AUGUST 1, 2012 PAGE 1b
BACK TO SCHOOL May’s Family Fun Day boasts 300 big boxes filled with school supplies Story and Photos by Joshua Smith
LITHONIA—Rock climbing, horseback riding, swimming, grilled hotdogs and hamburgers, along with pounds of school supplies—were all provided free to the thousands of families who turned out for DeKalb County Commissioner Lee May’s Annual Family Fun Day at the Bransby Outdoor YMCA Center in Lithonia. The outdoor fun day, which was held last month to mark the end of summer for DeKalb’s school children, provided plenty of fun under the sun with live entertainment from local artists, an interactive videogame center, moonwalks, face painting, basketball tournaments and several vendors offering cool treats to beat the heat. May, as he traditionally has done, held a drive for
school supplies, which he then gave away until he ran out to many of the families who attended his Family Day. The supplies, including book bags, pens, pencils, paper and folders, filled more than 300 cardboard boxes, said Roderick Cunningham, who assisted May with the drive through the Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program. “With the economy being in the state that it is, foreclosures and everything going up in costs, it’s a good thing to give the residents of DeKalb at least one day to leave all that stress behind and enjoy a full day of free family fun,” said May, who represents District 5. “This is my fifth year hosting this event and I really love doing it. It’s always a real highlight to the year.”
Students head back to school for another year of learning The Rockdale County Public School System led the pack for back to schoolers, welcoming students for the first day of class on July 30. While all other school systems in Metro Atlanta prepare for their first day of school (Aug. 1 – 13), expect to see more buses in your neighborhood and heavy backpacks galore as families prepare for another school year. Conyers Middle School Principal Maryland Nesmith directs students and parents on the first day of school.