About Dunwoody reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 20??-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2013)
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Back when he was in his 20s, Long was impressed with colleagues who in vited the homeless to breakfast, and then sat and talked with them during the meal. “I didn’t have the balls to do that,” Long said. “But three years ago on a sub-freezing night, I saw a home less man stretched out on a bench. His feet in tennis shoes poked out at the end of his blankets and, as a duck hunter, I thought, ‘I’d sure like some foot warm ers if that were me.’” The next day, Long bought out a store’s stock of foot warmers, $500 worth. He learned quickly that activat ing the warmers before handing them out was the way to be sure the homeless would use them, not sell them. 30WG volunteers are unique first-re sponders. They know when to go, but not necessarily where, because the land scape of homelessness often changes. On this first deployment of the sea son, they spent several hours criss-cross ing so-called “hot spots” known to at tract the homeless. They zipped around in small, SUV-led convoys to the city’s churches and private parks, tumbled out of their vehicles, then moved in packs J.D. MOOR Kel Long kneels next to a homeless woman after giving her a blanket. Long, a Buckhead attorney, helps deliver hats, scarves, foot warmers and socks to some of the 7,000 homeless people in downtown Atlanta, whenever the temperature dips below 30 degrees. on foot. Long has noticed that some 30WG volunteers can’t get enough of connect ing with the homeless, while others can’t handle it at all. “When they see them actually bed ding down on the streets, meet them and talk to them, that experience goes deep,” he said. Jason Horrell of Buckhead, 30, was one of the volunteers on Dec. 13. “It’s more than doing something good for these people. It’s about estab lishing relationships. I remember some of these folks from last year,” he said. Tony, a man in Coca-Cola Park, said he’d been homeless for at least a year, af ter losing his job as a semi driver. “These are pretty nice people. I needed a better hat to keep my head warm and I’m glad they had one for me,” he said. That knowledge warms the hearts and souls of everyone with 30WG. “This can be gut-wrenching work, but we are helping them,” Long said. To volunteer or donate, visit: http://projectlivelove.com/theaction/ three-oh-we-go/ * * * 3 FREE Nights * * * A MEMORY CARE COMMUNITY www.peregrinepeachtree.com Peregrine's Landing at Peachtree Creek A Memory Care Community 4375 Beech Haven Trail SE, Smyrna, GA 30080 770-803-0100 * Expires within 30 days of receipt January 31, 2012. ***Based on availability. Assessment and Medial Evaluation required. Not redeemable for cash. 3 Free Respite Nights ONLY. *** Coming in the January 25 issue of Reporter Newspapers Perimeter Business A new monthly section focusing on businesses and businesspeople in the Perimeter area. Correction A Making a Difference article in the Dec. 28-Jan. 10 editions of Reporter News papers incorrectly identified the retirement community where Jim Cochrane, Claire Smith and June Weitnauer reside. They live at Lenbrook. FREE ESTIMATES MATT’S Ut \t tnvr fr-TTFDt rvr Gutter installation KntJFlNt.&tA I ll.K\[\U andsiding Services Include Roofing Re-roofing Roof repairs Gutter covers MattsRoofingAndGutters.com 770-251-0707 Perimeter Business Restaurateurs cook up local following For advertising and editorial information, call 404-917-2200 ext. 112 or email publisher@reporternewspapers.net. Reporter Newspapers s DUN www.ReporterNewspapers.netl JAN. 11—JAN.24,2013 | 9
