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FRIDAY, november 25, 2016 • VOL. 19, NO. 33 • FREE
• A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS •ServingEastAtlanta,AvondaleEstates,Brookhaven,Chamblee,Clarkston,Decatur,Doraville,Dunwoody,Lithonia,PineLake,TuckerandStoneMountain.
the DeKalb
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by R. Scott Belzer
sbelzer@dekalbchamp.com
M
ore than 140 parents and guardians traveled to
Redan Recreation Center Nov. 17 expecting to
hear an important announcement.
They crowded into the rec center’s gymnasium
amid light chatter. Children ran around the
gymnasium floor, giving chase to one another.
East DeKalb Boys & Girls Club director Brandon
Riley spoke to the crowd for approximately 15
minutes. His announcements ranged from the
club’s activities to its accomplishments, with
Giving thanks
by saying 'thanks'
Local Boys & Girls Club partners
with church to provide holiday
meal supplies to parents
See Thanks on page 5
More than 140 parents and guardians made their way to Redan Recreation Center as part of East DeKalb Boys & Girls Club’s holiday meal giveaway, which partnered
with Salem Bible Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Photo by R. Scott Belzer
2. DEKALB FREE PRESS Friday, Nov. 25, 2016 local Page 5
thanks Continued From Page 1
the typical thanks to parents and staff said
throughout.
Riley’s conclusion, however, was anything but
routine.
“This is an emotional moment for me because
throughout my time here, we’ve been through a
lot as a family and as a club,” Riley told families.
“It’s because of your support and believing in my
staff that [we made it]. I want to thank you for
everything you’ve done, and we are able to feed
each of our families for Thanksgiving.”
East DeKalb Boys Girls Club teamed with
Salem Bible Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority to provide its 140 families with holiday
meal supplies.
Families left Redan Recreation Center with
boxes filled with cookies, chicken breasts,
stuffing, cornbread, rice, juice, mashed potatoes,
mac ‘n’ cheese, eggs, bread and more.
Tango Lemon with Salem Bible Church said
supplying the food—as well as money for the
food—is part of the church’s social services
function. She encouraged families in need to
stop by the church, located at 5460 Hillandale
Drive in Lithonia.
“We feed 1,300 families per week at the
church,” Lemon said. “When [Riley] called me
and said ‘We have families in need,’ I told him,
‘That’s what we do,’ with helping, sharing and
blessing.”
Lemon said the church categorized different
types of food and allowed children at Salem
Bible to assemble the boxes.
“It teaches them social service and mission
work that they may not be able to see
elsewhere,” Lemon said. “We have a program
within the church called African-Americans
Transforming Society affecting the community as
a whole and whatever areas need to be changed
or developed. That’s where the funding came
from.”
Riley said his roots in the Redan community
and the Boys Girls Club encouraged him
to give back this holiday season. He said it
means a lot to him to be able feed his own
neighborhood.
“This club has been through a lot in regards
to transition within the community,” Riley said.
“I want to let the parents know that this is
the community giving back to them. There’s
always something on the news about what this
community is doing wrong. This is a thank you
to the families—a lot of them are going through
some hard times, some of them are doing well,
but for the most part it’s a wonderful thing to put
a smile on their face and help them have a good
holiday.”
Riley said it took about 10 days to complete
the project from inception to completion.
The evening also highlighted East DeKalb
Boys Girls Club’s sneaker design program,
defensive driving classes and photography
program.
After the giveaway announcement was
made, parents spent the majority of their time
speaking with representatives from the classes
and programs to better understand their child’s
activities after school.
“It’s important [for parents] to know I have
such a great team,” Riley said. “I’m so proud of
them.”
![DEKALB FREE PRESS Friday, Nov. 25, 2016 local Page 5
thanks Continued From Page 1
the typical thanks to parents and staff said
throughout.
Riley’s conclusion, however, was anything but
routine.
“This is an emotional moment for me because
throughout my time here, we’ve been through a
lot as a family and as a club,” Riley told families.
“It’s because of your support and believing in my
staff that [we made it]. I want to thank you for
everything you’ve done, and we are able to feed
each of our families for Thanksgiving.”
East DeKalb Boys Girls Club teamed with
Salem Bible Church and Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority to provide its 140 families with holiday
meal supplies.
Families left Redan Recreation Center with
boxes filled with cookies, chicken breasts,
stuffing, cornbread, rice, juice, mashed potatoes,
mac ‘n’ cheese, eggs, bread and more.
Tango Lemon with Salem Bible Church said
supplying the food—as well as money for the
food—is part of the church’s social services
function. She encouraged families in need to
stop by the church, located at 5460 Hillandale
Drive in Lithonia.
“We feed 1,300 families per week at the
church,” Lemon said. “When [Riley] called me
and said ‘We have families in need,’ I told him,
‘That’s what we do,’ with helping, sharing and
blessing.”
Lemon said the church categorized different
types of food and allowed children at Salem
Bible to assemble the boxes.
“It teaches them social service and mission
work that they may not be able to see
elsewhere,” Lemon said. “We have a program
within the church called African-Americans
Transforming Society affecting the community as
a whole and whatever areas need to be changed
or developed. That’s where the funding came
from.”
Riley said his roots in the Redan community
and the Boys Girls Club encouraged him
to give back this holiday season. He said it
means a lot to him to be able feed his own
neighborhood.
“This club has been through a lot in regards
to transition within the community,” Riley said.
“I want to let the parents know that this is
the community giving back to them. There’s
always something on the news about what this
community is doing wrong. This is a thank you
to the families—a lot of them are going through
some hard times, some of them are doing well,
but for the most part it’s a wonderful thing to put
a smile on their face and help them have a good
holiday.”
Riley said it took about 10 days to complete
the project from inception to completion.
The evening also highlighted East DeKalb
Boys Girls Club’s sneaker design program,
defensive driving classes and photography
program.
After the giveaway announcement was
made, parents spent the majority of their time
speaking with representatives from the classes
and programs to better understand their child’s
activities after school.
“It’s important [for parents] to know I have
such a great team,” Riley said. “I’m so proud of
them.”](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)