About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2020)
LIFESTYLE THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, THURSDAY, JAN. 2 - 8, 2020 • PAGE 17 LIFESTYLE YIR Continued From Page 16 percent of those who become Boy Scouts earn Eagle Scout rank, which it describes as “a lengthy review process.” During the 108 years the Boy Scouts have been in existence, approximately 2.5 million youth have be come Eagle Scouts. To achieve the ultimate rank, a scout must earn at least 21 merit badges and demonstrate “Scout Spirit,” which the organization defines as “an ideal attitude based upon the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership.” Each person aspiring to become an Eagle Scout must also complete an extensive service project that the scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. “For my Eagle Project, I led a team of fellow scouts to build 30 memo rial flag cases for the families of veterans who can’t afford them,” Doolittle said. As part of the burial service for a U.S. military veteran, representatives of the veteran’s branch of the service may perform a ceremony that includes folding an American flag, which may have draped the coffin during the fu neral, and presenting it to the next of kin. “Both the deceased veteran and the family have made a sacrifice for their country, and the flag is a memorial to that sacrifice,” the young man noted. Helping homeless men get back on their feet Successfully tackling homelessness in DeKalb County will require the resources of new and established agencies and individuals as well as better coordination among entities, according to the head of one charitable group. Leslie Prince, board chair of Clifton Sanctuary Ministries, said multiples agencies such as CSM are working hard to provide an array of services to those without permanent housing in the county but more needs to be done. “I think people are doing what they can,” said Prince. “I would like to see a bit more cohesion. We can always do more. We can do better. We can learn what resources are out there. We don’t [always] know what exists. “There must be more conversation so we know who’s out there and what everyone does.” Clifton Sanctuary Ministries later this month will celebrate its 40th year providing shelter and services to homeless men. CSM runs two facilities in Atlanta’s Lake Claire community off Ponce de Leon in DeKalb County. The shelter can accommodate 30 men for 30 to 60 days and a transitional house, Joe’s Place, located across the street houses up to six men for as long as 90 days. Both facilities require the men to work with a case manager and make progress on their individual case plans with goals of sobriety, completing work readiness classes, securing work, staying on medication and such. The goal is to make progress toward independent living. DeKalb Symphony Orchestra a cultural note in the community Although the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra has been part of the community for 55 years, board member Ann Alperin said it’s still “Atlanta’s best-kept secret.” The symphony was founded in 1964 concurrently with DeKalb College, a two-year institution in Clarkston that at the time was governed by the DeKalb County Board of Education. Its founding president wanted to have a symphony orchestra in residence and along with community partners helped create the musical group. DeKalb College expanded to multiple campuses and became Georgia Perimeter College. In 2016 it became part of Georgia State University. The Clarkston campus is still the orchestra’s home, although the orchestra is governed as a separate nonprofit, according to Alperin. In a process that Alperin describes as “rather like putting a jigsaw puzzle together,” the orchestra plans concerts that take into consideration the concert hall’s availability and the availability of guest performers the orchestra would like to feature. Fyodor Cherniavsky, music director and conductor, said he especially enjoys working with a community orchestra because the musicians are volunteers, most of whom earn their living in some field not related to music. “The word amateur according to its root meaning is one who does something for the love of it. That’s exactly what we have and that’s what makes this so special.” HAPPY 9 NEW A from the Champion newspaper YEAR
