Local organizers hosted their fifth annual Back to School event over the weekend ensuring that youth in Rockmart went back to classes with supplies they need thanks to donations from the community.
The 2024 edition of the Community Fun Day held in honor of Dadrian “Wade” Cummings over the weekend in Seaborn Jones Park saw families gather and take home supplies – and a lucky few also got to enjoy some door prizes as well.
Organizer Amber James Jackson told Polk Today that in total some 300 youth took home items they needed.
“Thank you to everyone that helped me make this happen. Thank you to my family, my friends, co-workers if you played any part from sharing the post, donations, working during the event, you just being in attendance, most importantly your prayers I am humbly grateful!” she said.
Even though she and the many who provided help from the community to make sure 300 bookbags were handed out filled with supplies – it was based on as supplies lasted, and they definitely ran out this year. Jackson considered that a blessing to go along with the many others received leading up to the July 27 giveaway.
Jackson said she hoped the event inspires families to remember that raising and educating children is an effort that takes a village, but that “success starts at home.”
“Teach your babies to be nice to each other and let them know it’s ok to be different but even greater to accept differences life would be boring if we all were the same!” Jackson wrote to Polk Today.
The biggest goal for Jackson was to ensure that no one forgets her brother Dadrian Cummings, one of the five victims of violence in that brought an end to his life and three others in January 2018.
She believes that giving back to the community is just one way that Cummings would have wanted to share the love he had for those in his life.
“My goal is to keep my brothers name alive in a positive light by blessing those in need,” she said.