Sure, being a firefighter involves risking your life to help others in the event of an emergency, but it’s also about finding your second family. “Hanging out at the kitchen table with the crew is the most comfortable place in the world,” explains Billy Petite, current assistant chief of EMS operations with the Henry County Fire Rescue, where he has worked for the last 21 years. “It’s where healing happens.” Operations staff get assigned to a shift that includes 24 hours on starting at 7 a.m., then 48 hours off. Team members also can sign up for overtime shifts since...
A Miraculous Place for a Miracle Young Man
Before he was born, 17-year-old Mekhi Floyd faced life-threatening challenges. His mom, Altovise Floyd, became concerned about a month before her due date, having noticed limited movement by Mekhi. Seeking medical care, it was determined that she would need to have her baby boy right away and so labor was induced. Mere hours after his birth, Mekhi would undergo surgery. Doctors discovered he had necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious illness that causes tissue in the large intestine to become inflamed, killing tissue in the colon. He spent the next seven months at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta undergoing multiple surgeries and...
From the Stadium to the National Stage
Countless hours of preparation in the form of practice, rehearsals, and fundraising have led to an exciting opportunity for Ola High School’s Marching Band. On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the Ola High School Marching Band, made up of 90 students from the 9th through 12th grades, will be performing in The National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, D.C. Mike Bearden, the Director of Bands at Ola High School, said that he is proud of his students and the dedication that they bring to the classroom each day. “The band program consists of some of the highest academic scholars. We...
Soaring to New Academic Heights
A new program at Creekside Christian Academy is helping students to reach their full academic potential. The new Learning Solutions program began this school year with a focus on reading interventions through Creekside’s STARS (Support To Achieve Reading Success) program. “Research tells us that 90% of students who struggle in reading at the end of first grade will continue to struggle with reading by the end of fourth grade,” explains Creekside Christian Academy’s Learning Solutions Director Angela Smith. With this in mind, Creekside Christian Academy (CCA) went to work assisting students struggling academically by offering 30 minutes of...
A Life in Color
Since the age of five, Bernard Gore of Hampton has daydreamed vivid images in vibrant color. Captivated by the countless possibilities for creativity in his elementary art class, Gore eagerly picked up a pencil and paper and began bringing to life the images and stories in his mind. “I’ve always been a daydreamer,” said Gore. “When I went into art class and I saw all the compositions on the boards – purple, red, blue, green, yellow, white – I was blown away.” As a child, he did not mind when the weather was bad, as he could stay inside and...
It Takes an Army of Angels
“No man, woman or child should go without basic human needs. It takes an Army of Angels to meet the greater need,” says Rhonda Miller. Born in Alabama, raised by a single mother, in a house with seven siblings, Miller experienced all too well the pangs of hunger. One of her most impactful childhood memories was when local high school students came to her house to deliver “bag after bag of groceries” right before Thanksgiving. Miller was 10, but she understood that the community had come together to help them. This event, years later, would inspire Miller to open a...