Thumbs Up! April 30, 2018

Albany will be welcoming a new team leader in June. Cedric Scott has been named the new chief for the Albany Fire Department. Scott comes to our city with just over three decades of experience and, according to interim AFD Chief Sebon Burns, an equal amount of enthusiasm. When former Chief Ron Rowe retired at the end of 2017, he left big shoes to fill. It is truly exciting that a replacement has been located in a timely and professional search with zero racial divide among the administration of the city.

The work done by Flint River Habitat for Humanity changes lives each and every day. Once approved for a home, the will-be homeowner is required to put in 300 hours of “sweat equity” during the construction of the home. Upon completion, a low- to no-rate mortgage assures that the homeowner can afford to first stay in the home and secondly, pay off the house. What many people do not know are the people and businesses involved in each and every build. Fundraisers, donations and purchases at the Habitat ReStore, sponsors and volunteers are critical to the program’s success. A recent groundbreaking in Leesburg will become a House That Valor Build, a program through Habitat designed especially for veterans, those most deserving among us.

Earth Day has come and gone for 2018. Our environment, the good and the bad, however, is a 24-7 issue. The Albany Herald is moving toward becoming a waste-paperless newspaper. While the product certainly requires the use of paper, literally tons of it, the effort to recycle is being ratcheted up. Office paper recycling boxes are now located at every nook and cranny. Old habits are hard to break, such as a toss to the trashcan, but it can be done. Teaching children early in life about conservation and recycling will result in a new generation with new habits. The Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany hosted more than 100 pre-toddler through pre-K-age children for Earth Day. There was flower planting, playing and songs. While a bit young to grasp the concepts of recycling, conservation, green space, etc., what is a change for adults can easily become a way of life for youngsters today. MCLB-Albany, a leader in many ways, is to be commended for this very special Earth Day event.

The Junior League of Albany periodically selects an organization for its signature project. Once selected, the nonprofit becomes the beneficiary of volunteers and fundraisers. To clarify, make that a lot of volunteers and aggressive fundraising. Once this group decides it is going to do something, the sky is the limit. Liberty House, Albany’s domestic violence shelter and resource center, is the lucky target of the Junior League’s current project and will remain so for the next two to three years. Six months into the partnership, volunteers have painted, helped with landscape and spent time with shelter residents and will continue to assist when needs arise. A check for funds already raised will be presented this week. The spotlight on domestic violence and its ramifications and the financial backing for the shelter have the very real possibility of saving one or more lives. Thumbs up! to the Albany Junior League and the work you do for the community.