John Hayes: Lee Walmart says no to program for Dougherty students

ALBANY — Dougherty County Commissioner John Hayes said Monday morning his efforts on behalf of a student civic awareness program have left him doubting the sincerity of some area communities’ commitment to the lauded concept of regionalism.

The manager of the Walmart SuperCenter on Ledo Road declined to support Dougherty County Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students volunteers who wanted to distribute flyers at the retail outlet, saying, according to Hayes, “We support only local programs.”

Hayes said when he was told of the store manager’s comment, he went personally to ask about the decision.

“When the manager started out saying, ‘This request came from Dougherty County, right?’ I was thrown by that,” Hayes said after Monday’s commission meeting. “He indicated that (2825 Ledo Road) Walmart store reserved its support for ‘local’ programs. I assume he meant because the store is in Lee County, it supported only Lee County students. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was aware how many citizens in Dougherty County shop at that location.

“He mentioned the store in East Albany, said we should talk with the folks there, and that’s a valid point. But I was left wondering about this ‘regionalism’ concept everyone around here talks about. I think we have to be careful that we’re not the only ones embracing the regionalism concept.”

Contacted by phone after Monday’s commission meeting, a person at the Ledo Road Walmart, who was identified as Store Manager Joyce Bennett, asked a Herald reporter if he knew the name of the person Hayes had spoken with at the store. Told that Hayes had indicated only that the manager’s name was “Mr. Ashley,” Bennett said, “That’s this store’s general manager. If he says that’s his position, we can’t go against that.”

Asked if that was Wal-Mart corporate policy or a store-level position, she placed the call on hold and it disconnected. Attempts to reach district officials with Wal-Mart were not successful.

Hayes said he and other volunteers and community leaders were attempting to spread the word about the GCAPS-sponsored Commitment to Learning event planned for Aug. 8 at the Robert Cross Park Community Center in southern Dougherty County. The day of fun, food and school supplies giveaways for school-aged students includes the caveat that all students who attend must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

“We want to, through our GCAPS program, play a part in raising civic-minded young people in our community,” Hayes said. “Our Commitment to Learning program is special, though, because it involves students and parents. Our schools of higher education — Albany State, Darton and Albany Tech — will be represented, and while our students are involved in an educational component of the program, we’re going to meet with parents in the new community center building to talk with them about continuing their education.

“We’re asking our parents to make a commitment. The better educated the parents are in our community, the healthier and better educated their children will be.”

Hayes said Dougherty County School System Superintendent Butch Mosely is heavily invested in the Commitment to Learning program.

“We always hear that the city or the county or the EDC or any other public organization is ‘not involved’ in the school system, and we need to change that,” the District 2 commissioner said. “If this community’s Achilles’ heel is education, we as a county government have to step in and ask, ‘How can we help?’ Others should, too.”

Hayes said that while he’s disappointed in local Walmart officials’ reaction to his group’s request for support, he’s been encouraged by support from the local Sam’s Club, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and other organizations.

“What I’m having trouble understanding is a business operating where that Walmart is and its management not realizing how much support it gets from the people of Dougherty County,” Hayes said. “This is, after all, a program for our young people.”

Hayes said groups interested in being part of the Commitment to Learning program may contact him at (229) 420-8955 or (404) 451-5464. Interested groups may also contact Assistant County Administrator Mike McCoy at (229) 431-2121.