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Tucker Rec Schedules Summer Camp
OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF
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The City of Tucker’s 2013 designation by the Atlanta Regional Commission as a “Lifelong Community” is one of its most appealing features for potential residents who are looking for a home where they can live for life, or “age in place.” One such resident is retired teacher Lea Ann Lewis, who returned to Tucker to live in her childhood home on Smithsonia Drive and care for her aging parents. After her parents died, Lewis found herself unable on her limited income to afford the necessary repairs on her aging home. The roof was leaking, there was significant wood rot, the plumbing was faulty, and a new front handrail was necessary to ensure that Lewis could safely continue to stay in her home. But thanks to DeKalb Habitat for Humanity, Lewis is now aging in place. After applying to the program, Lewis met with representatives from DeKalb Habitat, who reviewed the condition of her house and noted some repairs that she had not even considered. After that, a doctor and two physical therapists from Emory visited Lewis to do a physical assessment of Lewis as a young student teacher in front of the Smithsonia house. her health and needs. The Habitat crew began working on Lewis’s house at the end of November. Many were volunteers from the Tucker community, including some students from Tucker High School, especially meaningful for Lewis, who once was a young student teacher there. The crew worked every Saturday so that by Christmas, they were able to give her the best gift – a safe place for her to live, hopefully for many years still to come.
The Lewis home repairs were funded in part by grants from Lowe’s and The Clare Foundation. “There is a huge need in DeKalb County for senior home repairs yet funding does not keep pace,” said Sharon Steele, executive director of DeKalb Habitat. “Ms. Lewis had inquired about our Aging in Place program some time ago; she met the criteria, completed the necessary health and fall risks assessments and her needed repairs fell within the scope of the Aging in Place program. Any seniors in need of home repair can contact us to mail them an application or they can do so on our website. But our pipeline is currently at capacity based on funding, and we have over 200 DeKalb seniors requesting assistance.”
“It is important that seniors have the opportunity to age in place and remain a part of the community where we have familiarity and feel safe,” said Lewis. “I am grateful for Habitat for Humanity and the Age in Place program that made that possible for me.”
Learn more about DeKalb Habitat for Humanity and its Age in Place program at dekalbhabitat.org. Sign up to volunteer or donate today.
OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF
Tucker Recreation Center has announced a summer camp for ages 5 to 12, open from May 31 to July 29, 2022. Camp registration is by the week, at $128 per child per week. Camp hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with free before care (7:00 to 9:00 a.m.) and aftercare (4:00 to 6:00 p.m.). Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration costs.
Camp activities will include swimming, hiking, sports, STEM and art projects, group games, and nature programming. Detail and registration at tuckerga.gov/departments/parks_and_recreation/index/summer_camp.php, or email parks@tuckerga.gov or call 470.481.0205. Tucker Parks and Rec is committed to following all COVID-19 health and safety protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Georgia Department of Public Health, as well as any local or state guidelines.
n the first annual celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Tucker dog daycare and boarding Camp Woof was named “Small Employer of the Year” by Georgia's Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE). Camp Woof was honored at the Supported Employment Celebration Awards Virtual Event, “Work Works for Everyone,” on Thursday, October 28, 2021, in an online ceremony and celebration. APSE is a national organization focused exclusively on Employment First to facilitate the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and community. Camp Woof was recognized because of its consistent and comprehensive commitment to employing people with disabilities.
“We work together as a team, and that means everyone on the Staff works together and inclusively to get the job done,” said Robert Poff, Camp Woof COO and general manager. “Our goal is to be sure all our people clients and dog clients have a safe, happy, and active experience while they are at Camp Woof, and it takes everyone on the team to make that happen.”
Camp Woof is an employment partner with WOW In-Sync, a Tucker-based non-profit providing training and support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism to help them integrate more fully into business and community. WOW has placed several adults with disabilities at Camp Woof, in meaningful jobs that provide career and life development. Camp Woof not only provides an inclusive environment for individuals who want to work, but it also hosts discovery tours for young adults in high school who are learning about work expectations at the WOW in-Sync Pre-Employment Training Site.
“Camp Woof sees potential rather than barriers, empowering people with
Cosmic Love
Just thinking about you brings a smile to my face. You touch me without contact. Like a magic magnet I feel you pull me near. It seems a strange fact that we’re together even when you’re not here.
Have we loved in other times, have we dreamed together, were our past lives intertwined, will our future destiny cross eternal lines? Someday when all the universe is in harmony, our love song will still reverberate across the cosmos Loving you for who you are and who you used to be across the lines of space and time for all eternity.
© Copyright 1999 Victoria T. Crosby All Rights Reserved
British-born poet and writer Victoria Crosby has been Poet Laureate of the City of Glen Cove in New York for more than twenty-five years; her work has been published in magazines and newspapers as well as featured on radio shows. Now residing in Smoke Rise, Victoria will create a unique gift with a custom poem for an anniversary, engagement, wedding, birthday, retirement or any other special occasion. You can contact Victoria at poeticvic@aol.com.
