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THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, JAN. 26 - FEB. 1, 2023 • PAGE 7
Veterans campaign to save American
Legion Post destroyed by fire
BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE
CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
Two Marines are leading
a campaign to try to save a
resource they say is valuable
for local veterans and the
community.
American Legion Post
207, which opened in 1952
in Tucker, served more than
3,000 veterans in the Tucker,
Stone Mountain, and Lilburn
areas until an electrical fire
destroyed the building in
2019.
While some progress
was made in rebuilding
the facility, the COVID-19
pandemic, supply shortages,
and rising costs for building
materials in the years that
followed halted work.
Now, Post Commander
Anthony Mathis and
Campaign Chair Scott Brady
are trying to pick up where
the work was left off and
raise enough funds to keep
the project from facing
permanent closure at the
end of January.
"We're calling our
campaign Save the 7,"
said Brady. "While one of
our goals is to raise the
funds needed to complete
construction on the building
to make it serviceable, our
main focus is to provide
resources and programs
that lead to good health and
good skills in a way that is
repeatable and sustainable
for veterans who are
struggling."
According to the
American Legion's website,
the organization was
formed after World War I to
advocate for and support
veterans. Currently, there
are 12,000 posts serving
more than 2 million
veterans across the country,
stated officials.
"Help comes in the form
of personal assistance,
cash grants, donated
goods, disaster relief, labor,
networking, volunteerism
and advocacy," stated the
organization's website.
Brady and Mathis said
if they are able to raise
enough funds, they would
like the new and improved
facility to include a gym and
community garden as well
as programs that provide
mentorship and job training
opportunities.
"Our goal is to raise
$750,000 in 2023, but we're
looking to raise $216,000
by end of month to meet
commitments to pay the
past due amounts for work
already completed," stated
Brady, who said permit
delays, new ordinances
and an insurance company
denying part of the funds
owed were the reasons for
debt.
"So far, we've received a
very positive response from
the community, but many
people did not even know
Post 207 was in danger
of closing permanently,
so getting the word out is
critical," said Brady.
A photo from the American Legion Post 207 Facebook page shows what
the building and area looked like before a fire destroyed the building in
2019. File photo
Sponsorship
opportunities include
purchasing a memorial brick
that will be inscribed with a
loved one's name for $100
each as well as naming
rights to the building,
banquet hall, lounge, patio,
garden, barbecue area and
gym with larger donations.
Brady and Mathis
said once construction is
complete, American Legion
Post 207 will also give
back to the community
by hosting events such as
barbecue competitions and
car shows, as well as hosting
food drives for those in
need.
"We hope to have a
thriving post with a few
hundred active members
who are dedicated to
supporting veterans and the
surrounding community,"
said Brady.
Donations are now being
collected through PayPal at
savelegion207@gmail.com.
For more information,
contact alpost207@hotmail.
com.
Students at Stone Mountain arts academy
stand out at international festival
BY KATHY MITCHELL
FREELANCE REPORTER
When performing arts
students representing 125 groups
from 28 states, as well as the
District of Columbia, Canada, and
Australia, came to the Atlanta
area earlier this month for the
2023 Junior Theater Festival
Atlanta (JTF Atlanta), a group
representing a DeKalb County-
based institution made a dazzling
impression, according to Denise
Burcham, director of Smoke
Rise Academy of Arts in Stone
Mountain. She said performing
arts professionals who served as
festival judges were effusive in
their praise of performances of
students representing Smoke Rise
Academy of Arts.
At the 2023 JTF Atlanta, which
was January 13 through 15 at
the Cobb Convention Center,
students performed 15 minutes
of a Broadway Junior® musical
for adjudicators. The Smoke Rise
Academy of Arts cast performed
Oliver Junior and selections
from Disney's Finding Nemo
Junior and KIDS during the New
Works Showcase. Theirs was the
first performance anywhere of
Finding Nemo Junior.
Among the judges was
composer and lyricist Rob
Rokicki, who commented,
"I was so impressed with
the sophistication of this
presentation. They tackled
intense subject matter and threw
themselves into it. There was
great real heart and great dance
precision in their presentation.
... I was taken by the level of
maturity in these young people,
as well as the nuance and passion
they brought to their characters."
Another judge, Khalia Davis,
actor and multidisciplinary artist
and artistic director of Bay Area
Children's Theatre, said, "This
cast had a stunning level of
commitment to the darker and
harder moments of the piece. It's
clear that Smoke Rise Academy
of Arts gives its artists a safe
space that allows them to fully
explore and embody the depth of
character needed to pull off such
difficult material."
Drama Desk nominated actor
Evan Ruggiero, also among
the judges, noted, "Smoke
Rise Academy of Arts delivered
incredible vocals and storytelling.
This show has very deep and
difficult subject matter. These
students executed it flawlessly
and with maturity well beyond
their years. It's clear they were
very well rehearsed and that
allowed to let them shine as true
artists."
Dedicated to rewarding and
celebrating excellent student-
driven musical theater programs,
JTF Atlanta bills itself as the
largest youth theater festival
in the world. "There is a JTF in
California, but I don't think it's
as large as the one in Atlanta,"
Burcham said.
"Smoke Rise Academy of
Arts Drama is a theater program
representing Smoke Rise Baptist
Church. Describing itself as an Students at Smoke Rise Academy of Arts gave a
performance at Junior Theater Festival Atlanta that
SEE FESTIVAL ON PAGE 8 dazzled judges and won major recognitions.
