Friday, December 27, 2002
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Friday, December 27, 2002 |
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Adult, youth volunteers still needed to hash out teen issues in PTC Peachtree City's "study circle" process, which will involve as many as 200 volunteers studying a variety of teen-related community issues, is swiftly moving toward its first meeting Jan. 28. Organizers hope to create a forum in which a variety of viewpoints may be shared in the discussion of common issues related to youth. Volunteers will also develop an action plan "to make things happen." Volunteers from all walks of life are still needed to participate; a final organizational meeting will be held Thursday, Jan. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at Braelinn Baptist Church and interested persons are invited to attend. "We will be accepting applicants until the evening of the 28th," said director of leisure services Randy Gaddo, who is spearheading the staff support effort. "After that, while we might be able to accept latecomers, we prefer not to because it may tend to disrupt the process." Local youth are invited to attend an informational "pizza with a purpose" party Tuesday, Jan. 14, at Braelinn Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m. to learn more about the study circle effort and how to get involved. Free pizza and drinks will be served; to attend, contact Sherry McHugh at the Peachtree City Recreation Department at 770-631-2542. The study circle process involves groups of eight to 12 people meeting four different times on different topics. Organizers intend to balance youth and adult volunteers on the circles, and volunteer facilitators will lead each small group. After the small groups meet four times, they will gather for a meeting of all volunteers to develop an action plan. The study circles will address a variety of questions, such as: Are there adequate and healthy activities for young people in Peachtree City? Do local youths have neutral places where they can spend time together? Are the voices and opinions of the community's young people valued? Are the gifts of teenagers and children used in community volunteer improvement efforts? Volunteers are being sought from the business community, schools, the religious community, youth in several categories, elected officials, civic groups, public safety, older Americans and citizens at large. All the meetings are planned to take place at the south campus of New Hope Baptist Church, which is located off Ga. Highway 74 south, past the Starrs Mill/Rising Starr school complex, near Ga. Highway 85. All meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays: Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11 and Feb. 25. The final action plan meeting is tentatively scheduled for mid-March. The final meeting will be lead by Jon Abercrombie with Common Focus, who will help lead the group to develop the final action plan. Abercrombie will be responsible for translating the group's plan to paper after the final meeting. The Peachtree City Council approved funding the study process in July. Information on the study circle process is available at www.peachtree-city.org by clicking on the link for "Youth & Community Study Circles."
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