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A brighter day (and year) ahead

This was a staff-wide effort I oversaw for the front page of the Jan. 1 paper. Read on for details on all sorts of beats, including faith, education, sports, city government …

A lot lies ahead for the Augusta area this year

By Kelly Jasper | Staff Writer

Friday, January 01, 2010

There’s the usual, such as the Masters Tournament and the Westobou Festival, and also new events and big-name concerts.

The International Mountain Bike Association World Summit will come to Augusta from May 5-8. About 500 riders are expected to compete on trails in nearby Sumter National Forest in Edgefield and McCormick counties.

The ESi Ironman 70.3 returns in September. The inaugural event in 2009 set a world record with 3,000 competitors and drew 5,000 to 6,000 spectators downtown. Economic impact was estimated at $4.7 million.

A new $24 million library will open in downtown Augusta in June. The three-floor library will offer 30,000 new books, self-checkout stations, a children’s reading room and puppet stage and a Georgia resource room. Several other projects, including the Kroc Center and a trade, exhibit and event center, will start construction.

Celebrations include Aiken’s 175 anniversary and The Augusta Chronicle’s 225th year. Changes are on the way for schools, businesses, churches and community groups.

We have a sampling of the major events and happenings of the new year. Read on at augustachronicle.com.

Questions? kelly.jasper@augustachronicle.com


Posted: January 4th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

An Interfaith effort at Christmas

This story ran on Christmas Eve to showcase the phenomenal effort it takes to provide for homeless families at Christmas.

Interfaith helps homeless of Augusta

Yearlong effort of 24 churches soon to expand

By Kelly Jasper | Staff Writer

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Three weeks ago, Lawanda and Timothy Howard were homeless. Their Christmas, however, will be dry and warm, with plenty of gifts for their four children and food for the family.

That’s because the Howards are one of three families enrolled in the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Augusta, an organization that uses various member church facilities to shelter families in need. For Christmas, volunteers step up their contributions to provide an experience that parallels holidays at home.

“Each and every need our children had has been provided for,” said Mrs. Howard, a mother of two boys and two girls, ages 11, 6 and 5 years old, and 21 months. “Interfaith is a door God opened up. He touched hearts and made this possible. It’s something we’ll never have the words for the gratitude we want to express.”

The families are spending Christmas Week at Wesley United Methodist Church in Evans. It’s one of 24 churches that participate throughout the year. As a host congregation, Wesley provides meals, activities and volunteers who spend each night at the church with the families.

“The churches do this 365 days of the year,” said Sarah MacDonald, Interfaith’s director. “There’s an everyday need and they’re there to meet it. This organization wouldn’t be anywhere without its volunteers. They do so much.”

Volunteers shopped for gifts for the seven children staying at Wesley this week.

On Sunday, the three families arrived at Wesley to find that their bedrooms — classrooms, really — had been decorated by Sunday school classes. Ornaments and baubles hung from house plants, and garland draped the windows. Stuffed animals were placed on children’s beds. There was also a Christmas tree. Volunteers left boxes of ornaments at the base of the tree for the children to decorate later in the week.

Read more at augustachronicle.com.

Questions? kelly.jasper@augustachronicle.com

Posted: January 4th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
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A gift for Tyler

This Saturday, the Chronicle ran a story about Tyler Maphis and his family (pictured above).  I got a note from Tyler’s mom, Misty, on Sunday. In three hours after the story ran, more than $2,000 was donated to the family’s non-profit Web site.

Take a look.

Wheelchair-accessible van on family wish list

By Kelly Jasper | Staff Writer | The Augusta Chronicle, Augusta, Ga.
Saturday, December 19, 2009

Tyler Maphis will never drive, but his parents are car shopping for the 15-year-old. A used wheelchair-equipped van is not the stuff of a teen’s dreams, but it’s what he needs.

Tyler Maphis, 15, can’t walk or speak and is confined to a wheelchair. His parents, Misty (left) and Roger Maphis, hope to buy a wheelchair-accessible van before Staff Sgt. Maphis is deployed to Afghanistan in May. “It’s about safety,” Mrs. Maphis said.

Born with severe disabilities, Tyler is confined to a wheelchair. He can’t walk. He can’t speak. He can’t breathe through his mouth or nose. He can’t swallow or chew.

Tyler’s father, Army Staff Sgt. Roger Maphis, is set for deployment to Afghanistan in May, and the Grovetown family needs the van by then.

A nonprofit group has been formed to pay for the $25,000 van Tyler needs.

Though a bus with a lift takes him to Grovetown High School, Tyler’s parents carry him and a 72-pound wheelchair to their van when they leave the house.

“There are times when he and I are home and can’t go anywhere because I can’t lift him,” said his mother, Misty Maphis, who runs a day care out of her home to be closer to Tyler. Lifting Tyler is a two-person job, and by spring Mrs. Maphis will have less help as Staff Sgt. Maphis makes his third trip to the Middle East.

“When Roger leaves, I don’t know what we’ll do,” she said. “We want to have the freedom to do things, live life.”

In the past two months, the nonprofit Tater’s Toter has organized two First Friday raffles and a trail ride, which starts this morning. It’s a silly name for a serious need, Mrs. Maphis said. Tater has been Tyler’s nickname since birth. The fundraisers are the family’s last resort. The Maphises have exhausted options through insurance and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Tater’s Toter has raised $3,500, including $1,000 from the Medical College of Georgia, said Christy Reynolds, a family friend spearheading fundraising efforts. Mrs. Maphis and her daughter, 18-year-old Ashley, are also sending letters to politicians and businesspeople.

“It’s just an enormous expense. We know that,” Mrs. Maphis said of the van. “We have to do this, because it’s about safety. Tater sits in just a regular passenger seat now. I wouldn’t have to pick up the wheelchair. I’d stop hurting my back.”

Read more at augustachronicle.com.

Posted: December 21st, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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For the love of God and Bulldogs

Sunday school teacher taught for 60 years

 

By Kelly Jasper | Staff Writer  | The Augusta Chronicle, Augusta, Ga.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

 It was past his bedtime, but Cason Bruker wasn’t about to miss the end of a football game. He stayed up late Saturday to watch his beloved Georgia Bulldogs run over Georgia Tech.
He grinned at the 30-24 upset, then said it was time for bed.
“He never really woke up again after that. He passed about midnight Sunday,” said the Rev. Greg DeLoach, the pastor of First Baptist Church. Mr. Bruker was 88.
The Augusta native and Army veteran was 13 when he joined First Baptist. He became its youngest deacon at 27, but Mr. Bruker was best known for Sunday school. He taught the Cason Bruker Bible Class for 60 years.
“He’s mentored generations of men,” the Rev. DeLoach said.

Read more at augustachronicle.com.

 

Posted: December 18th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
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Planned Parenthood cuts back; Catholics claim victory

Augusta Planned Parenthood reduces office hours

Abortion foes say change reflects public sentiment

 By Kelly Jasper | Staff Writer  | The Augusta Chronicle, Augusta, Ga.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

 Planned Parenthood of Augusta has reduced its hours from nearly 40 a week to 19.

The organization said the change was made in response to a down economy, but abortion opponents are celebrating the cutback, which follows a 40-day vigil outside the clinic.

“Women have been changing their consumption of health care because of the economy,” said Leola Reis, the vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood of Georgia. “We’re seeing a lot of women giving up preventive care. Their priorities are keeping the bills paid, putting food on the table, and their kids’ health before their own.”

She said preventive care is the mainstay of Planned Parenthood’s business. Screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer account for 48 percent of its business, while contraceptives accounted for 36 percent, according to the national nonprofit agency’s 2007-2008 annual report. Abortion services totaled 3 percent.

 Read more at augustachronicle.com.

Posted: December 18th, 2009 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

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