Foster parents honored for 40 years of service
Polk Retired Educators Association celebrated 50 years of its founding by honoring the founder and past presidents of the organization. During their February 6 meeting, president-elect Dr. Sherri Garrett shared a brief history of the founding of PREA along with special recognition of past presidents.
Polk Retired Educators Association (PREA) was founded by Mr. Kankakee “Buck” Anderson, who also served as superintendent of Polk County Schools from 1941-1956. He was a graduate of Berry College and the University of Georgia. During his administration new buildings were constructed and teachers received raises in salary to aid in making Polk competitive with surrounding counties.
In 1951, during his final year as superintendent, Kankakee Anderson also served as president of Georgia Educators Association, later known as Georgia Association of Educators. In 1969, after his retirement, Kankakee Anderson realized that the retired educators of Polk
County needed an outlet to provide support to retired educators and to network with other retired educators around the state. It is through this original purpose that an expansion of services have evolved through PREA.
Not long after founding PREA, Kankakee Anderson served as president of Georgia Retired Teachers Association in 1971. In 1989, he along with his wife Betty, served as co-presidents of PREA.
During the 50th Anniversary celebration past-presidents of PREA were recognized and acknowledged for their guidance in building a strong foundation within the organization. In the first year of PREA’s existence, 196979, the organization was led by Apphia Griffith an elementary principal. Over the past 50 years the organization has had 38 different individuals to serve as president.
Some of those individuals have served more than one term as president: Brenda Richardson: 2004-2005 & 2009-2010; Judy Angle: 2008-2009 & 2013-2015; Lynda Rutland: 2011-2013, 2015-2017, copresident 2019-present; Andrea Sorrells: 2017-2019 & co-president 2019-present.
PREA has had some distinguished educators to grace the rank of president. To name a few:
♦R.A. Bryant (1979-81) – Principal, Cedar Hill High School
♦L.B. Wheeler (1984-85) – Principal, Purks Junior High
Odell Owens (1985-86) – President, Georgia Association of Educators
Mary Brewster (1991-92) – Outstanding Educator in Business Education in the state of Georgia
Guy Rutland (1995-96) –Area Director, Georgia Retired Educators Association
At the February meeting the past presidents in attendance were presented with a long-stemmed carnation and celebratory cake. Those past presidents in attendance were:
♦Bernard Willoughby (1994-1995) ♦Linda Lee (1997-1998) ♦Mary W. Callins (2005-2007) Judy Angle (2008-2009) & (2013-2015) Andrea Sorrells (2017-2019) & (2019 –present)
A couple who have given back over the decades to local youth by giving them a loving home were shown appreciation for their efforts during a recent meeting of the Polk County Foster Parent Association.
Local foster parents George and Mattie Smith were celebrated for providing a place for children in their homes over the past 40 years at the Association’s February meeting.
The pair became foster parents in October 1979, and during that time have provided a temporary foster home for over 150 children and adopted 2 children to stay in their family forever.
Polk County DFCS (Division of Family and Children Services) Director Susan Ollis also read and presented a letter of recognition from state and local DFCS leadership to thank them for their time spent over the past decades helping children.
“The Smith’s have been faithful leaders and mentors to many other foster parents over the years, as well as, very active in the local foster parent association,” DFCS’ Robin Forston said in a release about the couple.
State Representative Trey Kelley presented the Smith’s with a plaque and letter from Governor Kemp expressing appreciation for their “devoted patience, love, and faith that you would make a difference in the life of Georgia’s children.”
They were also given a certificate and flag that was flown over the state capital in their honor.