>> URBAN ARTS VILLAGE
The Life Enrichment Center (LEC) hosted its official ribbon-cutting ceremony during the Kids Block Party at the Urban Arts Village at 224 E. Walton St., in Milledgeville, on Aug. 19.
The village was alive with vendors from Georgia College & State University (GCSU), the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), the local fire department, Citizens of Georgia Power, and other individual organizations and volunteers. Each table was set up with activities for children to participate in from painting their own fossils to exploring fire trucks and learning about fire safety.
“We are so thankful for all the hard work and help that was contributed to create this village and make it a home for us to host events like these,” said Barbara Coleman, executive director of The Life Enrichment Center. “We had a large turnout for our event and so many vendors and volunteers who made it possible. We couldn’t do anything like this without the support of the community.”
The Kids Block party was the largest site for GC Gives Day, an annual event hosted by GCSU where first-year students volunteer at various sites.
Every volunteer and vendor had assistance from GCSU students. Students were assigned to sites that best aligned with their academic major and career interests.
“GCSU Gives Day is a fundamental piece of the liberal arts education we provide students at Georgia College,” said Ashley Copeland, director of Community Engagement & Service, in a press release. “Right from the start, GCSU Gives Day shows our new students what it means to be a part of Georgia College. We give back.”
GC Gives Day volunteers led activities, assisted with registration, helped with parking, interacted with LEC individuals, and worked one-on-one with attendees of the block party. According to Coleman, these students were one of the largest contributors to the day’s success.
“When planning the event, we ensured it aligned with the date of GC Gives Day because we wanted to have a big event with lots of opportunities for the students, our individuals, and attendees,” said Coleman. “GCSU has been a very big supporter of the LEC in numerous ways and we are just so grateful for their continued support.”
One of the block party’s big events included the university’s Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy giving away copies of Thunder Learns to Read that GCSU President Cathy Cox read to the GCSU mascot Thunder on the main deck. School supplies, packed by students, were also distributed.
“We always look forward to offering a chance for students to read and learn about reading,” said Kim Scott, director of operations for the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy. “Today (Aug. 19), kids are getting a chance not only to receive a copy of Thunder Learns to Read but to also win some free books in our raffle and meet Thunder, the star of the story. It’s a great opportunity to introduce kids to a love of reading.”
Dr. Linda Bradley, professor of literacy education at GCSU, and author of Thunder Learns to Read, was also present during the event and sang a song with kids after the reading to encourage them to read more and be a “wonder” like Thunder.
According to GCSU’s newsletter, This Week published on May 11, 2021, Bradley worked with professional illustrator Min McGlaughn for the project to write and illustrate how Thunder decides he wants to learn to read and the challenges he faces along the way.
“I always enjoy seeing the kids interact with the book,” said Bradley.
“And it’s always fun to have Thunder reliving his experience with the kids.” A total of about 300 people were recorded by registration attending the event. Numerous LEC employees and vendors remarked on the large turnout and how happy it made them to see the community coming together. For Coleman, seeing the interactivity between community members and LEC individuals made her “overjoyed”.
“We want a world where people look at each other for their abilities not disabilities,” said Coleman. “Today (Aug. 19), we were all just one large community having fun and working together towards a common goal. And that is what the Urban Arts Village will continue to do, connect Baldwin County and the LEC together as a single community.”