Editorials
Citizens of the Week: Kathy Reed, Tom Brown and Paul Byrum
When Betty Brant and her co-workers at the Dalton Organization of Churches United for People (DOC-UP) learned that area bluegrass musicians said they wanted to put together a CD to benefit the organization, she said they were “blessed.”
But that feeling paled in comparison to the jolt she got when she first heard “Heaven Knows Where We’ll Go From Here” by Atlanta musician Kathy Reed, a song about Dalton’s struggling carpet mill workers.
“I love the song,” Brant said. “The CD is fabulous but the song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it, because I hear these stories when these people come in for assistance.”
And these days, more and more Whitfield County families are finding themselves in need of help with rent or mortgage payments, utilities, prescriptions and gas for job searches. DOC-UP volunteers anticipate aiding roughly 1,920 families this year, an increase of 20 percent from 2008. Needed funds have to come from somewhere.
Enter Bluegrass Bands and Helping Hands — also known as local guitarist and banjo player Tom Brown and Paul Byrum, a supply chain coordinator at Mohawk Industries. The duo organized the CD project featuring 18 tracks, including several from performers with Dalton or North Georgia ties. Hopes are for a $10,000 windfall, and Brant says they’re well on their way.
“At the CD release party last week we had a good start, a good sale,” she said. “Everyone who has heard it thinks it’s wonderful. I hear people all over saying, ‘I get this song in my head and I can’t get it out.’ And the people in the carpet mills who have been laid off, it touches them, too. If we can get (the CD) out there, it’ll be a hit.”
For their efforts to help area residents through DOC-UP, The Daily Citizen names Kathy Reed, Tom Brown and Paul Byrum Citizens of the Week.
- Editorials
-
-
Tim Rogers: Don't be tardy
he Dalton Board of Education has decided that Dalton High School students will get out at 3:40 p.m. this year instead of 3:59 p.m. and start class at 8:15 a.m. instead of 8:20.
Continued ...
Now that they are done monkeying with the schedule, it doesn’t seem like the first and final bells will be any problem. All of those other bells in between may be a different matter, however.
To achieve this 14-minute time savings, the board cut the time between classes from six minutes to three minutes. - We want your views on the war
- Tim Rogers: Monday looking better
- Expanding public sector not working
- Tim Rogers: Not in our best interest
-
Tim Rogers: Don't be tardy
