Good afternoon, everyone:
Today I will begin my comments by announcing our second Back-To-School Backpack giveaway. It will be held this Saturday, July 16, at Clarkston First Baptist Church. This event will be done in partnership with Clarkston Mayor Beverly H. Burks, and Dekalb School Board Members Vickie Turner and Dr. Joyce Morley, along with several other community partners.
Last year’s event was a great success in that we gave away about 500 backpacks. This year our goal is to double that by giving away at least 1,000. We are well aware of the fact that inflation is inducing a financial strain for many of our families. By conducting this event we hope to mitigate that strain to some degree. More information is available across our communications platforms. We look forward to seeing you there.
Also, this Saturday will be the official opening of Station Soccer at the Kensington MARTA Station. This is a great program, and this amenity will serve as an excellent enhancement of the community as we continue our efforts to revitalize the Memorial Drive area. My understanding is that there is already a waiting list of kids at Dunaire Elementary School who want to participate. We are looking forward to more great things at this site in the future.
I will also announce that our third Quarterly in the Fourth Community Breakfast meeting will be held on Saturday, July 23, at 9am. Again, this will be a virtual meeting. More information will be available across our communications platforms.
On June 28 it was a great pleasure to attend a reception to honor our own Commissioner Larry Johnson who is the President of the National Association of Counties (NACo). The event was hosted by Michael Hightower of the Collaborative Firm and it was very well done.
It struck me as altogether appropriate and fitting for the leaders in this region to acknowledge the great credit that Commissioner Johnson’s position as NACo President has brought to DeKalb County and this region. I was honored to be there.
The event also recognized Union City Mayor Vince Williams who is the President of the National League of Cities, and State Rep. Billy Mitchell who is the President of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. Overall, it was a great night for our region.
On June 29 it was great to welcome a new business to Memorial Drive as I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for CenterWell Senior Primary Care. I want to thank Associate Director Kenny Brown and his entire staff for inviting me to the celebration and for choosing to locate on Memorial Drive.
On July 1 it was an honor to attend the graduation ceremony for the Drug Treatment Court which is one of our Accountability Courts. I know that getting through such a program is not easy, and I admire the courage it takes to make it through. I want to thank and commend Superior Court Judge Stacey K. Hydrick for her excellent administration of the program and for the invitation to attend the ceremony.
The speaker for the program was Judge Hydrick’s son, Danny who shared the story of his own battle with drug addiction and how he has overcome it. His testimony was quite moving. And I admire him and his mother for sharing it.
My office has financially supported our accountability courts. And I intend to do so again in the future.
On July 4 it was great fun to attend the Miracle on Mainstreet festivities. Mainstreet is one of the great communities in District 4 and the celebration was a great way to cap my holiday weekend. I had a great time despite the fact that I resisted the temptation to take an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) out for a spin. I thought about it. But discretion proved to be the better part of valor which I think was the right call.
I would like to thank my friend Nadine Rivers-Johnson from the Mainstreet Community and the entire Board of Directors for always making me feel so welcome. And I would like to thank Bishop Dr. Calvin McCoy, Jr. of Hope for Tomorrow Deliverance Center for sponsoring the event. This ministry will soon be occupying some space in the area and we are honored to welcome them to District 4.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may call my office at 404-371-4749 or visit my website at commissionerbradshaw.com. As always, I will conclude my remarks by thanking the citizens of District 4 and DeKalb County for affording me this opportunity to serve. It is indeed an honor.