The Mayor
ROCHELLE ROBINSON
I am so thrilled that May is finally here! One of my favorite things about the Month of May is Mother’s Day. I love being able to celebrate my mother and the impact she had on my life. She constantly encouraged me and always showed me what a strong woman and mother looked like. Mother’s Day also brings the reminder of the greatest gift I’ve been given, my children. I am so proud of them and am thankful God chose me to be their mother. I hope that you are all able to celebrate your mothers safely this year. I pray that this year you can gather and tell your mom thank you for everything she’s done for you! May also means that school will be out soon, and summer will be here. I am so glad the warm weather has returned, especially after a particularly gray winter season. Seeing all the beautiful flowers and greenery just warms my heart and makes me happy. I can’t wait to get out to Sweetwater Creek State Park and enjoy the sunshine, nature, and walking paths. Maybe I’ll see you out on the trail. It’s my joy to inform you that we also have some fun plans coming up this month. I am so thankful that we can bring you some new events and old favorites and hope that you will seriously consider joining us. First, our Farmers Market event is returning this spring and summer and kicks off on Tuesday, May 3rd at 3:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to get outside and buy fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and more from local vendors. Since it’s so close to Mother’s Day you can buy your mother a locally sourced batch of flowers! If your mother is a dog lover, one of our newest events, “Doggy Days: Bark in the Park” is the event for her! Join us at Worthan Park from 10 am-1 pm where you can check out vendors and bring your pups for a fun event! If music is more her speed, the Douglasville Police Department is
hosting a Music Festival at the Police Department the afternoon of May 7th, starting at noon. Is there a better way to spend the Saturday before Mother’s Day than enjoying live music in the nice weather? In honor of Mother’s Day, we have an event that you can attend with your mother! On Wednesday, May 11th, Jessie Davis Park will be hosting a Senior Adults Mother’s Day Lunch. I hope that this will be a great opportunity for us to honor the mothers in our lives. Make sure to bring your mom back for Spring Bingo at O’Neal Plaza on May 13th! This event, back by popular demand, is a great way to experience Downtown Douglasville and get in on some fun bingo action! Last year’s Pop-Up shops will be returning to O’Neal Plaza on Saturdays starting May 14th. If your mother, like me, loves to shop, this is the event for her! There will be lots of vendors out on the plaza selling their homemade goods for our community to enjoy! I hope that you will be there to check it out! Also on May 14th, the Police Department will be hosting a “Cars and Cops” event for all of our classic car lovers. If your mother has a classic car she adores, she can register to show off her car at this event. Trust me- you don’t want to miss out! Finally, I am so happy that Taste of Douglasville is back again this year! You can visit Downtown Douglasville on Saturday, May 21st, and take part in this annual event. This is a great event for moms to celebrate with their families while supporting local businesses! National Kids to Parks Day is also on this Saturday, so swing by Taste of Douglasville and then head out to Willing Workers Park to partake in some fun, outdoor activities! Make sure you come back and read next month’s article to see about all the great events that will be coming up in June and July! With all the exciting upcoming events, I would be remiss if I did not encourage you and your families to be safe. Whether your travels take you away from our community, or just around town, it is important to ensure everyone’s safety. I look forward to seeing each of you at our many community events!
WHO WORKS FOR THE CITY? I am pleased to introduce you to TWO of our excellent employees who also happen to be mothers for this month’s article.
First up is Allison Parker. Allison serves as the Communications Manager for the City of Douglasville. The pillars that serve as the foundation of her life are faith, family, and service to others. As a child, she would volunteer regularly with her church by creating care packages for homeless shelters in Atlanta. Allison graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism minoring in African American Studies. She loves being active and staying engaged with the community. She has participated in numerous community programs and is a 2021 Leadership Douglas graduate. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, Kenneth, and they are the proud parents of two-year-old Kennedy Marie Parker and newborn, Kenneth Parker, III whom the family affectionately calls “Tripp”. On the weekends you can find the Parker family at community events, or outdoors when the weather is nice. Our second employee is Samantha Rosa-
50
Chapel Hill COMMUNITY
Allison Parker and Family
Samantha Rosado and Family
do. Samantha is the Assistant Conference Center and Tourism Director for the City of Douglasville. Before her time with the City, she planted her professional roots throughout Douglas County where she served on the CVB Advisory Board and remained active in the Douglas County Chamber. Born and raised in Georgia, she graduated from South Paulding High School and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of West Georgia. Samantha is currently enrolled in the Management Development Program with the University of Georgia Extension Service and will soon graduate from
Leadership Douglas. She enjoys being active in both the community and the Hospitality Industry. Samantha serves as Treasurer for the Atlanta Metro Travel Association and is President-Elect for the Douglas County Rotary Club. Samantha married her husband, Juan, in July of 2009. They are the parents of three – Tony, Ava, and Weslee and have a fur baby, Pepper. All three kids are active in sports, which means many late nights at the fields. When they’re not shuffling between practices and games, you can find them at church or fellowshipping with family and friends. PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS