People First of Henry County

People First and Henry County Parks and Rec sponsor Darius Goes West Event!

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:32:12 +0000

People First of Henry County, the annual sponsor of the Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Pageant, and Henry County Parks and Recreation, Therapeutic Division, are teaming up to present a screening of “Darius Goes West” on Saturday, August 7, at 6:00 pm at the Locust Grove Parks and Recreation Center location at 10 Cleveland Street, Locust Grove. Tickets are $5.00 each and proceeds benefit the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Darius Weems is 20 years old and has DMD. His brother, Mario, died at age 19 of the same disease. It is the number one genetic killer of children in the world and will eventually affect Darius’ heart and breathing ability. It is 100% fatal.

Before Mario died, he asked his friend, Logan Smalley, to look out for Darius. When Darius was 15 years old, he, Logan, and ten of his friends rented an RV and left Athens, Georgia, for the first time in his life with the goal of getting his wheelchair customized on MTV’s Pimp My Ride. They celebrated Darius’ life along the way, filmed the adventure and made it into a documentary which has won 28 film festival awards and raised over $2 million for DMD research.

It has become an independent, nationwide, grassroots movement. They have traveled over 100,00 miles, visited 40 states and attended over 500 screenings of the film. A copy of the documentary has been placed in every middle and high school in the nation.

Merchandise will be sold at the event and also a reception will be held after the movie with refreshements sold to benefit DMD. Come and join us for this wonderful event!

For ticket information or to purchase tickets for the show, contact Joyce Jacks at (770) 957-6763.

Henry Herald features our new Mr. & Miss Special Henry County Kings and Queens By Jason A. Smith jsmith@henryherald.com Sherrie Ferguson was nervous when...
Richie McDonald Christmas Show presented by People First People First of Henry County, the annual sponsor of the...

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Henry Herald features our new Mr. & Miss Special Henry County Kings and Queens

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:10:21 +0000

By Jason A. Smith
jsmith@henryherald.com

Sherrie Ferguson was nervous when winners were being announced at the eighth annual Mr. and Miss Henry County Pageant in McDonough recently. The Locust Grove resident was not expecting to hear her name called as the new Miss Special Henry County.

“It feels amazing, and I just love it,” said Ferguson, 20. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people, and getting over my

Our new Kings and Queens with our Directors

shyness.”

Ferguson was one of four winners at the event Saturday. It was sponsored by People First of Henry County, and held at the Henry County Performing Arts Center (PAC).

To read the entire wonderful article by Jason Smith please click here

Kings and Queens to appear at Abilities Celebration Georgia Aquarium will be holding their annual Abilities Celebration from...
Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Applications Now Being Accepted People First of Henry County, the annual sponsor of the...

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Our Kings and Queens year in review

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:24:25 +0000

Please enjoy some wonderful pictures of Kings Todd and Jake and Queens Paige and Katie throughout the past year of their reign.

[View with PicLens]

Pictures from the 2010 pageant Thanks to Debbie Clanton of 88 Keys Photography we now...
Kings and Queens make appearances at AMS for the Pep Boys Auto 500 Our Kings and Queens participated in the pre-race festivities at...
Kings and Queens participate in two walk-a-thons People First of Henry County had their first walk-a-thon...

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Second Annual Walk-A-Thon scheduled for July 31, 2010

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:50:20 +0000

“People First of Henry County” 2nd Annual Walk-A-Thon will be held on Saturday, July 31, beginning at 8:00 am at the Administrative Offices of Henry County Board of Education in McDonough. Registration begins at 7:30 am. The walk-a-thon is being coordinated by Ricky Craig and includes a 1.2 mile course. 100% of funds raised will be used by People First to offer socials events throughout the year for those that are physically and/or mentally challenged. People First promotes fairness and equality for people with disabilities. The reigning Mr. and Miss Special Henry County make over 50 appearances throughout the year, promote self-esteem and raise public awareness of their ABILITIES–RATHER THAN THEIR DISABILITIES. Please make checks payable to People First and all donations are tax-deductible and very much appreciated! If organizations, churches, youth groups, brownie or scout troops, or individuals would like to participate, please contact Ricky Craig at (770) 957-6060. Registration forms are available by clicking here.

Kings and Queens participate in two walk-a-thons People First of Henry County had their first walk-a-thon...

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King and Queen Candidates for the 2010-2011 Court!

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:16:37 +0000

The Eighth Annual Mr. & Miss Special Henry Pageant 2010- 2011 will be held at the Henry County Performing Arts Center (located at 37 Lemon Street, McDonough, GA 30253) on Saturday, July 10, at 4:00 pm.

Silent auction opens at 3:00 pm and the doors to auditorium at the PAC will open at 3:30 pm.

Mr. and Miss Special Henry County and Teen Pageant tickets are $5.00 each and may be purchased at the door if any are unsold.

This pageant has been held for the past seven years as a fund-raiser for People First and open to people with special needs. The winners make over thirty appearances throughout the year in our community and we also offer social activities year round for people with special needs and their families.

Below are our Kings and Queens for our Teen Category and our Adult Category. Please browse and see all of our wonderful contestants!

[View with PicLens]

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NAIFA Golf Tournament coming May 6

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:13:33 +0000

The 15th annual Golf Tournament sponsored by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors – Southern Crescent Chapter has been scheduled for May 6, 2010. The annual Golf Tournament benefits People First of Henry County and the Mr. & Miss Special Henry County Pageant.

The tournament will be held at the beautiful Heron Bay Golf and Country Club located at 3080 Heron Bay Boulevard, Locust Grove.

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Eggcellent Easter Extravaganza announced

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:51:50 +0000

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE 4TH ANNUAL “EXTRA SPECIAL” EASTER PARTY!

Sponsored by People First of Henry County, Henry County Parks & Recreation, Line Creek &

Fayette County Civitan Clubs and many other volunteer groups!

Saturday, March 27, 2:00-4:00 pm
Nash Farm Battlefield
100 Babbs Mill Road, Hampton

This special party is for families of those who have children or adults with developmental disabilities and/or mentally challenged. Age category Easter Egg Hunt, Wheel Chair accessible Egg Hunt, refreshments, bingo for prizes, clown ministry with face painting and balloons, moon walk, stuffed animal walk, a visit from the Easter Bunny, photos made, and more!. It is free for the whole family! Just let us know how many in your family will be attending!

Email peoplefirstofhenrycounty@yahoo.com or call 770-946-3673 and leave a message to register for this event by March 20

PLEASE DO NOT RSVP by leaving a post on this website.

Please feel free to click here and distribute our flyer to appropriate individuals and organizations - EggstraSpecialEaster

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Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Applications Now Being Accepted

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:44:20 +0000

People First of Henry County, the annual sponsor of the Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Pageant, are now accepting applications for the 8th annual Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Pageant. It will be held on Saturday, July 10, at the Henry County Performing Arts Center in McDonough.

This pageant is for individuals who are mentally and/or physically challenged and reside in Henry, Fayette, Butts, Clayton, Spalding, and Rockdale Counties. There is a male as well as female category and two kings and two queens are crowned each year to represent Henry County throughout the community.

Mr. and Miss Teen Special Henry County is for ages 13-19 and Mr. and Miss Special Henry County is for ages 20 and up. No talent or change of clothing is needed. Girls wear formal dresses or Sunday attire and guys wear a tux or suit. Contestants are judged on stage presence, grooming and personality. There is no fee to enter the pageant; however we ask each contestant to purchase a minimum of 10 tickets for $5.00 each at Orientation to sell to family and friends.

A required Orientation for all contestants and their parents or guardian is Sunday, May 2, from 6-8 pm at McDonough Presbyterian Church. A required Pageant practice is Friday, July 9. The Teen practice is from 4-6 and the Adult Practice from 6:30 to 9:30 at the Henry County Performing Arts Center. Both pageants will be held on the same day. It is required that you attend all three of these dates to compete in the pageant, so please check your calendar before applying.

Please understand that the parents or guardians of the winners are a big part of our pageant program and must be able to arrange their own transportation to and from the appearances each year. We participate in parades, festivals, county holiday activities, and also Special Olympics State Games three times a year. Contestants may win only once in the teen category and once in the adult category so everyone has a chance to be a King or Queen.
To receive an application in the mail, please contact Connie Dodgen at (770) 946-3673 or email peoplefirstofhenrycounty@yahoo.com. The final deadline for applications this year is April 15.

The application packet is in PDF form and can be downloaded by clicking the link below. You will need Adobe reader or similar to read it. You can get the adobe software for free by clicking here.

SpecialHenryApplicationPacket

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Kings and Queens to appear at Abilities Celebration

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:28:15 +0000

Abilities Celebration at GA Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium will be holding their annual Abilities Celebration from February 3-6, 2010. The Aquarium will kick off their second annual Abilities Week celebrating people with different abilities and promoting diversity, running February 3-6 during normal operating hours. Inspiring a sense of understanding and embracing a culture of awareness, the celebration will include a variety of exciting performances as well as services to be enjoyed by all.

Special guests include:
• A performance of Tail Tell Tale by local artist Jaehn Clare. Follow the road of recovery of a woman who survived a life altering injury. The piece relates how she “grew into a mermaid”.
• The Georgia Academy for the Blind choir and wrestling team
• Georgia School for the Deaf DeSign Choir
• Briarlake Elementary Signing Choir
• The Georgia Blazers Basketball team
• Live performance by Macon ’s music ambassador Joey Stuckey- a blind musician with an insightful vision!
• George Velazquez- a professional ballroom dancer, whose life was changed drastically by a freak auto- accident that severed his left leg below the knee. Come hear his story and learn the electric slide!

With the largest Handicap Scuba Association (HAS) certified dive team in the world, the Georgia Aquarium serves as a leader in ability awareness and accessibility. Throughout the Abilities Week celebration, the world’s largest aquarium will also offer a variety of staffing and operational additions to ensure guests of all abilities have an enjoyable experience while visiting.

• On Thursday February 4th, Sign language interpreters will be on hand at all presentations, gallery windows, and will be available to host special behind-the-scenes tours at specifically scheduled times.
• On Wednesday February 3rd Volunteer guides will be accessible for those with visual impairments. 3D models and touch pools are located inside several galleries at all times for the visually impaired.
• Wheelchair accessible mats are located at various exhibits throughout the Aquarium reserving private, easily accessible viewing areas for those in wheelchairs.

There are tickets available at a DISCOUNTED RATE for disability groups around the area which can be purchased only through this link at www.georgiaaquarium.org/abilities

Based on the volunteers attending, performances and services offered: Wednesday 2/3 will have the most services available for guests with visual impairments; Thursday 2/4 for guests with hearing impairment; Friday 2/5 for guests with mobility impairment and Saturday 2/6 for those that don’t mind a crowd and want to see sports exhibitions and Joey Stuckey!!

ABOUT THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia, is the world’s largest with more than eight million gallons of water and the largest collection of aquatic animals. The mission of the Georgia Aquarium is to be an entertaining, educational and scientific institution featuring exhibits and programs of the highest standards; offering engaging and exciting guest experiences promoting the conservation of aquatic biodiversity throughout the world. The Georgia Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums.

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Henry Herald promotes Richie McDonald Concert

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:35:01 +0000

If you didn’t have an opportunity to see it in the Henry Herald you can view the article online at the Henry Herald Website as well as reading below

By Johnny Jackson
jjackson@henryherald.com

Members of the People First of Henry County organization are expecting a responsive local turnout for their upcoming Christmas benefit concert.

The concert, dubbed, “If Every Day Could Be Christmas,” will be a sort of musical featuring recording artist Richie McDonald, said Connie Dodgen, a co-director with People First of Henry County.

McDonald, the former frontman of the multi-platinum country music band, Lonestar, is expected to give a mid-tour performance in Henry County on Dec. 19. The performance begins at 3 p.m., at the Henry County Performing Arts Center, 37 Lemon St., in McDonough.

Dodgen said McDonald volunteered to perform as part of fund-raising efforts for the organization, which provides social activities for the area’s young people with special needs.

“He has a huge heart for people in general, but he really has a huge heart for people with special needs,” Dodgen said. “I love that he is so humble. He sticks to his Christian views, and puts God first and family second.”

McDonald was the special guest judge this past year during the Sixth Annual Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Pageant, which is sponsored by People First of Henry County.

“The concert is more of an opportunity for our special needs community to get to see him again,” Dodgen said. She said she hopes McDonald’s presence also will bring more awareness to the area’s special needs community, and the services that People First of Henry County provides.

“We offer social opportunities that the kids would never have, if it wasn’t for our group,” she said. “We take those kids, and we raise their self-esteem.

“We take them and put them in a safe environment,” she said. “And we try to make them feel comfortable about themselves. We’re showing the community that they’re people first, and that their disability is secondary to that.”

Dodgen said people have been responsive to the benefit concert, as tickets are selling quickly. Only about 300 tickets remain for the venue, she said.

Tickets are available at $20 each at all Moye’s Pharmacy locations in Henry County, or at the official Richie McDonald web site, with an additional $1 handling fee.

“We’re also selling raffle tickets for six VIP passes to meet McDonald, receive a free CD, and get front-row seats for the concert,” Dodgen added.

A portion of the concert proceeds will go to support the organization’s activities, such as its Seventh Annual People First of Henry County Mr. and Miss Special Henry County Pageant next June.

Richie McDonald Christmas Show presented by People First People First of Henry County, the annual sponsor of the...

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