Good afternoon, everyone:
On January 27 we will be holding our first Quarterly in the Fourth Community Breakfast Meeting for 2024. We have been holding these meetings since January of 2018 as a mechanism to share information and be accessible to the citizens of District 4 and DeKalb County. This Saturday it will be an honor to hear from our School Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton. Additional information will be available across our communications platforms. We look forward to seeing you there.
On January 11 DeKalb County held its 40th Annual MLK Celebration, which is the longest running continuous celebration of its kind in the State of Georgia. The theme for the occasion was, It Starts With Me: Shifting the Cultural Climate Through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence. The Charge Speaker was State Representative Carl W. Gilliard from Chatham County which is where I am from. He did an outstanding job and I believe that everyone left the ceremony inspired. This ceremony remains a testament to DeKalb County’s commitment to honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
That evening, my office held an appreciation reception for my appointees to the various collateral boards in DeKalb County. One of my jobs as commissioner is to make appointments to such boards. There is tremendous energy and talent among the citizens of District 4, and there are many people who want to serve. Since taking office I have been intentional about making such opportunities available to as many people as possible. The reception that evening was just a way for me to say "Thank you" to them for volunteering their time to be of service to DeKalb County. It was an evening of great fellowship and I enjoyed the presence of their company. I would like to thank Bill Lavelle and all the good people at ART Station in Stone Mountain for hosting us in that awesome facility. And I would like to thank my good friend Karen Patton from Sweet Potato Café for catering the event. The food was excellent, as always.
On January 12 it was indeed an honor to join my friends in the Jewish Community for the 2nd Annual Georgia Legislature & Judiciary Welcome Shabbat at Temple Emanu–El of Atlanta. It was a wonderful gathering and everyone made me feel so welcome. Our Jewish brothers and sisters have been through a lot lately and I was proud to demonstrate my solidarity with them, as I do with the many diverse constituencies in DeKalb County. I would like to thank my friend Judge Stacey Hydrick for the invitation to attend.
On January 13 it was great to join my friends in the Mainstreet Community for an MLK Service Day & Community Clean-Up. This was done in partnership with the DeKalb County Youth Services Division. Mainstreet is one of the great communities in District 4 and DeKalb County, and despite the cold temperatures it was a glorious day.
I was particularly pleased by the number of young people who showed up on a Saturday morning to be of service to their community. This warmed my heart on a cold morning. I would like to thank Jashawn Williams from our Youth Services Division for his commitment and his leadership. And I would like to thank my good friend Nadine Rivers-Johnson from the Mainstreet Community for organizing this event and for just being who she is.
On January 15 it was an honor to join my friends at St. Paul AME Church in Stone Mountain for their 4th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Commemorative Service, and bring greetings on behalf of District 4. The theme that morning was Pressing Onward: The Quest for Peace & Justice. As usual it was a wonderful service that brought out the diversity of the Stone Mountain Community. Bishop Reginald T. Jackson of the Sixth Episcopal District was the keynote speaker and as usual delivered a rousing message. I would like to thank St. Paul’s Pastor Orea Parker for the kind invitation to attend and participate.
On January 18 was great to join my friends at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce for their 86th Annual Meeting & Business Luncheon. This was a great event bringing together leaders from the business and government sectors. A thriving Chamber of Commerce is a critical component of a thriving business community. And I will continue to support the chamber’s efforts in any way possible. I would like to commend and thank Chamber President and CEO, Frankie Atwater for his leadership.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call my office at 404-371-4749, or visit my website at commissionerbradshaw.com. Follow me on all the major social media platforms for updates between the meetings, too.
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.
Earlier today, Commissioner Steve Bradshaw and the Board of Commissioners presented a proclamation during their regular BOC Meeting, in recognition of National Mentors Month and all Mentors that give of themselves through civic engagement, servant leadership, dedication, benevolence, and commitment to improving the lives of children, families, and communities. CEO Kwame Johnson and Upenda Dubose of BBBSATL were there to receive the proclamation.
Over the years, DeKalb County has invested in multiple successful mentorship and leadership development programs such as 50 Men to Mentors, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters Metro Atlanta, to bring awareness to the need for mentors to match young boys and girls residing in DeKalb; R.I.S.E. UP, a middle and high school aged boy’s mentoring program facilitated by DeKalb Human Services; The Girls Clubhouse, a mentoring program for adolescent girls; The Youth Commission, a coed adolescent leadership program managed by the DeKalb Human Services’ Office of Youth Services; The DeKalb Sheriff’s office facilitates two mentoring programs, Girls-to-Pearls and Boys-to-Men; The DeKalb Police Department facilitates mentoring through the Police Athletic League (PAL) PLUS for youth; and DeKalb Fire & Rescue hosts Fire Explorer Academy, a youth development opportunity.
Friends of Cedar Park Awarded $50,000 Grant
The Friends of Cedar Park recently received a $50,000 grant from Park Pride. The grant will be used for the construction of a shade pavilion for the play areas, as well as for five large oak trees to be installed in various areas of the park. Park Pride's Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the grant award.
Park Pride has been and continues to be instrumental in creating the vision for Cedar Park, and in moving it forward. To learn more about this non-profit organization, see their website at https://parkpride.org
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