Our Chlidren's Village, formerly know as “It Takes a Village” Community Initiative began In November 2010 with planning and the organization of the FIRST ANNUAL “YOUTH EMPOWERMENT RALLY.” This FREE COMMUNITY WIDE event was held on January 15 and 16, 2011 with over 500 youth, parents and citizens participating. The rally was designed to provide youth in our communities with positive life skills.
The two day event consisted of workshops facilitated by volunteers from various organizations and agencies. Workshops included:
• Teen Domestic Violence Awareness
• Safe Driving
• Dealing with negative peer pressure
• Parenting Skills
• Behavior Self Control within the School System,
• HIV/AIDS and STD Awareness
• Drug and Alcohol prevention
• Adolescent male anger management
• Female Self Empowerment
• Safe Social Networking (dangers of “sexting”)
• Gang Awareness. Augusta news channel six and the McDuffie Progress covered the Story. A free lunch on Saturday and a free banquet style dinner were provided on Sunday. Thirty youth were selected to tour the Augusta RYDC as a part of the “Consequences of youth delinquency” Workshop. Youth participated in a What NOT to Wear fashion show. Professional football players Casper and Jasper Brinkley were on hand to speak with the youth. Augusta Technical College set up a table to offer youth information on higher education while businessman D.T. Brown spoke to adults about services offered by D.T. Brown Memorial. Sunday’s program “Spiritual Awakening” consisted of songs by a community youth choir, dances by a community youth praise dance team, a ‘survivor’ story (youth walks/talks after surviving head-on collision, paralysis and attempts to end life support) and an inspirational message by Pastor Paul Little of Savannah, Georgia.
