|
Below you'll find recent comments by Gwinnett Forum readers
about issues of the day:
FEEDBACK
2/26: Time
pattern will come close again in 2112
Editor, the Forum:
A friend sent me this last week to which I replied, "While
2002, etc., won't happen again (duh!), this pattern will repeat
in 2112: "21:12, 2-11, 2112" at which time we'll max out
combinations in one or more because of the limit on the hours in
day, months in year, etc.".
He said, "They must be talking about prime number symmetry",
to which I could apply no reasoning as an explanation. While that
night last week was interesting, I did not wait with anxious anticipation
for either this event, nor will I for the one in 2112. There will
certainly be more pressing matters for me both times! (An AP article
in a recent Gwinnett Daily Post cites the Web site/e-mailings but
validates my argument)
-- Howard N. Williams, Jr., Snellville -- "Where Everybody
is Somebody" (If you're the right body voting on the other
right body's agenda).
2/19: Rainbow Village
offers help to Gwinnett's homeless
Editor, the Forum:
In response to the plight of homeless families in north metro Atlanta:
Since 1991 Rainbow Village, Inc. has offered hope and a promising
future for families with children faced with a domestic or economic
crisis who have become homeless. Rainbow Village, with two communities,
in Norcross and Duluth provide safe homes and supportive services
for 15 families.
The Norcross homes are leased from Georgia Power Company and the
Duluth apartment complex was purchased through a generous donation
from Mr. and Mrs. Scott Hudgens.
The paths that bring families to Rainbow Village are varied, but
their needs are much the same.
- A principal wage earner may be suddenly unemployed.
- A mother flees an abusive spouse with children in tow.
- A medical emergency depletes a family's savings.
The majority of Rainbow Village families are female single heads
of household receiving no child support. A few residents are single
fathers and grandparents rearing grandchildren.
Rainbow Village offers safe, fully furnished homes where homeless
families live as a part of the community and not in isolation. Families
receive much more than just a home. A self-sufficiency plan is developed
with the assistance of a case manager to establish goals for families
to return to independent living within one year.
Job training/development and life skills classes are mandatory
twice weekly. An after school program provides support for the school
aged children. Many of the children have attended several schools
before coming to Rainbow Village because of the instability of the
family.
All adult residents of Rainbow Village must maintain employment
and transportation. All family members must be alcohol/drug free.
Random screenings are required. Each family is financially accountable,
reporting weekly income and expenses. A program fee is charged,
on a sliding scale and each family pays a portion of the utilities
for their home.
Rainbow Village provides assistance and supportive services for
families to make necessary life changes and break the cycle of homelessness.
Families must show initiative and accountability in order to remain
a part of Rainbow Village and in order to regain and maintain their
independence.
Once a family moves to a home of their own, support still continues
through the training programs and after school assistance. Rainbow
Village is making a difference to at least 15 families each year
that would otherwise have no hope for the future.
For additional information of how you can help make a difference
contact Rainbow Village at (770)729-9493 or visit our website www.rainbowvillage.org.
--Nancy Yancey, Executive Director
2/15: Former resident
writes from South Florida
Hi, Elliott. Can't believe you have retired, there's hope for me.
We have been in Miami since last July and really enjoy it here,
but it's not Gwinnett. I am head of development for Codina Group
which is a large developer in South Florida. It's a company much
like Weeks was in the early 90's.
We bought a house just south of Coral Gables where my office is
located. A very nice area called Pinecrest. My two boys are in college,
one at the University of South Florida the other just transferred
to Harvard. Our two girls are in high school, with one going to
FSU this summer. Thanks for thinking of us, hope all is well with
you. Tell everyone hello for me.
-- Forrest Robinson, Miami
(Mr. Robinson was a former president of A.R. Weeks developers
in Gwinnett, and lived in Peachtree Corners.)
2/12: Homeless article
raises points generating answers
Editor, the Forum:
I have just read the article by Ellen Gerstein on homeless folk
in Gwinnett. I have some comments and questions.
It seems that Ms. Gerstein is employed by the Gwinnett County government.
The article gives me no clue as to the nature of her job description.
Is it to help the County Government provide shelter for "homeless
people"? I put homeless in quotes since we don't have a definition
of homeless here. But 3,000 every day?? It needs definition.
I understand eviction. It breaks my heart to drive by an apartment
project and see personal property on the street, particularly on
a rainy day or a cold day in winter. Did the owner lose a job and
therefore not be able to pay another month's rent?
How many of these 3,000 made personal choices that were not wise?
Therefore their situation is of their own doing. How many truly
need a little help for a short time? Who identifies the people?
I didn't see any suggestion in the article which offers a solution.
Does Gwinnett Health and Human Services have any obligation to help
these people? Is a "business plan" in place to use as
a guideline for helping?
Perhaps one of the civic clubs in Gwinnett County could take this
on as a project. Rotary, Toastmasters, Lions, Kiwanis, Masons, etc.,
or maybe even jointly. First job should be to accurately identify
those who truly deserve help. Then set up some program guidelines
and execute.
-- E. F. Stuart, Norcross
RESPONSE:
We sent the letter to Ellen Gerstein for a response. Here it is:
I work for a non-profit agency, The Gwinnett Coalition for Health
and Human Services.. One of the issues we address is how to improve
services for the homeless. Because the homeless do not fill out
census forms, they are hard to count. But we do have some measures.
One is our Gwinnett Helpline, that takes calls from the public and
refers them to agencies in the county. From these calls and the
calls to the Taskforce for the Homeless, we estimate that there
are 3,000 homeless people in Gwinnett county any given day. Most
are children with a single mother.
Most of the callers to the Gwinnett Helpline need assistance with
their rent. Many people in Gwinnett County are living paycheck to
paycheck. If you have a lower wage job, you end up paying a large
percentage of your income on rent. Then a lay off, or some medical
problem, car trouble, roommate issue, etc, and the rent does not
get paid, and evictions follow.
Low skills, lack of education, bad decisions, mental health issues,
and sometimes just bad luck are the causes of homelessness. Many
of these folks do need a "hand-up", and a little support
and get back of their feet and become self-sufficient again.
There are no "agencies" that I know of that have a legal
obligation to help the homeless. We have developed a five year plan
that includes strategies, as well as other issues that include positive
youth development, strengthening families and communities. For more
information about our organization, please see our website - www.gwinnettcoalition.org.
Your questions and comments are so insightful. It would be wonderful
if one of these groups or maybe a church would be willing to help.
So far, no one has stepped forward. Most of the time the reaction
is fear and hope that the homeless will just go away.
Thanks, Ellen
2/8: Never heard people
refer to selves as "Watergate Babies"
Editor, the Forum:
Appreciated your article about reflecting on the changes that have
occurred in the last 39 years...
Interesting that you noted that so many really don't appreciate
and understand what we have in this country. So true, so sad and
so...scary.
For instance, this month's issue of Reader's Digest has an interview
with Meg Ryan. One of the questions was in reference to people having
their faith tested in recent months. She gives a very ethereal,
New-Age answer/rambling to her thoughts on God. Then she says "I've
never been a patriot. I'm a Watergate baby. I've always questioned.
But you think about all the freedoms that we have in our lives and
what it means to be an American. I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE TRUE
VALUE OF THAT BEFORE (emphasis mine). That's a beautiful thing to
have come out of this."
I know a wonderful man who has lived with full blown AIDS at least
15 years. Five or six years ago I went with him to talk to a youth
group about living with his disease. He told them this: "If
I had to get this disease so I could come here and tell you to be
careful with the choices you make in life so you, even one of you,
WON'T end up like me, then I'm glad I have it." To be able
to see good come from heartache is so heartening....
If 9/11 can penetrate the shallowness of the likes of Meg Ryan
et. al., then there is "gold" in those ashes and all that
evil was not for naught.
(Ms. Ryan's interview was the first time I've heard someone refer
to themselves as a "Watergate Baby"!! Gee, can we just
grow up and move on????).
All for now.
-- Barbara Smith, Tucker
2/5: Life should not
be as difficult as we make it
Editor, the Forum:
Great reflections on your father and our country. I reflect at
this time on my 93 year old mother-in-law who after a stroke on
New Year's Day is now spending her final days in a hospice--alert
but dying.
She was born into an Italian family in South America, crossed the
ocean at 10 to return to her small town in Southern Italy and crossed
it again to join her husband five years after their marriage and
with a four year old daughter. Hers was a simple life in the eyes
of today's people but she was truly the salt of the earth who raised
four daughters and now
enjoys 20 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
Life should not be as difficult as we make. If we would pay attention
to the basics, assume the responsibility given to us and reach out
to others who are trying to do the same, we could create that world
you and your father are seeking.
Carmelita Elysena Stavale: 1908 to present--very present!
-- John O'Kane, Stone Mountain
2/1: Remembers his
own father getting smarter daily
Editor, the Forum:
Your reflections speak well both in truth and about what you actually
learned from your father. He was born five years before my father,
but lived almost 20 years past as my father died much too young.
It's amazing what we learned from people like our fathers who has
little formal education but get smarter everyday, because they had
to adapt to their surroundings and had the desire to rise above
it at times. Wisdom is probably more meaningful than all the degrees
we have in our families now. Thanks for sharing. It brings back
memories of my father's time--short but influential.
-- Charles Summerour, Duluth
WHAT'S YOUR PET PEEVE? Send your peeve Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
|
