Childhood is a precious time. We hope that most people have fond memories of those years. However, children caught up in the foster care and court systems often don't have the same carefree days to remember. Children First, Inc. works to bring more stable and nurturing environments to these children. In support of this effort, Athens community members have banded together to offer a summer fundraising series called, "Stories From Childhood: From a Tiny Acorn."
The series kicks off on July 14 and runs each Sunday at 3 p.m. through August 25, at Piedmont College. Each week's event will feature one of seven iconic figures
in and around Athens who will talk about the challenges, happy times, and cultural happenings that marked his or her childhood.
The line-up includes REM's attorney, Bertis Downs; Reverend A. R. Killian, one of the first two black policemen in Athens; Claude Williams, called the "Ted Turner of Athens"; Dr. Gordhan Patel, who grew up on a banana plantation in Mozambique and later became a scientist and vice president for research at UGA; Barbara Thurmond Archibald, former director of the Athens Tutorial Program and part of the prominent Thurmond family who lived on the farm that is now the site of the Sandy Creek Nature Center; Doc Eldridge, former mayor of Athens and current head of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce; and the beloved writer and theologian Dr. Barbara Brown Taylor who teaches at the Demorest campus of Piedmont College.
Each speaker will be interviewed by another notable Athenian in a lively conversation. For example, Flagpole editor Pete McCommons will interview Doc Eldridge in the kick-off event on July 14, and Clarke County School District board member Vernon Payne will interview Bertis Downs on August 18.
July 14: Former mayor Doc Eldridge with Pete McCommons
July 21: Reverend A. R. Killian with his biographer, Earnest Thompson
July 28: Claude Williams with Madeline Van Dyck
August 4: Barbara Thurmond Archibald with Judge Lawton Stephens
August 11: Dr. Barbara Brown Taylor with Dr. Barb Benson
August 18: Bertis Downs with Vernon Payne
August 25: Dr. Gordhan Patel with Dr. Jinx Patel
A favorite snack or dessert that speakers remember fondly from their childhood will be served with iced tea after the discussion. Just as the writer Marcel Proust wrote about the tea-soaked madeleine cookies that sparked remembrances from his childhood, these snacks evoke memories for the speakers and may for attendees as well.
The series takes place at 3 p.m. on Sundays, July 14 through August 25, in the historic Meeting Hall (formerly the sanctuary of Prince Avenue Baptist Church) at Piedmont College's Athens campus at 595 Prince Avenue. The suggested donation is $10; all donations are tax deductible. Children may attend free.
Susie Weller is a CASA Volunteer Coordinator at Children First, which encompasses the court-apointed special advocate (CASA) program and other services for children and families in crisis. She said of the series: "We're so honored to have these remarkable people in town who are willing to talk about the ways their families, community, and their own inner strength are at the root of who they are today."
The seven-week series was organized by Pat Priest, who said, "I wanted to do something for kids tumbling around in the foster care system. Children First has several programs that look out for those kids. I also knew that the childhood stories of these "mighty oaks" in Athens would be inspirational as we look around us to see what we can do to nurture all the children of Athens."
The series will be emceed by Mary Whitehead. She spearheaded the special "Silver Box" evening featuring elders speaking at the popular storytelling event "Rabbit Box" that routinely draws more than 200 people each month at the Melting Point.
For more information about the series, contact Pat Priest (patricia.priest@yahoo.com) or CASA Volunteer Coordinator Susie Weller (susie@athensoconeecasa.org).
