Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12A
Reporter
December 10,2008
Survey: Schools great, need more for teens
BY GINA HERRING
Young people in Monroe
County say the school sys
tem is the best thing going
for them, but that drugs
and violence are the
biggest problems they face.
They also want more local
entertainment options and
places to hang out with
their friends. That’s all
according to a recent sur
vey conducted by Monroe
County Family
Connection.
Family Connection coor
dinator Lisa McLendon
said 203 students, 262
adults and 43 community
service providers partici
pated in the surveys to
help determine where
there are gaps in social
services for families in
need in Monroe County.
“We’re in the process of
writing our three-year
strategic plan and we are
gathering information to
find out what’s needed and
what’s not needed,” said
McLendon.
The results were not too
surprising, says
McLendon. Participants
were asked to rank com
munity issues and offer
comments.
Almost three-quarters of
the students surveyed said
they would like to have a
movie theater in Monroe
County. A skating rink,
bowling alley or swimming
pool would also be good.
In addition to drugs and
alcohol, teen pregnancy
and a need for more health
education made the list of
concerns for young people.
Mary Persons principal
Jim Finch said it is very
encouraging that youth
recognize that schools are
a benefit to living in
Monroe County.
“Typically, this is a
response that we receive
from parents not children,”
said Finch.
The survey also said local
teens think they need
more guidance on health
and pregnancy issues.
Finch says Mary Persons
offers the standard
Health/PE curriculum in
the ninth grade but some
issues (sex education, teen
pregnancy, etc) are more
relevant to upper class-
men.
“We offer a one week cur
riculum of ‘Choosing the
Best Soulmate’ to our 12th
graders,” said Finch. “But
we could always do more.”
The class is sponsored by
the Monroe County
Pregnancy Center and led
by local volunteer Movene
Futch.
Adults taking the survey
agreed that drugs and
alcohol are major problems
facing young people today
and that there is a need
for a safe place for teens to
hang out. The adult sur
veys also revealed that the
biggest issues facing
Monroe County adults and
families are poverty, a lack
of jobs, a need for afford
able housing and access to
medical care. Also making
the list were domestic vio
lence, property crime,
affordable child care, vio
lent crime, access to men
tal health services and
easy access to law enforce
ment.
There were also 43 social
service providers who par
ticipated in the survey.
Providers were asked to
rank the seriousness of 59
unmet needs in the county.
Services for rape and
domestic assault vic
tims was listed as the
number-one need in
Monroe County by
providers. Also needed,
the survey says, are
services to help prevent
crime, child abuse and
alcohol abuse.
Founded in 1999 by
Gov. Zell Miller, Family
Connection is a
public/private partner
ship dedicated to
improving the lives of
children and their fami
lies by coordinating
identifiable resources
in the community.
“We’re kind of like the
Chamber for social
services,” said
McLendon. “We don’t pro
vide direct services but our
role is to get everybody
working together and to
Local students say the schools are tops, but do not have anywhere to hang
out after the bell rings. (File photo)
get agencies working
together.”
The survey results are
available for anyone to
use,
says McLendon. The
full report is available at
www.gafcp.org/fcnetwork/
monroe.
Christmas for the Rest of Us
Have you ever noticed that most
Christmas advertising and greet
ing cards portray only perfect
people? The pictures usually
show individuals with plenty of
money, lots of time, and beautiful
smiles. This picture is great if it
depicts your life, but what if it
doesn’t? At Mount lion, we invite
you to share in a Christmas for the
Rest of Us. We believe that the
real Christmas is not just for those
with seemingly perfect lives.
Christmas is also a time for the
lonely, discouraged, rejected,
and tired. Please join us as we
view the coming of Christ through
the eyes of ordinary people.
Christmas for the Rest of lls
Dec. 14 Christmas for the Lonely
Dec. 14 Worship Choir w/lnstrumental
Ensemble: “Joy to the World" • 6:00 PM
Dec. 21 Christmas for the Discouraged
Dec. 24 Christmas for the Rejected:
Candlelight Communion Service • 6:00
Dec. 28 Christmas for the Tired
Sunday Services 10:30 AM
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
lUVI 7015 Rivoli Rd.
Macon, GA 31210
(478) 994-0838
mtzionmacon.com
zstudents.com
r a t % i !.
Dodd Builder Supply, Inc
See us for all your
building & paint supplies
63 Harold G. Clarke Pkwy.
1-75 Exit 185 • Forsyth, GA
994-6403
Dr. Tom Perry
Optometrist
Eye Exams,
Frames, & Lenses
994-2988
Forsyth, GA.
Pamela A.
Woodell-Patterson
CPA, P.C
20 E. Main St
Forsyth, GA
478-994-2112
Floyd's Collision
and Mechanical, Inc.
198 Harold G. Clarke Pkwy
(Exit 185) Forsyth
“Family Owned and
Operated for 27 years"
994-1840
Buice's
Garage Inc.
Hwy. 83 North
Forsyth, Ga.
994-2335
Southern Rivers Energy
AWCspnarr,
Southern
Rivers Energy
www.southernriversenergy.com
Phone
(770) 358-1383
www.touchstoneenergy.com
2000 Touchstone
Energy Cooperative, Inc.
Why Shop Locally
The Power of Choice
Every time you make a purchase, you're exercising power of choice.
The choice is yours. You have the power to strengthen and enrich your community.
Did You Know...
• For every two jobs national retailers bring to a com
munity, three jobs are lost as a result of local busi
nesses closing down.
• When you shop locally-owned businesses, your
money is re-circulated over and over and creates up
to 75% more tax revenue to our community and
state.
• Independent businesses raise the standard of living
in your community because they take their profits
and buy products and services from other local busi
nesses, thus creating more and more tax revenues
needed for the community to thrive.
• Millions of dollars of tax revenue subsidies handed to
chains by financially-starved local governments
drain even more tax revenue from our community
and state.
• Blighted empty shopping areas are created in our
community when chain stores re-locate to a more
lucrative shopping center, or leave altogether. Liter
ally hundreds of big stores are abandoned each year
across the United States.
• Independent businesses are unique enterprises that
contribute to the character of our community by
offering a more diverse selections of goods and
services.
■ Independent businesses provide meaningful service
with a personal touch. It matters to them that you
are satisfied and will come back again.
1 Carefully planned predatory pricing practices have
allowed national chains to establish virtual
monopolies as they drive local competition out of
business. And then they raise their prices.
You can make a difference with a
few simple steps
■ Make a decision to find and patronize a locally-
owned business, wherever possible.
1 Dine at a local, independent restaurant and treat
yourself to a unique and personal dining experience.
When you shop online with out-of-state companies,
it doesn't contribute a dime to the local economy.So
check for local businesses who offer the same prod
ucts, and some even deliver.
1 Use the local businesses that advertise in the Monroe
County Reporter to find what you need.
Tell your associates, family, and friends what is hap
pening and why.We all create our communities. Let's
create strong and vibrant communities as a legacy
for those who follow.
171 N. Lee Street
Forsyth, GA
Steve Ward, Store Manager
478-994-8481
HIGH FALLS
NASHVILLE SOUNDS
HIGH FALLS PIZZA
HIGH FALLS B-B-Q
& BEVERAGE
"Four business is
appreciated"
994-6616’992-6619
Lewis Collision
one! Repair
Body UUork on all
mokes and models
675 Huiy. 83 N. Forsyth
992-9800
LOMMUNLAUQhS
nurtMWtiKtntK
SAtinai
478-994-1288
25 N. Lee St.
Forsyth, GA. 31029
WAL-MART
120 N. Lee Street • Forsyth, GA
478-994-0163
Store Manager
and All Associates