January 29, 2019
Note: Montgomery and Pine Hill sites will not meet today due to the weather.
A Day to Serve
Communities of Transformation sites all over Alabama took time on or around Monday, January 21 to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by serving in our communities.
Brewton Communities of Transformation read to students at Brewton Elementary School to honor Dr. King. Thank you so much to Shae Hines, Gwen Walton, Gary Robinson, and Mary Akridge for taking the time out of your busy day to read to our students.
Eufaula COT members attended the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Day Program on Sunday, January 20 presented by the Barbour County Concerned Citizens group. The theme of the program was "Working together in UNITY." On January 21 they participated in the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce MLK Day of Service, joining with the First Presbyterian Church to clean the Jewish Cemetery located in Fairview Cemetery.
Montgomery participated in HandsOn River Region's MLK Day of Service at the SPOT, a local community center. Volunteers worked to beautify the campus and enjoyed lunch served by COT.
Phenix City volunteers served snacks and drinks for the MLK parade marchers in partnership with the NAACP Chapter 5050 at Greater Mt. Zion Church in Phenix City.
Pine Hill members gathered with Wilcox county residents to participate in a symbolic march to historic Antioch Baptist Church in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Dothan COT members partnered with Evergreen Presbyterian Church volunteers to serve meals at Mama Tina’s soup kitchen in Dothan. Evergreen's COT Community Choir sang at the Conecuh County NAACP MLK Parade and program. Mobile COT participated in a Day of Service with St. John UMC focused on cleaning up their campus. Selma members attended the 26th annual Unity breakfast followed by the Selma Bridge March. We value days like this when we can break away from our routine and serve alongside other community volunteers!
Completing the Five Dimensions: Financial
Participants and volunteers who participate in Communities of Transformation look at resources that can help bring about a better future story for themselves and their community. They look closely at each of the five dimensions of life, considering where they have work to do. Last month's newsletter focused on the physical dimension. This month we finish with the financial dimension.
The financial dimension in our Awaken curriculum asks participants to look at their finances as a tool to achieve purposeful living. We look at concerns over money, triggers money may have for some, our relationship with money, and our personal rules about money. Then participants are asked to review notes they took in the very first Awaken sessions and relate those answers to their finances. While Awaken doesn't teach how to budget, we do look at a spending plan. Financial workshops are popular programming topics in all our sites, and our communities are full of resources.
As participants put together all they have learned, they start to think about how to make positive, lasting changes in their lives. They have resources they can count on for help, and they can plan for a better future.
Special Events
Saturday, February 2 at 8:00 a.m. - Montgomery Pancakes with Pastors Fundraiser
Saturday, February 2 at 8:30 a.m. - South Walton County's Cost of Poverty Experience
Friday, February 8 at 6:30 p.m. - Pine Hill Valentine's Dinner Fundraiser
Monday, February 18 at 5:30 p.m.- Eufaula Taste and See
