favorite pastime for 89-year-old Fannie Jordan. She’s seen quite a few changes in the Reese Street neighborhood, where she grew up and graduated from Athens High and Industrial School in 1939. In the coming weeks, she will see changes in her own house, thanks Hands on Athens volunteers, who will begin repairing Ms. Jordan’s house today. Her parents’ house, around the corner on Church Street, was demolished in 2004 to make room for two smaller dwellings. And a few years later, a UGA fraternity tore down several other turn-of-the century houses in the same block. But a significant amount of the area’s historic character remains nonetheless. For several decades now Ms. Jordan has…
