Page 6C March 6, 2019
Reporter
By Diane Gl lewell
news@mymcr.nef
A group of Monroe
County Middle School
students spent the last six
weeks learning skills they
will use every day Of their
lives, the skills to resolve
conflicts, They received
certificates on Feb. 21 to
attest they had attended
faithfully and successfully
completed the program,
but they were clearly sorry
to see the classes end.
"Skills for Life" was a
partnership between Mon-
roe County's C.A.R.E. Cot-
tage and Monroe County
Schools. C.A.R.E Cottage,
which has been operating
since 1992, is a division of
Monroe County Sheriff's
Office dedicated to serving
victims and witnesses, par-
ticularly children. In 2018,
it provided services for
over 70 victims of domestic
violence and 55 victims of
child abuse.
C.A.R.E. Cottage con-
tracts with a therapist,
Debbie Chambers, to
provide support for victims
and others seeking help.
Chambers works with Jab-
bok Ministries, formerly
located inForsyth and now
based in Milner. With the
C A R E C ttage's
O SUC-
cess, it is now working to
expand its outreach into
community programs
s for
that prevent victimization
rather than solely respond-
ing to repair damage.
Chambers said she found
that she was talking with
several middle school
students about the same
issues and asked to come to
the middle school to work
with a group of students on
Thursday mornings rather
than their having to come
to her. Then came the plan
for the six-week Skills for
Life class; it met on Thurs-
day afternoons from 3:30-
5:30 p.m. Students were
invited to participate, and
parents gave permission. If
transportation was a prob-
lem, staff:and volunteers at
the C.A.R.E. Cottage took
students home.
The first Skills for Life
class was for 8th grad-
ers. "They are going into
a whole aaew world next
year" said Chambers. The
group had five males and
five females; Chambers
said it worked out equally
by chance. Most of those
in the group did not know
one another. Some of them
had previously talked with
Chambers, and Monroe
County Middle School
counselors recommended
others whom they thought
would benefit from the
program.
The group did a lot of role
playing. They talked about
bullying, how it works and
atM.C
4
4
Monroe County Middle School 8th graders show off the certificates and T-shirts proclaiming they completed the first
Skills for Life program, a partnership of Monroe County Sheriff's Office C.A.R.E. Cottage and the school. Adults pictured
are Adam Blanks of the C.A.R.E. Cottage, back left; therapist Debbie Chambers, back center; volunteer Dqnny Gilreath,
back center; Sherrie O'Neal, third from right; MCMS counselor Bridgette Grayer, right. Students who graduated in the
first Skills for Life group are Payton Johnson, Kysmic McMichael, Chasten Jones, Noah Kempson, Will Kempe, Trey Defore,
Sarah Thompson, Makayla Jenkins and Ki'Yara Morgan (Not in picture Azaria Johnson and Takiya James).
"4
the pain it causes to every- Sherry O'Neal of the and other groups, includ- mendously during these
one'. They discussed related C.A.R.E. Cottage said a ing meals and snacks, six weeks" said Monroe
issues like suicide, cutting six-week Skills for Life Danny Gilreath donatedCounty Middle School
and sexting. They learned program for 7th grad- his time as a volunteer and counselor Bridgette Grayer. ,
about how emotions and ers at Monroe County also provided T-shirts for "Thank you to the parents. "
thinking exclude one an- Middle School will start the group. We couldn't do it without i
other in the brain; when we next Thursday. When itGilreath works with you"
ct . '~
are immersed in out emo- is finished, there will be a Jabbok Min." istries and has We appreciate you guys
tions, we can't think at the six-week program for 6th mentored at Pike County hanging in here;' said )
same time, said Chambers. graders to finish out the Schools. The students MCMS principal Efrem :"
One of the positive results school year. O'Neal said nicknamed him "Mr. Co-Yarber to the students.
of the group was that the she is working on a grant conut" because he pickedoa ' nd thank you to the ::
individuals developed sup- application to United to coconut as his fruit in one volunteers. You didn't just
portive relationships with End Bullying to fund the of the early group exercises, complain about problems ,
one another, program for next year. This They presented him with you saw; you did some-
"It's so important to be year the program received a "Mr. Coconut" picture thing"
a friend" said Chambers. donations from Monroe autographed by all of them.
"We're stronger together." County Family Connection "You have grown tre-
[There's no
faceb~k.com/
mamasktchn
like l
789 US-341 South
Bamesville, GA 30204
l. Juwia
h
Jerry Rafferzeder of
Monroe County was
named Law Enforcement
Officer of the Year at the
Barnesville-Lamar County
Chamber of Commerce
Annual Community
Awards Banquet on Feb.
21. Rafferzeder works for
the Milner Police depart-
ment.
Last year's award win-
ner, Michael Rainer of the
MilnerPolice Department,
presented the honor to
Raff:erzeder. Raff:erzeder
exemplifies "the kind of
officer who takes the oath
of duty seriously" Rainer
said. In addition to his law
enforcement work, Raf-
ferzeder is vice chairman
of the local Habitat for Hu-
manity. He thanked Milner
Police Chief Mike Bailey
and others involved in the
Law Enforcement Officer
of the Year award.
This was the 36th An-
nual Community Awards
Banquet presented by the
Barnesville-Lamar County
Chamber of Commerce.
The sold-out event was at
:!
,1
,J
4
Jerry Rafferzeder
The Farley Estates in Mil-
ner. (Information provided
by Kay S. Pedrotti of The Z
Barnesvile Herald-Gazette)
we
The Vietnam Veterans Chapter 946, Monroe vidual packs of peanut butter, protein energy
County Republican Party and the It. James bars, tuna & chicken pouches, dried fruit,
Monroe Chapter Daughters of the American non-chocolate candy, cookies (no chocolate),
Revolution are working together to send care powdered drink mixes, chaps'tick sunscreen,
packages to the 201st RSG commanded by toiletries.
LTC Jonathan Adams-ofForsyth. The unit is The major need is donations to pay for ship-
deployed to Afghanistan. ping. Lt. James Monroe NSDAR is a 501(c)3
There are 24 soldiers at the base with Adams non-profit; contributions made payable to it
and 84 additional pers9nnel spread throughout allow donors a tax deduction. Make checks
to Lt. James M6nroe DAR to order items of
your choice or pay for shipping. The names of
donors will be induded in the package along
with a short note of gratitude from the citizens
of Monroe County.
Call or email the following and they will
pick up your donation toward a care pack-
age to support our troops: Amanda Gamett
gamett31016@bellsouth.net or 478-954-0312;
Denise Herring herringbuildersC, ahoo.com ,
or 478-394-8863; Claude Curlee cbccur147@
gmail.com or 478-994-6178.
the country. Community groups, churches and
local businesses are invited to donate funds to
help send care packages to the troops.
Mailing individual packages has become
very expensive. LTC Adams suggested sending
larger i'sharing" packages rather than a single
package to each soldier to be more efficient
and economical This will allow assembling the
packages and sending them more quickly.
Some suggested items for the packages
are beefjer,short slim jams, sweet or salty
snacks, nuts, crackers, small packs of Pringles,
sauces (Chic-ill-A, Taco Bell), Nutella, indi-
