'Grayson' Signs Boost Morale, Buy Meals During Coronavirus Crisis

GRAYSON, GA — Those “Together We Are Grayson” yard signs do more than boost morale during the coronavirus pandemic — they help feed police officers, firemen, doctors and nurses.

Allyson Sivley, a stay-at-home mom with a marketing degree from Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, said she was inspired to start the sign project by her sister, a pediatric ICU nurse at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Eggleston Hospital. People such as her sister were hit especially hard by the effects of the growing pandemic. How could Sivley help them?

The solution: Create a sign and a slogan — “Together We Are Grayson” — then sell those signs to buy meals for front-line workers.

The idea of connecting morale with meals was all about marketing, according to Sivley. “My parents thought it was great,” she said with a laugh. “Glad that degree 20 years ago is paying off!”

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Drawing from her experience on Grayson Elementary School’s PTA, Sivley hired Richard Parker of Southern Impressions to create an easy-to-read blue-and-white yard sign. She and her husband, Curtis, purchased the signs — essentially donating them to the project — and sold them to neighbors and businesses for $25 each. From there, the entire price of each sign was used to buy meals from Grayson restaurants for area first responders and front-line workers.

Sivley said Thursday she’s sold almost 300 signs so far.

Most signs were placed at private residences. Others ended up at businesses such as Brand & Britt Insurance, Grayson Tire & Auto Center, McDonald's and Southern Sisters Embroidery & Gifts. Even Grayson Mayor Allison Wilkerson purchased a few, with one standing in front of Grayson’s city hall.

Meals from sign proceeds have purchased food for Gwinnett County Police at Bay Creek Precinct and Gwinnett County Fireman at Station 8, as well as personnel at nearby Eastside Medical Center in Snellville and Northside Hospital Gwinnett in Lawrenceville. The signs also paid for goody bags for staffers at Benton House of Grayson.

Participating Grayson eateries include Big Daddy Que, Grayson Coffee House, Johnny’s Pizza, Sam’s on Main and Sweet Brown Suga.

The “best part,” Sivley said, is the feedback, which has included 20 handwritten letters from senior citizens.

“I’ve cried happy tears a lot just because it feels so good to help,” she said.

For more information, visit TogetherWeAreGrayson.com.

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