By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Day of service at Elks Aidmore
Kickoff
Kicking off the MLK Jr. Day of Service at Elks Aidmore - photo by Submitted Photo

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Day of Service, Boy and Girl Scouts, local volunteers and Elks Aidmore staff and residents convened at Elks Aidmore’s campus and spent their day off to be of service to their community.

Over the course of four hours, volunteers created a new trail along Honey Creek, painted and corked windows, painted foundations and cabins, stuffed baskets and spread wood chips on various trails. Local Girl Scouts solicited donations for Elks Aidmore residents and Girl Scout Daisies sorted and packaged the donations.

Lisa Wust, Girl Scouts membership specialist for Newton and Rockdale Counties, said, “It feels good to give back, our Scouts understand the power of volunteerisms and enjoy coming together to strengthen our community. Because of our shared dedication to community empowerment, lives are being changed every day.”

Abe Wilkinson, CEO of Elks Aidmore, said “We welcome volunteer groups to our campus and have worked with the Scouts for several years. Most of the docks and bridges on campus are the result of Eagle Scout projects.”

“We have a job at Elks Aidmore that should not exist,” Wilkinson continued. “No child should be a victim of domestic abuse and subsequently removed from their home. As sad as it is, it is very much part of our world and we are honored to be in a position to help as many of these youth as we can and more importantly, to be part of a community that fully supports our mission. Our goal is for all of them to become healthy contributing members of society.”

“We look forward to this becoming an annual event,” said Dawn Robinson Butler, Director of Development and Communications. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?' Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.”

Elks Aidmore provides services to Georgia’s at-risk youth through a range of programs that focus on creating success for at-risk teenagers and young adults who are in foster care.

Elks Aidmore has provided services to Georgia’s at-risk youth, like foster children, for over 75 years through a wide range of programs. Starting in the 1930’s, it provided clinics for youth who suffered from physical disabilities, leading to the creation of the Elks Aidmore Hospital in Atlanta. In 1977, the mission changed to focus on foster care.

For more information visit www.elksaidmore.com or www.elksaidmoremusicfestival.com.

For more information about Girl Scouts visit www.gsgatl.org or contact Lisa Wust at 770-702-9126 or lwust@gsgatl.org.