Giving back to the community through public service projects is one of the greatest legacies we can hand down to our children. The best way to teach a child accountability and civic pride is through practical application. Moral and ethical teaching without action only goes so far.

More times than most, we are conditioned into socially convenient giving by dropping canned goods into a sack or placing money in an envelope. Not to say that donating funds and food are not important, but building the personal relationships from giving are what cause our kindness and generosity to flourish and endure.

My father took me to work nights at a homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta for a week. Watching men overwhelmed by drug addiction, mental illness and other problems struggle in freezing temperatures with little hope gave a young suburban boy a genuine understanding of the meaning of Thanksgiving. Personal experiences imprint the mind in a way that giving from a distance cannot.

It was heartbreaking when the city leaders opted to cancel our Community Action Day program this year. The annual program used hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of donated goods and services to lend a hand to local widows and disabled citizens as well as beautification projects for local schools and historic cemeteries. Homes were repaired and public grounds beautified. It was time for hundreds of people from all the local churches and organizations to come together. Residents from different races, ages and backgrounds were working side-by-side.

Many are astonished when they find grandparents struggling to raise their grandchildren because of some unfortunate circumstances with their children. Some widows in the area can no longer physically perform large maintenance repairs with their houses. People who are suffering from severe illness are having a difficult time taking care of their children and their homes. Many of these conditions take place within walking distance from your home.

We need to bring this program back, even if the local leadership elects not to participate. There is great civic power in unifying the religious and civic communities behind a good cause.

Over a year ago, several of us worked diligently with the city’s Youth Council to develop a Teen Court program for first-time juvenile offenders as an alternative to some of our teens becoming permanent fixtures in the court system. Similar peer-to-peer programs are running successfully all over the nation.

Initiating such a program received enthusiastic support from teens, parents, local police and the District Attorney’s office. Unfortunately, without active participation from the current leadership, the project that excited everyone simply fell off the radar.

The Hispanic Heritage Festival, originated during the Lenox administration, was a wonderful annual event that introduced local students and residents to some of the rich Hispanic culture which exists in our county. The event included food from other countries, music, dancing, games and multicultural fellowship. Local students participating in school Spanish clubs were able to have an authentic cultural experience and even receive extra credit for participating.

Last year’s Hispanic Heritage Festival was so well-attended that all the parking at City Hall and the adjacent churches had been exhausted throughout the day. The event brought different people together in a fun and interesting way. Unfortunately, this program also disappeared without the active participation from the current leadership.

The city government is not responsible for raising our children and bailing out everyone in need. However, it is vital that our leadership stay engaged and encourage programs that promote civic pride and responsibility. These programs were not budget concerns, and they simply needed support from top elected officials to thrive.

Fortunately, the Christmas program was allowed to remain and I hope that everyone will attend. Local Music Minister Kevin Hagland deserves a lot of credit for the success of that program.

Perhaps our churches and various organizations can resurrect the other programs for 2007. I personally pledge to assist with the organization if others will join the effort. A community which fails to unify and advance the cause of looking out for one’s neighbor will surely drift toward decline.

Steve Brown
stevebrownptc (at) ureach.com
Peachtree City, Ga.