Arise From The Ashes

"COMMUNITY NEWS & MORE"

AFTA-CDC - Welcomes to the Board: Mrs. Lauren Holmes Willis
(Mrs. Willis is currently the Director of Holly Springs Elementary School, Pickens & former AFTA-CDC board member)

AFTA-CDC has appointed, Mr. Gerald Keith, Director of Special Projects for AFTA-CDC
(Mr. Keith brings to us a wealth of expertise as a former Navy Seabee)

Get Ready for the 2020 Census! Make Your Household Count!

SOUTH CAROLINA PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29th

Pickens Scout Troop 51 - OPEN HOUSE, February 22, 2020, 4pm;
188 Blacksnake Road, Pickens, SC; the scouting experience is for youths aged 11-17;
prior cub scouting is not required; pickenstroop51@gmail.com

AFTA-CDC Thanks - The City of Pickens for tree removal; Bivens Hardware for the donation of Piping; Tri-County Ace Hardware Store for the donation of Paint for the AFTA-CDC Community Literacy Center;
Mr. Gerald Keith and Mr. Dexter Durham for their time in tree cutting and landscape clean-up.

Your Time & Talent, as well as Donations (tax deducible) are Appreciated; please email us at: aftacdc@gmail.com

AFTA-CDC will be asking for a $2.00 per ticket donation for: 1st Prize: a 50" Smart TV & 2nd & 3rd Prize: $50 Visa Gift Card ea., - the donation will help us in our efforts to renovate the Future Home of the:
AFTA-CDC Community Literacy Center, Pickens, SC 29671

The Market at the Mill - Opens February 27th

"Songs From the Heart" African Children's Choir to perform, March 1st at Southern Wesleyan University, 6pm, at the Newton Hobson Chapel and FIne Arts Center Auditorium, located on the Central Campus

Pickens County Homeless Shelter of Hope; Chairwoman, Cheryl Bailey was on FAME Radio 94.5 , Feb 15th, chatting briefly about the AFTA-CDC Community Literacy Center and how the community can help - she, along with Lavon Moore of Clearview Simpson Heritage Foundation will be on "Around Pickens", on March 30th at Burgess & Taylor General Store, Pickens, SC - we will have a sit down discussion on the many projects in the African American Community of Pickens and share our thoughts on growing up in Pickens and what these projects mean to us and to our beloved City of Pickens

Mrs. Lauren Holmes Willis, Board Member

Mr. Gerald Keith, Director of Special Projects

Pickens Mayor, Fletcher Perry (a Founding Member of AFTA-CDC), and Pickens City Councilmen, Isaiah A. Scipio, the former chairman of AFTA-CDC; Two of our most important adversaries has resigned from the Board of AFTA-CDC to pursue what God has called them to do - to be Leaders and Pillars of our Community. Although they have resigned, they will continue to support AFTA-CDC, as well as the many other non-profit & organizations in Pickens

Mrs. Cheryl Allen-Bailey Chair, AFTA-CDC

January 25, 2020: Mayor Fletcher Perry and the Pickens County Homeless Shelter, Founders Tracy & Sunshine Gantt (the 1st and only homeless shelter in Pickens County) - Welcomed Judge Glenda Hatchett to the shelter, as well as Clearview Simpson Heritage Foundation, Executive Director Lavon Moore; AFTA-CDC Chair Cheryl Bailey; members of Griffin Ebenzer Baptist Church, Mrs. Mary Webb and Mrs. Mary Jo Holley; one of the 1st graduating Seniors from Clearview High School, Easley, SC - Richard and his wife Brenda Burgess and members of the community for a tour and a roundtable discussion on uplifting our community and protecting our young men when stopped and frisked by the police.

Our Agenda & Minutes are NOW posted on our website: AFTA Home; AFTA Board;
scroll for AFTA Minutes - we will post monthly!

Are you interested in your Community! Send us an email at aftacdc@gmail.com;
We are looking for 2 great individuals to join our board and help us rebuild and reinvest in our Community!

Chief Riggs of the Pickens Police Department and his officers are will be conducting intermittent Elderly Disabled Citizen Wellness checks for the residents inside the city limits of Pickens. If you know of someone who may need this service; please call Monday-Friday 9-5, 864-878-7361
Where the Mountains Begin.....We Are Pickens Proud!

Pickens NAACP - meet the 2nd Monday of every Month -
next meeting, Monday, March 9th

Men of Color Summit, Clemson University, March 3rd & 4th -
Keynote Speaker - Earvin "Majic" Johnson

Clearview Simpson Heritage Foundation Scholarships is now in High Schools in the Upstate,
please check with your Counselors - Deadline to apply is April 1, 2020
We are awarding 8 scholarships.
(Scholarships: The Roberta Breazeale Scholarship 2@$500; CSHF Alumni Scholarship 2@$1000; CSHF Scholarship 1@$1000; The Jennie Rosemond Allen Scholarship 1@250; The Joe Hunt Memorial Scholarship 2@$500)

Upcoming Events:
March 10th - Fraternity & Sorority Legislative Day, Columbia, SC (all are welcomed)

Hampton Memorial Library, Easley, SC: The Crafting Hour, 2nd Wednesday of each month at 2:30; Adulting 101 for Teens, 4th Tuesday of each month at 5:30; Easley Bridge Club, each Wednesday at 1pm;

"The Clearview/Simpson Heritage Foundation & Y Mentor Program"
Registration and 101 Mentoring Training is ongoing - please check the Y Mentor website or FB page
Mentor Application (Y Mentor): https://www.the YMCA.us
Addition: a Literacy Mentoring Reading Program has been added

Please see our "Events Upstate" page for local events of interest