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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. JULY 23, 2009 — PAGE 5A Opinions Disappointed in response of business after dog hit Ongoing services ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Alcoholics Anonymous meets on Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at the Colbert Baptist Church annex and Fridays at 7 p.m. at the Danielsville Methodist Church annex. Dear Editor: I would like to take this opportunity and inform the citizens of Madison County of the potential hazard on our roadway. On Friday, June 19, at approx imately 8 p.m. my mother and her dog Oscar were in the yard when she heard a vehicle. As she reached for Oscar he ran across Garnett Ward Road, she could see that it was the deliv ery truck for Pizza and Sub Express. My mother stood in the road waving for him to slow down when the unfortu nate happened and Oscar was hit. My mother had to move out of the road way or she may have also been hit. The driver never stopped. The driver was making a delivery approximately 50 yards past where Oscar was struck. My mother stood in the road waiting for the driver to return but he took an alter native route of approximately five miles so that he would not have to admit what he had done. That evening I called the owner of the pizzeria to discuss the situation. He informed me that he would talk with the driver and more than likely dismiss him. The owner also admitted to me that the police where already watching out for the driver. Later, I found out that the driver has been reported several times for speeding on the same road. The owner also expressed his concern for my mother and would personally call and apol ogize to her and he has yet to call her. On the following Sunday afternoon my mother received a phone call from the driver. He told my mother that he saw her in the road, hit his brakes but it was too late. Oscar was taken to the UGA Vet School were he remained for three weeks with the doc tors unclear of what his prog nosis may be. As the weeks have passed Oscar has returned home. He has slowly regained his strength but has a long road to a full recovery. This has been devastating to everyone in our family. To us, Oscar is a part of our family; others may see him as just a dog and do not understand or realize the reasoning behind my letter. Yes, I do know that Oscar is a dog, but what if he had been a human being. Regrettably, my mother was told that she could not take legal action to hold the driver responsible for his actions. I believe that Madison County is a great place to live and that we need to support our local businesses but unfortunately I feel that Pizza and Sub Express has shown negligence in this situation. Sincerely, Christy Clark Churches shouldn’t follow the fads of the world Dear Editor: Many churches, in eager ness to bring the lost into their fold, have accommo dated themselves to a pat tern that is acceptable to the general unbelieving public. Their growth is accomplished through surveys and worldly marketing means. The heroes generally held up for our youth today are professional athletes and “rock” stars, who are paraded before the church as if to say, “This is your ideal: this is the kind of per son Jesus wants you to be.” The effort is to attract youth through entertainment rather than offer them the challenge to “take up the cross and fol low” the Lord Jesus Christ. Churches try to accommo date themselves to the cur rent fads of the world. They discard the old hymns that are both musical and edifying and replace them with “praise choruses” such as were used 50 years ago in Christian camps because they were simple, easy to learn, and didn't require a song book. But when the children came back from camp, they readily joined the rest of the congre gation in singing hymns with meaning and which require some thought. It is a serious mistake for church leaders to fashion a program after the ideas of untrained youth. Jesus did not cave in to the immature concepts of youth in order to appeal to them. To the rich young ruler (Mark 10) He sternly said, “One thing thou lackest: go, sell whatso ever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have trea sure in heaven: and come, fol low me” (Mark 10:21). This young man failed the test, but do you really think the Lord has “softened” the require ments for us today? The “easy faith” that has become so pop ular doesn't much resemble the gospel of the kingdom, which Jesus preached. It is tragic when so many take the worldly ambitions of the flesh, give them religious titles, and then peddle them as God- given “ministries.” Sincerely, Clem Thurman The Gospel Minutes Consider joining our newly named NE Ga. CASA family Dear Editor: Nationally, the approximate yearly cost of child abuse is $104 billion. About 11,000 children are in legal custody of the state of Georgia annu ally. Every day, approximate ly 90 children are the victims of confirmed abuse or neglect and 240 incidents of child abuse occur also annually. In 2007, 60 children died from abuse or neglect (www. gacasa.org/prog stats.html). So what can citizens in Madison County do to address this alarming real ity? Our community has always valued faith, family, friends and fun. Most importantly, we know our children are the future leaders of our local community. It is relatively easy to insulate ourselves with our families, jobs, churches and lifestyles. It is also easy for us to turn a blind eye on things, issues and concerns that are not on our immediate doorsteps. Better awareness is an amazing experience that spawns endless challenges and opportunities for indi viduals and communities. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) programs provide training to commu nity volunteers who advo cate on behalf of abused and neglected children for their safety, a permanent residence and well-being through inde pendent recommendations to the court. The CASA vol unteer is a community vol unteer who works on behalf of the child, along with the family, and the juvenile court system to search for the best home placement for the child as swiftly as possible. In the last month, the local CASA program of the Northern Judicial Circuit merged with the Mountain Circuit CASA program to continue providing services for our local children in fos ter care. The new name is Northeast Georgia CASA. We already have one com munity member volunteering and we are in need of many more. If you are interested in finding out more informa tion about volunteering, or prefer to make a monetary contribution, please contact Melissa, Pat or Brenda at 706-886-1098. Our website is www.MountainCasa.org. For those who can, and will, we welcome you to consider joining our newly named Northeast Georgia CASA family. Sincerely, E. Ann Gowdy Danielsville Thanks for article on taxes Dear Editor: Thank you Zach Mitcham, of The Madison County Journal, for printing that Mr. David Ragland, who is leading the Madison County tax assess ment board, had not paid his 2008 property tax as of July 16, 2009 newspaper printing. Mr. Ragland, you have no credibility. Take your firing by the Madison County Board of Commissioners like a man and ride off into the sunset. Also, the article pointed out that Mr. Gerry Burdette and Mr. Bruce Azevedo, both board members on the Madison County industrial authority, let their property taxes go unpaid until called on it. I see a conflict of interest in serving on the industrial authority board and in the real estate business. You both should be fired from this board. What about it Mr. (Marvin) White? Madison County board of commission ers, apply pressure to get this done. I and most property owners paid their taxes on time. Why didn't you? It seems we property owners who paid their taxes on time are the ones paying the bills of the county government. I guess all of us should let our property tax “slide” for a few years. Mr. Ragland, Mr. Burdette and Mr. Azevedo, you are poor examples of good citizenship. Mrs. Louise Watson, tax com missioner, has not collected all property taxes for 2007. How long does the law give us to pay our property tax, Mrs. Watson? I would like to see printed in this newspaper just what the laws are. Also, print the names and addresses of those still owing taxes for 2008 and prior years. Sincerely, Gene Lurwig Danielsville City of Ila PUBLIC MEETING The City of Ila, Georgia hereby gives notice of a Public Meeting 6 P.M. August 18, 2009 at City Hall in Ila, Georgia. The purpose of the public meeting is to: 1) Inform the public of the need for improvements to the City’s water system. 2) Comply with the requirements of the Georgia’s Rules for Safe Drinking Water and with the public participation requirements of Georgia’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) Environmental Review Process. 3) Encourage public involvement in the development of a plan to improve the water system. During the public meeting the City will attempt to identify public preferences for alternative methods of improving the City’s water facilities. These alternatives will be evaluated and included in the City’s Facilities Plan and Environmental Information Document, the major planning document covering the water system. Public participation is considered essential to the selection and development of the final plan to be adopted prior to its approval by the State of Georgia, Department of Natural Resources. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Narcotics Anonymous meets at 7 p.m. Monday at the Danielsville Methodist Church annex. SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS The Madison County Greys, Camp 1526, Sons of Confederate Veterans now meet on the 4th Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m. in the community room of First Madison Bank in Colbert,. Contact Frank Gillispie at 706-540-0120 for more information. OVER FIFTY CLUB The Over Fifty Club meets at 11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at Gordon's Chapel United Methodist Church. Membership is open to people ages 50 and over. TOUCHDOWN CLUB The Madison County High School Touchdown Club meets Tuesday nights during football season at 7:30 p.m. The football program’s website can be accessed at http://eteamz.active.com/ madisoncountyfootball/ MART The Madison Area Resource Team (M.A.R.T)/ Family Connection meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at the old Danielsville courthouse at 8 a.m. Call 795-3565 for more infor mation. TOPS MEETING The local chapter of TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) Club International meets each Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. with weigh-in from 6:30 to 6:50 p.m. at the Ila Community Center on Sewell Mill Road. MCHS BAND BOOSTER CLUB MCHS Band Booster Club meets every fourth Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the high school band room. Band parents are invited and encouraged to attend. GAMBLER’S ANONYMOUS Gambler’s Anonymous meets every Monday night at 7:30 p.m. at Living Word Baptist Church. For more information, call (404) 237-7281. AMERICAN LEGION The American Legion Post #39 of Danielsville meets the last Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. All veterans are welcome. 4-STAKES HORSESHOES Four-Stakes Horseshoes pitches every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The league is handicapped to give all pitchers an equal chance. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Call 207-9831 for more information or visit www.freewebs.com/4stakes. MADISON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ASSOCIATION The Madison County Master Gardeners Association meets the first Tuesday of every odd month at 7 p.m. at the Madison County Extension office. Meetings are open to members and guests. For more information about becoming a Master Gardener or about membership in MCMGA visit the website at: www.madi- soncountymastergardeners.org.Or, contact the Madison County Cooperative Extension office at 706-795-2281 or email gamc- mga@yahoo.com. COLLINS DISTRICT VFD The Collins District Volunteer Fire Department meets the sec ond Saturday night of each month from 7 to 10 p.m. Refreshments, free bingo, games and prizes provided. The youth night at the Collins VFD is held the last Saturday night each month from 7 to 10 p.m. To have an event listed in on-going services, call Margie Richards at (706) 795-2567. FOR ONLY $5 YOU CAN LIST YOUR Let your members know wl Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in... • The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News • The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal PER MONTH, GROUP'S MEETINGS! ien your group is meeting! JEFFERSON EIONS CEUB Meets 2nd & 4th Monday Jefferson City Clubhouse 6:30 p.m. • (706) 387-1156 Mack Cates, President 542 UNITY LODGE W F & A.M. No. 36, Jefferson, GA 1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m. Dwayne Potts • 706-367-4449 Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260 JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB Meets Tuesdays Jefferson City Clubhouse 12:30 p.m.-(706) 367-7696 Gina Mitsdarffer, President 547 MM BANKS COUNTY fc ,.ftJAMERICAN LEGION Riders Post 215 Meets each 2nd Thursday, 7 p.m. In Homer, GA at the American Legion Building on Historic Highway 441 pd.02/10 Georgia Real Estate Investors Association, Inc. - Athens Meets the third Thursday each month 6:30 pm at the UGA Conferen ce Center 1197 South Lumpkin Street, Athens, GA 30601 Tom Hewlett - Chapter President the wlettl @charter.net pj 12/09 BANKS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. meets first Monday each month 7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441 North in Homer pd,-07/09 St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Mission Mass Schedule: Sat. 4:00 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m., Wed. 12:10 p.m. Parish Council meetings: 2nd Sunday of the month after 11:00 mass First Friday Adoration 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org 706-335-2622 pd.05/09 JEFFERSON Hf AMERICAN LEGION Albert Gordon Post 56 Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Harvie Lance, Commander Phone (706) 654-1274 .no BANKS COUNTY I|§ AMERICAN LEGION Post 215 Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m. In Homer, GA at the American Legion Building on Historic Highway 441 Pd.06/10 r|f| VETERANS OF W FOREIGN WARS Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr. Each 4thTuesdasy, 7:00 p.m. Jason Mergele, Commander Phone 706-367-7237 263 JESUS CHRIST And His Restored Gospel! Come Worship With Us! 4859 Mt. Olive Road, Commerce Meeting Time: Sunday, 9:00 am www.mormono.org For Missionaries Call: 706-380-9927 The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints pd.06/09