Helping Hands
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Want to help your fellow man? This column offers details about benefit fund-raisers, volunteer opportunities, and more.) For information about hosting a benefit, birthday or reunion at the Oostanaula Community Club, call Barbara Talley at 770-608-2050
There will be a benefit for Frank Leatherwood to help with funeral expenses starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at old Oostanaula School Community Center. Plates will be $6. There will be an auction, cakewalk, raffle, music, door prizes and 50/50 drawing. For more information, call Susan at 678848-3183.
Got clutter? Sell it at the Calhoun Moose Lodge Yard Sale. The yard sale will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, at the Calhoun Moose Lodge. Rent tables for $5. There will also be barbecue plates for sale.
Cycling just got easier with a community service offer from Cherokee Cycles. If you have an old bike in the garage collecting dust or a child that out has out-grown their bike, you can bring in your old bike by May 31 to Cherokee Cycles. Cherokee Cycles will refurbish it, and give it a new home to a deserving family through Gordon County DFACS. Cherokee Cycles will also refurbish any mountain bike for the upcoming High School mountain bikeracing league this fall. Sonoraville High School and Calhoun High School are joining a High School mountain bike series. There will be four races this fall to kick off the first year of organized high school bicycle racing. As an added bonus, you will receive 10 percent off any new bike with a donated bike. Call Marcus at 404-293-0439 for more information, or check http://georgiamtb. org/ for more info on high school bicycle racing leagues.
Prevent Child Abuse Georgia announced that the 1-800 CHILDREN Helpline has begun taking calls. In partnership with the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia, the Helpline operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and can provide callers with information about parenting support, community resources, counseling services, referrals for legal needs and can address other concerns about the well being of a child. Note: Unlike the Department of Family and Children Services statewide centralized intake number, the Helpline is not a number to call in crisis or when making a report of child abuse or neglect.
Emergency Food Program - Ray of Hope will have food available to low income individuals who have applied for food stamps or who is only allowed a small amount of stamps. We will also help in emergency cases (even if income is moderate). There will be a limited amount of times one can get food in a specific period of time, but with certain circumstances the restriction will be lifted. We plan on keeping food available at all times. We will take referrals from agencies, schools and churches. Since the staff will be only working a couple of days at this time, please call for an appointment. There is no charge for this service. Call Shelia Callaway (706) 844-7442 to set up an appointment for any of these services.
Indigent Medicine Forms Program - Ray of Hope will do this program to help individuals to get medicines that they now cannot afford. We will work with your doctors and pharmaceutical companies one on one in completing forms, taking them to the Doctor’s office, picking the forms up and making sure they are sent to the companies insuring that the individuals get their life sustaining medicines. There will be a small fee for this service to insure that the individuals will have a vested interest in getting their medicines and continuing participation in the program. The small fee will go to help fund the program. We will be working with Healing Hands and any agency, schools or doctor’s office for referrals. This program is for individuals who don’t have prescription coverage and the elderly who are on Medicare who have over spent their limit. You will need to call me to set an appointment for this program, and I will let you know the information we will need for the Pharmaceutical companies. Call Shelia Callaway (706) 844-7442 to set up an appointment for any of these services.
Employment Services - Ray of Hope will help individuals with completing applications, interviewing skills and resumes, Ray of Hope will also work with businesses and staffing services to help ensure employment. We feel if an individual has employment they feel they are more part of the community as a productive citizen. We will partner with DOL, Goodwill with job fairs and Voluntary Action Center (VAC) with helping with interview clothing. This will be set by appointments. We are willing to help with Case Management, if you want the help. There will not be a charge for this service. Call Shelia Callaway (706) 844-7442 to set up an appointment for any of these services.
One Harvest Food Ministries - This food program is for the whole community to take advantage of, you don’t have to be of any income limit. You can purchase these boxes, you are getting top quality food at a discount price. The menu changes every month. There are usually around 10-12 different boxes to choose from each month. You can purchase on or all of the boxes, there is also no limit. We do have a few churches who take advantage of this to help members of the church or to give to families in need. Some of the members purchase for themselves, they know this is top quality food. This is done on a monthly basic, the menu changes each month. There is usually an article in the Calhoun Times each month with the menu items.The pickup day for this program is always on Saturday mornings, but if you purchase a box and are not able to pick up yourself you can send someone to pick up for you. You must pick up at the pick up time, which is from 7:30 - 9 a.m., or the food will be given to the volunteers or a family in need, we don’t have storage space to hold the boxes. We are in the process to try and get an EBT machine from the USDA, but that is not in effect now. We are only able to take Debit, Credit cards or Cash. If you are interested in this program you can call for more information. This is for everyone. We must sell 50 boxes to continue to be a drop site in Calhoun. Ray of Hope Foundation, Inc. hopes to have more services available as funding permits. Call Shelia Callaway (706) 844-7442 to set up an appointment for any of these services.
Transitions Hospice Care is looking for volunteers. If interested, please contact Redonna Branton and 706-378-2273, or email rbranton@transitionshc.com.
The Gordon Hospital Auxiliary, a group of men and women of all ages who volunteer their time for the betterment of the hospital, is currently taking applications for new members. To join, simply pick up an application from the Gordon Hospital Information Desk or gift shop. For more information, please call 706-6027800, ext. 2256 or 2318.
Gordon Hospital volunteer auxiliary needs volunteers to use in various places. Drop by the hospital and pick up an application or call 706629-2895.
Healing Hearts - the Floyd County Prevent Suicide Coalition holds a monthly support group for family members and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide. Meetings are the last Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. For more information call 706-413-2111 or email healingheartsfloyd@gmail.com.
Have a special gift or talent? Needing a place to use it? Why not consider sharing them with Morning Pointe Assisted Living and The Lantern at Morning Pointe. We are always appreciative of loving volunteers. Please contact Sharyn @ 706-6290777.
The Northwest Georgia Chapter of American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to do disaster work and community outreach presentations at health fairs and other public events in Bartow, Chattooga, Catoosa, Dade, Murray, Floyd, Gordon, Whitfield and Polk counties. Training will be provided. For more information call 706-291-6648 or visit www.nwgaredcross. org.
Regency Hospice’s volunteer program strengthens and extends its capabilities into the communities in many ways that benefit patients and their families. All that is required is a loving heart, commitment and a willingness to learn to become an active link supporting our team of hospice professionals. Prior experience is not required, and the amount of time you give is up to you. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Kim Davidson at 770-382-7175.
If you love to read and enjoy the helping others, you are encouraged to come by the Fairmount Library and fill out a volunteer application and background check form. The library is a wonderful place to offer your time and ability to help your community and others. You may call the library at 706-337-3110 for more information.
Yoga for the Voluntary Action Center will take place Mondays from 6-7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church on Red Bud Road in Calhoun in the multipurpose room. Beginner to intermediate yoga classes. No charge. Donations are accepted for the VAC. For more information, call Angela Deaton at 770-548-0772.