Henry County Update - Newsletter

March 31, 2016

Board of

Henry County Honors Vietnam Veterans

Commissioners Regular Meetings April 5 at 9:00 AM April 19 at 6:30 PM Meetings held at: Administration Building Community Room 140 Henry Parkway McDonough, GA 30253 Regular Commission meetings air daily on Henry TV Channel 180 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99, at 9 a.m. & 7 p.m.

Vietnam veterans stand for a pinning ceremony at the Welcome Home event at Heritage Park that recognized their service to this country and offered them the welcoming they may have missed upon returning home after their service.

Henry County Government paid honor to its Vietnam era veterans at a fitting “Welcome Home” ceremony that was held at the Veterans Wall of Honor at Heritage Park in McDonough on March 29, 2016, officially recognizing Vietnam Veterans Day in Henry County.

Sunshine and blue skies set the scene for a perfect spring day where more than 500 people turned out to honor and welcome home the county’s Vietnam veterans. The ceremony included patriotic music from the Henry County High School band, piper David Gregory and a somber rendition of Taps from Jim Houston, with Bugles Across America. A patriotic poem was read and the keynote speaker was Major General Arnold Fields, USMC (ret.).

District IV Commissioner Blake Prince read a proclamation on behalf of the Henry County Board of Commissioners and thanked the Veterans for the service and sacrifice.

The proclamation read in part, “Today, we stand as a country and county to reaffirm our commitment and obligation to show all who have worn the uniform of the United States the respect and dignity they deserve and we vow to continue honoring Continued on page 2

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March 31, 2016 Welcome Home from page 1

Published by Henry County Communications Department The Henry County Board of Commissioners

Editor Melissa Robinson

Graphic Designer Meredith Butler Samantha Watson

Layout Designer Samantha Watson

Contributors Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Kevin Williams

Commissioner Bruce Holmes’ Association to Offer Free Workouts in Off Season

The Commissioner Bruce Holmes Athletic Association Youth Football League will be offering free, off-season workouts beginning April 5th, 2016.

The program is open to all boys and girls ages 5-12 who are interested in playing football or becoming a cheerleader. Workouts will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Stockbridge Middle School football field located at 533 Old Conyers Rd., Stockbridge, GA 30281.

Please contact Director Gary E. Wills at 410-979-8335 or go to http://www.leaguelineup.com/bhaayflvikings for more information. henrycounty-ga.org

their many sacrifices…”

Vietnam veterans were also honored in a special pinning ceremony.

Vietnam veteran Jim Joyce, with the Parks and Recreation Department, who coordinated the Welcome Home event, said that he observed many veterans standing at attention with tears in their eyes and said that it was obvious they were touched by the support of the county and the community.

“After the ceremony, I talked with many of the recognized soldiers and they told me that this was the first time anyone shook their hand and said ‘thank you’ since their return home, 40 years ago,” said Joyce.

“The event was a heartfelt reception for everyone and offered a long overdue welcome home.”

Joyce said that Major General Fields, the keynote speaker, was thoroughly impressed with the ceremony.

“He commented on the quality of the event, amount of participation of Henry County government officials and how remarkable the Wall of Honor in Heritage Park is,” said Joyce. “He said it was the best wall of honor he’s seen in a local community memorial.”

Above: Attendees of the Welcome Home ceremony standing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Below: Veitnam Veterans and their family, friends and supporters gathered at the Heritage Park Veterans Wall of Honor.

Spring Break Day Camp Registration Open

22nd Annual Miles for Meals Walk Set for May 7

The 22nd Annual Miles for Meals Walk, hosted by the Henry County Council on Aging, will take place on May 7 at the Jason Harper Event Center from 10 a.m. to noon, with registration beginning at 9 a.m.

Proceeds from the event will go toward services and programs for senior adults in Henry County.

The walk will take participants on trails throughout Heritage Park with routes to fit all fitness levels. A picnic lunch will be served following the walk and a professional DJ will be playing music to keep participants energized. Registered walkers who raise at least $25 will be eligible to win a variety of door prizes.

The Miles for Meals walk, which is the oldest continuous fundraising walk in Henry County, was developed by the Henry County Council on Aging to support its mission to subsidize and sustain programs and services for Henry County’s senior adults. The event is held on the first Saturday of May in observance of Older Americans Month.

The Henry County Council on Aging is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting services for senior adults and acting as advocates on their behalf. The Council serves as an advisory board to Henry County Senior Services and is made up of 19 volunteers from all areas of the county.

For more information on the Miles for Meals walk, the Henry County Council on Aging or Henry County Senior Services, visit www.henrycounty-ga.org/seniorservices or call Ann Marie Quincey at 770-288-7000.

Let Henry County Parks and Recreation help your kids aged 6 to 12 make the most of spring break this year with Spring Break Day Camp to be held April 4 through 8 from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Campers will enjoy the week-long day camp, which includes a field trip to the Starlite Family Fun Center, for $100 per child. Registration is currently open and will close on April 1. Register at the Fairview, J.P. Moseley and Locust Grove Recreation Centers as well as Heritage Park or online at hcprd.org.

For more information on the day camp and to learn about the Park and Recreation Department’s upcoming summer camp, please call 770-288-7300 or visit hcprd.org.

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March 31, 2016 Kickin’ it Old School Summer Day Camp Registration Opens April 4

Summer is the time for fun in the sun, not the time for binge watching Netflix and Nickelodeon.

Be prepared for when school lets out by registering students aged 5 to 13 for the Henry County Parks and Recreation’s eight week Kickin’ it Old School Summer Camp.

Registration begins on April 4 at any Parks and Recreation office, Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for eight, one week sessions of summer day camp taking place May 31-July 1 and July 11-July 29, MondayFriday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The registration fee for one child is $100 per week.

Each week of camp will offer a field trip and swim day. Week one, May 31-June 3, will feature a trip to a Braves game. For week two, June 6-10, campers will go to Pin Strikes bowling. During week three, June 13-17, participants will visit the World of Coke. For

Participants in the 2015 Summer Day Camp cooling off during one of the weekly swim days.

week four, June 20-24, campers will enjoy a trip to Sky Zone Trampoline Park, and to wrap up week five, June 27-July 1, inflatables and karaoke will be set up at a Parks and Recreation office location. Week six, July 11-15, will feature a trip to Medieval Times.

For week seven, July 18-22, chaperones will take the campers to Starlite Skating Center and for week eight, July 25-29, a field day will be set up at the J.P. Moseley Recreation Center.

For more information on the Kickin’ it Old School Summer Camp, visit www.hcprd.org or call Henry County Parks and Recreation at 770-288-7300.

Tomato Growing Lunch and Learn on April 12

Bees are buzzing, buds are blossoming and pollen is in the air; it must be spring! While you’re arranging the perennials in your garden, try adding some tomato plants. You’ve never grown tomatoes? No worries! The Henry County Extension Office is offering an upcoming tomato growing Lunch and Learn on April 12 at noon in room B of the Extension Office in Heritage Park.

Bring an appetite for tomato sandwiches and spend an hour with Garden Delights co-star and Henry County Extension Office’s Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent, Frank Hancock. He will be explaining how to grow different types of tomatoes during this month’s Lunch and Learn session.

For more information on the tomato Lunch and Learn or to see a list of upcoming Lunch and Learn lectures, please visit www.caes.uga.edu/extension/henry.

henrycounty-ga.org

Commissioners Welcome Local Students to Discuss History Project

The Henry County Board of Commissioners welcomed McDonough Councilwoman Sandra Vincent and several local students and teachers to discuss a history and community service project on which they have been working.

During the public comments portion of the March 15, 2016 Commission meeting, students from Luella and Hampton high schools, along with Vincent and teachers Paul Roberts and Leah Ashley, asked the Board for assistance with gaining entry into a historical slave cemetery, the Weems’ family cemetery located in the Luella section of Henry County, with the mission of restoring and repairing the grounds, as well as making it into an outdoor classroom.

Several students took to the podium to articulate what the project has meant to them.

Hampton High School student Aliyah Austin addressed the Commissioners and told them that there are 184 people buried in the cemetery with 184 stories to be told. She said that she envisions a nature trail and pavilion and a walking tour telling the stories of the people buried there to share the experience with others.

Student Mikayla Lee said the people who are

buried in the Weems cemetery supported the economic growth of Henry County and should be honored.

Councilwoman Vincent asked the Commissioners for assistance in gaining access to the abandoned cemetery.

“We’re here tonight to ask for your support—the cemetery is abandoned and we need assistance with right to enter,” said Vincent. “We have many people who are interested in going out there and starting the process of celebrating the lives of those who are buried there.”

Several Commissioners expressed interest in helping the students with access to the property and lauded the students for their service to the community.

“What an incredible opportunity for the students to learn to be generous with their time. This is something that could have a continued legacy and I thank you for serving,” said District II Commissioner Brian Preston.

“To honor the dead is to honor yourself. It saddens me to think there are 184 people who have just been forgotten,” said District IV Commissioner Blake Prince. He requested the County Attorney help the students and teachers gain entry to the property.

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